Trees: Business Interests Trump Residents Interests

In its ongoing investigation about what went wrong with the street trees at the Parkside Project on Powell Street, The Secret News along with Emeryville resident Adrian McGilly uncover a subterfuge program meant to further business interests at the expense of residents interests, including prevarication by the city staff.  In a February 7, 2012 memo to the City Manager and the city council, Planning Director Charlie Bryant said flatly the reason the trees would need to be cut down was to "accommodate the park and the [final, not temporary] parking lot".  As the still unfolding story reveals, that was a fabrication by Mr Bryant.
Here's the latest Secret News story on these trees:

City Willing to Trade 20-Year-Old Trees for Temporary Parking

October 15, 2012

By Adrian McGilly

Council Member Jac Asher has put on the agenda for the next City Council meeting (Oct. 16th) a discussion of whether the city should change the design of the Parkside park to include some or all of the existing trees. Council Member Asher’s willingness to do this shows her commitment to transparent government. It shows that she wants the freedom to cast her votes on the basis of complete information, not partial information cherry-picked by city staff. It shows that she values the right of Emeryville’s residents to receive proper notification (i.e. signs posted on the trees) when the city is contemplating the removal of its trees.
Her actions have already yielded results. In response, Charles Bryant, Planning Director for the City of Emeryville, has issued a Staff Report which finally reveals the real motivation behind the removal of these trees....

Read the rest of the story by clicking HERE.

'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

When the city failed to post notices on the trees to be cut down, Adrian McGilly took it upon himself to do so. While such notice is required under the city’s Urban Forestry Ordinance, the city is exempt. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

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.

Trees To Be Illegally Cut; Developer & City Hall In Cahoots

From The Secret News:

“Parkside” Developer Will Cut Trees in Violation of City Ordinance, Resident Says

August 30, 2012

By Adrian McGilly

33 of these trees will be removed to make way for a park, a parking lot, and an apartment/retail building.

Below is a follow-up article by Adrian McGilly to a letter he sent yesterday to City Planning Director Charles Bryant. The letter, which was printed in The Secret News, asks that the City try to save atleast some of the mature trees on the future site of an apartment/retail development that also includes a park on Stanford between Doyle and Hollis streets. The plan is to cut down 33 mature trees. McGilly is joined in his plea by his wife, Emeryville Mayor Jennifer West, who could not vote on any aspect of the new development because she lives a block away.
______________
I got a response from Mr. Bryant. He assured me that the park design went through all the proper public noticing and hearing processes, that everyone had ample opportunity to weigh in on the fate of these trees, that not very many people did, and that now it’s too late because wheels have been set in motion. It was a very thorough, detailed and respectful response and I am grateful to Mr. Bryant for his time his attention.
But that’s not the end of the story.
There is an Urban Forestry Ordinance (UFO) in this city that includes provisions that protect trees on city property from various threats. For example, one of those provisions is that anyone wanting to remove a city tree must apply for a permit, and the city must post a notice ON THE TREE stating that the tree is slated for removal, giving citizens a chance to weigh in. Obviously, if those signs had been posted on the trees, more people would have taken notice, and more people would have spoken up. That provision was put in the UFO precisely to draw extra attention to the potential destruction of trees, so that more citizens are aware of the threat.
But that was never done. Here’s why:

Please click HERE for the rest of the story.