Pitt Meadows, British Columbia
· adopted 2026-03-03
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CITY OF PITT MEADOWS
INTERIM TREE MANAGEMENT BYLAW
BYLAW NO. 3035, 2026
201885v2
A Bylaw to manage the urban forest and tree canopy and regulate, prohibit and
impose requirements in relation to tree cutting and removal in Pitt Meadows.
WHEREAS the Community Charter enables Council by bylaw to regulate,
prohibit and impose requirements in relation to trees;
AND WHEREAS the Community Charter enables Council to permit and establish
conditions and fees for permit issuance;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of the City of Pitt Meadows enacts as follows:
1. Citation & Purpose
1.1
This Bylaw may be cited as the "Pitt Meadows Interim Tree Management
Bylaw No. 3035, 2026".
1.2
The purposes of this Bylaw are to:
a) regulate the cutting, removal, and damaging of trees;
b) require replacement trees or cash in lieu if trees are removed;
c) establish a permit process for tree removal and protection;
d) support canopy retention and enhancement; and
e) provide enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance.
2. Severability
2.1
If a section, subsection, or clause in this Bylaw is held to be invalid by a
court of competent jurisdiction, then that invalid portion will be severed,
and the remainder of this Bylaw will be deemed to have been adopted
without the invalid and severed section, subsection, or clause.
3. Definitions
In this Bylaw,
3.1
"Agent" means a representative of a property Owner, identified through
written consent from the property Owner;
3.2
"Agricultural Practices" means the use of land for agriculture as
recognized in the Pitt Meadows Zoning Bylaw No. 2505, 2011;
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3.3
"Agrologist" means an agrologist registered and in good standing with
the British Columbia Institute of Agrologists;
3.4
"Applicant" means a person who is applying for a City Permit;
3.5
"Base" in relation to a tree's measurement, means the top of the root
crown or the point where the existing grade of the ground comes into
contact with a tree's stump, trunk, or trunks, whichever elevation is
higher;
3.6
"Business Licence" means a licence issued by the City under the City's
Business Licensing and Regulation Bylaw No. 2643, 2014;
3.7
"Bylaw Enforcement Officer" means a person designated or appointed
from time to time by Council to enforce bylaws;
3.8
"Cash In Lieu" means payment to the City Tree Replacement Reserve in
lieu of planting one or more Replacement Trees;
3.9
"Certified Arborist" means a practitioner of arboriculture who is certified
as an arborist and in good standing with the International Society of
Arboriculture;
3.10 "City" means the City of Pitt Meadows;
3.11 "City Permit" means any permit or approval issued by the City;
3.12 "City Tree Replacement Reserve" means the money collected by the City
through Cash In Lieu payments for the purpose of tree replacement, to
be used to support the health and growth of the City's tree canopy and
supporting vegetation communities;
3.13 "Council" means Council for the City;
3.14 "Critical Root Zone" means the area of land surrounding the trunk of a
tree contained within a circle of radius equal to the DBH of the tree
multiplied by six; or equal to the Drip Line of the tree; whichever is
greater;
3.15 "Cut" and "Cutting" means the removal, knocking down, or cutting into,
any or all parts, of a tree in such a manner that Damages or is detrimental
to the health of a tree;
3.16 "Damage" and "Damaging" means any action which will cause a tree to
die or to decline in health including, but not limited to, Cutting, ringing,
girdling, poisoning, burning, Topping, Excessive Pruning, root
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compaction, and any other action that is not in accordance with best
management practices for tree care as recognized by the International
Society of Arboriculture and as per the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) A300 Tree Care Standards, as amended;
3.17 "DBH" means the diameter of a tree at breast height, which is measured
from a height of one hundred forty (140) Centimetres above natural grade
of the ground, as measured from the Base of the tree, and for multi-
stemmed trees, the DBH is equal to the cumulative total of the DBH of
each stem;
3.18 "Director" means the Director of Planning and Development Services and
any person designated by the Council to act in their place;
3.19 "Drip Line" means the vertical line extending down from the outer most
branches of the tree to the natural grade of the land;
3.20 "Excessive Pruning" means the removal of more than 25% of the natural
branching structure of a tree in any growing season;
3.21 "Farm Plan" means a plan prepared by a professional Agrologist that
describes the proposed use of agriculturally zoned land under the Pitt
Meadows Zoning Bylaw No. 2505, 2011, and it indicates placement of
production areas, structures, ponds, pastures, and fencing specifically for
agricultural use;
3.22 "Hazard Tree" means a tree that is determined to be currently in a
condition dangerous to people or property in a Tree Risk Assessment
report submitted to the City;
3.23 "Letter of Completion, Tree Protection" means a letter submitted to the
City that is prepared by the Project Arborist that confirms successful
completion of tree protection consistent with an accepted Tree
Management Plan;
3.24 "Letter of Completion, Tree Replacement" means a letter submitted to
