The Municipal Court recently ruled in favor of the Town in a case where an owner has deliberately and excessively pruned a one hundred year-old pine. The Town would therefore like to remind its residents that according to the “Environment” Chapter of the Zoning By-Law, every owner has the responsibility to protect the trees on his or her property. Indeed, every owner must take the appropriate measures to adequately protect the branches, trunks and roots of trees located next to his or her house, garage, cabana and every other secondary building.

Be advised that the Town can also demande from a person who has requested a construction permit that he or she set up, at his or her own expense, a cage around certain trees to protect them for the entire duration of the work. It is forbidden to cut any tree, whether dead or alive, whose diameter, measured at 30 cm (1ft) from the ground, is 7,5 cm (3 inches) or more, without having first obtained a free tree cutting authorization certificate from the Urban planning and zoning department.

Fines issued in such circumstances are minimum $600, for one tree, to which are added court fees of $255. The fine can reach $5000.

For more information on tree cutting or pruning or to obtain a copy of the By-Law, call 450-424-8000, ext. 227, visit ville.saint-lazare.qc.ca/trees and read the Green Sheet number 10.