Main bylaws of the City of Delson regarding trees

Tree Removal Maintenance Planting

Tree Removal

Within the territory of the City of Delson, a certificate of authorization (tree cutting permit) from the City of Delson is mandatory to cut one or more trees with a diameter greater than 10 cm (measured at 30 cm from the ground).

Situations where cutting is possible:

• If the tree intended for cutting is dead or affected by an incurable disease;
• If the tree intended for cutting is dangerous to the health or safety of citizens;
• If the tree intended for cutting constitutes a nuisance or causes damage to public or private property;
• If the tree intended for cutting prevents construction, expansion, relocation, transformation, demolition, or an authorized use for which a building permit or certificate of authorization has been issued;
• If the tree intended for cutting is located in the front yard of a main building, represents less than 40% of the wooded cover of a lot, and its cutting is intended for its replacement by a tree with a trunk diameter of 5 centimeters or more;
• If the location of the tree intended for cutting constitutes a nuisance to its growth, such as a medium-growth tree located less than 2 meters from an existing building and less than 3 meters in the case of a large-growth tree.

The falling of twigs, leaves, flowers, or fruits, the presence of roots on the soil surface, the presence of insects or animals, shade, unpleasant odors, sap or honeydew exudate, or the release of pollen do not constitute a nuisance or serious damage. These are merely normal inconveniences associated with the presence of a tree on a property.

For every tree felled following the issuance of a certificate of authorization by the municipality of Delson, a new tree must be planted on the same lot in accordance with existing regulatory provisions.

The Land Use Department reserves the right to require an arborist's report to justify the necessity of the felling.

Cutting or Pruning an Ash Tree

The owner of any ash tree that is dead or has 30% dead branches must proceed or have someone proceed with the felling of the ash tree before December 31st of the year this condition is observed.

It is prohibited to cut or prune an ash tree (species of the genus Fraxinus) between March 15th and October 1st of the same year, except in the following cases:

• The ash tree is dangerous for the safety of persons;
• The ash tree prevents the realization of a construction project authorized under the applicable urban planning regulations, unless it is a form of advertising sign;
• The ash tree makes it impossible to carry out construction, use, development, or work authorized by the City.

Disposal of ash tree residues:

Anyone cutting or pruning an ash tree must dispose of the wood waste as follows:

• Branches or trunk pieces with a diameter not exceeding 20 cm must be immediately chipped on-site into chips not exceeding 2.5 cm on at least two sides;
• Between October 1st and March 15th: branches or trunk pieces with a diameter exceeding 20 cm must be sent to a treatment site authorized by the City of Delson within 15 days following the cutting or pruning work.
  OR
  Branches or trunk pieces with a diameter exceeding 20 cm must be sent to a wood processing company, or kept on-site, to be processed using a compliant method, within 15 days following the cutting or pruning work.
• Between March 15th and October 1st: branches or trunk pieces with a diameter exceeding 20 cm must be processed on-site using a process compliant with the bylaw or kept until October 1st to then be transported to one of the authorized sites for processing.

It is prohibited, between October 1st and March 15th, to store for more than 15 days ash tree residues that have not been processed using a compliant method.

It is prohibited, between March 15th and October 1st, to transport ash tree residues that have not been processed using a compliant method.

Maintenance

Pollarding, topping, severe pruning of a tree, or any other action with a causal link to its death is prohibited.

Clear-cutting is prohibited throughout the territory.

During construction work, trees in their entirety (branches and roots) must be adequately protected.

Certificate of Authorization (Tree Cutting Permit) for Tree Removal

The tree cutting permit is free of charge. The application processing time is approximately 45 days.

To apply for a permit, please access the City of Delson website by clicking this link: online permit.

For more complex requests, please contact the Land Use Department at 450-632-1050 ext. 3315, or by email at urbanisme@ville.delson.qc.ca.

The applicant must prove the validity of the request in all cases.

Planting

Every lot on which a main building is erected or present must maintain or plant at least one tree in the front yard, as well as a second one in the fixed front yard in the case of a corner or transversal lot.

Minimum dimensions required at planting for the City of Delson:

• A height of 2.50 meters for a deciduous tree;
• A diameter of 5 cm measured at 1.2 meters above ground level for a deciduous tree;
• A height of 1.50 meters for a conifer.

For every tree felled following the issuance of a certificate of authorization by the municipality, a replacement tree must be planted on the same lot. However, if the number of trees present on the lot is greater than or equal to the required minimum after cutting, no replacement tree is requested.

The minimum number of trees required on residential lots for the City of Delson corresponds to the following:

• For a single-family dwelling or a two-family dwelling: the minimum number required is one tree if the lot area is less than 500 m2. An additional tree is required for every additional 100 m2 of lot area;
• For a multi-family dwelling with 4 to 8 units or for a multi-family dwelling with 9 units or more: the minimum number of trees corresponds to one tree for every 7 meters of lot width facing a public road.

Every tree planting must be carried out at a distance from overhead wires, electrical transformers, telephone network control boxes, fire hydrants, street lights, or poles carrying a public utility network, according to standards known in the literature, based on the chosen species.

The planting of these tree species is prohibited within the territory of the City of Delson:

It is prohibited to plant a tree or shrub within the right-of-way setback of the public roadway.

The City of Delson does not offer grants for tree planting on its territory.

Work Near Hydro-Québec Power Lines

We can undertake cutting and pruning work only near telecommunication wires or low-voltage wires. Please note that we are not authorized by Hydro-Québec for work to be performed near medium-voltage power lines and near electricity distribution networks. For more information on this subject, we suggest you consult the Aerial network section of our website. You will also find the procedure to help you find a company mandated by Hydro-Québec for this type of service.

City of Delson

50 Sainte-Thérèse Street
Delson, Quebec
J5B 2B2
450 632-1050 ext. 3315
[urbanisme@ville.delson.qc.ca5
ville.delson.qc.ca

Please note that the information provided on this page is for informational purposes only and has no force of law or legal value. For further information or to verify current regulations, please contact the municipality.