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Neighbors raise alarms about hillside tree removal, notice rules and landslide risk
Summary
Two residents told the West Linn City Council that recent tree removal on a hillside above homes occurred without adequate neighbor notice and highlighted landslide susceptibility and public-safety concerns; council said staff will follow up on submitted correspondence.
During public comment at the Nov. 18 meeting, Greg Morris and another resident described unexpected tree removal on a hillside above their properties and asked why neighbor notification had changed.
Greg Morris said that "one week ago today, my wife woke up to the sound of chainsaws behind our house on a hillside," and that neither he nor neighbors were notified in advance of the work. He said the site is designated on Oregon maps as highly susceptible to landslides and that trees had already been removed; Morris asked whether the city consulted those maps when issuing permits and whether reduced neighbor notice was intentional. The council response acknowledged receipt of Morris’s correspondence and committed to follow up: "Thank you for your comments, and we'll take a look at the correspondence and get in touch with you," the mayor said.
Council members and staff did not make a policy decision during the meeting. The matter was recorded for follow-up, and staff indicated they had been responsive after the fact but would review notification procedures and any applicable maps and permits. Residents also raised separate operational and safety concerns about city project supervision and the process for requesting street signs during the public-comment period.
No formal vote followed this public comment; the items were entered into the record and staff committed to follow up with the residents who submitted correspondence.
