Citizens dislike proposed tree code
By Nicole Krueger
Managing Editor
Sixteen local residents spoke out
against a proposed revision of Eu
gene’s Tree Removal Permit pro
gram at a City Council public hear
ing Monday night, reminding the
council of how much Eugene loves
its trees.
No private citizens spoke in favor
of the revision, which would place
regulation of tree removal in Eugene
from the hands of the city to those of
the private sector. Barbara Keller,
former city coun
cilwoman and
author of the ini
tial tree removal
ordinance, called
the proposal “too
flawed even to
amend.”
The existing
code provides a
permit process by which applica
tions for removal of street trees and
trees on private lands are evaluat
ed. However, due to budget cuts
caused by Measure 50, the council
last spring discontinued city staff
administration of the permits,
complaint investigation and code
enforcement on private properties,
the cost of which totaled an esti
mated $60,000.
According to Public Works Di
rector Chris Andersen, the code re
vision is an attempt to continue
meeting the goal of tree protection
while working within the limits of
the budget. Under the revised
code, permit applicants must ob
tain private certification by a certi
fied arborist or a licensed land
scape architect that the tree re
moval is the minimum required to
implement an approved develop
ment plan or to alleviate a danger
to life or property. The applicant
must absorb die cost of the certifi
cation.
City staff will issue permits
based on this private certification
and will neither investigate com
plaints of violations nor actively
enforce the code. Instead, Eugene
residents must enforce the code
through court action if tree re
moval without the required permit
occurs or is threatened to occur.
"This is our best shot at trying to
achieve the goals of the city Urban
Forestry Program,” Andersen said.
“We feel that this is a reasonable
proposal, although not ideal.”
Residents raised numerous con
cerns about the proposal, including
whether certified arborists and
landscape architects are qualified to
evaluate whether a tree should be
removed. Tom McCartney, a certi
fied arborist, said people who re
ceive this certification often have
no experience and are not necessar
ily qualified to make this judgment.
Another concern raised was that
requiring private certification for
tree removal permits might create a
conflict of interest for these ar
borists and landscape architects.
“[Relying on] private arborists is
like the fox guarding the hen
house,” resident Mary Ann Holser
said. “You can always hire some
one to give you the opinion you
want.”
McCartney, along with several
other speakers, suggested the coun
cil nominate a group of “proven ar
borists with local track records” to
provide certification for the tree re
moval permits.
Some speakers also expressed
concern about the lack of city en
forcement of the code.
“Essentially, you’re taking the
power of enforcement and putting
it in the hands of private citizens,”
said Martin Gascoyne, a representa
tive of the Eugene/Springfield
branch of the Oregon Landscape
Contractors Association. "A lot of
people are not going to want to take
on the responsibility, and those
who do will run a risk of coming
into conflict with their neighbors. ”
Keller agreed. “Do not expect in
dividual citizens to do your job of
protecting trees,” she warned the
council.
Overall, many speakers agreed
that the revision will merely weak
en the code at a time when strength
ening is needed. Keller, who wrote
the initial code five years ago, said
the code has worked well in the
past and was meant to be expand
ed, not reduced.
Andersen defended the revision,
but she admitted that it is “not a
flawless approach” and said the
staff would be willing to listen to
any other approaches.
The issue will be discussed fur
ther at the City Council meeting on
Monday, which will take place at
7:30 p.m. in the City Council Cham
ber. The council expects to take ac
tion on the proposal at this time.
News Briefs
Forum will address
harmful chemical use
Students representing OS
PIRG, MEChA, die Multicultural
Center, CAER (Coalition Against
Environmental Racism) and
HOPES (Holistic Options for
Planet Earth Sustainability) will
be sponsoring an awareness fo
rum on chemical usage. The fo
rum will take place at 5:30 p.m.
on Wednesday, April 8 in the
EMU Ben Linder Room. For ad
ditional information, contact Eric
Colbeck of OSPIRG at 346-4377.
Work party to help
preserve wetlands
The Nature Conservatory of
Oregon is inviting volunteers
who are interested in protecting
the ecology of the Willow Creek
Preserve to participate in a work
party Saturday, April 11. The
event is one of eight work par
ties held on the second Saturday
of each month. Volunteers are
encouraged to bring along their
own equipment. For additional
information, contact Ed Alver
son at 682-5586.
Hearing scheduled
to discuss bike plans
The Springfield Planning
Commission is inviting the gen
eral public to a hearing on the
city’s draft bicycle plan on Tues
day, April 7 at 7 p.m. The discus
sion will take place in the Spring
field City Council Chambers at
the Springfield City Hall, 225
Fifth St. Discussion of the plan
will cover a period of 20 years
and contains 50 proposed pro
jects. For additional information,
contact Dean Bishop at 726-3683.
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