by Brady Lawrence and Martha Baskin / November 12, 2020
Brady Lawrence and Martha Baskin interview Kathy Wolf, a well known research social scientist in the UW’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences.
In the face of rapid development will the Emerald City recognize the environmental, public health and quality of life services trees provide before it’s too late? Advocates like Wolf, hope they will.
| Mayor | Bruce Harrel | Bruce.Harrell@seattle.gov | 206-684-4000 |
| Council President | Debora Juarez | Debora.Juarez@seattle.gov | 206-684-8805 |
| Council Citywide | Sara Nelson | Sara.Nelson@seattle.gov | 206-684-8809 |
| Council Citywide | Teresa Mosqueda | Teresa.Mosqueda@seattle.gov | 206-684-8808 |
| Council Dist 1 | Lisa Herbold | Lisa.Herbold@seattle.gov | 206-684-8801 |
| Council Dist 2 | Tammy Morales | Tammy.Morales@seattle.gov | 206-684-8802 |
| Council Dist 3 | Kshama Sawant | Kshama.Sawant@seattle.gov | 206-684-8803 |
| Council Dist 4 | Alex Pedersen | Alex.Pederson@seattle.gov | 206-684-8804 |
| Council Dist 6 | Dan Strauss | Dan.Strauss@seattle.gov | 206-684-8806 |
| Council Dist 7 | Andrew Lewis | Andrew.Lewis@seattle.gov | 206-684-8807 |
| City of Seattle | Trees for Seattle | TreesforSeattle@seattle.gov | 206-684-TREE (8733) |
| DCI Director | Nathan Torgelson | Nathan.Torgelson@seattle.gov | 206-684-0343 |
| OSE Director | Jessyn Farrell | Jessyn.Farrell@seattle.go | 206-256-5158 |
| Urban Forestry Commission Coordinator | Patti Bakker | Patricia.Bakker@seattle.gov | |
| City Attorney | Ann Davison | Ann.Davison@seattle.gov | 206-684-8200 |
| City Auditor | David Jones | DavidG.Jones@seattle.gov | 206-233-1095 |
Please adopt, with the amendments recommended by the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission, SDCI’s Director’s Rule 13-2020 (Designation of Exceptional and Significant Trees, Tree Protection, Retention, and Tree Removal during land division, including tree service provider requirements).
Seattle must move forward now, without the delay urged by some, in adopting this updated Director’s Rule with the amendments proposed below. This process of increasing protection for our urban forest was first proposed by the Seattle City Council 11 years ago and is long overdue.
The following updates as proposed in the draft Director’s Rule are great steps forward:
The following changes to the draft Director’s Rule are needed:
Seattle’s trees and urban forest are vital to keeping our city healthy and livable. Trees and the urban forest comprise a vital green infrastructure. Trees reduce air pollution, storm water runoff and climate impacts like heat island effects, while providing essential habitat for birds and other wildlife. They are important for the physical and mental health of our residents.
Seattle’s rapid growth and an outdated tree ordinance are reducing these beneficial effects as trees are removed and not replaced. It is urgent to act now to stop this continued loss of trees, particularly large mature trees and tree groves. It is important to promote environmental equity as trees are replaced.
Please update Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance as recommended in the latest draft by the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission.
Here are the key provisions that need to be in the updated tree ordinance:
1. Expand the existing Tree Removal and Replacement Permit Program, including 2-week public notice and posting on-site, as used by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) – to cover all Significant Trees (6” and larger diameter at breast height (DBH)) on private property in all land use zones, both during development and outside development.
2. Require the replacement of all Significant Trees removed with trees that in 25 years will reach equivalent canopy volume – either on site or pay a replacement fee into a City Tree Replacement and Preservation Fund. Allow the Fund to also accept fines, donations, grants and set up easements.
3. Retain current protections for Exceptional Trees and reduce the upper threshold for Exceptional Trees to 24” DBH, protect tree groves and prohibit Significant Trees being removed on undeveloped lots.
