TreePAC and Seattle Win Hearing Examiner Appeal By Master Builders opposing updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance

TreePAC joined forces with Seattle to stop what could have been a one to two year added delay in updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance. TreePAC  hired respected environmental Attorney Claudia Newman of Bricklin and Newman to intervene in the Hearing Examiner Appeal by the Master Builders.

In a strongly worded decision, the Seattle Hearing Examiner denied the appeal by the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties from a Determination of Non-Significance  issued by the Seattle Department of Constructions and Inspections (SDCI). The appeal was regarding the potential environmental impacts of a draft update by SDCI of Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance.

The decision by Seattle Hearing Examiner Ryan Vancil stated, “The Director’s decision to issue a Determination of Non significance for the proposed ordinance is not clearly erroneous and is AFFIRMED and the Appellants’ appeal is DENIED..”

The Hearing Examiner did not equivocate but soundly dismissed the MBAKS arguments and witnesses’ statements as speculation and not backed up by any actual data.

Seattle  Hearing Examiner Ryan Vancil stated “The record indicates that in developing the proposal, the Department considered the City’s goals and policies and developed a set of recommendations that struck a balance between the City’s housing goals related to housing and future development patterns and the City’s goals to maintain a healthy urban forest that provides sizable tree canopy coverage.”

You can read the full Hearing Examiner’s decision and detailed response here.

Having an experienced expert Attorney was critical in our winning this appeal. Fighting the Master Builders  unfortunately lasted longer and cost more than planned as they dragged the hearing process out. The decision by the Hearing Examiner strongly supported the city in protecting Seattle’s trees and gives us momentum to get the tree Protection Ordinance updated in the coming months. 

TreePAC needs your help to pay our additional  legal bills for this successful effort as well as our continuing campaigns to update Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance.

  Please send a contribution today to help us retire our debt.  We still have work to do to get the ordinance update passed by the City Council. Thanks.