Category Archives: TreePAC

Please support following items in the city budget that support protecting trees

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Tree PAC urged the Seattle City Council to fund and enact the following item in the 2021. The first 4 items were adopted and the last two unfortunately were not added to the final budget adopted budget.

E-mail sent to Mayor and City Council.

Please support the following items in the city budget that support protecting trees

Tree PAC supports these budget items.

  • SLI – MO-001-A-002 – Requests that the executive recommends strategies for consolidating urban forestry functions
  • CBA – OSE- 002-A-003 – Add $132,000 to OSE for the Green New Deal Advisor Position
  • CBA – OSE-004-A-003 – Add $140,000 to the Climate Advisory Position
  • SLI – SPU-002-A-003 – request SPU to explore an expansion of the Tree Ambassador program

Tree PAC urges you add these 2 items to the budget.

  • CBA – SDCI-002-A-001- Add 1 FTE arborist and 1 FTE Housing and Zoning inspector to SDCI and $275,237 General Fund to fund the positions to improve enforcement of tree regulations
  • CBA –  SDCI-011-A-001 – Provisio $758,563 be withheld from SDCI until they present an updated Tree Protection Ordinance to the Council by the end of Sept 2021

Steve Zemke

Chair – Tree PAC

stevezemke@TreePAC.org

 

Save this 100 year old Tree in Madrona!

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ACTION ALERT! –QUICK DEADLINE

Action needed now – call or email today  – Tue. Oct 6, 2020 deadline at the latest!

SAVE THIS 100-YEAR OLD TREE

A two-week notice has been posted for an application to remove this tree. Help save this exceptional big leaf maple tree!

Located at 35th Ave and Spring  1 block east of Madrona Park

 The Heart of Madrona in Seattle

TREE 59973 is a 48” diameter big leaf maple, well over the criteria for an “exceptional tree”.  

It is adjacent to a playground, on a key pedestrian route to Lake Washington, storing lots of carbon, cleaning the air  and fighting global warming.  David Kirske, Chief Financial Officer of CTI Biopharma Corp. seeks to cut down this gem to build a better driveway and sidewalk. (Yes, seriously).  And he refuses to talk to the community about collaborative approaches to save the tree.

Contact Nolan Rundquist, head of SDOT’s Urban Forestry Division to help save this tree.     

call (206) 684-TREE (8733).   

email at  Seattle.Trees@Seattle.gov     

Reference # SDOTTREE0000252 (tree removal permit number) 

Message:  FIX THE SIDEWALK; DON’T KILL THE TREE!   BIG TREES ARE CRITICAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND ENVIRONMENT. 

E-mails should also be cc’ed  to Jenny.Durkan@Seattle.gov and Council@Seattle.gov

Thanks for your help.

 

Tree PAC urges Seattle City Council to Update Seattle’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan

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To Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee Members – Seattle City Council
Dan Strauss – Chair
My name is Steve Zemke. I am speaking as the Chair of Tree PAC in support of Council Resolution 31970.
Tree PAC supports amending Seattle’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan to “identify opportunities to better support the urban tree canopy”
We also support the provision to consider “impact fee amendments to public owned parks, open space and recreation facilities and school facilities”
In addition to considering amendments proposed by 5(C) and 5(I) –
We also ask that the provision of “no net loss of tree canopy” in the previous Comprehensive Plan be added back to the current Plan. The Seattle Urban Forestry Commission in 2018 urged that this be added back as part of Seattle’s Tree Regulations.
Another provision to add is  “maximizing the retention of existing trees” during development as in the Land Use Code SMC 23 to help stop unnecessary clearcutting of lots and a significant loss of existing tree canopy.
 To help meet race and social justice goals and climate crisis impacts and help implement the Green New Deal step up the 30% tree canopy goal in the Comprehensive Plan from 2037 to 2030.
And please make the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission part of the process by adding that OPCD  submit to the UFC any draft language they propose on tree canopy opportunities and ask for the UFC’s comments and these comments also be submitted to the Seattle City Council.

Public Comments Needed Now to Increase Seattle’s Protection of Trees

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Action Needed Now to Protect Seattle’s Trees!

