(The Center Square) – The Seattle Arborist Association opposes the city’s proposed tree protection ordinance, saying it discourages tree planting by property owners.
Seattle’s goal of achieving 30% citywide canopy coverage by 2037 is the result of noting that the region will experience a relative decrease in canopy coverage from 1.7%, or 255 acres, to now 28% of the city’s population from 2016 to 2021 entire canopy recorded Out of town. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the goal in March, and the council has since pushed for more tree protection in its new ordinance to elevate tree canopies.
Seattle Tree Care co-owner Kelsey Gruenwoldt formed the Seattle Arborist Association in January 2023 to work with the City Council to ensure that arborists’ contribution is included in the latest proposed ordinance.
The Tree Protection Act, currently being discussed by the Seattle Land Use Committee, includes a tier system and enforcement of replacing trees when one is felled. Tier one includes historic trees, which the city defines as large trees that are historically important to the city. Removal of these trees can only be done if deemed dangerous. If property owners chose to pay the city to plant a new tree instead of replanting them themselves, it would cost $17.87 per square inch of trunk for each tree removed. according to the City Council’s draft law.
Tier two is for trees 24 inches in diameter or larger. The cost would also be $17.87 per square inch. Stage three includes trees between 12 inches and 24 inches in diameter, at a cost of $2,833 per tree removed.
Gruenwoldt does not believe the proposed regulations would help achieve 30% coverage.
“My concern is that this law that we are considering discourages tree planting because it is so restrictive and really reduces what people can do to manage their own small part of the city forest,” Gruenwoldt said in a phone conversation with The Center Square.
The tree shelter put in place by the city is frustrating some property owners. Andrea Starbird, another founding member of the Seattle Arborists Association, says illegal tree work seems to have increased since the city council passed legislation in November 2022 Tree service providers to register with the city Post a public notice on site prior to tree work beyond routine maintenance prior to conducting commercial tree work and consultations on private property and property owners.
“A client recently told me they will never buy a home with a tree in the front yard again because of the unexpected costs associated with that tree,” Starbird said Seattle Land Use Committee meeting on April 7th.
Permitting requirements for Seattle hazard tree removal could cost a property owner in the city anywhere from $800 to $1,200 or more, according to the Seattle Arborists Association. A consultant arborist charges about $90 to $190 an hour to inspect a tree. The permit cost for removal alone is $450.
Recently, the Seattle Arborists Association submitted a nine-page letter to Seattle City Council outlining the organization’s three main issues with the draft tree protection ordinance.
The three main issues are the hazard labeling requirements for removal of tier three and four trees, which discourage tree ownership, stewardship and proactive management; regulations for tree service providers that are contrary to the intent of the legislation; and the proposed legislation contains many technical errors and deviates from accepted industry standards and professional best practices.
Gruenwoldt suggests the city incentivize tree planting to increase tree canopy, rather than restricting tree felling services.
“I’d like to see Seattle consider incentive-based policies. . . People love trees and we should encourage that,” said Gruenwoldt. “I don’t know why we would limit that [a homeowner’s ability to replace an old tree with a new tree], because if they plant a tree they really like, they will take care of it. This will increase canopy coverage.”
A possible committee vote is scheduled for April 26. If the proposed ordinance is passed, it would then be sent to the City Council for a full vote.
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