WELCOME SUMMER 2022!

We want to keep you informed on the efforts needed to keep up the fight to protect our tree canopy in the hood.

GOOD NEWS…

39 Plymbridge

The giant Red Oak damaged by the recent storm continues to see another day. We sent out all sorts of red flags to Urban Forestry and Ravine Protection to see if it could be saved. The City responded (Yaroslaw Medwidsky - Project Manager, Ravine And Natural Feature Protection yaroslaw.medwidsky@toronto.ca ) “we’ve determined that this oak tree is not an imminent hazard at this time and is still viable to maintain. We have advised the owner as such and denied the exception request to remove the tree”. We have also met the builder, Tony Sena – Sena Construction, and explained how important this tree is to the neighbourhood and we appreciate his full efforts to protect it. He feels that it should not be a problem for his building project. We will continue to discuss (pursue) the agent, from Urban Forestry, assigned to protect this tree. Any activity you see, we would be grateful to hear from you.

Laura Lamarche 416-859-5263

www.Treetrust.ca

Hoggs Hollow Tree Watch is considering teaming up with Tree Trust - we believe we are more powerful in numbers and these representatives are doing good work.

“Tree Trust preserves our biggest and best urban trees. We raise funds to hire arborists who keep the trees healthy and extend their lifespans through measures such as pruning, fertilizing and insect control.

Seedlings

This is a teaser, we have so much to share, but let us excite you with the possibility that the 250 year old sugar maple from 7 Knightswood has babies. Turns out, she had excellent genes.

107 Donwoods Drive

This is Urban Forestry in action. The homeowner was concerned with the recent digging activity by Bell in front yard. The large mature tree in the front yard has already sustained considerable damage when the City put in the new water/sewer lines. Intensive fertilization and pruning have taken place by homeowner over the last few years to try and bring it back. Prior to Bell digging was going on, Urban Forestry was contacted and they sent out a Standards officer to inspect the site. Thankfully further damage did not incur and Urban Forestry’s involvement was appreciated.

24 Brookfield

HHTW spoke with the builder when he was onsite over the weekend. We politely informed him that the TPZ zone was being breached, garbage and heavy fencing were inside the protected zone. He had workers clean it up immediately.

TREE REMOVAL Permits

We have encouraged all neighbours to ask for a permit when a tree is observed being taken down. This has yielded huge dividends. We have been told by several sources (Gardners, arborists, City departments) that Hoggs Hollow has a reputation for being tough on the destruction of trees without a permit. It’s our right to ask to see a permit and it works! So please be diligent when you see any crew with tree removal equipment. Ask for the permit or call 311 (and of course, talk to homeowner, but often time is not on our side and any delay will risk losing that tree)

REMEMBER, WE ARE IN A PROTECTED RAVINE AREA - ALL TREES - BIG AND SMALL - NEED A PERMIT!! Many people are unaware of this fact https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/building-construction/tree-ravine-protection-permits/permit-to-undertake-work-in-ravines/

YOUR ACTION IS REQUIRED to help protect our tree canopy!

ONGOING ISSUES…

19 Plymbridge Crescent

Updates from Kim Statham - Head of Urban Forestry and

Crystal Rodrigues - Acting Project and Policy Advisor, Urban Forestry

This is an open investigation as a result of the tree by-law contravention noted on site. If there are activities taking place within the tree protection zone, please report it to 311 directly as it will contribute to the ongoing investigation. 311@toronto.ca and copy ufce@toronto.ca. Register your complaint and obtain file# for followup.

Foundations have been poured and additional trees have been removed and we have continued to report infractions to 311. Please do the same if you see activity that you are concerned about and let us know.

88 Donwoods Drive

There is an active application in progress with Urban Forestry's Tree Protection and Plan Review Office and the Ravine and Natural Feature Protection Office, however no permits have been issued to date. In 2021 a dangerous private order was issued to remove one dead tree and perform maintenance on two others. This file has since been closed, following completion of tree maintenance work in January 2022. We have created a service request to have an Urban Forestry Standards Officer inspect this site as a result of claims that trees have been recently removed in the rear yard.

This home has been vacant for years, the yard is extremely unkempt. Un-permitted tree removal was noted by neighbours.

7 Knightwood

Just because the tree is gone we are not giving up… we have written letters, submitted photos and spoken with neighbours about ongoing activity. TPZ zones have been breached and un-permitted grading has occurred. Urban Forestry has sent out inspectors.

Arborists have said “this will kill the trees”. If you can, please call and report this atrocity to 311 311@toronto.ca

We have since learned that the owner wishes to renovate and rent the property for a year.

9 Donwoods Drive

The applicant has already removed many trees and has submitted applications to remove more. The YMVA and Jaye Robinson’s office have submitted letters refusing to support this application – “these variances would permit the applicant to construct a 3-storey home with a lot coverage of 44.3% on an undersized lot where only 2 storeys and 30% lot coverage are permitted”

TLAB hearing is scheduled for AUGUST 22, HHTW and the YMVA have submitted participant applications, so our views can be heard.

Neighbours have worked together and they have hired lawyers and planners and have determined the lot coverage is actually approximately 70% due to the steep slope of the hill and the design of the building is an “iceberg” house where the basement is extending well beyond the footprint of the house above ground. The basement is very close to the neighbouring property line where the trees and brush were already cut down and who is fighting a significant privacy issue due to lack of permeable soil to support future plantings as well as creating flooding issues.

The Rosedale Golf Course

Trees on this land are protected under the City's tree bylaws and the following approval to remove trees was authorized by Urban Forestry:

Exception request granted to remove three large dead trees in February 2021.
Permit issued to remove two large trees in poor condition in September 2021.
Permit issued to remove four large trees in poor condition in October 2021.

The golf course is our neighbour and they have to adhere to the same restrictions homeowners do. Permits must be issued for tree removals

HHTW continues to develop dialog with new Management at the course, to ensure they know our sensitivity to our shared tree canopy.

Thanks for reading.

Remember to ensure you have a permit for ANY tree you wish to remove on your property. You may require an arborist report – COHEN AND MASTER 647-942 2935 OR SHADYLANE 905 773-5906 OR If you have an arborist you’d like to recommend, we’re all ears.

Even saplings are sacred in the ravine. New growth is important and MANY properties are being cleared of significant green space- an average of 3+ healthy trees are removed during a new building project wether it is permitted or not. We must fight back. It takes over 250 saplings to replace a tree the size of our destroyed 250+ year old sugar maple at 7 Knightswood.

Keep a keen eye on every TPZ – TREE PROTECTION ZONE – that you pass by and ask the owner/builder to respect the rules.

(we lost 2 large maples on the north east corner of Donwoods and Donino across from the parkette that may have been from large equipment parked on top of the tree roots and soil compaction during construction)

Please help us by being aware of our canopy and any threats to it.

Call 311

Email 311@toronto.ca and COPY UFCE@toronto.ca (urban forestry compliance enforcement – formerly treebylaw@toronto.ca

Stay Cool…

Additional reading - (to be done only in a comfortable lounge chair with a cold beverage in hand.)

https://www.toronto.ca/data/parks/pdf/trees/tree-protection-specs.pdf

https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/trees/

Laura & Shannon