Bears The Seeds Of Resentment
The city does not need to threaten people with fines so large that many would fear they’d have to sell their homes to pay them.
Suddenly, like a rotten old branch smashing through the roof, last winter’s ice storm showed Spokane that the trees we all love, but have taken for granted, need better care.
At last, city officials are considering a draft ordinance that would engage city government in the maintenance of Spokane’s urban forest. But a wise ordinance will foster voluntary cooperation.
Unless the city can afford to take over tree maintenance, it always will have to rely on cooperative property owners.
By law, trees in rights-of-way along the streets belong to the city. By law, adjoining property owners are responsible to maintain them.
Precious though street trees are to the beauty of Spokane, city government has largely ignored them since the days when they were planted, generations ago. Homeowners have been on their own, not realizing their responsibilities or knowing what to do about them.
That being the case, City Hall’s in no position to come crashing down on the community with bossy regulations and heavy penalties.
Yet, that’s part of what the draft tree ordinance would do. Before homeowners could prune or plant a street tree they would have to fill out an application describing the project and obtain a permit from the city. If a tree is improperly pruned, damaged, defaced with signs or removed, the city could slap perpetrators with up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine. In addition, the city could assess violators tree replacement costs, calculated according to a formula that values mature trees as high as $10,000.
Those penalties are ridiculous. The city does not need to threaten people with fines so large that many would fear they’d have to sell their homes to pay them. Such threats will make enemies for the tree program. And that would be tragic.
Most homeowners want to do the right thing. Taking good care of trees in front of their homes enhances their neighborhoods and property values.
Although the draft ordinance would leave responsibility for tree maintenance on property owners, it also provides that the city could start doing this work - if the City Council can find and appropriate enough money. That’s a big “if.”
Aside from its heavy-handed sections, the proposal also contains constructive elements. It would create a fund to receive donations as well as city appropriations, if any, to help pay for maintenance and replanting. It would commit the city to inform the public about how to care for trees. It would create a small staff assigned to tree care. The staff could help property owners carry their share of the load, with expert advice and practical help like affordable options for debris disposal, via mills that might saw the hardwood into lumber when it’s time for trees to go.
The people of Spokane will rally to the cause of their trees if approached with incentives, assistance and helpful information. They might support city spending on tree care, though a big program won’t grow overnight. But the city will win few friends for the trees by chasing property owners with a regulatory broadax.
, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = John Webster For the editorial board