Save Our Silent Giants!
Donation protected
OUR SILENT GIANT
We live in a community where many choose all-wheel drive vehicles over luxury sedans. Our automobiles are a means that transport us to the mountain peaks, the river valleys, and seashores to recharge our souls. And when we are at home, we find respite in our gardens and urban forests. Our community’s fabric is knitted together by sidewalks, green spaces, and tall interwoven canopies. This is the best of the northwest and this is why we choose to live here.
Many of us are currently standing for a common cause: to protect our silent giant in West Seattle’s urban forest who can’t defend itself. It is a magnificent 100+ foot ponderosa pine tree that we all have enjoyed for many years, some for a lifetime. Given its towering height, it is part of the framework of so many of our yards. It is part of the West Seattle skyline and can be seen from down town Seattle. It is the lungs that purify the air we breathe.
Our ponderosa pine is considered an “exceptional tree” by the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC 25.11) and therefore protected, with one exception. SMC 25.11.060 allows a tree to be removed on a site undergoing development if the maximum lot coverage (as defined by the Seattle Land Use Code - SMC Title 23) cannot be achieved without extending into the tree protection area.
Our tree is located in the middle of the side yard of 3038 39th Ave SW. An elderly gentleman sold his home to a developer (something he swore he would never do - but the developer misrepresented himself during the transaction) at the end of last year for $505,000, cash. This developer asked the City if it considers the side yard a “buildable lot” since it is under the minimum allowed lot size (SMC 23.44.010) by almost 2,000 sf. The fee for this request was $1,000. The City has rendered their preliminary opinion that the lot is “buildable” based on a “historic lot exemption” (SMC 23.44.010 (B))(1)(d). Given this preliminary opinion, the developer can now secure a building permit for a home he estimates will cost $337,000 to build. We estimate, that the developer stands to gain $350,000+ and the City will collect property taxes in perpetuity. We loose a tree because it impedes on the house’s footprint.
The City’s website (web6.seattle.gov/dpd/edms, Projects #3024037, #6513178, and 3022995) contains more than 80 comments all of which oppose this project. We love our big beautiful tree and want it protected. We live in a built up high density single family zone and have challenged the City’s determination that this is a buildable lot. The City has taken the liberty to justify their opinion based on an “interpretation of actions” taken in 1930. They have set the facts aside. What is even sad and humorous at the same time is that the arguments we are making are the same arguments the City made previously to deny a developer the chance to build on a differing side yard. The City made this legal case successfully three times with the third being in the Court of Appeals (affirming the King County Superior Court’s decision). This is the highest level of legal recourse. While the politics have changed, the code has not.
As we understand it today, our remaining option is to request a land use interpretation from the City once they issue a Master Use Permit (MUP). The cost is $2,800 for the first 10 hours and we anticipate it to exceed this amount. This reserves our legal rights to challenge whether or not this lot qualifies for an historic lot exemption. At the same time, we have a 14 day period to appeal the MUP to the City of Seattle’s hearing examiner (another $170 City fee). Our legal advisor has asked the City to rescind their preliminary opinion based on the facts, the law, and previous court rulings. As of today, the City has not responded.
What We Need
We are learning as we go… We know there is strength in numbers. To create a political will for change we need solidarity and an extensive community/media/electeds outreach. We hope you will lend us your voice of support by sending your comments to the City’s website, project #3024037 and writing your electeds asking them to Save our Silent Giant! We are also raising funds and are asking you to lend us your financial support to cover our expenses. Any remaining funds will be spent on advocating for the protection of our urban forest.
