Common (and uncommon) reasons for wanting to fell trees
There are some common reasons people give to the city when applying for a permit to remove a tree but city staff have passed on some uncommon - and downright strange - reasons as well.
1 homeowner told city that sap from tree hinders use of a clothesline, staff say
Some of the most common reasons people give to the city when applying for a permit to remove a tree are that its roots are destroying walkways and foundations, that the trees are dying or damaged, or that they want to make way for a construction project.
In addition to those commonplace reasons, homeowners in the past few months have told city staff they want to remove a tree because:
- The tree is used as a perch for birds.
- The applicant has requested accommodation ... under the Human Rights Code due to the position of the tree in front of the main door.
- Sap hinders the use of a clothesline.
- A homeowner stated that his fir tree was "causing him to be stressed" because its needles were being tracked into the house and stepped on by his toddler.
- Concerns regarding injury and property damage due to falling walnuts.
- The tree is "in conflict with the new architectural and landscape vision for the property, based on a Japanese aesthetic with asymmetrical plantings."
In all of the examples listed above community councils have either denied or deferred the application for a permit.