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:

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