The owner of a Richmond property that faced backlash from neighbours over the illegal cutting down of two trees told the Richmond News he had nothing to do with the incident – which he calls “heinous” – and regrets that it happened.
“We were shocked to learn that an unknown individual entered our property and cut down two trees belonging to the City of Richmond,” said Kulbir Kahlon – who co-owns the property at 10571 Aintree Cres. with his daughters.
“I would like to assure you that neither I nor my daughters had anything to do with this act,” Kahlon wrote in a letter to the News.
While Kahlon admits he and his daughters wanted the trees removed, he said they have “always been committed” to removing them in full compliance with the city’s bylaws – and that they have been dealing with the city on the issue for the last seven months.
Kahlon told the News he felt it was important that both sides of the story were heard, to avoid people “jumping the gun” or blaming someone “with no proof.”
The News previously reported how neighbours of the Aintree Crescent property were “disgusted” by the illegal cutting of the two trees on April 10 and April 14.
At the time, residents recounted how a man with a chainsaw was dropped off at the property – which is undergoing construction – and proceeded to tear the city’s stop work orders off the trees before cutting them down. The man did not identify himself or say who told him to cut the trees when confronted by some of the neighbours.
Photos submitted to the News show one of the stop work orders, which is dated Oct. 25, 2019.
A spokesperson for the City of Richmond said the city is taking the incident “extremely seriously” and is persuing legal proceedings against those involved, but did not provide any further response to Kahlon’s letter.
According to Kahlon, the grade of the property needed to come out over 3 feet in order to build the house, and an independent arborist confirmed in a report that this would have damaged the trees “beyond repair.”
Kahlon said he raised this with the city, but says the issue was “ignored.” However, he said, neither he nor his family members touched the trees.
“Unfortunately, someone cut down the trees. This was likely the result of an error, as I did not cut down the trees or hire anyone to cut down the trees,” said Kahlon.
“In any event, I ask that my fellow Richmondites refrain from assuming that I or anyone in my family is guilty of this heinous act. We like everybody else regret seeing these trees cut illegally and without proper permission.
We intend to cooperate fully with the investigation and hope that the guilty party is identified and punished appropriately under the law,” he said.
