Submitted by Lakewood Garry Oak Conservancy.
Our Garry Oak trees in Lakewood are in peril from rampant development, warehouse concrete, and deficient City planning. We are appealing to the City Council to adjust its code for these ancient and endangered trees. If so moved, please sign the petition.
It is also in Korean to help our neighbors be engaged.
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stop-warehouses-save-the-lakewood-garry-oaks
I’m all for saving the oaks, but a blanket statement saying I strongly oppose further development of warehouses ANYWHERE in Lakewood??? I won’t sign based on that sentence.
There are enough warehouses. Lakewood doesn’t need any more warehouses. Why don’t they fill the ones they have? In the documents, they apply for permits to build “speculative” warehouses. How can you cut down forests of oaks for “speculative” warehouses?
Why should we pave over beautiful Lakewood with warehouses that are tax shelters for the rich who are taking advantage of Economic Opportunity Zones to line their own pockets, when they were conceived of supposedly as ways of raising up underprivileged neighborhoods?
The tree situation has always upset me. Many officials for the city came here from California, unfortunately, when asked what they have against our trees they said we don’t know what to do with them. I said you leave them!
On another note, in order to be allowed by the state to become a city they had to guarantee to build houses/apartments to assure city growth. It was by a certain amount that I cannot remember but it was a lot.
Our remaining tree communities provide islands of calm regard to rest passing souls through the urban maze of indifferent commerce. Their loss imperils the balance of natural habitat central to the sustaining character of place that gives a city grace.
There is another option. If is that meaningful, convince enough people to purchase the property that contains these Oaks. Unintended consequences always follow laws. There are infinite ‘shoulds’ that many people want to protect, conserve, endorse, support. If we passed laws for each one, there would be no net pay for anyone.
I love trees. I also love the advancement of mankind. Commerce is what pays for everything…well, I guess we can continue to print money, inflate the dollar, and give everyone a paycheck until the dollar fails.
Laws have consequences. Limits on growth makes everything more expensive. The people who are hurt are the poorest. Oh, just add a gas tax to pay for it…make a mileage tax to pay for it. The wealthy never suffer the consequences of their ‘good ideas’.
Buy the land, then you own it. You can protect everything you own…unless the government strong arms you with eminent domain.
bsn
How can you own trees that are hundreds of years old and there before any Europeans even set foot on this land?
There are enough warehouses. Lakewood doesn’t need any more warehouses. Why don’t they fill the ones they have? In the documents, they apply for permits to build “speculative” warehouses. How can you cut down forests of oaks for “speculative” warehouses?
Why should we pave over beautiful Lakewood with warehouses that are tax shelters for the rich who are taking advantage of Economic Opportunity Zones to line their own pockets, when they were conceived of supposedly as ways of raising up underprivileged neighborhoods?
Martin,
Buy the land in which the trees live. Raise the money to buy the land. That’s how you can protect it without limiting the freedom and liberty of others.
bsn