{"title":"Wells tree removal rules and permits","question":"Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property in Wells?","slug":"tree-removal","place":{"path":"ca/bc/wells","name":"Wells","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Wells","url":"https://www.wells.ca"},"short_answer":"In Wells, you need a tree cutting permit to remove, cut or harm a tree inside the Tree Protection Area on the Zoning Maps. The fee is $25 for 1 to 3 trees. Ask the District Office whether your lot is inside the area.","aliases":["tree cutting permit wells","cut down tree wells bc","tree protection area wells","district of wells tree bylaw"],"cost":"$25 for 1 to 3 trees; $50 for 4 to 10 trees; $100 for more than 10 trees.","how_long":"The District's website does not state a processing time.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"District Office","value":"250-994-3330"},{"type":"email","label":"District Office","value":"clerk@wells.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"District Office","value":"4243 Sanders Ave, Wells, BC V0K 2R0","note":"Office hours are not stated on the District website."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17 (PDF)","url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf"},{"title":"Planning Bylaws (zoning maps), District of Wells","url":"https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws"}],"related":[{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Wells zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/quesnel","name":"Quesnel","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/williams-lake","name":"Williams Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/prince-george","name":"Prince George","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/100-mile-house","name":"100 Mile House","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/valemount","name":"Valemount","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/tree-removal/"},{"place":"ca/bc/vanderhoof","name":"Vanderhoof","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vanderhoof/tree-removal/"}],"topic":{"title":"Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tree-removal/"},"facts":{"permit_needed":{"label":"When a permit is needed","value":"A tree cutting permit is needed to remove, cut or harm a tree inside the Tree Protection Area shown on the Zoning Maps (Schedule B). A tree is a woody plant with a stem at least 10 cm across, measured 15 cm above the ground.","short":"Yes, inside Tree Protection Area (stems 10 cm or more)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17 (PDF)","section":"s. 3.17(a)-(b)","quotes":["The Tree Protection Area is outlined on Schedule B, the Zoning Maps.","No person may remove, cut or harm a tree within the Tree Protection Area:","without a tree cutting permit issued under this section; or"]},{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17 (PDF)","section":"s. 2.0, definition 176","quotes":["a diameter of at least 10 centimetres when measured from a height of 15 centimetres above the natural grade of the land"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"exemptions":{"label":"Exemptions","value":"The tree permit rule does not apply to lands within the Forest Land Reserve.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17 (PDF)","section":"s. 3.17(e)","quotes":["This section shall not apply to any lands within the Forest Land Reserve."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fee":{"label":"Fee","value":"$25 for 1 to 3 trees; $50 for 4 to 10 trees; $100 for more than 10 trees.","short":"$25 for 1 to 3 trees ($50 for 4 to 10)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17 (PDF)","section":"s. 3.17(d)","quotes":["An application fee for a tree cutting permit is $25 for 1 to 3 trees; $50 for 4 to 10 trees and $100 for more than 10 trees."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"replacement":{"label":"Replacement trees","value":"The application must include a replanting plan showing the location, species, size and number of trees, bushes and shrubs to be planted. No replacement ratio or security is stated.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17 (PDF)","section":"s. 3.17(c)","quotes":["a proposed replanting plan indicating location, species, size and number of trees, bushes and shrubs which are to be planted"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"city_trees":{"label":"City trees","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","sources":[]},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"No ticket amount is stated. A zoning offence carries a fine of not more than $10,000 on summary conviction; each day is a new and separate offence.","short":"No ticket; up to $10,000 on conviction","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17 (PDF)","section":"s. 1.2.4","quotes":["be liable to a penalty or fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000)","Each day or part thereof during which any contravention is continued shall constitute a new and separate offense"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"District of Wells Zoning and Tree Protection Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17 (PDF)","section":"s. 3.17","quotes":["Provincial Standards which may vary from those of the District of Wells. 3.17 TREE PROTECTION (a) The Tree Protection Area is outlined on Schedule B, the Zoning Maps.","residential use, but not ancillary to a permitted non-residential use; District of Wells Zoning Bylaw 26","(c) no alteration may be made to the external appearance of the property which indicates"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":7,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nTree protection is part of the District's [Zoning Bylaw, s. 3.17](https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf). A tree cutting permit is needed to remove, cut or harm a tree inside the Tree Protection Area shown on the Zoning Maps (Schedule B). A tree is a woody plant with a stem at least 10 cm across, measured 15 cm above the ground.\n\nThe rule does not apply to lands within the Forest Land Reserve. The bylaw states no hazard-tree or small-tree exemption, and no rule on District-owned or boulevard trees was found.\n\nThe application must include a replanting plan showing the location, species, size and number of trees, bushes and shrubs to be planted. No replacement ratio or security is stated. The Clerk may also ask for an engineer's report that cutting will not cause flooding or erosion.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check the Zoning Maps on the Planning Bylaws page, or ask the District Office, whether your lot is in the Tree Protection Area.\n2. If it is, apply for a tree cutting permit with a replanting plan.\n3. Pay the fee: $25 for 1 to 3 trees, $50 for 4 to 10 trees, $100 for more than 10.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- No ticket amount is stated. A zoning offence carries a fine of not more than $10,000 on summary conviction, and each day is a new offence.\n- The Comprehensive Fees and Charges Bylaw lists no tree permit fee; the amounts above are from the Zoning Bylaw.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000, s. 3.17 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws","title":"Planning Bylaws, District of Wells","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/tree-removal/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/tree-removal.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/tree-removal.json"}}