the City that is prepared by the Project Arborist that confirms successful
completion of tree replacement planting consistent with an accepted
Tree Management Plan;
3.25 "Letter of Completion, Tree Maintenance" means a letter submitted to
the City that is prepared by the Project Arborist that confirms successful
completion of tree maintenance consistent with an accepted Tree
Management Plan;
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3.26 "Owner" means the registered owner of a fee simple parcel of land, or
the strata corporation of a strata lot;
3.27 "Permit Holder" means the person to whom the Director has issued a
Tree Management Permit under this Bylaw, authorizing the Cutting of a
Permit Tree;
3.28 "Permit Tree" means any woody plant of any species that:
a) has a DBH of twenty (20) centimetres or greater;
b) if the woody plant has multiple stems, has a combined DBH
greater than twenty (20) centimetres;
c) is a woody plant, regardless of size, on City owned property;
d) is a Replacement Tree, regardless of size; and
e) is a Retained Tree or planted tree, regardless of size, that was
retained or planted as a requirement of a City Permit;
3.29 "Project Arborist" means a Certified Arborist that is responsible for
supervising site Works, confirmed through the submission of a letter of
undertaking, to ensure Retained Trees, removed trees, and Replacement
Trees are protected and managed as per a Tree Management Plan;
3.30 "Prune" or "Pruning" means the selective Cutting of living or dead
branches of a tree to achieve a defined arboricultural objective,
consistent with promoting the health and growth of the tree, and in
accordance with best management practices for tree care as recognized
by the International Society of Arboriculture and as per the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 Tree Care Standards, as
amended, but does not include the Topping of a tree;
3.31 "Public Utility" means a utility service provided by the City of Pitt
Meadows, BC Hydro, Telus, Terasen Gas and any other company, utility,
authority, or other person providing a public service or utility;
3.32 "Qualified Tree Risk Assessor" means a Certified Arborist who has a valid
Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, as recognized by the International
Society of Arboriculture;
3.33 "Qualified Environmental Professional" means an individual who is:
a) registered and in good standing with a regulatory body under the
Professional Governance Act, SBC 2018, c 47; and
b) acting within the individual's area of expertise, within the scope of
professional practice for the individual's profession and acting
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under the code of ethics of their regulatory body.
3.34 "Replacement Tree" means a tree required to be planted to replace a
tree that has been Cut or Damaged in accordance with this Bylaw;
3.35 "Retained Tree" means a tree that is located on or within five (5) metres
of a property proposed for site Works that is to be protected from
removal and harmful disturbance;
3.36 "Security Deposit" means a refundable security deposit in the form of
cash or a clean, unconditional, and irrevocable letter of credit drawn on a
Canadian financial institution;
3.37 "Top" and "Topping" means the removal of major portions of a tree
crown by Cutting branches to stubs or Cutting of the main leader or
branches and includes re-topping of previously topped trees;
3.38 "Tree Management Permit" means a permit issued by the Director under
the authority of this Bylaw to Cut or remove a Permit Tree;
3.39 "Tree Management Permit, Non-development" means a permit issued by
the Director under the authority of this Bylaw to Cut or remove a Permit
Tree for the purposes of property maintenance;
3.40 "Tree Management Permit, Development" means a permit issued by the
Director under the authority of this Bylaw to Cut or remove a Permit Tree
for the purposes of a building permit, subdivision, or a development
permit;
3.41 "Tree Management Plan" means a plan prepared by a Certified Arborist,
in accordance with the International Society for Arboriculture's current
best practices and applicable ANSI A300 Tree Care Standards, to indicate
the removal, retention, and replanting of trees, including surveyed
locations of those trees, and the prescriptions for the removal of Permit
Trees, protection of Retained Trees, and planting of Replacement Trees,
in accordance with this Bylaw;
3.42 "Tree Protection Barrier" means a barrier erected to protect a tree and its
Critical Root Zone from Damage during site Works as specified in a Tree
Management Plan;
3.43 "Tree Protection Zone" means the Critical Root Zone or protected area
surrounding a Retained Tree or Replacement Tree as approved in a Tree
Management Plan, that is to be delineated by a Tree Protection Barrier;
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3.44 "Tree Risk Assessment" means a written assessment of the risk of trees to
persons and property prepared by a Qualified Tree Risk Assessor using
the standards and methods outlined in the most current International
Society of Arboriculture Tree Risk Assessment Manual, as amended, for
the City to accept; and
3.45 "Works" means any work pursuant to or related to a City Permit for
building, subdivision, or other site disturbance including demolition,
excavation, soil deposition, construction, pre-construction site
preparation work, landscaping, and servicing.
