The Town of Comox has adopted a new Tree Protection Bylaw that will help preserve and enhance the community's urban forest while providing clear rules for tree removal, replacement, and protection.
The Town of Comox Tree Protection Bylaw No. 2063 establishes a framework to regulate the damage, cutting, and removal of certain trees throughout the community. The bylaw identifies when a Tree Permit is required, defines protected trees, and outlines requirements for replacement planting when tree removal is approved.
"The urban forest is one of Comox's most valuable community assets," said Comox Mayor Nicole Minions. "This bylaw helps protect mature trees, preserve important native species, and maintain the environmental, social, and economic benefits that trees provide for current and future generations."
The bylaw supports the Town's Urban Forest Management Strategy by helping protect existing tree canopy and offset approved removals through replacement planting. The strategy establishes a pathway to increase Comox's urban canopy from approximately 25 per cent today to 26 per cent by 2055, with a long-term goal of reaching 30 per cent by 2085.
Under the new bylaw, Town of Comox property owners must obtain a Tree Permit before damaging, cutting, or removing a Regulated Tree unless a specific exemption applies.
Regulated Trees include:
• Priority native tree species measuring 20 centimetres or more in diameter at breast height (DBH);
• Other tree species measuring 30 centimetres or more in DBH; and
• Protected Trees.
Priority Species include many native trees commonly found in Comox, including Douglas-fir, western redcedar, western hemlock, grand fir, Sitka spruce, Garry oak, arbutus, bigleaf maple, and Pacific yew.
A Protected Tree is a type of Regulated Tree that may only be cut or removed under specific circumstances. Protected trees include: large trees with a DBH of 50cm or more, trees on Town-owned land, replacement trees, covenant trees, and trees retained through development approvals. Protected Trees may only be removed in limited circumstances, such as when they are dead, hazardous, pose a wildfire risk, conflict with approved development, or are causing unavoidable damage.
The bylaw also requires replacement planting when regulated trees are removed to help maintain and grow Comox's urban canopy. Permits are not required for routine pruning, smaller non-regulated trees, or other exempt activities, and emergency removals remain permitted when a tree poses an immediate risk to people or property.
For more information about the Tree Protection Bylaw, permit requirements, and frequently asked questions, visit comox.ca/treebylaw.
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Media Contact:
Nicole Minions, Comox Mayor
nminions@comox.ca
250-339-2202