The Canadian Champion, Friday October 28, 2005 - A3 Town staff say they neyer told accused he could clear trees I By STEPHANIE THIESS3FN 1I\\' q Mx )Niltoni ciplo> ce, iv denied telliiig George 'Vastîs hc didn't need a permit to clear trees for tarming purposes. Testifying yesterday ai Ontario Provincial Offences Court in Burlington. Barb KooKpnsans. a planner svitb the Town, and Lmnda Stockley. a customer service representative. said they both spoke svith the Burlingtos resîdent svhen lie visited the planninîg depart- ment to ask some questions. But they didn't tell himi t go ahead svith the tree cutting on bis land, court heard. -1 don't have the auîhoriiy to say that," Ms Koopmnans îcstiied. Earlier this year, Mr. Vastis had îesîîfied that he'd gone to the plannting departmenî to find out tf he teeded aity pertits to eut trees on bis land. He said he \ssas told by someone at the depart- nment that he didn't need a permit il the cuîting was for commer- cial farming purposes. so he svcnt ahead ssitb the job. After the firsi set of charges ssere laid for the cutîitîg. he said he retumned to the department to find out if he needed a permit to clear from his land whaî he'd already eut and to sec if he could obtaîn the necessary cutting permit after the fact. In total, 20 acres otf trees were cleared in long swathes on Mr. Vastis' Fourth Line property in April and July of 201)3. Mr. Vastis and his company are facing up to $84000) in fines for 44 counîs against himt and the numbered company for cntting trees in a svoodlot and in an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). This is conrry to the Region of Halion's tree cutiing bylaw and the Forestry Act. Be pleaded îîoî guit t the charges last year. The property is loeated souih of Britannia Road and north of B"y. 407. beisveen Reionil Rot t25 înd Trafalga rR d B3ILL'Sdj AUTO BO0DY.SO Workîng # 7_ Harder to stay Insurance Claims SpecialisisE -sd =11bù y r we. offej.imre 'dos gré roefvldeç- u~nss ta ulw ni- tiojns, aý1dn ýt' u V ci'o mtîc peî taiîîing Io Lice ceaing. Crown attomney John Olab asked her tf she told Mr. Vastîs he wouldn'î tîecd a permit if it he svas clearing for commercial farm purposes. -l svould flot say something like that because is flot my postioît and nti my expertise." court heard. Ms Koopmans, a senior planner wîih the Town for about eighi years. tesîified Mr. Vastis came in with some questions about cut- tîng for farming in May 2(X)3 -afier the cunting had already iaken place. She said she spoke wîtb him only on that one occa- sion. She said she showed him a copy otf Milton's OfficiaI Plan 10 showv him the designations thai applied to bis Fourth Line proper- ty aîîd iold hîm Haltins tree bylaw would apply. She said she also told hbnti he might need permission fromt the conservation author- îîy. as svell as a possible sile alteration permit fromt the Town. STARTING AT $13 5 Q .îskiitg these questions atîci the trees were .îlrcady cleaied. She said she dîd. "Do yon remnember speaking wîîh Mr. Vastîs pnior to the matters coming up in the papers and proor to the îree cuttingT" he asked. She said she didn't. The lasi Crown witness for the day was Don Lobb, a farmer for 35 years, who saîd the manner in which Mr. Vastîs had the land cleared -in narrow swathes -"isn'î consistent with erosion control." Earlier in the trial. Mr. Vastis had said he lefi the stripso rf trees between the swathes to control erosion. Mr. Lo)bb said the clearings don'î lend themselves to field effi- ciency. "its not consistent witb normal farming practices." The trial continues today in Milton. Stephanie Thiessen (an be rertched at sthies.sen@Cmilloncatadi- îinchanipiout.î'om. Bujit with substance and attitude, busting with style, and Ieading in innovative thinking, the Varis is everything a sub-compact should be, and more! 51 MPG Highway Fuel Economy 3 Door and 5 Door Match -3 Distinctive Models CE, LE and RS! Accessorize audio systems, Custormize an pefracadd-ons and 6 much- more!_ 400 Steeles Avenue 1-800-721-9396 www.miltontoyota.com $13,580 MSRP for,06 anfs 3dr. St JT329M MA Freigh, SDI, Taxes and licenlsing extra. Sees us for detals. àý_ 1 [M 1 LTO P)TOYO fb a le