4. Allow removal of no more than 2 Significant non-Exceptional Trees in 3 years per lot outside development
5. Establish one citywide database for applying for Tree Removal and Replacement Permits and to track changes in the tree canopy.
6. Post online all permit requests and permit approvals for public viewing.
7. Expand SDOT’s existing tree service provider’s registration and certification to register all Tree Service Providers (arborists) working on trees in Seattle.
8. Provide adequate funding in the budget to implement and enforce the updated ordinance.
| Mayor | Jenny Durkan | jenny.durkan@seattle.gov | 206-684-4000 |
| Council President | Lorena Gonzalez | Lorena.Gonzalez@seattle.gov | 206-684-8809 |
| Council Citywide | Teresa Mosqueda | Teresa.Mosqueda@seattle.gov | 206-684-8808 |
| Council Dist 1 | Lisa Herbold | Lisa.Herbold@seattle.gov | 206-684-8801 |
| Council Dist 2 | Tammy Morales | Tammy.Morales@seattle.gov | 206-684-8802 |
| Council Dist 3 | Kshama Sawant | Kshama.Sawant@seattle.gov | 206-684-8803 |
| Council Dist 5 | Debora Juarez | Debora.Juarez@seattle.gov | 206-684-8805 |
| Council Dist 5 | Alex Pedersen | Alex.Pederson@seattle.gov | 206-684-8804 |
| Council Dist 6 | Dan Strauss | Dan.Strauss@seattle.gov | 206-684-8806 |
| Council Dist 7 | Andrew Lewis | Andrew.Lewis@seattle.gov | 206-684-8807 |
| City of Seattle | Trees for Seattle | TreesforSeattle@seattle.gov | 206-684-TREE (8733) |
| DCI Director | Nathan Torgelson | Nathan.Torgelson@seattle.gov | 206-684-0343 |
| OSE Director | Jessica Finn Coven | Jessica.finncoven@seattle.gov | 206-256-5158 |
| Urban Forestry Commission Coordinator | Sandra Pinto de Bader | Sandra.Pinto_de_Bader@Seattle.gov | |
| City Attorney | Pete Holmes | Peter.Holmes@seattle.gov | 206-684-8200 |
| City Auditor | David Jones | DavidG.Jones@seattle.gov | 206-233-1095 |
On March 18, 2019 the Seattle City Council passed CB 119444 – Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) legislation.
As part of that legislation they passed a Companion Resolution – RESOLUTION 31870 calling for additional measures by the City and its partners that complement mandatory housing affordability (MHA) implementation to promote livability and equitable development, mitigate displacement, and address challenges and opportunities raised by community members during the MHA public engagement process.
Section 6 of that resolution dealt with updating Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance.
Section 6. The Council recognizes the environmental, social, and economic benefits of Seattle’s urban forest and commits to working with community members and City departments to update the City’s tree regulations, advancing the goals of the Urban Forest Stewardship Plan across Seattle. Potential measures may include, but are not limited to, the following:
A. Retaining protections for exceptional trees and expanding the definition of exceptional trees.
B. Creating a permitting process for the removal of significant trees, defined as trees 6 inches in diameter at breast height or larger.
C. Adding replacement requirements for significant tree removal.
D. Simplifying tree planting and replacement requirements.
E. Maintaining tree removal limits in single-family zones.
F. Exploring the feasibility of establishing a in-lieu fee option for tree planting.
G. Tracking tree removal and replacement throughout Seattle.
H. Providing adequate funding to administer and enforce tree regulations.
I. Requiring that all tree service providers operating in Seattle meet the minimum certification and training requirements and register with the city.
PER CITY COUNCIL REQUEST, THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION (UFC) PROVIDED LINE-ITEM INPUT TO
THE VERSION D7 OF THE DRAFT LEG TREE REGULATION UPDATES ORDINANCE.
This document is a deliberative draft used by the UFC to guide the June 14, 2019 conversation with City
Council and Council Central Staff