4. Interpretation
4.1
A reference to a statute refers to a statute of British Columbia unless
otherwise indicated, and a reference to any statute, regulation, bylaw, or
other enactment refers to that enactment as it may be amended or
replaced from time to time.
4.2
In this Bylaw, words in the singular include the plural and words in the
plural include the singular.
5. Prohibitions
5.1
Except in accordance with a valid Tree Management Permit, a person
must not:
a) Cut or Damage a Permit Tree;
b) disturb any portion of a tree or soil within a Tree Protection Zone;
or
c) cut a Permit Tree during the bird nesting season (March 1-August
31) without confirmation from a Qualified Environmental
Professional that no active nests are present.
5.2
If a Tree Management Plan is required under a City Permit, a person must
not:
a) undertake Works onsite until a Tree Protection Barrier has been
installed in accordance with a Tree Management Plan and
approved by the Director;
b) remove a Tree Protection Barrier unless otherwise approved by the
Director; or
c) undertake Works that are non-compliant with a Tree Management
Plan.
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6. Exemptions
6.1
This Bylaw applies to all land and trees in the City except:
a) trees Cut or removed by the City for municipal purposes;
b) trees Cut or removed by a Public Utility for the safety,
maintenance, installation, or operation of the utility's infrastructure;
c) trees Cut or removed in the Agricultural Land Reserve;
d) trees Cut or removed as part of active Agricultural Practices in
accordance with a valid Farm Plan;
e) routine Pruning;
f)
Hazard Trees or dead trees, as confirmed by a Certified Arborist in
a form acceptable to the Director in writing or with approval from
the Director;
g) land and trees on it if section 21 of the Private Managed Forest
Land Act, SBC 2003, c 80, applies to the land; or
h) land and the trees on it if forestry practices on the land are
governed by a tree farm licence, permit, or other authority or
tenure under the Forest Act, RSBC 1996, c 157.
7. Tree Management Permit Applications
7.1
An Applicant for a Non-development Tree Management Permit must
submit the following:
a) a completed and signed application;
b) a non-refundable permit application fee of $50 plus $50 per tree to
be removed; and
c) a Cash In Lieu payment of $900 for each Replacement Tree not
replanted on the property as required under this Bylaw.
7.2
An Applicant for a Development Tree Management Permit must submit:
a) a completed and signed application;
b) all supporting information for the application including, but not
limited to:
i.
site survey, including a tree survey;
ii.
Arborist (tree assessment) report;
iii.
site plans;
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iv.
a Tree Management Plan, including a Replacement Tree
planting and maintenance plan;
c) a non-refundable permit application fee of $300 plus $50 per tree
to be removed; and
d) a Security Deposit of $1,500 for each Replacement Tree required
or a Cash In Lieu payment for each tree not planted as required
under this Bylaw.
7.3
Tree Management Permit applications may be submitted by the Owner/s,
or their Agent/s, of the property where a tree is located.
7.4
Where a Permit Tree is located on more than one property, the Owners
of each affected property, or their Agents, must endorse the application
for a Tree Management Permit in writing before the City will accept the
application.
7.5
A Tree Management Permit issued under this Bylaw is non-transferable. If
the Owner of a parcel changes after the Tree Management Permit is
issued under this Bylaw, the permit is no longer valid, and the new Owner
must submit a new Tree Management Permit application to proceed with
the proposed tree Cutting.
7.6
If an Applicant submits a building, subdivision, or development City
Permit application within twelve (12) months of the issuance of a Non-
development Tree Management Permit, the Applicant must submit an
application for a Development Tree Management Permit with the
applicable supporting information and fees.
7.7
A person must not provide false information on an application for a City
Permit.
7.8
The Director may refuse an application for a Tree Management permit if
the application fails to comply with the requirements of Section 7.
8. Tree Management Permit Conditions
8.1
In connection with the issuance of a Tree Management Permit, the
Director may impose any terms and conditions that the Director deems
appropriate to protect other trees, vegetation, soils, streams, waterfronts,
wetlands, habitats, or municipal infrastructure. These terms and
conditions may include, but are not limited to:
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a) that the Cutting or removal of a tree be carried out under the
direct supervision of a Certified Arborist;
b) that a specific tree or trees be Cut or removed;
c) that replacement trees or other vegetation be planted and
specifying the required species, size, location, and other
characteristics of such replacement trees or vegetation and the
length of time for which such replacement trees or vegetation must
be maintained;
d) that a Certified Arborist be employed to supervise, monitor, or
report on any tree related work;
e) that a report by a qualified professional be provided confirming
that the Tree Management Permit and the tree related work is
consistent with provincial or federal laws; and
f)
that specific methods of tree protection or construction be used.
