View Ridge's Giant Douglas Fir

Just moving a planned building a total of 8 feet and removing a proposed parking space would save a giant Douglas fir over 50 inches in diameter.

This project says a lot about Seattle's current priorities. The developer is prioritizing a parking space over an ecologically crucial tree that filters water into Thornton Creek and provides habitat for Seattle's dwindling bird population (not to mention, provides enormous public health value to the future residents and neighbors).

Developer Was Pressuring Planners to Remove this Fir Before Protections Were Installed

SDCI records show that the developer wanted to pick the rules that benefit them -- by hastily getting their application in before the tree protections from Amendment 102 were put in to place.

Prior to Amendment 102 passing, Seattle's tree ordinance allowed the removal of any trees for development without review, even giants like this one.

Through the passage of Amendment 102, City Council has acknowledged that tree removals of this size are not okay without review. We're asking the city to step up and save this tree, too.

A volunteer AIA architect has already proposed an alternate site design to save this tree. It's up to the developer to implement it.

The View Ridge Fir is a Remnant of an Old Seattle Forest

This fir has been in Seattle longer than most people who live here. An aerial view from 1936 shows our fir, living among other giants when this area used to be forested.

This tree pre-dates our local View Ridge community. It could very well pre-date the founding of Seattle itself. It is a part of Seattle's history that is worth saving. Let's not be the generation to raze what remains of what Seattle used to be.