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

TreePAC has helped the tree advocacy community avert what could have been a 1 – 2 year added delay in updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance. TreePAC  intervened in the Hearing Examiner  Appeal by the Master Builders, who opposed updating  Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance.

In a strongly worded decision, the Seattle Hearing Examiner dismissed the appeal by the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) from a Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) 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 in his decision “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.

Fighting the Master Builders appeal unfortunately lasted longer and cost more than expected. TreePAC needs your help now to wrap up  its legal bills for this successful effort and continue our other efforts to protect trees and urban forests.   Thanks.