Surrey environmentalist criticizes tree removals tied to townhouse project

A Surrey environmental advocate criticized a proposed 213-unit townhouse development in Anniedale-Tynehead over the removal of hundreds of trees. Surrey Environmental Partners president Deb Jack raised the concerns at a public hearing shortly before council gave the project third reading without debate on Sept. 21.

Jack said the proposal conflicts, in her organization’s view, with all principles of the biodiversity conservation strategy. While 673 trees are required to be planted, she said no estimate was provided for how many would actually be planted. If no replacement trees are planted, she said, $370,150 would be owed to the Green City Fund.

She said 58 boulevard trees would be removed. At a minimum value of $550 each, they would total $63,800, while a value of three times that amount for city boulevard trees would put the total at $95,700. Jack said no compensation appears to be required.

The site contains 133 alder and cottonwood trees, 118 deciduous trees and 154 coniferous trees, for a total of 405, with two to be retained, Jack said. Off site, the plan calls for removing 25 trees, retaining 17 and planting 41; she put the resulting shortfall at $22,550 using the $550-per-tree valuation, which she said is no longer adequate.

The roughly 4.1-hectare project is planned for the east side of Bothwell Drive at 9306, 9330 and 9348 Bothwell Drive. A planning report by Surrey general manager of planning and development Ron Gill says it would provide a significant supply of ground-oriented housing in a developing urban neighbourhood. All 213 proposed townhouse units would have four bedrooms, expanding family-friendly housing options, the report says. The site now has single-family homes on large acreage lots with substantial tree cover.