Re: Palouse Mall landscaping

[sean <o2design@wsu.edu>]

Mr. Bird,
In regard to the points you make below, I would offer the following 
clarifications.

The so-called last-minute information you mention (i.e., plant sizes 
and removal/relocations) was provided at the request of the Community 
Forester, and was in excess of the information originally requested. 
None of this constituted new information, but rather it was provided 
to lessen the work of staff in their process of review.  All of this 
information was either  provided previously, was contained within the 
plans, or was accessible by visiting the site.

It is grossly inaccurate to refer to the planned tree removals as 
mature and healthy.  An on-site inspection of the trees will reveal 
that they are predominantly in poor health, damaged, of a noxious 
variety, recently planted, saplings or at their formative years.  The 
clear minority are mature.  Regarding relocations, accepted 
horticultural practices make this a viable option.  This has been 
corroborated by the University of Idaho Arboretae Committee and 
maintenance and operations staff reviews, as well as by the City 
Community Forester.   Specific steps to assure survival will be made 
in concert with the latter branch of staff (no pun intended).

I can not say to what extent you reviewed the view lines shown on the 
latest plans, however as the individual who identified the sight 
lines I can say that all but one of them are based upon preexisting 
sight lines.  Similarly, a landscape that is not fastidiously 
maintained to a set standard of forms and sizes (like the current 
site) will result in an appearance that changes.  There is no known 
landscape form or character for this site because there is no known 
landscape plan.  As such, designing what is the best possible 
landscape has been the goal of this project, and not to resurrect a 
past form that resulted from haphazard planting and unchecked growth.

For your question about what the justifications were for the design I 
would refer you to previous project presentations and Council 
minutes.  The Council and City staff were given brief narratives 
reiterating these points as well.  The current version of the plan 
responds to suggestions made at the previous presentation to Council, 
including but not limited to a reduction in the number of Scotch 
Pines removed and an increase in evergreen trees added.  Thus it 
represents a plan that has been changed in the interim to address 
requests by Council and City staff.  It is not a new plan.

I hope this information will assist you understanding the true nature 
of this plan.

s

>Dear council members,
>Thank you for your decision to delay a vote on the Palouse Mall's 
>landscaping.  As the questions raised at the meeting Monday night 
>indicated, there was too much last-minute information presented to 
>allow thorough and thoughtful consideration of the plan.
>
>I remain opposed to the removal of mature and healthy trees from the 
>buffer strip along State Highway 8.  I do not accept the University 
>of Idaho's position that "view lines" need to be provided to 
>businesses at the mall, or that the proposal only widens existing 
>openings.  Many of these openings did not exist before the illegal 
>removal of vegetation in November of 2000.
>
>While I applaud the proposal to increase the number of trees within 
>the mall parking lot and along Farm Road, I fail to see the 
>justification for removing and/or relocating this many trees from 
>the buffer strip. Please review the proposal carefully before your 
>decision on March 11.
>Sincerely,
>Kenton Bird
>517 East B St.
>Moscow
>
>
>
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com


-- 


         * * * * * * * *
         Sean Michael, Ph.D.
         Program Coordinator / Assistant Professor
         Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
         Washington State University


         149 Johnson/ Pullman 99164-6414
         509.335.1470  /  .8690 F

         http://hortla.wsu.edu/la.html


Note: this email is intended solely for the recipient(s) to whom it 
is sent.  The contents may not be distributed, in part or in whole, 
without the author's consent.