MORE TREE BATTLES
ALWAYS PLACE THE PROJECT NUMBER ON ALL CORRESPONDENCE! ADD THE ADDRESS TO THE PROJECT IF KNOWN. ALWAYS KEEP COPIES OF YOUR CORRESPONDENCE.
THE COMMONWEALTH MANIFESTO
Before the Denny’s and the Yesler’s arrived, before the U. S. Constitution was written,
before land grants were granted, before Columbus set sail, before Christianity,
Judaism and Islam came into existence, before agriculture and predating civilization,
before man walked the earth there were trees!
Trees, the giants of the plant kingdom reigned supreme and dominated
landscapes. For 200 million years trees have provided food, shelter,
clean water and clear air for billions of creatures and millions of species
including man!
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness demand and require a healthy environment.
Trees and the fishes of the sea represent the commonwealth of the planet.
Will we be the stewards of our blue and green planet or will we oversee world-wide
ecosystem collapse and mass species extinction? The choice is ours. We must protect
our commonwealth! Trees benefit all life forms; we destroy them at our peril. There
would be no National Parks, no National Forests, no National Seashores or National
Wildlife Preserves without the concept of commonwealth.
6/8/09 Great news about BIG RED
by Michael Oxman
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/AppDocs/GroupMeetings/DRProposal3004423AgendaID2732.pdf
Next Monday nite at the University Heights Center is the Big Red review for a Recommendation at the Design Review Board meeting. The above web link to the DPD website shows the building setback from the tree at 30' away from the trunk. As recently as the May 4th meeting (report), the tree was invisible on these blueprints.
This is a tremendous victory handed to the appellants by the Hearing Examiner. The Order to Remand the project back to the DRB in response to a pre-appeal motion has resulted in the developer caving in to the pressure applied by the neighbors' appeal to save this Western Red Cedar with a 4 foot diameter trunk.
If any of us can attend to support the appellants, it would help a lot to have a big crowd speak during the Public Comment period.
Try to keep from chortling with glee too loudly, as the developers scurry headlong back to their drawing boards. Wear earplugs or iPod headphones to drown out the grumbling as the developers lament their lost profit from selling out the rootzones of the trees they thought they had nearly converted into cash. Congratulate the members of the Design Review Board, as they thwart yet another failed attempt at a land grab of the urban forest heartland of America.
I don't know what time the agenda item will come up.
Arboreally yours,
Michael Oxman
Big Red's RANT
What was most intriguing to me about the meeting last night [Note from 10 March 2009: this meeting took place at University Heights Community Center on 6 October 2008] was the fear I could smell from the Design Review Board. They were clearly worried that some people would become unpleasant regarding the tree. They went out of their way to address "the tree issue" as soon as they could, to wipe it off the table as quickly as possible. The one woman who spoke out about the tree said she was angry but was letting it go, as it had clearly already been decided. My experience in the past (with the old DCLU) was similar: once they make up their minds, it's a done deal. The fact that this great old tree is partially on public property is simply not an issue. Sigh. Very sad. Very Business as Usual.
I was also struck, listening to the reported recommendations of an arborist associated with the development (he was not present last night), which seem to indicate he hasn't actually looked at the property. Has he? Does he really think that putting in a couple incense cedars will "replace" a 100+ year old western red cedar? [Note from 10 March 2009: I now believe Big Red to be "only" about 80 years old, based on an archival photo from 1937. JHT]
Listening to various comments from neighbors, it became clear that many people are looking forward to this building being constructed. It's a typical, mediocre new building, though the architect and landscape architects went to great lengths to explain how great it will be. Not much permeable surface, generic landscaping where they can fit in a few green things, and a large fence separating the building from the south side neighbors. Of course, it is likely that at some point in the not-so-distant future, the south side will be developed similarly, which will leave no room whatsoever for all the "landscaping" that's being put in on the south side - and will also effectively remove any view of people in this current building. Another aspect is the "common space" planned for the northwest corner. Do they really think that will be anything other than a gathering place for students, taggers, and drug dealers? Call me cynical, but I've lived near the high school for a long time.
It's extremely sad that Seattle developers and architects have so little imagination in their designs and are (in this case) so focused on maximizing their profits at the expense of a wonderful old arboreal member of the community.
Julia Helen Tracy
From: Diane Sugimura
Subject: Tree at 6515 Brooklyn Ave NE
Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 2:48 PM
October 22, 2008
Dear Ms. Cox:
Thank you for your correspondence and phone messages regarding your
concerns about the tree at 6515 Brooklyn Avenue Northeast.
Mayor Nickels also received a copy of your letter and asked me to
respond on his behalf.
For nearly a year, we have studied the preservation
requirements for the tree through three separate arborist reports. We have
thoroughly explored potential changes to the project to accommodate
co-existence with the tree. Departures from development standards
through the Design Review process have been evaluated. Our conclusion and
that of a third party arborist review of the situation is that the tree
requires a minimum of 49 feet for a development-free protection zone
if it is to survive in the long term.
The proposed project is located in a designated Urban Village, an area zoned for higher density
residential development, and is in close proximity to the Roosevelt
light rail station. A re-design to protect the tree would reduce the
project significantly in terms of the number of residential units
possible. After a careful evaluation of all the factors, we have
determined that the project cannot proceed consistent with the intent of
its zoned potential and designation as an Urban Village, and
reasonably retain the tree in a manner that would ensure its long term survival.
While this particular situation does not offer a reasonable opportunity
for tree preservation, an extensive re-planting phase is part of this
proposal, and the addition of extra new trees will partially mitigate
the impact of the cedars removal.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Diiane M. Sugimura, Director
City of Seattle Department of Planning and Development
700 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000
P O Box 34019
Seattle, WA 98124-4019
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/388015_TREE15.html
By DEBERA CARLTON HARRELL
More information about Big Red, email T. Walton at woscaj@yahoo.com, or visit http://saveseattlestrees.org.
(1/10/09) Michael Oxman took a tree tour with Council member Tom Rasmussen of the proposed bulldozing site of the grove of 36 Exceptional Trees at Piper Village at 85th St. & Greenwood AV N. He has asked DPD Director Diane Sugimura to explain how these rare Aspen trees could be condemned with no notice to the public, in spite of 3 complaints in the last year.
Speaking up for trees, takes time and effort. Michael took time to call the Council Member, invite Him and take Him on a tour.
If you know of places that need to be exposed call or write to Council Members, and bring it to their attention. If you are able, take the time and show the Council Member the trees. This helps the Council to see how really important it is to protect our trees. Thanks Michael for your great example and leadership in Saving Trees.
If anyone else has ideas, or knows of Battles, please let us know where. Or write us a description so we can let our readers know. Letters to the City Council and DPD help to expose the huge loss of tree canopy and the number of citizens who realize this is happening.
ALWAYS PLACE THE PROJECT NUMBER ON ALL CORRESPONDENCE! ADD THE ADDRESS TO THE PROJECT IF KNOWN. ALWAYS KEEP COPIES OF YOUR CORRESPONDENCE.
