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Cypress County council denies Jasper Homes tree request again

Posted on March 4, 2022 by 40 Mile Commentator

By Justin Seward

Commentator/Courier

Cypress County council refuses Jasper Fine Homes tree request in Dunmore for a second time  at their March 1 meeting.

The refusal factors included the addition of the snow maintenance cost and possible liability to Third Avenue and added operational costs for watering and maintaining the irrigation system and for assuming assets for irrigation system and trees.

Jasper Fine Homes’s plan was to plant tree lines of approximately 75 poplar trees, 45 spruce trees and 300 lilac trees parallel with Third Avenue and south of Highway No. 1. The company would provide tree care for five years— which is a change from the initial proposal of three years.

“The intent is to provide a sound and visual break from traffic to the hamlet,” as read in the agenda package

There would be a two-metre separation from the edge of the roadway.

“We’ve been through this once already,” said Coun. Dustin Vossler.

“We’ve had a fairly lengthy discussion if I remember properly about it. Public works came to the table stating that there was going to be (snow) drifting issues if they did this, and being on county property, I don’t like the idea behind it. If it was on their own property where they’re building their houses, fine and dandy, but being as it’s so close to the road and everything else, it doesn’t make sense for us to let them do it and in five years they become our problem, our liability—they’re our liability anyways.”

Coun. Blaine Brost didn’t like the fact they want to put the trees on county property.

“So I agree with what has been said about them wanting to put the trees up—have at (it) if you want to put it on your guys’ property—but when it comes to ours, I disagree,” said Brost.

County chief administrative officer Tarolyn Aaserud met with Jasper Fine Homes in January to brainstorm possibilities about other solutions and nothing came to the table.

“The problem is that there is contrary road concerns,” said Aaserud.

“The way that it’s close to the trail—those sort of things. It was asked if possibly those trees could be put on the private land. That’s not what they wished to do. It’s unfortunate at the time of development that these type of things were not taken into consideration. This is just a band-aid to fix a concern and it’s unfortunate there’s other infrastructure that (has) (vegetation)effect.”

Council also passed a motion to direct staff to come back with some ideas for the county to work with Jasper Fine Homes on.

Council denied the same request last July.

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