January 7, 1999
To:North York Community Council
From:Joe Halstead Commissioner Economic Development, Culture and Tourism
Subject:Tree Removal Request - 45 Langholm Drive, Black Creek (Ward 7)
Purpose:
This report provides information regarding an appeal to the Community Council from the
resident at 45 Langholm Drive to permit the removal of a City-owned street tree from the
lawn in front of her house which has been disallowed by City forestry staff.
Source of Funds:
Staff and equipment costs to remove this tree and its stump would total $85.00 if carried out
on regular time and $105.00 if carried out on overtime. The City would lose an asset worth
approximately $400.00.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
- this request to remove a City tree be refused, and
- if City Council permits this tree to be removed, that it be on condition that
i)the resident reimburse the City for its costs to remove the tree on overtime at $105.00,
in order that this work does not bump other tree work for residents who have been waiting for
their requests to make it to the top of the waiting list
ii) the resident reimburse the City for the value of the removed tree at $400.00 and that
these funds be used to purchase a large tree of the resident=s choice of species as a
replacement for the tree on the road allowance in front of her property or elsewhere in her
neighbourhood.
Background:
On June 9, 1998 a request was forwarded from Councillor LiPreti=s office on behalf of the
resident at 45 Langholm Drive, Mrs. Spirito, to remove a clump white birch tree from the City
road allowance in front of her property. Mrs. Spirito is elderly and has difficulty raking its
leaves each fall and washing the dirt and dust off her car which she says is blown onto it from
the tree. Mrs. Spirito also advised the Councillor that she could not afford to hire anyone to
help her manage these tasks.
Staff inspected the tree on June 12, 1998 and found it to be an attractive, healthy specimen.
There is a hole in one of the trunks but the tree does not pose a hazard. The Department
advised the Councillor=s office (Appendix >A=) that it could not agree with the tree=s
removal as it was an asset to the street and neighbourhood. The Department also informed the
Councillor=s office about the LINK service provided in North York, which puts elderly and
disabled homeowners in North York in touch with able-bodied students and adults willing to
perform maintenance work for low rates of pay. Mrs. Spirito was not pleased with the
Department refusal to remove the tree but asked for it to be pruned instead. Staff inspected the
tree again on September 30, 1998 and advised Mrs. Spirito that the tree did not require
pruning and that doing so would be detrimental to its health. Mrs Spirito was given a card
with the Forestry section=s number and invited to call at the end of July for a follow-up
inspection to see how the tree was doing and whether any pruning would be advisable at that
time.
Mrs. Spirito is unhappy with the Department response. Councillor LiPreti has asked for the
issue to be referred to the Community Council for resolution.
Conclusion:
Healthy, attractive trees are valuable assets to the quality of life in a community, and all
neighbourhood residents have a stake in their preservation. For this reason, the Department
can not recommend their removal to accommodate the wishes of individual homeowners,
except in situations where no reasonable alternative can be found. We do not consider this
situation to be such a case.
Contact Name:
Eric Benoit
395-6155
ebenoit@city.north-york.on.ca
Joe Halstead
Commissioner
Economic Development, Culture and Tourism
