||| FROM DON WALTERS, CHILDREN’S HOUSE BOARD PRESIDENT |||
I wanted to comment on the article from January 22 by Matthew Gilbert, titled “North Beach trees on the chopping block.”
Cory Harrington does not officially represent the board of Children’s House. I don’t think he officially represents the board of Salmonberry, either. Cory, with his expertise, has helped the schools in the past with various issues and in this particular issue, he was helping us navigate through the county and EPRC, as we tried to solve our problem with dangerous trees.
The Children’s House is only interested in doing what is necessary to keep children, pedestrians, vehicles, and our buildings safe. Some of the trees are dead. Some are dying. Some need pruning. Over the past couple of years, several decent-sized branches have fallen from these trees, both on the public right-of-way, and also in the playground at Children’s House. Evidence of recent and past fallen limbs can be seen on the trees themselves. Fortunately, no person has been hit by a falling branch, yet. Recently a large branch crushed a part of our fence near one of our buildings, which we had to subsequently repair.
Last fall, the Executive Directors of both schools met and were wondering if all the trees needed to be removed and replanted, or if some other solution should be contemplated. The county maintains that public easement, so the schools informed them of the issues. Since the county has professional staff on hand (landscape architect, tree trimmers, etc.), we are deferring to their plans. The EPRC is concerned about what the county might want to do and how that will affect the look of North Beach Road and so they have submitted their proposal to the county. Now we wait to see what the county proposes based on that input.
I understand your fears for the safety of the children, Mr. Walters, I think we all agree that their safety should come first. But please exercise caution and include the Eastsound community in this.- many of whom also have expertise. Please get some advice from people who know how to care for trees. Don’t just leave it all to Public Works and their grant driven projects of overkill (Prune Alley, for instance).
Not every person who is an arborist knows how to even prune a tree, if the monstrous butchering of the school big leaf maple is any indication. Please use care in selecting who will handle these trees. They are living beings, just as we are; they give a lot more than they take.
Have replacement trees been planted, and are they being cared for so they can grow? The windthrow from the deforestation across the street is stressing the maples.. It wasn’t just the EPRC who is concerned about the look – and the desire to live with trees instead of treeless wastelands, and protect the health of our forested and wetland ecosystems. I for one am happy that recent EPRCs are finally listening to us and addressing the concerns of the greater community who live here in town and have asked for such thoughtfulness for many decades.
Can you do a 5 or 10 year plan where other big leaf maples are planted farther back to replace the ones that will be lost, and only take the dead trees and hazard branches first? Can we all try to understand that paper credentials are not the only credentials to consider? Can we please have a win win situation for people AND trees, for a change? It can be done and it should be done.
nice going Sadie. I agree completely. Please get a variety of professionals involved. Cutting trees down is easy; we do it all the time, and yes, they are sentient beings that deserve our respect just as much as anything else.
B. Sadie Baily,
I understand your concerns and share them. I love that people are trying to preserve the beauty of this island. We do not want the public easement near CH to be ugly and devoid of trees. Since the county maintains this public easement, and are responsible for the public safety, it is kind of out of our hands as to what exactly they do in order to maintain the trees in terms of public safety. The EPRC, which, among other things, works to preserve Eastsound, has submitted their proposal to the county. We are waiting on hearing the county’s plans. However, the county is not simply going to cut down all the trees. And they will replace any trees that are cut down. There will be trees on that public easement! Have no fear of that.
-dw
All three Council Members committed two years ago to the Complete Streets program. Complete streets is a transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities regardless of their mode of transportation.
This section of North Beach Road from School Road to Mount Baker Road is one of the most bicycle unfriendly roads on Orcas because it is so narrow, combined with heavy traffic. As one of the three main entrances into Eastsound, it needs to accommodate the higher traffic that we are experiencing, especially with the pandemic-related population increase. The anachronistic rural quaintness of its present state, designed many decades ago for very low traffic, has no place as a semi-urban main arterial.
This important connector ties not only the new April’s Grove to town and schools, but also the populated North Beach community. Both are family neighborhoods with kids who would benefit greatly from being able to ride bikes on safe, 4-foot paved shoulders.