Egan Orion - District 3

1. SUPPORT FOR COUNCIL ORDINANCE RESOLUTION 31870 As part of the MHA Ordinance passage in March 2019 the Seattle City Council passed Resolution 31870. Section 6 of that Resolution called for updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance. Do you support that provision?

 Yes _X____ No _____

Optional Comment:

Yes, we need to preserve our exceptional trees and when not possible, to make sure developers replace them so we can maintain our mature tree canopy and expand on it. Organizations like Conservation International have shown that planting more trees is one of the most important, natural actions we can take to prevent climate breakdown. Trees absorb CO2, provide shade for buildings and concrete/asphalt (resulting in less need for AC in the summer), and overall contribute to a more livable city. We should protect the mature trees we already have and plant more for the next generation to enjoy.

2. SUPPORT FOR COUNCIL RESOLUTION 31902 The Seattle City Council on Sept. 16, 2019 passed  Resolution  31902  “declaring the City Council’s and the Mayor’s intent to consider strategies to protect trees and increase Seattle’s tree canopy cover.”  The resolution calls for the city  to update Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance in 2020 . Do you support this resolution for updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance?

Yes __X___ No _____

Optional Comment:   We need to continue to update our Tree Protection Ordinance to adapt to the needs of our city, especially as we grow.

3. PERMITS FOR TREE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT Seattle’s current Tree Protection Ordinance SMC 25.11 is a complaint-based system for developed property. It is not working according to the 2017  Tree Regulations Research Project Report done by DCI and OSE. The report states that Exceptional trees and groves were being lost.  Trees were being removed from Environmental Critical Areas. Large conifers were being replaced with deciduous and dwarf species.  Do you support updating the ordinance to require permits to remove and replace trees, like SDOT does for street trees and like Portland, Lake Forest Park and other cities do for all trees removed?

Yes _X____ No _____

Optional Comment:

My district has seen this happen over and over again. In fact, it just happened a few weeks ago at the Africatown development at 23^rd and Union, where we lost 3-4 exceptional evergreen trees. I’ve spoken with many District 3 residents who have tried to reach out to their councilmember only to receive no response. Green spaces are being disrupted without proper regulation. Ordinances need to stay relevant and up-to-date with our everchanging cityscape.

4. POSTING OF TREE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT PERMITS
   1. The Seattle Department of Transportation requires the posting on site of all tree removal and replacement permit applications for two weeks prior to trees removed. Do you support requiring Tree Removal and Replacement Permit Applications being  posted on site and on-line?

Yes _X____ No_____

Optional Comments:
Yes, and I believe even having an even longer lead time for public comment/push-back would be better.

1. Do you support a Tree Removal and Replacement Permit being posted on site for a week after the tree is removed so that neighbors know it was taken down legally?

Yes _X____ No_____

Optional Comments:
This is another piece of government transparency the city should require.

5. REQUIRE TREE REPLACEMENT ON SITE or PAY FEE-IN-LIEU
   1. REPLACEMENT OF TREES CUT DOWN – Many other cities require that trees removed, whether on developed property or property being developed, must be replaced. All trees 6” DBH and larger are currently required to be on development site plans. In the single-family zone, trees 6 inches DBH and larger represent about 48 % of the trees.  Do you support requiring tree replacement when trees larger than 6 inches DBH are removed?

Yes __X___ No_____

Optional Comments

1. FEE-IN-LIEU OF REPLACEMENT – Portland, OR and other cities allow for a fee to be paid to replace trees elsewhere if they cannot be replaced on the property where they were cut down. Seattle is considering an option to allow a fee in lieu to be paid to plant a new tree elsewhere and maintain it for 5 years. Replacement of trees in other areas can be sited based on race and social justice considerations. Do you support this option?

Yes __X___ No_____

Optional Comments:
Tree canopy is an equity issue. Low-income neighborhoods have fewer trees than wealthy neighborhoods, leaving them more susceptible to heat islands during heat waves. This can make low-income residents more vulnerable to heat-related diseases and even death. More trees equals better air to breath for everyone and cooler and more livable neighborhoods.

6. PROTECTION OF EXCEPTIONAL TREES
   1. EXCEPTIONAL TREES are defined as “a tree or group of trees that because of its unique historical, ecological, or aesthetic value constitutes an important community resource”, including large trees, heritage trees and tree groves. They are protected by the current ordinance. Do you support continuing the protection of exceptional trees?

Yes _X____ No_____

Optional Comments:  Exceptional trees make our neighborhoods more livable and provide needed cooling and oxygen effects.

1. LOWER LARGE TREE EXCEPTIONAL THRESHOLD The Urban Forestry Commission has recommended that the upper limit to declare a large tree exceptional be lowered from 30 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) to 24 inches DBH to save more large trees. Do you support this protection of more large trees?

Yes _X____ No_____

Optional Comments

7. DATABASE TRACKING OF TREE REMOVALS The Seattle Urban Forestry Commission has repeatedly recommended that the city use its database system to track all tree loss and replacement, both on developed property and property being developed. Such data will help the city monitor the changes occurring in the urban forest over time. This data would be collected through Tree Removal and Replacement Permits being entered into one system for both trees removed during development and trees removed on developed property. This data will help guide the City’s Urban Forest Management Plans. Do you support the implementation of the database program as directed by Mayor Burgess’s  Executive Order 2017-11 Tree Protection?