8.2
If a person is Cutting a Permit Tree under the authorization of a Tree
Management Permit, they must do so in compliance with the conditions
imposed under this Bylaw and the Tree Management Permit.
8.3
Tree Cutting work authorized by a Tree Management Permit must be
conducted by the Owner or by a tree service company that has a valid
Business Licence to work within the City.
8.4
A Permit Holder of a Tree Management Permit must display the Tree
Management Permit in an accessible and clearly visible location on the
parcel to which it pertains prior to the start of, and for the duration of, any
tree Cutting work.
8.5
Tree Management Permits are valid for four (4) months from the day of
issuance.
8.6
If tree Cutting under a Tree Management Permit is not completed within
the four-month period following issuance of the permit, the City will
cancel the Tree Management Permit, except if the Director approves a
revised tree removal schedule.
8.7
If the terms and conditions of a Tree Management Permit are breached or
the Director determines the information the Applicant supplied is
inaccurate, incomplete, or erroneous, the Director may revoke a Tree
Management Permit.
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8.8
All Owners and contractors performing tree related work must do so as
outlined in WorkSafe BC regulations and the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) Z133 Safety Standard, as amended.
8.9
A person must not provide false information in reports submitted to the
City to satisfy the conditions of a City Permit.
8.10 If an Applicant has been refused a Tree Management Permit, or a Tree
Management Permit is suspended or cancelled, the Applicant or Permit
Holder may appeal the decision to Council. The Director must notify the
applicant or the Permit Holder affected by the decision of their right to
have the matter reconsidered by Council and Council must give the
Permit Holder an opportunity to be heard. On appeal, Council may
confirm or set aside the refusal, suspension or revocation on any terms it
may think fit.
8.11 At the request of the Applicant or former Permit Holder, the Director
must give written reasons for a refusal, suspension or cancellation and
Council must give written reasons for a decision under Section 8.10.
9. Replacement Trees
9.1
If a person removes a Permit Tree, the person must plant one or more
Replacement Trees on the same property within six (6) months or in
accordance with an accepted Tree Management Plan.
9.2
A person required to plant Replacement Trees under this Bylaw must
plant Replacement Trees that are the same species as the trees that have
been or are proposed to be removed, or of a species of similar size and
habitat value as confirmed by the Project Arborist or as accepted by the
Director.
9.3
Replacement Trees are to be planted of a size no less than:
a) four (4) centimetres caliper for deciduous trees and two (2) metres
in height for coniferous trees for Non-development Tree
Management Permits; and
b) six (6) centimetres caliper deciduous trees and three (3) metres in
height for coniferous trees for Development Tree Management
Permits.
9.4
Further to section 9.2, a person must not use hedge tree species, palms,
dwarf, topiary, and shrub species as Replacement Trees.
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9.5
If a Replacement Tree is planted, the person responsible for planting the
Replacement Tree must maintain the Replacement Tree for a minimum of
twelve (12) months following planting in accordance with the City's
Replacement Tree Planting and Maintenance Standards and any
applicable Tree Management Plan.
Cash in Lieu Option
9.6
If the planting of one or more Replacement Trees is not feasible, the
person responsible for planting the Replacement Trees must provide to
the City Cash In Lieu for each Replacement Tree that is not planted in the
amount of:
a) $900 per tree removed under a Non-Development Tree
Management Permit, or
b) $1,500 per tree removed under a Development Tree Management
Permit.
Security Deposits for Tree Replacement Planting
9.7
Prior to the issuance of a Development Tree Management Permit, the
Owner must provide the City with a Security Deposit in the amount of
$1,500 for each Replacement Tree required to be planted to a maximum
Security Deposit value of $30,000 per hectare and a maximum of
$100,000 per application.
9.8
The City may hold the refundable Replacement Tree Security Deposit
until the following conditions have been met:
a) the Replacement Trees have been successfully planted as per the
City's Replacement Tree Planting and Maintenance Standards and
any applicable Tree Management Plan;
b) a Replacement Tree Letter of Completion has been submitted to
the City in a form acceptable to the Director, at which time the City
will release 50% of the Security Deposit;
c) the Replacement Trees have been successfully maintained for a
minimum of twelve (12) months following the date of acceptance
of the Replacement Tree Letter of Completion; and
d) a Tree Maintenance Letter of Completion has been submitted to
the City, at which point the City will release the remaining 50% of
the Security Deposit.
