The six street trees next to the former Harvey Family Funeral Home site at 508 N. 36th St., known locally as the Solstice Trees, are coming down after the Seattle Department of Transportation upheld its decision to approve their removal.
SDOT announced the final decision on Sept. 11 following a Director’s Review prompted by a formal challenge from Tree Action Seattle and public comments from neighbors. The review process began in early July and took more than two months to conclude.
In its decision, SDOT said the trees have “a low feasibility for retention due to the impacts sustained during construction.”
“Their survivability remains uncertain since these trees would undergo serious and prolonged stress, which could result in the loss of these trees shortly after construction is completed,” SDOT said.
The department also said approving the removal allows for full construction of improvements, including new ADA-compliant ramps, sidewalks, bike racks, and planting strip upgrades.
Fourteen replacement trees with understory plantings and an automated irrigation system are planned along N 36th Street, Evanston Avenue N, and Dayton Avenue N.
The removal covers the three red maples on N 36th Street, two incense cedars on Evanston Avenue N, and one ash tree on Dayton Avenue N that Fremont Neighbor has covered since the notices first appeared in late May.
The trees are being removed to make way for the Frank, a seven-story, 169-unit building with ground-floor retail being developed by Prometheus Real Estate Group with Exxel Pacific as general contractor.
4 responses to “Solstice Trees coming down after SDOT upholds removal decision”
I really would like to thank the people that challenged the removal of these trees. It seemed like the need for removal did not pass the straight face test. It seemed construction had access to the site from the side streets and removal of these large trees was not necessary. The new trees planted with irrigation won’t provide the same degree of coverage for decades. I for one would have rather they let the trees see if they did survive the construction. You can always replant at the end if they don’t. The pedestrian improvement projects are so concrete intensive you’d think there wasn’t a predicted sand shortage warning. They really seem to increase stormwater runoff. Plus it seems like there are fewer covered spots to catch the bus now and more people will be waiting in the rain to catch one in fremont.
I would like to know what the new trees will be. Hopefully something from the City of Seattle Arborist list of recommended trees for under utility wires. I for one thought the trees were over the hill and I am happy that they were removed.
An underlying systemic problem is that City of Seattle tree governance (policies and decisions such at this one) is under the control of development interests. Seattles transportation department is OK with ongoing management of trees, but the City Council has not given SDOT the authority to push back against development that is likely to “require” removal of large right of way (ROW) trees. I have seen this problem play out repeatedly. Another recent example is the loss of the row of trees on the west side of Fremont north of 44th Street.
Thanks for Toby and Leo’s comments. It seems to me that if we have trees that are surviving and doing well enough, development projects should shape themselves to the trees rather than the other way around. If the trees can’t survive construction, maybe that should be determined ahead of time and the project modified so that the construction and tree life can co-exist. Wouldn’t that be real tree protection? No viable tree sacrifice. With the way things are, any tree can be taken down because a project’s construction doesn’t allow them to live. In other words, any construction project is viable but a tree? Maybe not. Does this mean a new set of criteria are needed? Or maybe they already exist and I’m just not aware. And I need to keep writing letters….