"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Monday 30 September 2013

Modern Mythology

Councillors have just received an invitation from the TD to join a hundred  employees /volunteers
planting trees on a site on the south side of Vandorf , east of Bayview on October 5th . In the neighborhood of  Longthorpe  Court.

Hundreds of  new trees are planted every year in Aurora, privately and by the town.

Critical loss of trees is a myth created by the New Puritans. A sad song is sung or Ode to the Environment  recited when a tree is cut down.

The tree bylaw offends me in every way. The very wording "injury or destruction" grates

The current bylaw requires a permit to allow more than four trees to be removed in a twelve month period. The new bylaw reduces that to two.

The direction for a new bylaw came from Council.

An  applicant must retain  an arborist, erect  a sign on his property to inform  neighbors of his plans to "injure and destroy". Application  fees are based on individual trees.

Town staff  must visit the site. Type, Height, caliper, condition, and location of the fated trees must be recorded and staff must be satisfied of the need to remove.

Reports must be written and recommendation made.

 Neighbours can object.

Finally the decision is made by the politicians. They can refuse.

All that work. All that expense.  For a person to remove his own trees from his own property.

Finally the answer can be no.

No refunds are possible. Because all costs have been incurred. The process cannot be reversed.

The new Bylaw takes unto ourselves the authority to remove trees from golf courses and large expanses. Previously the Region held that responsibility.

They still will.

We will instead  have two agencies doing the same work  as was previously done by one.

The Mayor chided a few weeks ago. "We are not a small town any more Councllor
Buck " he said. "We are a $52 million business corporation"

And I thought;  we are so a small town  run by pea-brains. We are also  a $ 52 million  Business
Buffoonery.

The  Tree Bylaw will affect a minute number of properties in the town. Mainly large treed lots .
Where  a  house site needs to be cleared . They are the ones who will experience the effect of this particular piece of insanity.

New investment. New revenue. New " stakeholders " to share the expense and the burden of being  governed by a Bylaw  that requires a permit,payment of fees, agreement of neighbours and approval of fickle politicians ,to allow "injury and destruction " of trees  owned and growing on  private property.









11 comments:

Anonymous said...

When we move, our place will go to a developer. There is no way a modern residence could be built without tree removal. It is simply a fact. Council are out of their tree.

I see you have a Special Council this evening. Got some knitting ?

Anonymous said...

Excuse me. What business is he running? I see a town that has lost 2 supermarkets within walking distance for Aurora residents, Nothing new or vibrant.

Anonymous said...

Beacon Hall is certainly going to be interested in being told what they can do with their trees. Not.

Anonymous said...


Pray tell what business experience has Mayor Dawe had?

He may well be right in that Aurora has become a $52million enterprise, but it is not and should not be confused or linked with the words "business corporation."

Governments exist to provide essential services for its residents and taxpayers, be they municipal, provincial or federal, and a whole lot of others besides. They attempt to do so on the basis of a balanced budget, something that has become a rarity in recent years.

Businesses exist to make money for their owners and shareholders. Some of them make real and genuine contributions to society, others are just out to fill their pockets.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the town's solicitor could advise Council if any other towns have a by-law such as the one being proposed. And, if so, the effect of that by-law on the legal costs of that town. I think Aurora would find itself in court all the time.

Anonymous said...

12:57
I don't know what the business was either but gather from his lectures on the subject that it was in retail. Lots of empty retail space available in town.

Anonymous said...

once again you bring clarity and common sense to the issue Councilor. Let’s hope more of your colleges around the table see as such !!!

Anonymous said...


"Team Stronach " took 5.8 % of Austrian votes which is supposedly very high for a new party.

Anonymous said...

19:36
Perchance our Mayor could send congratulations to Frank Stronach on behalf of the town of Aurora. With all his networking skills, he must have the cell #.

Anonymous said...

Wow…If this bylaw exercise it meant to save trees? All I can say is…LMAO

Anonymous said...


I would love to see the Town's response to a landowner cutting a few trees without a report etc. If you have had any dealing with the Town you know how they avoid work, have a bag of excuses and seldom answer their phone.