Letter to the Editor: Trees on 5th Ave NE cut down

Trees along 5th NE

To the Editor:

Save Shoreline Trees (SST) tried for two years to save 17 trees in good and fair condition along 5th Ave NE from being cut down for the new sidewalk project which includes 6-foot-wide sidewalks on both sides of 5th Ave NE from NE 175th to NE 182nd Ct. We understand the need for sidewalks. Our concern is 6-foot-wide to 11-foot-wide sidewalks in residential zones.

In February, the City project manager emailed SST: “…the Contractor cannot remove any trees until the project is staked and the City and/or arborist review the staking against the tree removals. In other projects we have had the opportunity to preserve trees once the project is staked. We will review and evaluate again at that time.” This statement was repeated in the

Staff Study Report, item 8b, March 21, 2022, page 4: “Staff will review the proposed tree removal in the field after the project improvements are 'staked' by a surveyor and evaluate opportunities to preserve trees before they are removed.”

Public notification was posted on the 23 trees to be removed on Tuesday 4/12. The notice included that the trees would be “removed on or after 4/25/22”. This included 13 public trees.

Most of the trees have been cut down. The Western red cedars #114 (46” dbh) and #117 (36” dbh) are still standing as of Wednesday evening 4/20 but large red “X” marks are on the tree trunks.

SST emailed City management and Council these questions the evening of 4/20: why were the trees cut down before the 4/25 removal date notice; and, when did the project staking and City arborist review regarding possible retention of trees take place? It seems the information provided to the public is inaccurate.

Melody Fosmore
Kathleen Russell
Save Shoreline Trees