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Council debates tree removal after street‑light trenching at JP West and 1st
Summary
Councilors raised concerns after two large firs estimated at ~120 years old were cut during trenching for a required intersection cobra light; staff said multiple code and safety standards played a role and that the trees were not registered as heritage trees.
Councilors raised an added agenda item Jan. 20 after reports that two large fir trees at the JP West and 1st intersection — estimated by an arborist at about 120 years old — were cut in the course of site work tied to required street‑lighting and other development improvements.
A councilor said a picture received that day showed the trees had been "pretty much butchered," and urged review of whether staff or policy should better protect significant trees. City staff said the situation involved competing requirements: traffic‑safety standards, the downtown overlay, and development‑code requirements that included a required cobra light for the intersection. Staff said they offered multiple options to the property owner, including design changes tied to urban renewal, but the owner declined approaches that would delay work or increase costs. The council heard that the trees were not listed as heritage trees and had been previously identified as problematic because of surface roots and past safety complaints.
Councilors discussed tightening development code criteria for heritage‑tree protection and agreed the issue merited further review at an upcoming meeting; city staff said replacement trees would be required but acknowledged the replacements would not match a 120‑year‑old specimen.
No enforcement action was recorded that night; the council asked staff to return with options to better protect mature trees in development reviews.
