Street Tree Ordinance Reminder

[Chief]

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/nhoodWeeklyE.asp?issueID=32691

City Council passed a revised street tree ordinance in October 2006. A provision of that ordinance takes effect on May 15 and requires that any major pruning of any tree within the public right-of-way must be performed by an individual or business with a Street Tree Worker License. A list of licensed Street Tree Workers will be posted on the Urban Forestry website on May 15 and will be updated regularly as new companies are licensed. This key provision will help ensure that our community's street trees, which are a vital community natural resource, are not irreparably damaged or made hazardous by unprofessional and improper pruning. For more information, contact Urban Forestry at 360.619.1128 or www.cityofvancouver.us .

**SCHNIPP**

And don't forget to buy your permit too! ::)

Think they won't hand out the fines?? Look at what they did to tthat homeowner over a rock.

Developing...

[karma]

So my question is this if they are owned by the city are they going to have the city pay for this??

[Chief]

You don't understand.

This pertains to the trees that are in your tree lawn, along side the street. This is how they justify having three fulltime "Arborists" on the City's payroll, paid for by permits that are now required for "Supervised" pruning; said permits of course give the County Assessor an opening to come in and do an out-of-cycle reassessment of your house too.

A real money maker...

[tefen]

The "boulevard" in front of my house is paved, but my neighbors have grass. This year they decided to plant two trees there. Though currently small, they look nice and I would have considered something similar for my yard. I've pretty much axed that plan because of all the regulations about "street trees". Once planted I can never remove them, and I have to pay someone to come trim them!?

Not worth the hassle, I say.

[Pat Campbell]

There is also a composting ordinance. As I recall it requires all materials in the pile to be no larger that 1/4". In the "spirit" of letter of the law, we all should be mowing more frequently to keep the clipping to this length and investing in a shredder if we are composting leaves...

One nice thing if you live in Angelo's "First Place" subdivision; the city maintains their landscaped entryway. I was advised that this was agreed to years ago "to encourage housing growth in East Vancouver." I asked because I was seeing city crews there frequently working on the sprinkling system, trimming the round laurel hedge, etc.. Apparently Angelo had nothing to do with Willowmist.

[tefen]

There is also a composting ordinance. As I recall it requires all materials in the pile to be no larger that 1/4".


Uh oh, I've definitely broken that rule. Actually, I've started just raking the leaves and such onto the lawn then mowing them over with the mulching mower. Worked pretty well this last fall, and I didn't have take away the debris.

[karma]

Me not understand?? Excuse me if these are in the City right away, then the City should be paying for this? ; ) They are pulling some bull on your folks down there.

The 1/4 pile of stuff is in both the City and County, if it's seen from the street you can be sited. Just put up a tarp and they can't see it, right? This also goes for your lumber piles that you burn, with if you look around anyone that burns lumber in their fireplace is in violation, I don't care how neat it's stacked. Our neighbor across the dead end circle would go up faster than anything if it caught on fire over there. They just keep bringing in wood truck load after truck load.