Questions raised about chopping down dangerous trees following windstorm

COQUITLAM (NEWS 1130) – Following yesterday’s windstorm, some homeowners are wondering whether they’re allowed to remove big trees on or near their property. NEWS 1130 is finding out what the rules and regulations are if you want to chop down a potentially dangerous one.

The bottom line is it varies between municipalities and it’s always best to check with your local city hall.

Lanny Englund with the City of Coquitlam says if there’s a tree on your property that’s deemed a hazard, you have to get a permit to take it down and you have to pay for that.

“The Tree Management Bylaw is to strike a balance between private property rights and the protection of trees in the community so it does allow two trees to be removed per year on a lot if there’s not a creek or steep slope involved.”

In the City of Langley, you don’t have to get a permit if it’s in your backyard, for example. However, if it’s on city property near your home and you feel it could cause damage then just phone them.

Meantime, in the City of Vancouver you have to call in an arborist and if they decide it’s unstable, then you have to get a permit to chop it down and you can’t take down anything on city land.

In Vancouver, it’s illegal to take down trees that you were never given permission to and you could be fined up to $10,000 per tree you chop down.

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