Landscaping/Gardening Thread.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I can guarantee you will have a miserable time removing those stumps.

Oh... I know. That's why I was hoping for an alternative to pulling them out.

But it seems it's best to do it right and remove the stump and roots properly.

[Fuzz]

Like I said, I'd just cut it at ground level and bury it. Then it's either a future you problem, or if you move, not your problem.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Doctorfever

It all depends on access. Is the pad easy to get at with equipment? Like a mini hoe? You can rent them and operate yourself, although I’m not sure what they cost.

Most of the cost would be hauling it and dumping it at Fuzz's.

[sketchyt]

I love trees and I want as many around.

However, I have a 50+ year old Poplar that continues to grow and keeps growing. It's huge. It's on my property but the tree is considered to be the City's and I cannot remove it without their cooperation and/or a hefty fine.

The tree is causing damage to my driveway and lawn (and god knows what else). What's interesting is they removed a series of similar trees directly across the street from me on a public green space.

I went through the proper channels (twice) and the City said the tree is healthy and they cannot remove it. They said they would come back to prune it but that was a year ago. That department has since ghosted me.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can/should do next?

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by sketchyt

I love trees and I want as many around.

However, I have a 50+ year old Poplar that continues to grow and keeps growing. It's huge. It's on my property but the tree is considered to be the City's and I cannot remove it without their cooperation and/or a hefty fine.

The tree is causing damage to my driveway and lawn (and god knows what else). What's interesting is they removed a series of similar trees directly across the street from me on a public green space.

I went through the proper channels (twice) and the City said the tree is healthy and they cannot remove it. They said they would come back to prune it but that was a year ago. That department has since ghosted me.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can/should do next?

What's the fine? $500? cost of doing business. $5000+ yeah, don't do it.

https://www.calgary.ca/bylaws/tree-protection.html
https://www.calgary.ca/bylaws/trees-shrubs.html

Yeah... don't remove it. It might be a fine of $500 for removal of the tree... but there could be up to $10K in fines for failure to protect the tree and other stuff.

However, it seems you can call some of those contractors in the first link to prune the city tree and probably tell them to bill the city for the cost of pruning and whatnot?

[sketchyt]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

What's the fine? $500? cost of doing business. $5000+ yeah, don't do it.

https://www.calgary.ca/bylaws/tree-protection.html
https://www.calgary.ca/bylaws/trees-shrubs.html

Yeah... don't remove it. It might be a fine of $500 for removal of the tree... but there could be up to $10K in fines for failure to protect the tree and other stuff.

However, it seems you can call some of those contractors in the first link to prune the city tree and probably tell them to bill the city for the cost of pruning and whatnot?

My understanding is it's in the thousands. I called ArbourCare and they would not do it without City approval.

[DoubleF]

According to that first link, the tree protection bylaw doesn't apply to trees growing on private property. Is it a city tree growing on public property or right of way that's reaching over into your private property and doing damage? If somehow it's literally some weird city tree on private property scenario, maybe on the the $100-500 is the scenario there at worst.

Otherwise, I think you just have to keep giving the city the gears until a solution can be found. Maybe start calling in to ask if it can be cut down instead of pruned and see if their reaction changes? How do you know it's a city tree?

[Fuzz]

I've tried to get them to remove trees, even when half dead the answer is no. I did eventually have some luck when someone came and looked and agreed it was time for it to go, due to being a fire hazard. But if it's a healthy tree? Ermm, good luck...they do not care about your driveway(I tried that angle, too!).

[sketchyt]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

According to that first link, the tree protection bylaw doesn't apply to trees growing on private property. Is it a city tree growing on public property or right of way that's reaching over into your private property and doing damage? If somehow it's literally some weird city tree on private property scenario, maybe on the the $100-500 is the scenario there at worst.

Otherwise, I think you just have to keep giving the city the gears until a solution can be found. Maybe start calling in to ask if it can be cut down instead of pruned and see if their reaction changes? How do you know it's a city tree?

The tree is on the corner of the lot where the sidewalk meets the alleyway. I confirmed with the City that it's their tree even though it's on my lawn. You bring up a good point though with the fine... they said up to 10k. If it's $500 then I'll go nuts. I guess the second issue is that a company like ArbourCare wouldn't even touch it.

I've filled out their forms to do something about it three times now. The only thing I can think of is to go to my Ward councellor.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by sketchyt

The tree is on the corner of the lot where the sidewalk meets the alleyway. I confirmed with the City that it's their tree even though it's on my lawn. You bring up a good point though with the fine... they said up to 10k. If it's $500 then I'll go nuts. I guess the second issue is that a company like ArbourCare wouldn't even touch it.

I've filled out their forms to do something about it three times now. The only thing I can think of is to go to my Ward councellor.