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Forfeit of Security Deposit for Tree Replacement Planting
9.9
If an Owner has not successfully planted Replacement Trees as per the
conditions outlined in the Tree Management Permit, the City may:
a) use the Replacement Tree Security Deposit to complete tree
replacement conditions specified in the Tree Management Permit;
or
b) use the Security Deposit as a Cash In Lieu contribution to the City
Tree Replacement Reserve.
9.10 If Replacement Trees are determined to be in poor health, Damaged, or
inconsistent with the trees proposed in the Tree Management Plan, the
City may:
a) use the Replacement Tree Security Deposit to complete the tree
replacement conditions specified in the Tree Management Permit;
or
b) use the Security Deposit as a Cash In Lieu contribution to the City
Tree Replacement Reserve.
10. Tree Protection
10.1 A person must submit a Tree Management Plan for site Works if Permit
Trees are identified on the property or within five (5) metres of the
property.
10.2 A person conducting site Works must comply with the prescriptions
provided in a Tree Management Plan as submitted to the Director.
10.3 A person must not disturb the site within the Tree Protection Zone unless
such disturbance is specifically identified in a Tree Management Plan and
supervised by the Project Arborist.
10.4 If Permit Trees are Damaged beyond repair within the Tree Protection
Zone, the Owner must submit a retroactive Tree Management Permit
application for removal of the Damaged trees and must complete
planting of Replacement Trees.
10.5 All persons conducting Works on a site must:
a) maintain Tree Protection Barriers in accordance with the Tree
Management Plan until all site Works are completed and a Tree
Protection Letter of Completion is submitted to the City, and
b) not remove Tree Protection Barriers unless such removal is
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compliant with an accepted Tree Management Plan or all site
Works are completed and a Tree Protection Letter of Completion
is submitted to the City.
Security Deposits for Tree Protection
10.6 Prior to the issuance of any City Permit, an Applicant must submit a
Security Deposit for the protection of Retained Trees to the City in the
amount of $2,000 per Retained Tree.
10.7 The City must hold the Security Deposit for the protection of Retained
Trees until all site Works are completed and a Tree Protection Letter of
Completion is submitted to the City.
Forfeit of Security Deposit for Tree Protection
10.8 A person will forfeit a Security Deposit for protection of Retained Trees if:
a) the Owner has not successfully installed, maintained, and
completed the tree protection measures as outlined in the Tree
Management Plan; or
b) one or more Retained Trees (onsite or offsite) have been Damaged
during the site Works.
10.9 If Security Deposits are forfeited, the City may use those securities to
replace Retained Trees that have been Damaged or Cut or may use the
Security Deposit as a Cash In Lieu contribution to the City Tree
Replacement Reserve.
11. Administration and Enforcement
11.1 The Director, a Bylaw Enforcement Officer, or any other person lawfully
authorized by Council, may at any reasonable time or times enter upon
any property for the purposes of inspection to determine compliance with
the provisions of this Bylaw or a Tree Management Permit issued
pursuant to this Bylaw in accordance with the Community Charter.
11.2 The Director may direct the issuance of a Stop Work Order in the event of
a violation of any of the provisions and conditions of a Tree Management
Permit or this Bylaw.
11.3 A person must not conduct any Works on a property following the
posting of a Stop Work Order until the property is compliant with the
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terms and conditions of the Tree Management Permit and this Bylaw and
the Stop Work Order has been removed.
Retroactive Permit application
11.4 If a Permit Tree is Cut or Damaged without a Tree Management Permit,
the property Owner, person, or company responsible for the tree Cutting
or Damage, must submit a retroactive Tree Management Permit
application.
12. Offence and Penalty
12.1 Every person who violates any provision of this Bylaw or who suffers or
permits any act or thing to be done in contravention of this Bylaw
commits an offence against this Bylaw and is liable to the penalties in
accordance with the Pitt Meadows Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw
2439, 2009, as amended.
12.2 For the purposes of this Bylaw, each day and for each tree, that a
violation of this Bylaw occurs, or is permitted to continue, will constitute a
separate offence.
12.3 Every person who commits an offence against this Bylaw is liable to a fine
and penalty for each offence not exceeding the maximum allowed by the
Offence Act, RSBC 1996, c 338.
READ a FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD time on February 24, 2026.
ADOPTED on March 3, 2026.
Nicole MacDonald
Mayor
Kate Barchard
Corporate Officer