Yes __X___ No _____

Optional Comment:   Yes, proper data helps us understand as a city how and where to invest our resources properly. Let’s implement the database program so we can ensure that our tree canopy is equitably distributed across the city.

8. ARBORIST REGISTRATION The Seattle Department of Transportation currently requires registration and certification for Tree Care Providers, like arborists, to help ensure they understand and comply with Seattle’s Tree Code and Regulations. Do you support requiring all Tree Care Providers working in Seattle to be registered and certified by the city as Portland already does?

Yes __X___ No _____

Optional Comment: Yes, our tree care providers should be registered professionals who can care for urban tree canopy responsibly. We should be observing governance models in other cities that have been proven to be effective and modeling our policies after them, to serve the needs of our city.

1. 9. INVASIVE PLANT CONTROL – Removal of invasive vegetation in our city parks has been a long and expensive project for the city under the Green Seattle Partnership. To protect this investment, it is important that invasive species like English ivy and holly trees not get re-introduced from plants in other parts of the city. Would you support all building project landscape plans requiring the removal of all invasive plant species on the property?

Yes __X___ No _____

Optional Comment:

10. CITY AUDITOR REVIEW OF COMPLIANCE – SMC 25.11.090 currently says “Each exceptional tree and tree over two (2) feet in diameter that is removed in association with development in all zones shall be replaced by one or more new trees, the size and species of which shall be determined by the Director; the tree replacement required shall be designed to result, upon maturity, in a canopy cover that is at least equal to the canopy cover prior to tree removal. Preference shall be given to on-site replacement. When on-site replacement cannot be achieved, or is not appropriate as determined by the Director, preference for off-site replacement shall be on public property.”

This provision, in the Tree Protection Ordinance since 2001, has apparently not been enforced by DCI or its predecessors with any consistency. No funds appear to have been collected by the City to plant off site trees nor does there appear to have been any cumulative record kept of trees removed or total trees replaced either on site or off site to meet the requirements of this provision. Would you support a review by the Seattle City Auditor of the city’s compliance with SMC 25.11.090?

Yes __X___ No _____

Optional Comment:  Proper legislation is nothing without actors at all levels who are willing to consistently implement and enforce it. We need to ensure that our laws are not just values statements but actionable bits of policies that are going into effect as they are being approved. Otherwise, we won’t make any progress on the issues that impact our city most. On City Council, I will work with the Seattle City Auditor and the DCI to ensure that the tree ordinance is not only protected, but enforced properly.

11. URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION INVOLVEMENT – The Seattle Urban Forestry Commission at the request Of Councilmembers Bagshaw and Herbold submitted to the Seattle City Council and Mayor Jenny Durkan a draft Tree and Urban Forest Protection Ordinance. The draft started with the last draft by the Seattle City Council staff requested by Councilmember Rob Johnson. It addresses all the issues in the recent City Council resolutions. It represents ten years of positions established by the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission regarding efforts to update the existing Tree Protection Ordinance.  Many of the issues in that draft are topics in questions above.

The City Council passed  Ordinance 123052 in August 2009 establishing the Urban Forestry Commission (UFC) “to advise the Mayor and City Council concerning the establishment of policy and regulations governing the protection, management, and conservation of trees and vegetation in the City of Seattle.” One of the responsibilities of the Urban Forestry Commission in that legislation is “To provide recommendations on legislation concerning urban forestry management, sustainability and protection of associated trees and understory vegetation and related habitat on public or private property prior to its introduction and referral to any Council committee”  Will you agree to continue to work with the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission in producing the final update to the Tree Protection Ordinance?

Yes __X___ No _____

Optional Comment:  Yes, I am committed to ensuring this is done. Our urban tree canopy is vital to the fabric of our community and we must continue to ensure that it is preserved and expanded where necessary. On City Council, I will work with all stakeholders – my fellow councilmembers, community organizations, advocates, and community leaders – to move our city forward.

Some people believe here is a conflict between preserving and planting trees in Seattle and building more housing, particularly affordable and low – income housing. What measures or proposals do you think we could put in place to have more affordable and low-income housing as well as achieve our urban forest and tree canopy goals to keep Seattle a healthy and vibrant city for all?

Comment:  This is simply not true and this kind of sentiment can lead to incredibly harmful environmental design. Tree preservation constitutes a tiny fraction of development costs and has only been shown to benefit areas with affordable housing. Low-income communities have on average far fewer trees than wealthy neighborhoods, and during heat waves, the few degree increases in these low-tree-density urban heat islands, especially in neighborhoods with the lowest percentage of air conditioners, can result in greater incidence of heat-related illnesses and even death. Not only do trees provide positive health impacts for communities, but they also improve the environmental design of city streets which can reduce instances of violence and petty crime. We must ensure that all communities have access to a healthy urban tree canopy by building more affordable housing and providing incentives for builders to preserve and plant trees when they do. I am proud to be the only candidate in this race to have a policy section on my website dedicated to the preservation of our urban tree canopy.

1. 12. Do you have a story or experience regarding trees that you could share with us?

Comment:
I grew up in close proximity to the forest in Auburn and would play nearly every day among the trees. It’s why once I settled in to Seattle as a homeowner, having big trees and a lot of them was and is important to me. It contributes to the neighborhood, provides cooling, and provides more oxygen. I wouldn’t have it any way.