Public Comments are needed now supporting draft SDCI Director’s Rule 13-2020 for Increased Tree Protection – Deadline August 17th

Your help is needed now to ensure that stronger tree protection in Seattle moves forward. The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections has released a draft update to its 2008 Director’s Rule on Exceptional Trees. Director’s Rule 13-2020 will be used to give updated guidance to developers and property owners on tree protection in Seattle.
Public comment in support of this update is needed by
Monday August 17, 2020

  SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT NOW  

The update was mandated by Mayor Burgess’s Executive Order 2017-11 – Tree Protection and by the 2019 Seattle City Council Resolution 31902 after strong citizen outrage over continued tree loss in the city.
The draft Director’s Rules would give greater protection to large trees, tree groves, Heritage Trees, and all trees over 6 inches in diameter at standard height (DSH). It would require Tree Care Providers to register with the city of Seattle and comply with city tree regulations. It would also finally require developers who remove exceptional trees and trees over 24 inches DSH to replace them on site or elsewhere in the city. This requirement has been in the current Tree Protection Ordinance since 2001 but was never enforced.
Adoption of the Director’s Rule as drafted is not guaranteed but can be changed or delayed due to public pressure. We would like to see stronger protection. The King County Master Builders, meanwhile, are urging their members to also submit public comments, including urging the update be delayed for 18 months.
The draft updated Director’s Rule is long overdue. Citizens have been urging updated tree protection for 11 years. Enough is enough.
The draft is a strong step toward adding more tree protection now while an updated city Tree Protection Ordinance is being considered.
You can help. We have put together a pre-written letter of support that includes amendments proposed by the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission in their public comments to the city.
Our pre-written letter highlights the main areas of support in the proposed Director’s Rule and our suggestions on how the Director’s Rule can be strengthened.
 

All you need to do is click on TAKE ACTION to get started.

You will be asked to let the city know who you are and where you live, so the city knows who is commenting. You can add your personal comments to the draft, and with one click, send it to the city to add your support. Thanks for your help.
When the updated Director’s Rule is finally adopted, it will be a big step forward in increasing protection for trees and draft Director’s Rule 13-2020Seattle’s Urban Forest ban forest.
Please share this e-mail with others to seek additional public input. Thanks!

TreePAC Recommends Shoreline Study Alternative Sidewalk Designs to Save Trees

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Dear Shoreline City Council and Shoreline Manager,

We are respectfully proposing that the Shoreline City Council strongly consider asking the Parks/Tree Board to appoint a special committee to study Alternative Sidewalk Designs. Potential losses of large numbers of mature trees such as that proposed on Dayton Ave N with the WSDOT project are of great concern.

The special committee  would deal with considering ways to resolve existing  conflicts that naturally occur when new sidewalks are proposed, and large trees are impacted or slated to be removed. These conflicts are likely to continue and escalate if this issue is not more proactively dealt with. Shoreline needs to  work to  alleviate the problems with creative solutions instead of relying on exceptions. Maintaining existing  trees and the urban forest has to be a high priority for Shoreline as the city grows and becomes more dense.

Shoreline has already deployed such designs in many cases over the last decade for the purpose of more sustainability and practicality. For instance, at Southwoods Park a sidewalk was required when the new park was created. It included a 3 ft ADA path, winding through the trees along NE 150th Street, alongside a natural drainage swale planted with natives. The path had 3 different treatment, including 1/3 of it being permeable pavement. There are many other examples that Shoreline has utilized as well around town. There are also many other examples deployed in Seattle and other neighboring cities.

This committee at Parks would be best if it included several Parks Board members and some members of the community. It could devote a few months to come up with a portfolio of potential alternative solutions for the Council to consider as amendments to the Development Code and Engineering Code.

We hope you will seriously consider this suggestion offered in good faith as a solution to some inevitable tree loss conflicts which are likely to persist otherwise.

TreePAC is an all volunteer organization that works to promote protection of Trees and  Urban Forests and promote quality of life for all cities in the Seattle Area.

Sincerely,

Steve Zemke – TreePAC Chair

stevezemke@TreePAC.org

2131 N 132nd St

Seattle, WA 98133

Letter and recommendation adopted Feb 26, 2020 by Tree PAC Board.

Questionnaires returned to TreePAC show Strong Support for Updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance

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Questionnaires returned to TreePAC show Strong Support for Updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance

Thirteen of the fourteen candidates running for the Seattle City Council District elections in the 2019 General Election have returned questionnaires to Tree PAC. Overwhelmingly,  the responses were positive for supporting key provisions to strengthen the existing Tree Protection Ordinance. You can see our TreePAC endorsements and questionnaires on this link.  These questionnaires were weighted heavily, but were not our sole criteria for endorsement.

Earlier this year, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed  the following two resolutions that support the updating of Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance.

3/18/19  Seattle City Council Resolution 31870  Section 6 deals with updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance.

