Neighbours say they含羞草研究社檙e shocked, disheartened and saddened, while the city confirms it is investigating complaints about the cutting down of dozens of trees on an acreage on 25th Street NE in Salmon Arm.
Todd and Kimberley Dunlop, who live in the 2100 block of 26th Avenue NE, above the Appleyard subdivision and east of Lakeshore Road, contacted the Observer by email to express their distress about what had happened on a neighbouring property in the 2700 block of 25th Street NE.
They said at 7:30 Sunday morning, June 4, a contractor came in and began clear-cutting the property of their neighbours, James Weed and Elaine Cockrill.
Dunlop said he suspected the operation, which he estimated felled up to 300 trees, was scheduled on a Sunday to evade enforcement.
含羞草研究社淐onfronted by concerned neighbors, Mr. Weed含羞草研究社檚 arrogant dismissal of the need for permits or potential fines illustrates a distressing disregard for our community values and local regulations,含羞草研究社� Dunlop wrote.
The Observer left messages for the owners but they did not respond.
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Dunlop said agitated neighbours contacted city staff who arrived on site about 11 a.m. on Monday, June 5. By then, about 70 or 80 per cent of the trees had been cut down, he estimated, but the felling was stopped immediately.
On Friday, June 9, Gary Buxton, the city含羞草研究社檚 director of planning & community services, said city bylaw enforcement staff, who were on site June 4, were continuing their investigation.
含羞草研究社淏ylaw Enforcement staff continue to be active on this file and there are staff at the site on Friday doing more investigation and follow up work,含羞草研究社� he wrote in an email to the Observer.
He said the city received an application for a tree cutting permit, an application for rezoning and a subdivision application for the site on March 7, 2023.
含羞草研究社淭hey are essentially brand new applications that we have established files for but have done no work on as yet,含羞草研究社� Buxton wrote.
There was a one-lot subdivision application approved a couple of years ago at the site for a new home there.
Dunlop said his main concerns centre around effects on wildlife, the environment and all the birds during nesting season who frequented the site; the lack of regard for municipal and provincial rules; and possible slope instability after clear-cutting with no apparent geotechnical engineering. Meanwhile, Dunlop said, he and his spouse are spending thousands on geotechnical in order to build on their own property, one of the reasons to ensure they won含羞草研究社檛 create flooding of basements in Appleyard below.
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Dunlop also pointed to how Weed and Cockrill after they subdivided the property for a new house, one reason given for the support was that the impact of the proposed retaining wall and fence height would be mitigated by the heavily treed area.
Stacey Kirkman, who lives in the Uplands subdivision nearby, said he was shocked and saddened.
含羞草研究社淚 was shocked how they came in on a Sunday and basically took out a small forest in one day. What I含羞草研究社檇 like to know is why, what was the reasoning and the intention?含羞草研究社�
He said one tree closest to his home was about 100 feet tall. Deer and owls could often be seen coming in and out of the area.
含羞草研究社淚t was such a beautiful little forest, with beautiful old trees,含羞草研究社� he remarked, explaining a feller buncher-type machine was used, taking down trees literally within minutes.
含羞草研究社淚t was very terrifying with the sounds of crashing trees; the whole ground was vibrating when one of the trees fell down. It was kind of scary really含羞草研究社� I know this kind of stuff happens, but it含羞草研究社檚 shocking when you see humankind in action and how quickly this beautiful tranquil little forest, in one day, was destroyed.含羞草研究社�
He asked why everything has to be torn down in order to construct subdivisions.
含羞草研究社淲e need to start thinking of different ways of doing things. Not, 含羞草研究社榯his is mine now and I含羞草研究社檓 going to destroy it because I can destroy it.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
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Neighbour Robin Wiens, who lives above the site, said he has real problems with such actions.
含羞草研究社淭hat really bothered me, the blatant disregard for bylaws, the environment, our future. And just the willing acceptance of what the potential fines could be; he seems more than capable of paying the fines.含羞草研究社�
Wiens said, from a conservation standpoint, he thinks what was done was in contravention of federal, provincial and municipal laws 含羞草研究社� taking the trees down, particularly in nesting season for birds.
He said the owners were implored by neighbours to at least delay, to find a better way to do what they wanted to do.
含羞草研究社淭his was in complete disregard for the way we含羞草研究社檙e trying to preserve what we含羞草研究社檝e got.含羞草研究社�
Wiens said both Sunday and Monday nights he and his spouse had their bedroom window open.
含羞草研究社榃e listened to distressed birds and owls含羞草研究社� There were sounds coming from birds you don含羞草研究社檛 normally hear in the middle of the night.含羞草研究社�
He noted the the trees cut down were just a short flight from the bird sanctuary.
含羞草研究社淭he bird species in our bay are so important含羞草研究社�, it含羞草研究社檚 all intertwined.含羞草研究社�
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martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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