CSL council divided over fate of 'private' trees in protection bylaw

BY MARTIN C. BARRY

While members of Côte St. Luc city council remain divided over proposed amendments to a tree protection bylaw, a final draft could be adopted as early as August.

At city council's monthly meeting last Monday, a motion to dispense with the reading of an early version of the bylaw, and the second reading of a complementary bill concerning the width of driveways, precipitated a lively debate, revealing where the councillors stand.

The first reading of the tree bylaw will be at council's July meeting, followed by a second reading the following month. "It would be passed after the second reading," Mayor Anthony Housefather told the Chronicle. "It could be as early as August. It could be later. It depends on what council decides. I believe there's a consensus on council as to the content of it, but there's still some open issues." Housefather said that trees in front yards, including the sides of front yards, would be protected under the bylaw, as would every other tree in the city. "There would only be limited reasons for which you could cut that tree down, whether it's public or private," he said. "But the trees in your backyard or trees on your side you could cut down, provided that you got your proper permit and you replaced the trees."

According to Councillor Dida Berku, who has been advocating for a more comprehensive tree protection bylaw, a survey of cities on and off Montreal Island, from Laval to Ste. Anne de Bellevue, revealed that all protect private trees on private home lots from being arbitrarily cut down.

Councillor Ruth Kovac, one of three councillors who still have reservations about the current versions of the bylaws, objected to the fact that they've been written in conjunction with each other. The driveway bylaw would allow driveways to be extended, on the condition that privately-owned trees are not cut down in the process. "You want to have private trees covered in this bylaw," said Kovac. "Whereas public trees need the protection, if someone has a private tree and they wish to enlarge their driveway, they should not be held to this in order for them to enlarge their driveway."

Councillor Steven Erdelyi said that after hearing some of the other councillors' views, he wouldn't be voting in favour of the current driveway bylaw. "This is based on a tree bylaw that hasn't passed, and for personal reasons I feel I cannot vote for this until the tree bylaw is passed in the form that I wish it to be passed," he said. "I would suggest that this not be tied to the tree bylaw amendment, if you will, but it should stand on its own," said Councillor Sam Goldbloom, who also did not support the current version of the driveway bylaw.