Section 6. The Council recognizes the environmental, social, and economic benefits of Seattle’s urban forest and commits to working with community members and City departments to update the City’s tree regulations, advancing the goals of the Urban Forest Stewardship Plan across Seattle. Potential measures may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Retaining protections for exceptional trees and expanding the definition of exceptional trees.
  2. Creating a permitting process for the removal of significant trees, defined as trees  6 inches in diameter at breast height or larger.
  3. Adding replacement requirements for significant tree removal.
  4. Simplifying tree planting and replacement requirements.
  5. Maintaining tree removal limits in single-family zones.
  6. Exploring the feasibility of establishing a in-lieu fee option for tree planting.
  7. Tracking tree removal and replacement throughout Seattle.H. Providing adequate funding to administer and enforce tree regulations
  8. Requiring that all tree service providers operating in Seattle meet the minimum certification and training requirements and register with the city.

9/17/2019 Seattle City Council Resolution 31902 – A resolution declaring the City Council and the Mayor’s intent to consider strategies to protect trees and increase Seattle’s tree canopy cover

All of the  candidates (13 out of 14) who responded to the TreePAC questionnaire indicated that they support these two resolutions. 

The Seattle Urban Forestry Commission on June 15, 2019, at the request of Councilmembers Bagshaw and Herbold, submitted to the Mayor and City Council a draft Tree and Urban Forest Protection Ordinance.   Council action on an updated Tree Protection Ordinance is expected next year. TreePAC is encouraged by the strong response of the city council candidates in support of updating the current Tree Protection Ordinance.

Shoreline, WA Clearcut of Large Mature Trees for Development Near Light Rail Station

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TreePAC and Neighborhood Treekeepers 

Protest  Clearcut of 14 lots for Townhouse Development.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

N 145th St and 1st Ave NE, Shoreline (just north of Lakeside School)

Tree PAC and Neighborhood Treekeepers held a protest and press conference  after a developer clearcut many large trees and a grove of large mature tress  on a 12 lot townhouse development in Shoreline

Shoreline, WA recently passed an up zone for development near the proposed  NE 145th St light rail station. Shoreline’s  new ordinance “does not require that any trees be protected” in this upzone area and so allows 100% removal of existing trees. The disastrous result of this policy can be clearly seen on the 14 lot development of townhouses planned at the  corner of 1st Ave NE and  N 145th in Shoreline. The 12 lot development spreads north to 147th and then east along the north side of the block.

Although much of the 12 lot property did not have many trees, those that were there were large The developers removed almost all the trees on the project as well as a grove of large Douglas Fir trees.

These trees would have provided great benefits for the new residents as well as the community at large. Rather than save some trees, the developers choose to “remove almost all of the trees” on the lots to maximize their profit, given the loosening of development requirements by the city of Shoreline.

Bulldozers and construction equipment were visible on the lots. Bulldozers were removing stumps of the cut trees. Other machines were  stacking logs and a huge pile of branches and stumps to be removed.

The cut trees were 80 – 100 years old. It takes 80 years to replace an 80 year old tree. The neighbors and Shoreline just lost a lot of natural environmental services in that old trees accumulate more much carbon sequestration  than young trees. Also lost is the air cleaning and pollution removal benefits of trees and reduction in stormwater runoff.

This tree removal is in addition to the massive clearcutting of trees along I-5 for the construction of light rail heading north. That project will remove some 5300 trees along the I-5 corridor.

Bulldozers and  construction equipment and workers are on the lots now. Stacks of trees logged and stumps are visible but are being removed,

Tree PAC Question sent to Seattle City Council Primary Candidates 2019

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Dear Candidate for Seattle City Council,

In 2009 the Seattle City Council passed a resolution to update SMC 25.11 the Tree Protection Ordinance. Ten years later this has not happened. But progress is being made. When the MHA Ordinance was passed in April, the Seattle city Council passed a Companion Resolution – RESOLUTION 31870 –
“calling for additional measures by the City and its partners that complement mandatory housing affordability (MHA) implementation to promote livability and equitable development, mitigate displacement, and address challenges and opportunities raised by community members during the MHA public engagement process.”

Section 6 of that resolution dealt with updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance.

Section 6. The Council recognizes the environmental, social, and economic benefits of Seattle’s urban forest and commits to working with community members and City departments to update the City’s tree regulations,
advancing the goals of the Urban Forest Stewardship Plan across Seattle. 

Potential measures may include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. Retaining protections for exceptional trees and expanding the definition of exceptional trees.
B. Creating a permitting process for the removal of significant trees, defined as trees  6 inches in diameter at breast height or larger.
C. Adding replacement requirements for significant tree removal.
D. Simplifying tree planting and replacement requirements.
E. Maintaining tree removal limits in single-family zones.
F. Exploring the feasibility of establishing a in-lieu fee option for tree planting.
G. Tracking tree removal and replacement throughout Seattle.
H. Providing adequate funding to administer and enforce tree regulations.
I. Requiring that all tree service providers operating in Seattle meet the minimum certification and training requirements and register with the city.

