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Residents deliver 1,137-signature petition urging stronger tree protections in Shoreline
Summary
A community group presented a petition with 1,137 signatures calling on the city to preserve existing healthy trees and require equivalent canopy replacement when trees are removed, tying the request to the ongoing tree-code update.
Representatives of a community group called Save Shoreline Trees told the City Council on Oct. 27 they had gathered 1,137 signatures urging the city to strengthen protections for established trees and require equivalent canopy replacement when private or public trees are removed.
Bonnie Berry, a Shoreline resident speaking at the podium, read the petition and said it supports "the preservation of existing healthy trees and the equivalent tree canopy replacement for trees cut down on private and public land and in public parks." She told the council the petition signatures were gathered over five months and presented the signatures during the public-comment period.
Another petitioner, Jonelle Kemmerling (public comment), summarized comments heard while gathering signatures, saying residents raised concerns about tree loss, property rights and livability. Petitioners recommended that the forthcoming tree-code update support the city—s 2044 natural environment goal to maintain and increase the urban canopy.
The petition team named several volunteers who helped collect signatures and asked council departments to consider the expressed preferences of residents who signed the petition. "We hope all the city departments will take note of the wishes of the people who believe in the value of trees and the benefit from living among them," one petitioner told the council.
The petition was presented during the public-comment portion of the meeting and did not trigger any immediate council action; council members did not vote on policy changes during the meeting. Petitioners asked that the tree-code update on private property preserve mature canopy, favor evergreen and native species, and require replacement trees of equivalent canopy at maturity when mature trees are removed.
The council acknowledged receipt of the petition; staff and councilmembers did not commit to specific policy changes at the meeting and directed the item to the tree-code update process already underway.
The petitioners stated the full petition contained 1,137 signatures.
