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Tree Cutting near Hunziker Street

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	City of Tigard 13125 SW Hall Blvd. Tigard, Oregon 97223	Press Release September 27, 2010
For Immediate Release
Contact:	Gary Pagenstecher City of Tigard 503-718-2434 garyp@tigard-or.gov

Tree Cutting near Hunziker Street On Hold
Update: 9/27/10
Although the applicant obtained Tree Removal permits from the City nearly two years ago, other agencies (Clean Water Services and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality) also require permits which the applicant has not yet obtained. Currently, CWS has placed a stop work order on the project until the required Service Provider Letter (SPL) is obtained. A DEQ 1200 C permit for erosion control may also be required.

The applicant hoped to remove the trees this fall before the weather turns. These additional permits will postpone tree cutting in the near term and perhaps longer. The applicant plans on getting the necessary information to CWS for the SPL and to the City for the 1200C sometime this week. CWS's review may take approximately a week. The 1200 C permit review process may involve a two week public comment period if the area of disturbance is greater than five acres.

Meanwhile, the City is hearing from concerned citizens, primarily from those whose properties abut the property as the contractor cleared understory in preparation for tree cutting. In addition, persons interested in wildlife preservation are concerned that there may be sensitive species in the area. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the US Fish and Wildlife Service are the regulatory agencies for these concerns.

Prior to any tree cutting, the applicant will notify the City for an inspection to ensure the approved tree removal plan, including tree protection fencing and erosion control measures, is in place.

Tree Cutting near Hunziker Street Moves Forward

Within the coming weeks, the City of Tigard expects significant tree removal on a wooded 42-acre hillside in Tigard between SW Hunziker St. and the railroad tracks. This activity will take place under tree removal permits issued in late 2008, which approved the cutting of 2,310 trees. Site preparation is scheduled to begin immediately, and tree cutting is expected to take approximately three weeks. Trees will remain on a portion of the property to leave a 50-foot barrier between the Rolling Hills residential neighborhood off of SW Cherry Drive and future industrial activity that may occur on this site.

Past instances of large scale tree removal, similar to the expected operation near Hunziker, prompted Tigard community members to pursue the policy changes contained in the Urban Forest section of the Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted by the City Council in 2008. Those policies were further refined through the Urban Forestry Master Plan, which was adopted in 2009. Currently, City staff is working with a Citizen Advisory Committee on revision to the City's urban forest related codes and standards, which will implement the policy guidance. This work includes an effort to inventory and potentially protect significant tree groves. Throughout these community driven processes, City leadership has reiterated the need to respect the right of property owners to make decisions regarding how to best utilize their land resources.

The Hunziker tree removal project represents the challenges the City faces in balancing the demand for developable urban lands with the diverse values associated with undeveloped land and open space. In planning for a high quality of urban life, a broad range of interests are considered. The City works to develop and maintain infrastructure systems such as our transportation and water systems, and to provide recreation and protected areas as outlined in the Parks Master Plan.

For more information about the Urban Forestry Code Revisions process, and specifically the tree grove preservation program, please visit www.tigard-or.gov/trees.