
Land Clearing
Land & lot clearing for North Shore builders and homeowners. Production speed, municipal compliance, erosion control, and clean access. Start with a site walk.
Land & Lot Clearing for Builders Who Hate Surprises
The North Shore builds on some intense terrain—steep driveways, tight lanes, rock, creeks, and neighbors who care too much. If you’re trying to break ground asap, that’s our lane. I’m Jeff Kinney—15+ years in commercial logging camps before bringing the same discipline to residential and mixed-use sites. We clear with production speed, municipal compliance, and neighbour-safe etiquette.
What Developers/Builders Actually Want From Clearing
Permit clarity. North Shore municipalities regulate private trees. City of North Vancouver requires a permit for protected trees (generally ≥20 cm DBH) and sets replacement ratios; West Vancouver often requires an arborist report and formal application for private tree cutting; the District of North Vancouver enforces a Tree Protection bylaw as well. We line up the paperwork, or tell you straight what you’ll need before machines roll.
ESC from day one. Your site needs erosion & sediment control (ESC) so clay and fines don’t hit storm drains. We stage silt fence, inlet protection, stockpile covers, and stabilized access before the first cut and keep an ESC log through grading. (Large sites may require a stamped ESC Plan and monitoring.)
Wildlife windows. Vegetation clearing during nesting periods is regulated; federal guidance protects many nests and can require surveys or schedule adjustments. We plan work and, when needed, bring in a biologist for a pre-clearing sweep.
A Quick Job Story
12-unit infill. Access was a ribbon—one lane, blind bend, utilities overhead. Arborist report on two borderline maples, ESC in first (geotextile on the pad, inlet socks in the catch basins), then cranes and speedlines to pull canopy away from the slope without sending debris into the lane. We hit the builder’s “foundation dig Monday” target—by Friday at 3 p.m., the site was cleared, staged, and the neighbours had zero complaints logged.
Scope We Handle (Start-to-Foundation)
Pre-construction tree assessment in Vancouver (retain vs. remove), tagging, and protection fencing
Select removals, danger tree removal near structures, and specialty rigging on steep lots
Land clearing: understory, brush, windfall, and selective thinning for temporary access roads
Lot clearing for new build North Shore with chip/haul or on-site processing plans
ESC setup and monitoring; daily housekeeping; lane-safe traffic control
Stump extraction or stump grinding depending on shoring plan
Final grade prep, clean exit for survey and excavation
FAQs We Get From Builders
“How early can you start?” We align to your permit status: tree permit in hand, ESC staged, and (if within nesting season) surveys completed. That’s how we avoid stop-work moments.
“Do you deal with West Van permits?” Yes—arborist report, application, and submission are standard steps for private property removals in West Vancouver. We’ll package what the District asks for so your docket’s clean.
“Can you keep the schedule if it rains all week?” North Shore rain is normal. With proper rigging, mats, and ESC, we keep moving and keep fines out of drains.
Why Ironclad for Commercial & Infill
Production mindset from logging camps, safety culture from certified falling, and local bylaw literacy. Our crews move fast without drama, communicate like subs you’ll actually rehire, and leave sites ready for excavation—no loose ends for the PM to chase.
Next Step
Book a pre-construction walk. We’ll map a clearing sequence, flag permit items, and give you a day-by-day so excavation can start on time. If you need utility line clearance or coordination with strata neighbours, we’ll handle the conversations while you keep the master schedule moving.
Popular areas we serve: North Vancouver
Citations:
westvancouver.ca: Tree Cutting Permit: Private Property
THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER: “Tree Bylaw, 2022, No. 8888”
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