Today I received a PDF file of the City of Salem Public Works decision that allowed US Bank to cut down five large beautiful Japanese Zelkova trees that have graced State Street in downtown.
Download US Bank State Street Trees decision
I'll have more to say about the report in tomorrow's blog post.
Read it yourself, and I think you'll agree with me that this seems like a pre-determined "kill the trees" decision in desperate search of flimsy facts/ordinance interpretations to justify it.
My wife and I are long-time land use activists.
We've been involved in quite a few land use decisions at the Marion County level. We're familiar with ordinances, findings of fact, hearing officers, and, yes, how public officials are swayed by "political" considerations — using that word in a broad sense.
After a first reading of the decision, I'm struck by how insubstantial the concluding Basis of Decision section is. Worse that I expected, after reading newspaper stories about the tree cutting.
Like I said, this document screams at me, we've got to find a way to justify doing what US Bank wants, even though tree experts and the city Shade Tree Committee have concluded that the trees should remain.
Anyway, more thoughts will follow tomorrow.
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This isn’t the first or even the worst decision they have made like this. It reflects the same intellectual dishonesty that is driving the 3rd Bridge.