we can fight city hall

“urban green spaces are fundamental components of a city’s infrastructure - green spaces enrich the lives of city dwellers in many ways, offering places to watch wildlife, to renew from the stresses of daily life, and to provide many environmental functions (i.e., minimize flooding) - evidence shows that urban green spaces reduce anxiety and stress, even help to lower crime and violence - however, many people only equate green spaces with public parks and other publicly accessible spaces - citizens forget about green spaces in their own backyards, the street right-of-ways and other public, private and semi-public places - urban green spaces are all around us and if we look hard enough we will be amazed at what they have to offer - unfortunately, many of these hidden green spaces are under threat of disappearing…….” - - the seattle audubon society

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september 10, 2007

letter sent on September 10, 2007 to the mayor’s office; all members of the city council; department of transportation; arborist’s office; and other parties

I am writing to follow up on the East Blaine ROW situation. The site is now devastated, and currently being used, apparently for convenience, for transport of debris from the backyard of Mr. Wysong, as the major mechanical equipment allegedly required to build his sports court no longer appears to be in use.

After paying the City of Seattle to obtain Mr. Wysong’s proposed “replanting plan” through the Freedom of information Act, I obtained an independent analysis of the City-approved plan from Mr. Bruce Hinckley, of Alchemie, an internationally eminent landscape architecture and conservation firm.

I look forward to hearing from the City about proposed next steps.
The proposed plan is unacceptable.

Sincerely,
Ronnie Stangler

———————————————————————————————————————————
from Mr. Hinckley:

Prior to the cutting down of eight mature trees and the removal of most of the groundcover, understory shrubs, and natural leaf-mold mulch, the unimproved City right-of-way south of the intersection of East Blaine Street and Eleventh Avenue East was doing a good job providing habitat for birds, insects, and small mammals, preventing soil erosion, absorbing rainfall and reducing storm water run-off, filtering impurities and producing oxygen. In December of 2006, Dr Ronnie Stangler, owner of the property adjacent to this right-of-way, commissioned a Tree Preservation and Landscape Enhancement plan for this property. The intent of this plan was to preserve existing trees (primarily very large Big Leaf maples), to remove non-native groundcovers (primarily English Ivy) and to add numerous native trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and mulch to the area, to install an irrigation system, and to begin regular maintenance, including pruning, weeding, and organic fertilization. This plan was submitted to the City Arborist and approved.

Following City approval of the Stangler plan, Dr Stangler’s neighbor to the south, Mr. Jeff Wysong, having recently completed the revovation of his new house on Federal Avenue, then decided to build a Sport Court and other appurtenances, in his rear yard. Rather than building the Sport Court prior to or simultaneously with the (renovation) of the house, which would have been logical, or bringing in equipment and materials around and over the house (via crane), which would have been feasible, Mr. Wysong elected to cut down eight mature trees, remove a majority of existing shrubs and groundcovers, and build a construction access road on City of Seattle property. This destruction began late May of 2007 in violation of appropriate City permit requirements and with complete disregard of the City approved Stangler Plan for this property.

At this point numerous meetings occurred with various City officials and attorneys, and Mr. Wysong set about bringing his destruction of the greenspace on City property into compliance with City regulations. Or did he? A summary of the Stangler and the Wysong plans appears below:

plan elements ——–stangler/wysong
Vine Maples —————–24/8
Western Red Cedar (6*)—–0/3
Western Hazelnut ———–13/0
Salal —————————–84/0
Sword Fern ——————–32/0
Pacific Rhododendron ——–21/0
False Soloman’s Seal ——–48/0
Shredded Bark Mulch ——–3,300 sq.ft./under 11 trees
Irrigation System ————yes/no
Maintenance Plan ————yes/no

In summary, the Stangler Plan would have improved a functioning deep-shade ecosystem by removing non-native groundcovers, adding over two hundred mature trees, shrubs, and groundcovers, and adding an irrigation system, mulch, and a long-term maintenance program.

In contrast, Mr. Wysong’s actions have changed the micro-climate from deep-shade to full-sun. As compensation to the City for the removal of eight mature trees (totaling 98 caliper inches) and a majority of existing shrubs and groundcovers, Mr. Wysong is proposing eleven small trees (totaling 12 caliper inches), no native shrubs, no native groundcovers, and no mulch or other long-term erosion protection (except in the 11 tree saucers), no irrigation system, and no maintenance service.

Without groundcover and mulch the site will begin immediately to erode, and will provide an ideal habitat for noxious weeds. In full sun, without an irrigation system and maintenance program, it is unlikely that the eleven small trees will survive. What is the City of Seattle getting in return? Soil erosion, increased run-off, increased heat-island effect, loss of wildlife habitat, loss of shade, and loss of the mature trees which make (or used to make) Seattle “the Emerald City”.

Sincerely,
Bruce D. Hinckley
Landscape Architect

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