— The Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee considered changes proposed by staff to the Site Alteration Bylaw resulting from a first review of this bylaw, which was introduced in 2018. Staff recommended adding a notification requirement for landowners planning to conduct major tree clearing operations on properties in the periurban area, a 2 km wide strip of land beyond the urban boundary. Staff also recommended extending the coverage of the Natural Heritage protection provisions of the bylaw to the Rural area. Committee did not approve these recommendations and instead introduced a motion to reduce the periurban area to 1 kilometer beyond the urban boundary and to remove the notification requirement. The GA had supported the recommended changes. It is not entirely clear how the approved motion will be applied, as new wording is to be drafted and circulated, go through some unspecified consultation and return to Committee in the new year.
