City of Powell River staff has yet to make a determination on whether one-time timber rights for Lot 450 trees between Townsite and Westview had been extinguished before current holder Island Timberlands acquired them.
Information on the city’s legal position on the ownership of the trees was expected to be released to the public on Friday, March 3, but that has been postponed indefinitely until the city can provide a complete response.
In May 2015, the city paid Island Timberlands $1.2 million for trees in upper and lower Millennium Park on land owned by the PRSC Limited Partnership between the city and Tla’amin Nation.
City clerk Chris Jackson said he was almost ready to complete his report on the issue, but a harvesting plan provided to the city from Island Timberlands has continued to raise questions that have bearing on whether the one-time cutting rights have already been used for the trees on that parcel.
“It really affects any kind of position they may or may not have on the trees,” said Jackson.
He added that he is following up on some technical details and that the city will not be releasing any information to the public until it has a complete answer to the question. Jackson said he did not have a timeline for that release.
Meanwhile, consulting biologist Andrew Bryant, who raised the issue last fall, said he is used to waiting. He said he initially contacted city council with his concerns last October and PRSC last September.
“The wheels move slowly,” he said.
Regardless of whether the city purchased trees in Millennium Park when it did not have to, Bryant said the possibility that it could have a large forested area in the middle of town is important and a possible opportunity.
