Some South Surrey residents are raising concerns about a recent clear-cut at a property in the Ocean Park area.
Dozens of logs now lie on what used to be a fully-treed property along 15 Avenue.
“The neighbourhood is upset,” said South Surrey resident Cheryl Herbers.
“We understand that things get built, trees have to come down, and sometimes they’re diseased. We get that. We’re realists. But it’s just so sad when nothing even tries to be saved. Maybe they did, but nothing known to me.”
Among the pile of downed trees is one that residents believe was 129 years old.
“The motto here is big trees, not big houses. Literally, zoning has been changed to accommodate that,” said South Surrey resident Sarah Daniels.
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“The city of Surrey does not make it easy to cut down trees on individual lots with preexisting homes. And yet, here we are with a lot that has trees that are well over 100 years old, and it seems like in the flash of a pan, they all come down.”
It is a common site to see eagles flying around the Ocean Park nieghbourhood and nesting in the large trees nearby.
Residents are worried that the clear cut could impact the eagle habit.
“We’re kind of taking away so much living space for owls and eagles and all other kinds of birds, and we’re not replacing it with anything,” said South Surrey resident Ute Drews. “That’s very concerning to me.”
According to the city of Surrey, the owner of the property obtained a permit to cut down 43 of the 74 mature trees on the property.
The removal of the trees is to accommodate subdivision of the property and future construction of three new homes.
“The applicant is required to plant 20 replacement trees on the new lots and contributed to the Green City Program in the amount of $26,400 in accordance with the City’s Tree Protection By-law,” read a city of Surrey statement.
The city confirmed that there were no unauthorized tree removals on the property and that 31 trees are required to stay in place.
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