A controversial bid to build six townhomes in Maillardville will mean about a dozen trees will be axed - including one that's more than century old.
A 5-4 vote by Coquit-lam city council to approve the development took place after an hour-long discussion with Morningstar Homes representatives, area residents and city staff following a public hearing on the developer's plan for 1319 Cartier Ave., about half a block east of Laval Square.
Much of the debate focused on tree loss, a topic that has riled the community after 200 trees were felled last month to update Glen Park in City Centre - many of which were assessed by arbourists as rotten and unstable.
Morningstar's Sophie Perndl said, because of their size, the mature trees on the north and south sides of the Cartier lot have to go as they would pose a safety risk during construction; however, the Coquitlam company will be planting 10 new street trees and 20 more on the site as well as extensive landscaping to make up for the loss, she told council.
Morningstar did not include an arbourist's report as part of its presentation though Perndl said a study had been done and was available for viewing.
"It would be very, very difficult to retain any trees on the property," city planner Raul Allueva told city council on Monday, adding, "The south trees could be retained but that would mean a significant redesign of the development."
Chopping trees down is a sore point particularly in Maillardville, a French-Canadian enclave founded more than 100 years ago by Quebecois pioneers who worked at the Fraser Mills sawmill; the city plans to densify the area over the next 20 years.
With so many mature trees, Maillardville residents such as biologist Pamela Zevit are pressing the city to ensure they don't get uprooted. Zevit, who is on the city's environmental advisory committee, spoke at Monday's public hearing to urge council and Morningstar to rethink the Cartier plans and save the "green assets."
Coun. Selina Robinson agreed, saying trees provide shade and prevent water run-off in hillside areas (the Cartier property has a 13% slope). "I would like to see an attempt to protect some of the trees," Robinson said, while putting developers on notice that future applications before council would be judged on how many trees could be salvaged.
Still, Coun. Terry O'Neill said Morningstar has done its job by presenting a "beautiful" development in the renewing community that will be "very well landscaped." Responding to a Hachey Avenue neighbour's concern about a potential view loss, O'Neill suggested the new trees would become a bigger problem as they would grow taller than the new homes over the next five to 10 years.
Meanwhile, the next open house on the Maillardville Neighbourhood Plan - a vision for the community that was first adopted in 1989 - is scheduled for Wednesday, May 23 at Place Maillardville (1200 Cartier Ave., Coquitlam) from 4 to 8 p.m. The public meeting will provide direction to city staff on topics such as housing, urban design, neighbourhood character, preserving heritage buildings, and new parks and recreation facilities.
