We generally like to report good news here at theshrollys, but last week we couldn’t help but be consumed by a bit of bad news.
The developer next door finally got the plans together to commence with installing new sewer lines, in anticipation of 4 new houses, and the first thing they need to do is to cut down some trees that are in the way of development. I don’t know if you’ve ever witnessed a massive fir tree falling, but I don’t think the video does it justice. After the tree bounced on the ground, a ripple coursed through it almost like it was a blade of grass. The whole house shook. We realized later that evening that one of the lights in our kitchen started working again, the wiring probably fixed by the house shaking.
I definitely understand the that encouraging infill helps Portland meet its urban density goals, and I can see the benefits of higher urban densities – it is part of what I already like about Portland. Unfortunately, though, this process has been quite frustrating as it is very clear that our city officials at the Bureau of Development Services are biased towards development, not towards the citizens who actually live in the neighborhood and deal with the development. When you look at the tree preservation code (developers only need to save 35% of the significant trees on-site), with ample mitigation opportunities to reduce that target even further, it is also clear that the city is encouraging development at the expense of the urban tree canopy. It’s a shame, really.
Personally, I think the developers could achieve similar profit levels with less dense building and in doing so actually keep more of the trees on the site. While this might result in just two or three new houses on the site next door, and therefore lower density, it would also have a lower impact on the surrounding neighborhood and maintain much of what drew many of us to this neighborhood in the first place. As it is, they will be cutting down 5 more large trees and then, likely, they will just sell the lots for somebody else to develop. And it is quite possible that the new owners will just buy the land and never develop, which would truly be a shame.
