The developer should be required to purchase their own property, plant trees, and gauantee the survival of those trees for a reasonable period of time -- 99-years for example. Such a requirement has been place on developers in the past, in other areas of the U.S., and isn't unreasonable to expect here.
Letter by Douglas Burchard
Source: Comment posted on: "City identifies four locations for Group Health's clear-cut tree mitigation..."
ATTN: Redmond Ombudsman-of-the-month, Councilmember Pat Vache'
Your thoughtful and provocative comment is something city staff can learn from in their negotiations and with foresight. Thanks for sharing, Mr. Burchard.
ReplyDeleteI personally feel Group Health needs to be held accountable by the City in the mitigation process -- for taxpayers AND the environmental benefit, as follows:
1) Copies of plant material invoices should be available to the public and city to document the purchase and inventory of trees and shrubs purchased by Group Health.
2) Labor costs for the entire mitigation, including planting and handling, should be documented as paid by Group Health.
3) Plant warranties and a performance bonds should be filed and on record.
4) Group Health should refund to taxpayers the cost of grading and clearing 35% of the site for their precedent setting break in our "forever standing" tree retention code.
5) The installed plant material should be mapped and ID'ed with marker tape so as to delineate the 2-acre GH mitigation sites from city and non-profit installations e.g. Cascade Conservancy.
Again, thank you Mr. Burchard for stimulating ideas and thought on this project and encouraging others to comment. Please do!