MOTION
NO. 29/12
Moved by
Councillor D. Holmes
Seconded
by Councillor P. Hume
THAT the Rules of Procedure be waived to consider and approve the
following Motion:
WHEREAS the Public Works and Services Department will be bringing
forward a report dealing with a review of the City of Ottawa’s existing policy
for removing healthy street trees from the public right-of-way based upon
receipt of a geo-technical study that links foundation damage and the shrinkage
of marine clay to nearby trees;
AND WHEREAS this policy review will consider options to tree removals
such as mitigation of soil shrinkage by more proactive tree watering and
trimming programmes; and a review of current policies regarding litigation and
liability issues;
AND WHEREAS the Public Works and Services Department will also be
reviewing the ‘best-practices’ of urban forestry management in North America;
AND WHEREAS the policy review will also be considering factors such as
the significance of trees as major streetscaping features, the landmark or
heritage status of trees, and the role of trees in providing environmental and
urban design benefits;
AND WHEREAS the policy review shall re-examine the most recent
scientific evidence underlying the assumptions that trees are the primary
contributing factors to clay soil shrinkage, by consulting with urban forest
experts such as the Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto;
AND WHEREAS the Public Works and Services Department has agreed to defer
the removal of healthy street trees located within the Centretown Heritage
Conservation District, pending the policy review which is expected in June 2005
THEREFORE
be it resolved THAT these removals be deferred until options for tree removals, expected to
be contained within the policy review, is considered by the Planning and
Environment Committee in June 2005.