Cutting tree permit. City of Saint-JeanIn order to protect its tree heritage, the City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu has put in place provisions governing the maintenance and felling of trees by property owners. Property owners must ensure that their trees are properly maintained in order to promote their health and extend their life span as much as possible. The by-law describes a tree as a woody plant with a stem diameter of at least 10 cm (at breast height). In the context of this by-law, cedars in a hedge are not affected.
What is tree removal?The term felling does not only refer to the complete cutting of a tree. It also includes topping or pollarding, which is the act of cutting the top of a tree. Removing more than 50% of a tree's roots or covering them with excessive fill of 15 cm or more is also considered felling. The same is true for any intervention that may result in the death of a tree. These practices are prohibited and illegal unless specifically authorized by the City.
|
|
How do I get a permit to cut down a tree?
Before cutting down a tree located in the protection strip on your property, you must obtain a certificate of authorization. This procedure is free of charge. When there is a main building on a lot, the protection zone is the front yard or the side yard near the street. This conservation area is 10 m wide, measured horizontally from the street right-of-way to the interior of the lot. When a lot is vacant, its entire area is protected.
When applying for authorization, you must state your reason for wanting to cut down the tree. Felling is justified if the tree is dead or diseased, if it represents a danger to the safety of individuals or buildings, or if it prevents the execution of construction or renovation work. In the case of work, you will have to describe it and specify its location. For all applications, you will be required to provide certain documents including photos of the tree to be removed, a detailed description of the tree and a scale plan showing the location of the tree on your property. If you have more than 6 trees to cut down, you must contact the Planning, Environment and Economic Development Department before completing the online application.
When applying for authorization, you must state your reason for wanting to cut down the tree. Felling is justified if the tree is dead or diseased, if it represents a danger to the safety of individuals or buildings, or if it prevents the execution of construction or renovation work. In the case of work, you will have to describe it and specify its location. For all applications, you will be required to provide certain documents including photos of the tree to be removed, a detailed description of the tree and a scale plan showing the location of the tree on your property. If you have more than 6 trees to cut down, you must contact the Planning, Environment and Economic Development Department before completing the online application.
Tree planting
When you have a tree removed from the protection zone, you will in most cases be required to replace it with a new tree. When applying for authorization, you will be asked to name the species, size and location of the tree that will be planted to replace the one that will be cut down. It is strongly recommended that you consult a qualified arborist, or visit the Hydro-Quebec website and the Société internationale d'Arboriculture Québec website, before planting a tree. Consider the size of the tree, its needs and the consequences of its presence for your home and infrastructure when it reaches maturity.
Emerald Ash Borer
The emerald ash borer is an insect pest from Asia that has no natural predator in our territory. When it settles in a tree, it kills it within a few years. In order to limit the spread of this insect, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has been mandated to enforce regulations to control the transportation of ash wood and limit its transfer from one region to another. The City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu has also put in place provisions regarding the felling of ash trees. For example, it is forbidden to cut down a tree of this species and to transport the wood debris during the period of the year when the borer is active. If you have an ash tree on your property, be sure to learn about good maintenance practices and felling procedures.
For more information
If you have any questions or would like to obtain a certificate of authorization, please contact the Service de l'urbanisme, de l'environnement et du développement économique at 450-359-2400. It is also possible to complete an authorization request online at this link Permis abattage Ville de Saint-Jean
The information contained on this page may change at any time. We therefore invite you to consult the City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu's website to see if there have been any changes.
The information contained on this page may change at any time. We therefore invite you to consult the City of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu's website to see if there have been any changes.