At the quarterly Barkley Neighborhood Association meeting on Feb. 17 a representative from Bellingham Parks and Recreation came to address residents’ concerns about trees in Northridge Park. Residents perceive that dangerous trees are an ongoing problem for property bordering the park.
“People who live next to mature trees often have concerns with potential damage in light of the winter wind storms we experience here in Bellingham,” design development manager for the Parks and Recreation Department Leslie Bryson, who addressed residents’ concerns at the neighborhood meeting, explained in an email.
There are about 100 homes adjacent to Northridge Park, according to a count of homes surrounding the park in the Barkley Neighborhood Land Use Plan.
Jim Brennan, who lives in the Woodside community, has a large tree about 50 meters from his house and 15 meters from his back fence. He expressed a concern that, if the tree fell, his house might be damaged.
Residents who live near city trees cannot remove or trim trees on the city maintenance responsibility list, which includes trees within city parks. Residents at the neighborhood meeting expressed that that city is not active at removing trees citizens felt were dangerous until after the trees have caused damage.
“I have not experienced any preventative activity from the city,” Brennan said.
Citizens who want to remove, prune or trim a tree that is not on the city maintenance responsibility list must first obtain a street tree permit.
People living on the perimeter of Northridge Park have been victims to falling trees and branches in the past. Brennan had a tree damage his fence and another Woodside resident, Laura Hinds, had a tree break a window in her house.
When a tree damages private property, the property owner can file a damage claim with the city attorney. Lawyers then determine who pays what.
“The city basically says it’s an act of God,” Brennan complained about the city’s policy for reimbursing people for damaged property.
James Luce, the city arborist, is aware of minor property damage to fences, sheds and decks. Minor damage to a fence is the only incidence caused by a tree in the last year.
"We are aware of things, but we don’t see every inch, so we rely on people to report things," grounds supervisor Steve Nordeen said.
Trees or parts of trees are removed when potential tree failure poses a threat to people or property, said Luce. Sometimes construction will require tree removal.
In 2011 Park Operations spent 96.3 hours working on tree-related tasks throughout the city including tree inspection, removal, bucking and chipping and 84 hours on trail maintenance, according to Nordeen.
Trees that don’t pose an immediate danger to property have the lowest removal priority Bryson explained. Trees that are close to houses and are not healthy are considered a risk.
“Trees may be removed for reasons that center on risk abatement, tree health and forest health,” Luce said in an email.
Removing trees that may fall on trails is not the arborist’s main concern since they don’t hurt anyone.
"It's not as urgent as protecting life or property," Nordeen explained.
Residents at the neighborhood meeting expressed interest in the state of the trees in the park.
“There are several leaners and there are several dead [trees in the park],” Brennan said.
He notices that when trails are developed the roots of trees are sometimes cut, possibly damaging the stability of trees.
The root systems of trees can be damaged by construction, and trail construction can affect trees within the park. The Parks and Recreation Department has specific procedures to follow when creating a new trail.
“Mitigating measures are taken to minimize root damage in the construction zone,” Luce explained in an email.
A stand management project, which is a resource management plan for the forest, took place last summer to remove trees at risk of falling from around the trail leading from Chandler Parkway to Northridge Park. The perimeter of the park was also surveyed to remove dangerous trees.
“The goals of a stand management project like this one include decreasing future problems by promoting a stronger, more diverse forest community,” Luce said in an email.
The city arborist only oversees trees owned by the city, but Luce can advise owners and construction workers about trees in the city street right of ways.
It can cost between single digits to hundreds of dollars to remove a tree depending on the size and condition of the plant, according to Luce.
Luce encourages citizens to call with any concerns and questions regarding trees.
The Park Operations Center takes requests to inspect trees on park land at 360-778-7103.
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