Falling tress cause stir at city hall and neighborhood

Published 12:32 pm Thursday, December 11, 2008

By Dennis Box

The Courier-Herald

The sound of a tree falling was clearly heard March 9 in Bonney Lake.

A dispute flared over 13 trees located on Michelle and Gregory Gunn's property at 8710 188th Ave. E. behind Michelle's Studio of Dance.

Michelle and her husband own both the studio and a home on the property with the trees.

The Gunns had decided to have the trees removed March 9.

"The trees that were removed were diseased or threatening to the home on the property," Michelle Gunn said. "We received a standard tree removal permit. Exactly 13 trees were taken down and no conditions of the permit were violated."

When the trees began falling that morning, Gunn said city officials told her residents in the Grandview development were complaining.

The Grandview development is located on a ridge above her property along 189th Avenue Court East.

At about 2 p.m. Gunn said Associate Planner Elizabeth Chamberlain issued a "stop work" order.

"Everything had been done legal and to code," Gunn said. "Elizabeth Chamberlain said she would call the police if we didn't stop."

At the point the order was issued, nine of the trees were down, three were limbed and topped and one was 75 percent limbed, according to Gunn.

"On the advice of my attorneys I had them finish because of liability and hazard," Gunn said.

The tree clearing company, Topnotch Tree Care and Logging, completed the job that day.

The police were not called to the scene.

"(The Gunns) were issued a tree clearing exemption," Planning Manager Steve Ladd said. "Bonney Lake code allows a tree clearing exemption if the trees are diseased or dangerous. They submitted a statement, but we wanted to check to be sure it qualified. When the stop work order was issued at least one tree was standing."

Once the trees were down, Ladd said, any city involvement would be code enforcement.

Mayor Bob Young said he asked for an investigation after the incident.

"My investigation indicated she went by the book," Young said. "The neighbors went ballistic and the staff put a stop work order on it, but it had already gone far enough. My estimation is there was no code violation."

Ladd noted this is an ongoing problem because the city's tree-removal ordinance is vague.

The City Council has directed Ladd and the Planning Commission to draft a new tree removal ordinance.

"We are gathering information now," Ladd said. "This is a high priority for the City Council."

According to Ladd a new ordinance is several months away.

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald.