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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (July 31, 2015)
S t r e e t R o o t s • J u ly 3 1 - A u g . 6 , 2 0 1 5 STUMPTOWN, from page 12 Portland. The sheer volume of development permits involving tree removal has taxed the limited staffing with the expertise in tree preservation, protection and planting. It has also meant the city has had to skimp on the funding education and outreach necessary to help Portlanders understand tree policies and help steward the urban forest A fifth shortcoming of the 2010 tree reforms relates to how street upgrades and improvements fail to accommodate large healthy trees. Development along unimproved streets usually triggers required upgrades to install curbs, sidewalks and, sometimes, bioswales. Developers must meet the Bureau of Transportation’s design standards. These standards rarely allow or require flexible designs to avoid tree removal or alternative surfacing to protect tree roots. Where new tree planting is required, street improvement standards often don’t provide enough soil volume to allow the growth of large healthy trees. The conflict between curbs, sidewalks and trees is particularly acute in East Portland Commentary P ag e 13 Five simple policy Improvements would protect large healthy trees in Portland. public hearing Tuesday, Aug, 4, 6-8pm at 1900 SW 4th Room 2500A. The goal is to give Portlanders an opportunity to express their desire to remedy the shortcomings of the citywide tree code. People who can’t make the Aug. 4 hearing may send written testimony to Mieke Keenan at mieke. keenan@portlandoregon.gov by Sept 9, and cc: Commissioner Dan Saltzman at dan@ portlandoregon.gov and Commissioner Amanda Fritz at amanda@portlandoregon. gov. Policy makers or lobbyists who would block or obstruct tree policy reforms in Portland should take note. The concerns created by policies that allow the loss of large, healthy trees in Portland’s neighborhoods will not likely go away. Nor will Portlanders’ visceral love of the trees so define our city’s unique sense of place. If Portlanders’ voices are heard, “urban living” in Portland will continue to mean having large healthy trees in our urban midst 1 Establish specific tree preservation standards for large, healthy native trees, at least 35 inches in diameter. 2. increase requirements for tree replacement and fee in lieu of planting or preservation. Tree replacement should be graduated based on the size and species o f trees removed in order to better compensate for the loss of the environmental functions they provide. 3. Develop new street improvements standards that allow the retention of large, healthy frees, Establish a free soil volume standard to ensure street frees in newly . improved streets have room to grow. 4. Actually apply new tree reforms citywide by requiring industrial development to meet tree density, preservation and planting requirements, 5. Fully fund implementation of code enforcement and tree-related outreach and education programs. neighborhoods where there are many unimproved streets often flanked with large healthy trees. So what is to be done? Fortunately, lots. The many efforts of neighbors to rally and organize to protect trees are already having an impact. As result of the clear threat to large healthy trees from recent development,. Commissioner Fritz has asked a special tree policy oversight committee to look at new measures to better protect and preserve large healthy trees. Their recommendations will likely eventually find their way to the City Council. Portlanders wanting to lend their voice will soon have an opportunity. The Urban Forestry Commission is hosting a special C a re O re g o rr goM obile team Jim Labbe is the urban conservationist with the Audubond Society o f Portland. A I i ♦ ■ « ■ B OHP Navigation Clinics in Downtown Portland CareOregon and our partners make Oregon Health Plan navigation easy! We offer help With: • Medicaid medical, dental and mental health appointments • Medicare eligibility for disabled and elderly adults. Find us at these locations: Portland Rescue Mission, City Team, 5 2 6 SE G rand Ave. 111 W Burnside August 6 — 8 -1 0 August 13......8-10 August 20...... 8 -1 0 August 27......8-10 August 12...... 8 -1 0 a.m. August 26......8-10 a.m. V PHC N orthwest Bey&nd limitations* 5312 NE 148th Ave. Portland, OR 97230 Clackamas County Community Corrections-Transition Center, Union Gospel Mission, 1 0 2 4 M ain S tre et 9 7 0 4 5 August 11...... 1-3-p.m. 3 N W Third Ave. August 18....2-4 p.m. August 25......2-4 p.m. Free career training for persons with disabilities in janitorial and building maintenance Requirements: ....... \ ! ..................... D isabilities: Documented proof of disability Profiaency i i understanding and speaking 5.......... 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 1 2 ....11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 1 9 ....11:30 a.m .-i:30 p.m. 26...... 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Virginia Garcia, 1151 N A dair S treet August 1.4...... 11 a.m.-3 p.m. English Pass criminal background check Pass drug test Physical, m ental health, intellectual, developm e ntal, an d learning Q uestions ? Lloyd Center, 2nd Floor by C lnnabon August August August August a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. Please Call: (50 3 )2 6 1-1 2 6 6 or (800) 874-7917 email: careers@phcnw.com Vendors sell Street Roots throughout Portland. If you want to find a vendor near you, call our vendor department at 503-228-5657
