Bonney Lake is officially a city for trees
Published 11:24 am Thursday, December 11, 2008
By Dennis Box
The Courier-Herald
It's official. Bonney Lake likes its trees.
The city earned the title of Tree City USA April 12 from the National Arbor Day Foundation after Mayor Neil Johnson submitted a proclamation to the council and Councilman Mark Hamilton guided the city through the necessary steps.
Hamilton said he began working on the issue when he started his term as councilman and realized Sumner had been in the program for years.
“We have more trees than Sumner,” Hamilton said. “I couldn't understand it.”
To become a Tree City USA member, the city re-wrote the tree retention policy and started an urban forestry program spearheaded by Hamilton and approved by the council.
“I thought (becoming a tree city) would be an excellent tool for education,” Hamilton said. “It's easy to write regulations and ordinances, but they're tough to enforce. We have to do some enforcement, but we want more education because in the long run that is better accepted by the public.”
To qualify as a tree city, four standards must be met: a tree board or commission is formed, a tree care ordinance is passed, a forestry program is enacted with an annual budget of $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
The City Council has designated $30,000, which is about $2 per capita, to fund the program.
The money will be used to help pay for the city's on-call arborist, Dennis Tompkins, and education programs.
“This allows the city to publicize trees,” Hamilton said. “It's an awareness that is good for the public and the city.”
To celebrate Arbor Day, which is April 12 in Washington, council members, Johnson, city staff members and residents planted two noble firs at Cedarview Park.
“Its part of improving the quality of life in Bonney Lake, “ Johnson said.
The last two years the council and city staff have struggled with two tree-removal issues. The first came when Jessica Larios cleared trees from her property at 7720 190th Ave. E in October 2004. Larios had a clearing permit and intended to build on her property, but neighbors complained to the council the tree removal caused flooding in the area.
Michelle Gunn removed 13 trees from her property March 2005. Gunn received a permit after providing the documentation the trees were diseased and a danger to renters living on her property.
Neighbors complained to the city and a stop-work order was issued, but the trees were nearly all down.
Gunn cleared the trees on her property and no action was taken by the city.
Hamilton said he hopes through education and a better a defined tree retention ordinance, similar problems can be avoided.
Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald.
