A Winnipeg man is upset that a pair of old, healthy oak trees could fall on the property next to him.
James Reid lives on Clarence Avenue and the house next door has not been occupied since he moved in three years ago.
He said work began around the home and that’s when he learned two oak trees in front of the house, which workers estimated to be about 100 years old, were scheduled to be torn down.
“Both are in perfect health; they are nowhere near where they would build or the foundation or anything. They obviously made it through all the storms and they made it through a few years ago when we had all the cutworms that devastated the oak trees in our neighborhood and they lived through that,” Reid said.
Reid said he contacted the development company to find out why this was happening and was told the landowner decided to remove the trees.
He said there was a two-story house on the property that was torn down and he said it was being replaced with another two-story house.
He doesn’t understand why people would want to take down these trees when they are such an important part of the neighborhood.
“If you’re investing in this neighborhood, it’s Fort Gary. This is an older neighborhood. You obviously invested here because you like the trees and the trails and everything that makes this neighborhood what it is. So why are you tearing down what drew you to this neighborhood in the first place?”
A city spokesperson said in an email to CTV News Winnipeg that there is no bylaw that prevents trees from being removed from private property.
The spokesperson said of infill housing: “The current zoning bylaw gives credit to the landscaping requirement for any tree with a trunk diameter greater than 2.5 inches retained on private property. However, there are no specified tree protection requirements.’
The spokesperson added that the number of trees retained on a property reduces the amount of landscaping material required.
“Note that the protection of private trees is part of infill development proposals where there may be conditions requiring specific trees to be protected in development, in accordance with the recommendations of an arborist’s report. An arborist report is required to accompany proposals for properties with existing trees.
The spokesman said the city does not have the authority to regulate the preservation of trees on private property, but noted that managing Dutch elm disease on all properties is an exception.
CTV News Winnipeg has reached out to the development company for comment.
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