[rebeccaa]

hi. i'm wondering if someone can help me with this. i've read all the info on the city of toronto website on removing trees, and apparently you have to hire a company to remove trees on private property. but what if you can't afford to pay $2000-$3000 to have a tree removed?

i have a tree on my private property that needs to be removed for public safety reasons (the branches are very brittle and fall during heavy winds, and they overlook a sidewalk). they've already fallen on someone and have nearly fallen on many people. i also have another tree with the same problem, but its trunch is located right along the border of the public and private land. is it considered a private tree or city of toronto tree?

thanks for the help!

 

[Eug]

You can talk to the city but I suspect they'll just say you have to hire a company yourself to do this unless it's on their property.

http://www.toronto.ca/trees/private_trees.htm

Yes it is a lot of money, but it's less money than if someone gets hurt by the tree. And it's not something you'd want to attempt yourself. Lots of disasters happen when you have weekend warrior types trying to work a chainsaw. Or, you may get the tree going the wrong direction and hitting someone or something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1_QXOpiPm8

For a tree that's on the border, you may be able to get them to come out to do it.

BTW, check with them regarding replacement of the tree. If that first tree is still alive, they may want you to replace it with another tree. And if you don't replace it, it means paying even more to legally not replace it. Or if you just don't replace it and get fined, it's even more money.

Ah, the pleasures of owning a home...

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

The brain-dead office staff of my building have taken down several trees on the property in the past couple of years but not replaced them. I wanted to call someone but never knew who, thanks to this thread now I know who to report the bastards to and hopefully get them replaced.

 

[rebeccaa]

thanks for the help.

i will definitely be replanting four or five trees in their place. if only i can remove the trees. that's the issue. the trees are both so big that it would cost at least $2000 each to hire a company to cut them. i hope the city will at least cut the one on the border. i don't understand why i have to mow the lawn infront of my house that's on public property, yet the city won't cut the trees that are on private property even though most of their branches are hanging over the public sidewalk.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

thanks for the help.

i will definitely be replanting four or five trees in their place. if only i can remove the trees. that's the issue. the trees are both so big that it would cost at least $2000 each to hire a company to cut them. i hope the city will at least cut the one on the border. i don't understand why i have to mow the lawn infront of my house that's on public property, yet the city won't cut the trees that are on private property even though most of their branches are hanging over the public sidewalk.

What do they do with the "harvested" wood? Are they cut up and sold as new boards? Do the tree lot owners have to pay the lumber companies to come in to cut down their trees? Odd that we have to pay someone to "harvest" the trees instead of getting money for the wood being "harvested".

 

[Eug]

i will definitely be replanting four or five trees in their place.

There are specific preferred trees that the city will accept. For a healthy tree that is cut down, you can't just plant anything in its place if you want to avoid fines.

 

[adma]

What do they do with the "harvested" wood? Are they cut up and sold as new boards? Do the tree lot owners have to pay the lumber companies to come in to cut down their trees? Odd that we have to pay someone to "harvest" the trees instead of getting money for the wood being "harvested".

More often or not, it's mulched. (You know, whenever you see the tree guys cutting something down and putting the bits into the chipper)

 

[Urban Shocker]

There are specific preferred trees that the city will accept. For a healthy tree that is cut down, you can't just plant anything in its place if you want to avoid fines.

Harvest a few seeds from a tree of your own selection ( a horse chestnut, maybe ) and plant them. If the tree police come after you a few years later when the darn thing has taken root blame it on the promiscuity of Mother Nature.

 

[Eug]

IIRC there are minimum size criteria but the OP can find out after speaking with the city.

However there is an organization LEAF Toronto that will plant smaller trees for a lower and supposedly subsidized price, with approval from the city.