Waterfront Park may be a dozen trees lighter if local residents get their way before the City of North Vancouver council on November 6.

Recently retired North Vancouver resident Gary Mosier was caretaker at the park””which adjoins the SeaBus terminal””for three years in the mid-'90s. He told the Georgia Straight he does not believe that condominium residents at 33 Chesterfield Place (plus a nearby bistro merchant) should be allowed to push for the cutting-down of public trees to enhance views.

“I want more trees in the park,” Mosier told the Straight during a walk through the popular spot, which hosts the Caribbean Days festival, Canada Day events, and the Clam Chowder Contest in the summer. “I'd hate to see a precedent set where, for the temporary condition of improving the views of certain people, they allow the trees to come down. Once they're down, they're down.”

According to staff reports, the Chesterfield residents first approached council in 1996, unsuccessfully, asking that trees be removed. (As a result of those deliberations, council drafted its current tree policy to guide future decisions.) In February 2005, another submission was presented regarding the use of maples seen by the group as an “inappropriate species” for the site. The resultant January 25 report notes: “Since that time, the request has expanded to include other trees in other sections of the park.”

The latest report (July 12) is to “outline proposals to improve private views through the removal of 12 trees in Waterfront Park”. The 2003 City of North Vancouver tree policy states: “Trees will not be removed from City property for the purpose of maintaining or enhancing view corridors.”

On October 5, City of North Vancouver environmental coordinator Michael Hunter told the Straight that Philippe Segur, owner of Le Bistro Chez Michel on West Esplanade, was applying for the removal of five trees on city property. Meanwhile, the Chesterfield residents are seeking the removal of four on city property and three “covenanted” trees on private land.

“The property lines are not clearly defined,” Hunter said. “But the city maintains the park, not the residents at 33 Chesterfield.”

Regarding the status of the application, Hunter noted, “We've only just finished the public consultation. We haven't actually packaged everything up and put together recommendations yet. That goes to council [for a vote] November 6. We're in the process of compiling the results from the consultation.”

Long-time 33 Chesterfield resident John Carry””who said that 21 years ago he bought his property for $275,000””told the Straight that he wants to see the trees cut down for security reasons as well as view enhancement.

“It's both,” he said. “There's a view issue, obviously. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't. But when you're living on the water, you want to see the water. We don't have anybody in front of us, except trees....And, by the way, we don't want to enhance the view to enhance our pockets. It won't make anything worth any more than it is. We've been selling property in here that's over $400 a square foot. How much higher do you think it's going to go?”

Carry said the trees and the scrub next to the nearby washrooms provide cover for “older kids” causing mischief at night. But Mosier told the Straight that parks “are for everybody”.

“I live about 100 metres beyond Esplanade,” he said. “I retired in May, so I walk down here all the time. I don't know how to get through to people that trees are the view. These people here [at 33 Chesterfield] consider them an obstacle.”

Darrell Mussatto, mayor of the City of North Vancouver, told the Straight it is a complex issue that may end up resulting in a public discussion.

“I think that what we'll probably do is have a public meeting on it, asking those for and against to come and speak,” Mussatto said.