Arborist Testifies Trees Near Shoreline Are Hazardous; Hearing Examiner Will Issue Written Decision
A certified arborist testified that five shoreline trees—four alders and one cherry—on a residential property are structurally defective and likely to fail, including one that recently fell; the county contends there is insufficient evidence of significant property or life risk at the present locations. The hearing examiner closed testimony and will issue a written ruling.
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During the second item on the San Juan County hearing agenda, a certified arborist called by the appellant testified that four alder trees and one cherry tree near a lawn and shoreline are at the end of their lives, exhibit significant rot and dieback, and present a risk to groundskeepers and recreational users. John Gennich, who identified himself as a certified arborist and tree‑risk assessment qualifier, described one alder that “catastrophically fell” after the county’s denial and said similar trees had a high likelihood of failure. “They are likely to fail… I expect within 0 to 2 years they would all have fallen down,” Gennich testified.
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