September 13, 2013
By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. Burlington’s Development & Infrastructure Committee meeting rejected the pursuit of a private property tree bylaw for city but that doesn’t mean those who fervently believe this is what the city needs are going to give up.
Committee reports go to city council meetings for ratification and final decision. On Monday, the 23rd the committee decision will come up and there will be a delegation with an independent survey setting out how the public feels about this issue.
At the committee meeting the advocates of a private tree bylaw argued that the survey work done for the city in the past was flawed and that the question was never really put to the public. Council members were arguing about the 22% of the 54% – or something to that effect – and it all got a little silly.
What was clear is that this Council just does not have the will to even try to put forward a private tree by law nor are they prepared to direct staff to try some alternatives that would give the city some data on what is being cut down on private property and where trees are being cut down.
David Auger, fingers behind the Burlington Beat, a tweet site, thought it might be worthwhile to do an independent survey online to see how people in Burlington feel about such a bylaw. Auger is “concerned that the City does not appear to have actually asked that question.”
So, a survey has been developed by BurlingtonBeat with the counsel of a veteran market research professional who has worked in, but doesn’t live in Burlington. No other individual or group had influence on its content.
The survey will be conducted online over the next ten days and the complete findings will be sent to and presented to City Council September 23rd.
Here’s the link to the survey: – will this be the final question on this issue. If the results indicate that people just do not care or if the response is tepid, – will the matter be left to rest? If the results are crystal clear will this city pause and listen?
What kind of rigged survey is this? To answer Item 5, you have to be in agreement with some form of bylaw. if you not it will not let you move ahead. Shame on you. Surely you don’t plan to use this survey as the basis of your appeal to Council.
No less rigged than the flawed staff report. A staff report that I might add did not even address the information contained in the consultant’s report that was attached as an addendum.
Good on BB for putting this together, the astroturffers who helped defeat this should know the citizens want this
Thanks so much BurlingtonBeat for going this next step to inform Council before their decision not to protect Burlington’s exisiting urban canopy is final. Also to Burlington Gazette that is also playing it’s part to enhance community dialogue.
Interested in BurlingtonGreen’s take on the outcome of the D&I meeting last Monday on this item? Please follow this link https://www.burlingtongreen.org/latest-news/734-protecting-burlingtons-trees-5.html