White Rock citizens will get another chance to voice their opinions on how city trees should be managed.
Council announced Monday that staff have been directed to review Council Policy 611 and bring forward recommendations for amendments.
The process, expected to take four to six weeks, will include public information meetings, city manager Peggy Clark told Peace Arch News.
The policy has been a source of contention since council voted in January to allow the removal of trees in the 15100-block of Royal Avenue, after residents complained they obscured their views.
Neighbours opposed to the move have been keeping watch to prevent the work – although workers did remove one tree last week – and turned out in force Monday to reiterate their stand.
Prior to the meeting, pink signs stating “Save Trees Axe Policy 611” were tied to two trees outside city hall. A number of people who spoke during question period held posters with similar messages.
The policy is “incomplete, unclear and fails to protect the city’s assets,” said Paul Wilkes, who lives next door to the property.
Doug Ellerbeck, whose property abuts the trees in question, asked councillors why a tree has been cut down if the policy is under review.
“It seems to me there’s something wrong with the policy and yet it’s still in the process of being implemented,” Ellerbeck said.
Clark told PAN after the meeting that the existing policy is being implemented because it is still in effect, just as the city’s sign bylaw continued to be enforced during its revision.
The direction to review the policy – made during a closed meeting March 8 – does not change decisions already made, she said.
