Seattle City Light Agrees to Postpone Tree Removal, Work With City to Develop Plan

After hearing two hours of impassioned pleas to reconsider its plan to remove about 40 trees on the Interurban Trail, Seattle City Light has agreed to put off securing a contract for that work and has pledged to work with the city of Shoreline and a citizen work group to craft a plan of action.

Though he did not sit at the table with other Seattle City Light employees who were answering public questions at the meeting Tuesday, Aug. 23, Director of Energy Delivery Options Bernie Ziemianek was present at the meeting and said at the end that Seattle City Light will slow down its plans, said Suzanne Hartman, a spokeswoman for the Seattle city-run utility.

In a phone interview Wednesday, Hartman also said Seattle City Light acknowledges that the utility made a misstep in not going to the public with its plans first before proceeding with efforts to remove trees that are too close to the power lines.

“I think our biggest mistake was not talking to the community first,” Hartman said. “For that, we need to take responsibility.”

The utility had originally planned to remove about 70 large trees, mostly conifers, which grow along the right of way it owns and along which both the power lines and the Interurban Trail run. After public outcry, the utility downscaled its plan to 40 trees and set up the public meeting.

About 60 residents attended the meeting and many spoke, most expressing anger about the broad plan to remove the trees and replace them with varieties that would grow to a smaller mature height so future pruning can be avoided. The utility did not have a final proposal for what trees would be put in place of the current evergreens, but had planned to secure a contract for the work in September.

Shoreline resident Lance Young said residents have so far collected about 550 signatures on a petition to urge Seattle City Light to continue its current trimming and maintenance program rather than remove the trees. Concerns raised by residents included a buffer between the neighborhood and busy Aurora Avenue, particularly noise concerns, runoff and dust issues, and the way the utility handled the issue.

Washington State Rep. Cindy Ryu, also a Shoreline resident, vowed to advocate on behalf of the neighborhood, pointing out that residents of the city have no power to vote for the Seattle City Council, which is the governing body, but pay 6 percent more than Seattle customers for Seattle City Light services.

“As ratepayers, even though we can’t vote for the governing body, if we must we will lobby the Seattle City Council. If (residents) need help, in my official capacity I will help them,” Ryu said.

Seattle City Light arboriculturist Brent Schmidt told the audience that trimming compromises the health of the trees in the long run and isn’t as effective on conifers that grow straight up. Schmidt emphasized several times that he is a “tree guy” and that he finds it painful to see what the utility often must do to keep trees from interfering with the power lines.

“We want to increase safety, improve wildlife habitat, and we want input from citizens about what you’d like to see,” Schmidt said before noting that the utility planned to seek a contract and have the removal done in September or October.

Shoreline resident Fred Chou said residents felt like holding a meeting this late did not indicate a desire for citizen input by the utility.

“I feel happy we had a lot of vigilant neighbors, because if you want our opinion and you want a contract in September and here it is almost the end of August, you’re a little late,” Chou said.

Hartman said Wednesday the reason for the September contract originally was to get the work done before the storm season, and that even with the new direction by Ziemianek, the utility will have to take some action on a few trees along the power line before a final plan is arrived at in coordination with a citizen’s group. She said it’s not clear yet what action that would be.

“Our plan is to work to take a look at the issues and concerns (of the community) with the understanding that there will be some things we have to do. That may be trimming back some trees in advance of the storm season,” she said.