Tuesday, October 2, 2012

'Parkside' Trees: City Staff Conspires With Developer To Hide Information

Mr Adrian McGilly, husband of Mayor Jennifer West, levels an explosive accusation; the Planning Department staff at City Hall, deliberately misled the city council in a report about publicly owned street trees a developer wishes to cut down as part of the new 'Parkside' condominium project now being built at Hollis and Powell Streets.  The Secret News covers the story:

Emeryville City Staff Deliberately Misled City Council

October 1, 2012
By Adrian McGilly


Open letter to City Council says staff instructed “Parkside” developer to delete portions of arborist’s report

City Council Members:
Attached is the Staff Report you all received prior to voting to authorize the removal of 33 mature trees along Stanford [Street].  It includes the arborist report commissioned by Archstone and produced by Hortscience Inc., which recommends the destruction of those [public] trees. As you know, I find it sad and misguided that mature trees will be destroyed on a site that is being turned into a public park. I find this decision so repulsive that I have spent a lot of time trying to understand how it happened. I want to share with you some of my findings...

Click HERE for the rest of the story.

6 comments:

  1. Something I would like to see addressed is the reasoning why some people think some trees are better than others. For example, at Emeryville's Temescal Creek Park, the Eucalyptus trees are slated to be removed for park improvements this winter. Sure these trees are not native to the area, but are the homes to two of Emeryville's resident mating Falcons. You cannot put a price on these type of trees and their inhabitants. Doesn't anybody know what is right and what is wrong anymore?

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  2. Its all around the world that this happens, failure to comply and then one ends up lying because they know they can get away with it. Its the worst when you try to stop the actual tree service people and then get extremely nasty with you...

    -Tony Salmeron

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  3. Thank you Mr. McGilly. It may not be too late to save the trees.? The City Council should take up the item to attempt to save the trees. Maybe we can occupy the trees if all else fails. The community should nor allow this to happen

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  4. The correct name for this park "Papermill Park". The City Council video of the meeting when the park was approved, Feb 7, 2012 is posted on the property owners web page. www.epoa.us The developer talks about the trees and why they need to be removed.

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  5. @ Oct 4, 1:43
    Falcons are cliff dwellers not tree dwellers.

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    Replies
    1. There are so many cliffs in Emeryville where these birds should be living, these Falcons must be squatters without pigeon rights. Go ahead and cut them down, Emeryville has laws against those who sleep in parks.

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