HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/22/2024 Item 4a, Rourke (3)
Wilbanks, Megan
From:John Rourke <rourkefam@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, January 22, 2024 3:15 PM
To:CityClerk
Subject:Fwd: questions
Attachments:please answer.docx
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please provide to tree committee
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: John Rourke <rourkefam@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 22, 2024 at 3:02 PM
Subject: questions
To: Whipple, Anthony <awhipple@slocity.org>, Symens, Sadie <ssymens@slocity.org>
Please include this with my other documents to the committee.
1
Please answer these questions
1. What was the diameter of each tree that I am being fined for? Fee
is based on this and the number stated by the city is incorrect.
2. What tool (specifically the nam e, it looked like a bike chain) was
used to determine the diameter? How does it determine
diameter?
3. What was the percentage of canopy removed from each tree that
the city determined had been over trimmed? Code says 1/3 (33%)
can be trimmed, how did the city determine the percentage of
canopy removed? It can't be an assumption, it has to be
quantifiable.
4. Please confirm that the city cannot enforce illegal trimming of a
tree that is under the diameter allowing removal. It seems
unreasonable to enforce laws on a tree that can be removed. Can
the city cite another instance of this?
5. Please confirm that local arborists have been informed that the
city no longer accepts a measuring tape held across the trunk 4.5
feet off the ground as an acceptable method to measure
diameter. I have been told by arborists that this is still the method
u sed to determine if a tree can be cut down. Why am I held to a
different standard?
6. The fee seems to be based on tree replacement, the trees in
question are all alive and well. How can the city justify fining m e to
replace trees that are still there. Do the fines actually go toward
planting trees?
7. Why was there no warning? Other fees in the city have warnings
and then fees. After 15 years of working with the arborist why fine
especially considering the circumstances.