NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF BARRIE
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The City of Barrie is consulting with Barrie landowners, residents, environmental advocacy groups, land developers and businesses to get feedback on preferences about the preferred approach to regulating private individual tree removal in the city.
This will be done through a Public Information Centre (PIC) meeting and survey feedback process.
In the fall of 2021, city council directed staff to investigate revising the existing private tree bylaw (2014-115) to include individual trees on all private properties in Barrie to mitigate future damage of privately owned trees due to private construction and excavation projects.
The purpose of the investigation is to engage the public and stakeholders on possible options to provide more comprehensive mature tree protection for privately owned trees, and to mitigate future damage of privately owned trees due to private construction and excavation projects.
Barrie has had a private tree bylaw in place since 1990 that regulates the removal or injury of any tree on private property that is part of a woodlot that is half-acre (0.2 hectares) in size or larger. Tree removals are regulated through mandatory tree removal permits. Non-compliance can result in fines, negotiated settlements and restoration orders. Barrie’s private tree bylaw has been revised three times since 1990 — in 2002, 2005 and 2014.
To share feedback, members of the public are invited to attend the virtual PIC meeting on Thursday, Feb. 24, from 4-6 p.m. A survey will be posted on the day of the public meeting, and feedback can be submitted online until March 11, 2022.
At the PIC meeting, the city's forestry staff will share a presentation outlining types of tree by-laws, including restrictive and permissive tree bylaw approaches to protect and enhance urban tree canopies. After the presentation, the public will be invited to ask questions.
Visit buildingbarrie.ca/trees to learn more and to register for the PIC. Public feedback from this consultation process will be provided to council in late spring or early summer to receive direction for next steps in the bylaw review.
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