As someone running for election to the 2019 Seattle City Council  we would like to know if you support Section 6 of this Resolution.  Efforts are under way to try to pass the Tree Ordinance update this year. The Seattle Urban Forestry Commission has submitted a draft update to the Seattle City Council.

If you are elected  you would be charged with ensuring the ordinance  is implemented next year. A simple yes or no is all that’s needed.

____Yes I support Section 6 of Resolution 31870
____No I do not support Section 6 of Resolution 31870

Optional Comment (50 word maximum)      ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your response. We will be posting candidates responses on the TreePAC website as well as e-mailing our supporters and posting on facebook. Your prompt response is appreciated. Please e-mail your response back to SteveZemke@TreePAC.org
Thanks.

Steve Zemke
Chair – TreePAC.

www.TreePAC.org

Time to Step Up the Game if We Want to Update the Tree Ordinance!

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Coalition for a Stronger Tree Ordinance
Dear Tree Protection Advocates,

Time is drawing short to update Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance this year. Seattle continues to lose tree canopy and the Seattle City Council stops considering legislation in October and November to deal with the budget. So we are left with 3 months – July, August and September – for an updated ordinance to be passed out of Councilmember Sally Bagshaw’s Finance and Neighborhoods Committee and then voted on by the full Council.

This update process started 10 years ago in 2009  and was resumed again in late 2017 by Councilmember Johnson who held a number of hearings and created at least 7 drafts. Councilmember Johnson unfortunately resigned before finishing the process.

2019 is an election year with 7 of the 9 Seattle City Council seats up for election. Four of the incumbents are not re-running, including Councilmember Bagshaw. We are close to a final draft and need to finish the process this year rather than start over with a slew of new Councilmembers next year.

At Councilmember Bagshaw’s request, the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission submitted a draft ordinance to her two weeks ago. Councilmember Bagshaw, the rest of the City Council and Mayor Durkan need to hear from the public that it is now time to move froward and restart hearings before the Neighborhood and Finance Committee on updating the Tree Protection Ordinance.

As part of the Mandatory Housing Affordability Ordinance  (MHA) being passage in April, the Council passed an accompanying resolution outlining their support for 8 major items. The Urban Forestry Commission agrees with the Council and  addresses all these  issues.

Please contact the Mayor and City Council and urge they act now. Ten years is long enough!
jenny.durkan@seattle.gov and Council@seattle.gov

And join us this Saturday to discuss our next steps.. We need your help to make this happen. Let’s put an end to the continued unnecessary removal of our trees, especially the large ones, and the clearcutting of lots for development.

Coalition for a Stronger Tree Ordinance
Campaign Planning Workshop on Updating  Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance in 2019
Saturday July 6, 2019 10:15 AM to 12:15 PM
Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood  Ave NE, Seattle, WA

Steve Zemke  – Chair – Coalition for a Stronger Tree Ordinance –
a Project of Friends of Seattle’s Urban Forest and TreePAC.

www.Friends.UrbanForests.org and www.TreePAC.org

PS. -You can help with a donation for this effort, click on this link to give a campaign donation to TreePAC today. Thanks      Donate here

TreePAC ADU Intervention – quick update

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Update:

May 2019 -TreePAC was allowed to intervene, but the scope and ability to participate was very limited. In retrospect it makes more sense to appeal to the hearing examiner directly and not just intervene, which limits your ability to participate on the issues.

April 2019 – Since early discussions in November, TreePAC discussed and then issued an intervention to the appeal on the proposed changes to single-family properties relative to the environmental impacts from tree loss.

The links are below.

TreePAC hopes to hear back from the Deputy Hearing Examiner is our motion has been accepted by the end of the week. The appeal hearings will take place next week Monday – Friday (Mar 25-29) in the Office of the Hearing Examiner at the 40th floor of the Municipal Building Tower.

· Appellant Final Witness & Exhibit List 2/12/2019

· City Final Witness and Exhibit List 2/19/2019

· TreePAC Motion to Intervene 3/14/2019

· Clarification 3/14/2019

· City Response to Motion to Intervene 3/14/2019

· TreePAC_Reply_to_City_opposition.pdf 3/18/2019

full records of Queen Anne citywide appeal may be found at:

https://web6.seattle.gov/Examiner/case/W-18-009