Sustainable Redmond, led by Board Member Tom Hinman gave a 20 minute "Items From The Audience" presentation to the City Council last night about the rapid loss of tree canopy in Redmond and its ramifications to our environment. He specifically asked council to remand a staff report back to the Planning Commission for reconsideration of Sustainable Redmond's tree protection amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. Council will hold a study session on the topic next week.
Three environmental policy interns and citizen Susan Wilkins contributed to Mr. Hinman's presentation. They spent hours of research time reviewing 15 development projects in North Redmond, Education Hill, Grasslawn, Group Health and other neighborhoods looking for data that documents harm to the environment from excessive tree removal practices. Tree preservation findings from 2010-2013 showed 3,510 significant trees and 382 landmark trees were removed from these projects. Only Bear Creek neighborhood kept 100% of their landmark trees. One intern calculated 6 million gallons/year of stormwater is untreated, 550 tons of carbon/year is unsequestered, and $179,000 value is lost per year by removal of these trees. Loss of tree canopy is now considered a significant indicator of environmental health. Read More >>
Sustainable Redmond's (SR) tree retention amendment to the Comprehensive Plan was earlier denied by the Planning Commission. SR proposed greater opportunities for public comment during tree exception decisions made by the Technical Committee. (staff). SR wanted improved notice boards, neighborhood meetings, and fuller disclosure of public input from the Planning Commission to Council and improved transparency. SR proposed a minimum tree retention of 50% landmark and 20% significant trees. They proposed stronger 3:1 replacement ratios of trees in master planned urban centers.
Two other citizens outside of SR spoke against the 100% Group Health clear cut and Planning Commission denial. Councilmember Kim Allen asked the city attorney if Council had the authority to remand the amendment proposal back to the Planning Commission and had concerns about the notice boards, as did Councilmember Hank Myers. President Pat Vache' said his arborist told him Redmond has one of the toughest regulations for tree retention in the region and uses Best Practices for managing tree loss. Vache' and Councilmembers Hank Margeson and Tom Flynn asked staff for a review of the surrounding cities tree protection and public comment processes.
Reported By Bob Yoder, 4/3/2013
Three environmental policy interns and citizen Susan Wilkins contributed to Mr. Hinman's presentation. They spent hours of research time reviewing 15 development projects in North Redmond, Education Hill, Grasslawn, Group Health and other neighborhoods looking for data that documents harm to the environment from excessive tree removal practices. Tree preservation findings from 2010-2013 showed 3,510 significant trees and 382 landmark trees were removed from these projects. Only Bear Creek neighborhood kept 100% of their landmark trees. One intern calculated 6 million gallons/year of stormwater is untreated, 550 tons of carbon/year is unsequestered, and $179,000 value is lost per year by removal of these trees. Loss of tree canopy is now considered a significant indicator of environmental health. Read More >>
Sustainable Redmond's (SR) tree retention amendment to the Comprehensive Plan was earlier denied by the Planning Commission. SR proposed greater opportunities for public comment during tree exception decisions made by the Technical Committee. (staff). SR wanted improved notice boards, neighborhood meetings, and fuller disclosure of public input from the Planning Commission to Council and improved transparency. SR proposed a minimum tree retention of 50% landmark and 20% significant trees. They proposed stronger 3:1 replacement ratios of trees in master planned urban centers.
Two other citizens outside of SR spoke against the 100% Group Health clear cut and Planning Commission denial. Councilmember Kim Allen asked the city attorney if Council had the authority to remand the amendment proposal back to the Planning Commission and had concerns about the notice boards, as did Councilmember Hank Myers. President Pat Vache' said his arborist told him Redmond has one of the toughest regulations for tree retention in the region and uses Best Practices for managing tree loss. Vache' and Councilmembers Hank Margeson and Tom Flynn asked staff for a review of the surrounding cities tree protection and public comment processes.
Reported By Bob Yoder, 4/3/2013
Thanks for this excellent summary of Sustainable Redmond's presentation to the City Council, Bob.
ReplyDeleteTom Hinman, Susan Wilkins and interns Margaret Yale, Blake Garland and Mark Biehl are to be commended for the public service they have provided in plowing through so much Redmond City data to come up with the findings you outlined in your story.
Let's hope the City Council will take heed of these results.
Thanks for noting the names of the interns, John and your comments.
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