--- title: Silverton tree removal rules and permits question: "Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property in Silverton?" place: Silverton, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/silverton category: Building, renovating and your property owner: municipal owner_body: Village of Silverton sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/silverton/tree-removal/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/silverton/tree-removal.json" --- # Silverton tree removal rules and permits **Question:** Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property in Silverton? **Short answer:** Silverton has no general tree-cutting bylaw that we found. Lots within 30 m of Slocan Lake or Silverton Creek need a development permit to remove vegetation other than hazard trees. No one may plant a tree on a boulevard. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Silverton, https://silverton.ca) **Cost:** No tree or development permit fee found in the Village's Fees and Charges Bylaw. **How long:** Not stated. **Where:** - In person: Village Office, 421 Lake Ave, Silverton, BC V0G 1S0 - Phone: Village Office, 250-358-2472 - Email: Village Office, info@silverton.ca ## Key facts - **When a permit is needed:** No general tree-cutting bylaw found. Lots within 30 m of the natural boundary of Slocan Lake and Silverton Creek are in the Lakefront and Riparian Protection DPA, where removing vegetation other than hazard trees needs a development permit (Zoning s. 4.18). - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 563, 2026, ss. 4.17, 4.18(e)](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22147/) - Official wording: "no change of land Use, subdivision, or site alteration is allowed without a Development Permit." … "removal of vegetation other than removal of hazard trees;" - Source: [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 562, 2026, OCP s. 13.2 DPA B](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22148/) - Official wording: "Lots within 30 metres of the natural boundary of Slocan Lake and Silverton Creek are designated as the Lakefront and Riparian Protection Development Permit Area" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Exemptions:** Hazard trees are excluded from the vegetation removal regulated in the Lakefront and Riparian Protection DPA. Exterior maintenance of existing structures is also exempt from that DPA. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 563, 2026, ss. 4.18(e), 4.22](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22147/) - Official wording: "removal of vegetation other than removal of hazard trees;" … "Exterior maintenance of an existing Structure;" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fee:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. - **Replacement trees:** Within 10 m of Slocan Lake and Silverton Creek, a revegetation plan may also be required along with an Environmental Impact Assessment. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 563, 2026, s. 4.19(b)(iv)](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22147/) - Official wording: "a revegetation plan to improve natural control erosion, protect banks, and" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **City trees:** No one may place a tree, shrub or hedge on a boulevard. The Village may remove or prune boulevard trees or shrubs that Council deems a nuisance or that interfere with traffic. - Source: [Boulevard Improvement and Regulation Bylaw No. 490, 2015, ss. 3(b), 5(a)](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22186/) - Official wording: "No person shall place a wall, fence, tree, shrub or hedge on a Boulevard." … "may, without notice or compensation to any person, remove or prune any tree or shrub upon a" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fine:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. - **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 563, 2026, Part 4 (DPA B); Boulevard Improvement and Regulation Bylaw No. 490, 2015 - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 563, 2026, Title](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22147/) - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw No. 563, 2026" - Source: [Boulevard Improvement and Regulation Bylaw No. 490, 2015, Title](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22186/) - Official wording: "BOULEVARD IMPROVEMENT AND REGULATION BYLAW NO. 490 - 2015" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works Silverton does not have a general tree-cutting bylaw that we could find. The main rule is in the [Zoning Bylaw No. 563](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22147/): lots within 30 m of the natural boundary of Slocan Lake and Silverton Creek are in the Lakefront and Riparian Protection development permit area. Removing vegetation there needs a development permit, except for hazard trees. Exterior maintenance of existing structures is also exempt. Within 10 m of the lake and creek, the Village may also require a revegetation plan and an Environmental Impact Assessment. On Village boulevards, the [Boulevard Bylaw No. 490](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22186/) says no one may place a tree, shrub or hedge there. The Village may remove or prune boulevard trees or shrubs that Council deems a nuisance or that interfere with traffic. ## Steps 1. Check whether your lot is within 30 m of Slocan Lake or Silverton Creek (the map is Schedule D of the Official Community Plan). 2. If it is, ask the Village Office about a development permit before cutting. 3. If you are building, a wildfire development permit may restrict trees near the development. ## Good to know - No tree-cutting ticket amount or permit fee was found. ## Official forms and pages - [Zoning Bylaw No. 563, 2026](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22147/) - [Boulevard Improvement and Regulation Bylaw No. 490, 2015](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22186/) ## Related questions - [Silverton zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/silverton/zoning-lookup.md) - [Silverton building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/silverton/building-permit.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tree-removal.md) - [Slocan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/slocan/tree-removal.md) - [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/tree-removal.md) - [Nakusp](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/tree-removal.md) - [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/tree-removal.md) - [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/tree-removal.md) - [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/tree-removal.md) ## Sources - [Zoning Bylaw No. 563, 2026, Village of Silverton](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22147/) (read 2026-11-08) - [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 562, 2026, Village of Silverton](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22148/) (read 2026-11-08) - [Boulevard Improvement and Regulation Bylaw No. 490, 2015, Village of Silverton](https://silverton.civicweb.net/document/22186/) (read 2026-11-08) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 2 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Silverton. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/silverton/tree-removal/_