The Citizen, 2016-03-10, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016.
Smuck outlines multiple concerns with tree bylaw
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Morris-Turnberry Councillor John
Smuck thinks the Huron County
Forest Conservation bylaw is in need
of some serious revamping and
brought his concerns to Morris-
Turnberry council last week.
Smuck, who recently had to deal
with the bylaw and county Forest
Conservation Officer David Pullen,
has said in previous council
meetings interviews with The
Citizen he feels the bylaw and its
application are wrong.
Earlier this year, Smuck had
requested the opportunity to discuss
Guides collect for Goodwill
What a haul
The Wingham Girl Guides organization challenged members at every level to bring in goods
for Goodwill as part of an organization -wide project last month. Nearly 60 bags of goods were
delivered to the store in Goderich after the event. (Photo submitted)
Char Breitmaier
Wingham Girl Guides
As part of their community service
project, the 1st Wingham Brownies,
Guides and Pathfinders collected
gently used clothing and other
articles for Goodwill. This unique
program helped the girls learn about
people in their community,
recycling, sharing and social justice.
The Girl Guides of Canada
Ontario Council teamed up with
Goodwill for the second year to offer
this valuable community service
project. Goodwill Industries has
been changing lives one suit, one
pair of shoes or one table lamp at a
time.
Between Feb. 22, which is an
important date in the lives of Girl
Guides as it is the birthday of both
Lord and Lady Baden-Powell who
started Boy Scouts and Girl Guides,
and March 5, the Goodwill locations
were accepting any dropped off
donations.
The Good Turn Challenge called
for every Spark and Brownie to
collect and donate one large garbage
bag of items. It was more
challenging for the Guides,
Pathfinders and leaders who had to
gather two large garbage bags of
items to earn a Good Turn Challenge
patch. The parents and girls were
absolutely amazing! Their total
donation, which took two trips to
Goderich, was 59 large bags! You
rock ladies!
Soon the Brownies will be touring
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and tips, sec a case study
and read about Local
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Brides in Huron section
of Our Website
www.nortbiluron.on.ca
the Wingham Police Services,
learning about what happens in our
community, what it take to become a
police officer and what we as
citizens are responsible for in our
community. Later the Guides will be
touring the Wingham Police
Services to complete their law
awareness and streetwise badges.
If you wish to join us for some fun
and learning please contact Ms. Char
at mschar.b@gmail.com.
the issue and, as a deputation,
presented several questions,
suggestions and concerns regarding
the bylaw. He presented his views to
Morris-Turnberry Council during its
March 1 meeting.
One of Smuck's primary concerns
is how the plaintiffs are handled
through the bylaw.
Smuck has said of this bylaw, and
other primarily complaint -driven
bylaws, that often they can be used
as a means of punishing people for
other actions. He said that, for that
reason, plaintiffs' names should be
revealed to the defendant during the
situation.
Smuck also said plaintiffs should
also have to be directly affected by
any breach of the bylaw, meaning
they should border on the affected
lands or be affected by the change to
have a legitimate complaint.
The bylaw officer in charge of
enforcing the document should also
have to wear a tamper -proof body
camera, according to Smuck.
Private drainage is also a concern
according to Smuck who said that,
with any kind of drainage project on
forested land, it should be handled
similar to municipal drains, meaning
a drainage inspector should be
involved and approve any project
necessitating working within the tree
bylaw.
When charges are laid through the
bylaw, Smuck feels that there should
be some type of mediation available
with the local municipal council or
an approved panel before being
handled by lawyers.
Smuck also feels that, in the past
several years, the budget for
application of the bylaw and
subsequent legal challenges has
grown out of hand and wants it to be
addressed.
He also feels that the Ontario
Professional Foresters Act, passed in
2000, which advises on the practice
of forestry, silviculture, forest
appraisal, management practices and
classification and inventorying of
forests, should be incorporated into
the bylaw.
Professional foresters should also
be hired by the county to formalize
replanting agreements which he says
are currently handled by Huron
County's legal representatives.
Smuck feels that areas that have
currently been infested with the
Emerald Ash Borer should be under
special rules which encourage
landowners to cut undersized trees.
To wrap up his presentation,
Smuck had several questions,
including why some people require
permits to remove trees and others
don't, why the tree bylaw supersedes
property standard issues and stated
that the county hadn't discussed the
bylaw with loggers and farmers to
make sure the document was
amicable and wondered why that
was the case.
After receiving his report, Morris-
Turnberry Council suggested that
Smuck make his presentation to
Huron County Council, the body
that oversees the bylaw with which
he is concerned.
CI; a/{' Lctvd ed .
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