Coalition for a Stronger Tree Ordinance
Dear Friends of Trees,
Can you show your support for trees next week? Let us know. We need people to show up and speak for stronger tree protection at these Seattle City Council Hearings:
Monday June 4, 2018 10 AM – Press Conference by Coalition for a Stronger Tree Ordinance at City Hall outside Council Chambers, City Hall, 500 4th Ave. Come! We need you! Invite others!
Monday June 4, 2018 10:30 AM – give public comments at the MHA Select Committee at Council Chambers in City Hall, 500 4th Ave This is the full City Council discussing the Mandatory Housing Legislation. Testimony at the beginning of the meeting needs to address that issue. It’s fairly simple.
What to say:
1. With the increased development occurring, we need to add stronger protection for trees in the MHA ordinance.
2 Require that developers get permits to remove all tree 6″ DBH and larger and that they replace all trees removed either on site or they pay a replacement and maintenance fee to the city to replant the lost trees. Green factor is not an adequate substitute for trees. We need to grow our canopy, not mow it down.
Wednesday, June 6, 2018 9:30 AM – give public comments to Rob Johnson’s Planning, Land Use and Zoning Committee, Council Chambers, City Hall, 500 4th Ave on his proposed Tree Ordinance Update. Note that the Council memo on the update was not available until the beginning of the last meeting and say you want to comment on it now before he releases a draft on June 20, 2018.
What to say:
1. Urge that developers be required to get permits for all development projects just as they are suggesting homeowners do. Everyone removing trees needs to get permits, Developers should not be excluded. Its a question of fairness.
2. The permits should be required for all trees 6 inches in diameter at breast height. This would cover about 45% of the trees on single family lots.
3. All trees 6″DBH and larger should be replaced, either on site or by paying a tree replacement and maintenance fee to the city to replant them in the neighborhood or elsewhere as needed in the city. We can’t grow our canopy if we are removing it faster than it’s growing.
4. Tree care professionals should be licensed.
Background reference material:
website with lots of information and links on trees and tree ordinances, including Seattle’s – www.friends.urbanforests.org
Here are the recommendations the Coalition for a Stronger Tree Ordinance made: Action Needed Now to Protect Seattle’s Trees and Urban Forest
Here are the recommendations the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission made: Tree regulations update “Trees for All” proposal recommendation
Here is the memo from City Council Central Staff and Rob Johnson that needs strengthening: Draft Updates to Seattle’s Tree Regulations
Here is the city report that said the current ordinance is not protecting trees: Tree Regulations Research Project – Final Report March 31, 2017
Steve Zemke – Chair – Coalition for a Stronger Tree Ordinance
steve@friends.urbanforests.org
Coalition for a Stronger Tree Ordinance
If you can’t attend either day, please e-mail the Mayor and the City Council, expressing your support for a stronger tree ordinance than what they are currently proposing. Thanks.
First consider the 2014 buildable lands reports where these 3 counties and all their municipalities claim enough for 20 years projected growth for all classes of housing. I know how that land was counted and it is true.
That leaves the only cause of housing failure being the government, tax, environment and utility industries. And believe me all of those are something I know about.
We all voted for the GMA which was a contract trading rural preservation for urban infill. The rural was saved so how is it correct to then do all possible to prevent urban infill? That’s just evil.
There is zero chance this city will see any changes to the vegetation that wouldn’t happen in natural course. The historic proof of that is all the other similar failed attempts to solve for salmon, commuting, housing, homeless, drug addiction or destruction of the working middle class.
If you have any morality you should first make very certain that you are actually achieving solutions rather than just more trouble for the rest of us.
If you are serious about your goals then first prove your sincerity by ripping out all your concrete, replace all your structures with a small grass hut, plant your property in native vegetation and only walk to wherever you need to go.
I was born and raised on a local farm a very long time ago. I love trees as much or more than any of you. It is also my job to build urban homes which is now so difficult that I’m only going to complete the projects in hand and then enjoy watching your children suffer what you are leaving them with, tent cities, tenement slums and commute hell.
These used to be my trees, this used to be my land and this used to be the greatest country on the planet. I’ve seen the enemy, and the enemy is you.