If it is where you say it is, you may not own that "lawn". Check your property report if you have one, but there will be a setback that the city owns. Mine is fairly large, I think 13 feet. But the homeowner is responsible for care of it, other than trees.

[you&me]

On a sort of related note, does anyone know the rules surrounding planting new trees on city property?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by you&me

On a sort of related note, does anyone know the rules surrounding planting new trees on city property?

I believe you can, but it has to be from their chosen species, and it then becomes a city tree, with them caring for it. Maybe call 311 and they should be able to tell you.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by sketchyt

The tree is on the corner of the lot where the sidewalk meets the alleyway. I confirmed with the City that it's their tree even though it's on my lawn. You bring up a good point though with the fine... they said up to 10k. If it's $500 then I'll go nuts. I guess the second issue is that a company like ArbourCare wouldn't even touch it.

I've filled out their forms to do something about it three times now. The only thing I can think of is to go to my Ward councellor.

The $10K thing is tree protection bylaw for public trees on land owned and controlled by the city. It doesn't apply for trees growing on private property.

The weird thing is whether that corner is considered by the city to be controlled by the city.

And then since it's on your lawn, how does anyone know it's a city tree? If you told an arborist to do work on it and they showed up and did work to clean it up a bit, if you paid out of pocket, who would even know and/or care?

Sucks to be in your situation though.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

And then since it's on your lawn, how does anyone know it's a city tree?

https://maps.calgary.ca/TreeSchedule/

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

https://maps.calgary.ca/TreeSchedule/

TIL that a badly pruned spruce tree that is growing onto the road is a city owned tree.

Damn, there's a #### ton of trees on private properties according to that map. I didn't know city trees on private property was such a common thing.

What's also cool is that I've finally confirmed there's some larches in certain parks. If someone is getting trees planted, it might be cool to request more patches of larches and malus being planted (assuming they're still approved trees?).

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

TIL that a badly pruned spruce tree that is growing onto the road is a city owned tree.

Damn, there's a #### ton of trees on private properties according to that map. I didn't know city trees on private property was such a common thing.

Sure is. Tree Frog was supposed to take down a tree for me until they checked with the city's Tree Schedule and found that it was a city-owned tree. So I got in touch with the city and told them I had a conifer I wanted removed because it was killing my grass. On its own, that wasn't a good enough reason, so I mentioned that it was about 5 feet away from my municipal water valve in the front yard. It didn't take even three weeks for them to chop that prick down and ground the stump free of charge when they found that out.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by sketchyt

The tree is on the corner of the lot where the sidewalk meets the alleyway. I confirmed with the City that it's their tree even though it's on my lawn. You bring up a good point though with the fine... they said up to 10k. If it's $500 then I'll go nuts. I guess the second issue is that a company like ArbourCare wouldn't even touch it.

I've filled out their forms to do something about it three times now. The only thing I can think of is to go to my Ward councellor.

It's not just the fine, but also the value of the tree that you can find listed on the tree map.

I think there's a path to paying the value of the tree, and the cost of removal yourself, and replacing it, but I'm guessing if it's a problem it's a big tree worth thousands and also thousands for the arborist removal. Sorry, but you probably have to sell and move.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

The $10K thing is tree protection bylaw for public trees on land owned and controlled by the city. It doesn't apply for trees growing on private property.

The weird thing is whether that corner is considered by the city to be controlled by the city.

And then since it's on your lawn, how does anyone know it's a city tree? If you told an arborist to do work on it and they showed up and did work to clean it up a bit, if you paid out of pocket, who would even know and/or care?

Sucks to be in your situation though.

A majority of properties have lawns/driveways etc where part of it is city land. It's rarely the edge of the sidewalk.

You can see where your property line ends here:
https://maps.calgary.ca/myProperty/ or the outlines are also on the tree map.

Originally Posted by DoubleF

TIL that a badly pruned spruce tree that is growing onto the road is a city owned tree.

Damn, there's a #### ton of trees on private properties according to that map. I didn't know city trees on private property was such a common thing.

What's also cool is that I've finally confirmed there's some larches in certain parks. If someone is getting trees planted, it might be cool to request more patches of larches and malus being planted (assuming they're still approved trees?).

None of the trees on that map are on private property. They're city trees on city property.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

A majority of properties have lawns/driveways etc where part of it is city land. It's rarely the edge of the sidewalk.

You can see where your property line ends here:
https://maps.calgary.ca/myProperty/ or the outlines are also on the tree map.



None of the trees on that map are on private property. They're city trees on city property.

What the heck? I can see the city's portion for the sidewalk in front of my house, but across the street where there's no sidewalk, it shows an equivalent shape on the map as city property. So that lack of sidewalk means a portion of the driveway and the edge of their lawn is city land. That's why there's trees there. That answers some questions.

[sketchyt]

Some super helpful info here. Thank you everyone.