Saving our urban forest, one tree at a time for our generation and the future generations to come…
Lisa Parriott, PE
Lisa Parriott has lived across from the Silent Giant for the past 24 years. She is a Washington native - her family was part of the original European founders of Seattle. She graduated from the University of Washington in Civil Engineering. She is a professional engineer, served in the Army, an artist, and helicopter pilot among many other things…
We live in a community where many choose all-wheel drive vehicles over luxury sedans. Our automobiles are a means that transport us to the mountain peaks, the river valleys, and seashores to recharge our souls. And when we are at home, we find respite in our gardens and urban forests. Our community’s fabric is knitted together by sidewalks, green spaces, and tall interwoven canopies. This is the best of the northwest and this is why we choose to live here.
Many of us are currently standing for a common cause: to protect our silent giant in West Seattle’s urban forest who can’t defend itself. It is a magnificent 100+ foot ponderosa pine tree that we all have enjoyed for many years, some for a lifetime. Given its towering height, it is part of the framework of so many of our yards. It is part of the West Seattle skyline and can be seen from down town Seattle. It is the lungs that purify the air we breathe.
Our ponderosa pine is considered an “exceptional tree” by the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC 25.11) and therefore protected, with one exception. SMC 25.11.060 allows a tree to be removed on a site undergoing development if the maximum lot coverage (as defined by the Seattle Land Use Code - SMC Title 23) cannot be achieved without extending into the tree protection area.
Our tree is located in the middle of the side yard of 3038 39th Ave SW. An elderly gentleman sold his home to a developer (something he swore he would never do - but the developer misrepresented himself during the transaction) at the end of last year for $505,000, cash. This developer asked the City if it considers the side yard a “buildable lot” since it is under the minimum allowed lot size (SMC 23.44.010) by almost 2,000 sf. The fee for this request was $1,000. The City has rendered their preliminary opinion that the lot is “buildable” based on a “historic lot exemption” (SMC 23.44.010 (B))(1)(d). Given this preliminary opinion, the developer can now secure a building permit for a home he estimates will cost $337,000 to build. We estimate, that the developer stands to gain $350,000+ and the City will collect property taxes in perpetuity. We loose a tree because it impedes on the house’s footprint.
The City’s website (web6.seattle.gov/dpd/edms, Projects #3024037, #6513178, and 3022995) contains more than 80 comments all of which oppose this project. We love our big beautiful tree and want it protected. We live in a built up high density single family zone and have challenged the City’s determination that this is a buildable lot. The City has taken the liberty to justify their opinion based on an “interpretation of actions” taken in 1930. They have set the facts aside. What is even sad and humorous at the same time is that the arguments we are making are the same arguments the City made previously to deny a developer the chance to build on a differing side yard. The City made this legal case successfully three times with the third being in the Court of Appeals (affirming the King County Superior Court’s decision). This is the highest level of legal recourse. While the politics have changed, the code has not.
As we understand it today, our remaining option is to request a land use interpretation from the City once they issue a Master Use Permit (MUP). The cost is $2,800 for the first 10 hours and we anticipate it to exceed this amount. This reserves our legal rights to challenge whether or not this lot qualifies for an historic lot exemption. At the same time, we have a 14 day period to appeal the MUP to the City of Seattle’s hearing examiner (another $170 City fee). Our legal advisor has asked the City to rescind their preliminary opinion based on the facts, the law, and previous court rulings. As of today, the City has not responded.
What We Need
We are learning as we go… We know there is strength in numbers. To create a political will for change we need solidarity and an extensive community/media/electeds outreach. We hope you will lend us your voice of support by sending your comments to the City’s website, project #3024037 and writing your electeds asking them to Save our Silent Giant! We are also raising funds and are asking you to lend us your financial support to cover our expenses. Any remaining funds will be spent on advocating for the protection of our urban forest.
Saving our urban forest, one tree at a time for our generation and the future generations to come…
Lisa Parriott, PE
Lisa Parriott has lived across from the Silent Giant for the past 24 years. She is a Washington native - her family was part of the original European founders of Seattle. She graduated from the University of Washington in Civil Engineering. She is a professional engineer, served in the Army, an artist, and helicopter pilot among many other things…
Organizer
Lisa Parriott
Organizer
Seattle, WA