News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Cutting down trees is a big deal in Sisters.
Property owners often need to cut down large ponderosa pines to develop their property, while neighbors and other citizens want to see trees preserved for their aesthetic and ecological value.
The City of Sisters has a tree removal policy that tries to balance what can be competing values. After an incident last month where trees were cut without following city procedures, the planning department issued a statement to the community, which reads in part:
"The City of Sisters has been a 'Tree City U.S.A.' city since 2008. Preserving the health of trees within the city is very important because they reduce water pollution, provide summer shade and wind breaks, and require less water than new landscaping plants having established root systems.
"The City of Sisters specifically regulates ponderosa pine trees that have a trunk diameter of eight inches or greater measured 4.5 feet above the ground."
City Planner Eric Porter clarified city procedures regarding gaining permission to cut down trees: The property owner must request a consent letter. Planning staff then makes a site visit. Once the consent letter is signed, it acts as a de facto permit.
That consent letter is an agreement to replace trees as required by the city's development code: "Significant trees removed shall be replaced at a 3:1 ratio of trees removed to trees planted."
But not everyone is subject to the same requirements. Developments that were approved before the current ordinance came into force in 2008 are not subject to its tree replacement requirements.
The issue came to the fore again last week, when residents of The Village at Cold Springs grew concerned over the bulldozing of trees on a home site.
The neighbors emphasized that they were not activists opposed to any tree cutting.
"Just leave the trees that they can leave," said Beverly Tobias, whose home borders on the property in question. "We would like them to leave as many as they can."
Her husband Rick said he asks the property owner and contractor "that they're thoughtful about which ones stay and which ones go - and it's not left up to the kid on the bulldozer."
Developer Hayden Homes is subject to different criteria than that provided for in the current city ordinance. The development was platted and approved before that ordinance came into effect.
Porter explained that, "one of the requirements that Hayden Homes had to do during the Master Plan review process was to map all significant trees on site, which are ponderosa pine trees with trunks greater than eight inches in diameter. Hayden actually went above and beyond this requirement, and mapped all species of trees with trunks greater than eight in diameter. A total of 1,330 trees were mapped on the sheet entitled 'Tree Plan.'
"Of these, a total of 398 trees are scheduled to be retained. A total of 182 trees may be retained if possible. The remainder will be removed."
Porter said he has apprised the Hayden Homes management team of neighbors' concerns "so that they know there is concern expressed on the part of the residents in Village at Cold Springs over tree retention and removal."
Tobias contacted The Nugget over the weekend to note that "we've had good responses from two senior people at Hayden Homes, they appear to be in accordance with our little group on how to handle the non-
earmarked trees. Additionally, Eric Porter, planning officer for Sisters, was very helpful to us by providing us with the tree schedule for the development. Also, this morning I met and talked with the key man in all of this, the bulldozer operator. I had taped a note to his windshield, and he also seems to be in complete agreement with what we are asking, so we are very encouraged."
In the earlier case of unpermitted tree removal, the property owner could have been subject to fines.
Planning Director Pauline Hardie notified The Nugget July 31 that, "We are going to work with the contractor to help bring him into compliance with our requirements. He is required to either plant replacement trees or pay an in-lieu fee."
For more information on tree removal protocols, contact Eric Porter at 541-323-5219.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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