EDMONDS — After unanimously passing its interim tree ordinance on Monday night, Edmonds city staff will begin crafting a permanent policy to protect certain large, landmark trees from removal.
The interim ordinance protects trees with a diameter of 30 or more inches 4.5 feet off the ground from removal with the hope that the policy “reinforces the importance of protecting and maintaining the city’s tree canopy.”
The temporary policy does not cover trees deemed hazardous or a nuisance by city code.
“I want to thank our very mighty environmentalist community here in Edmonds,” council member Chris Eck said on Monday night. “You all contributed to this ordinance.”
Before the vote, residents spoke about the importance of providing protection for large trees. One community member talked about a pair of eagles nesting in her tree, raising two eaglets.
With the temporary ordinance in place for one year, city planning staff will now start working through the permitting process to build a permanent ordinance to consider in 2026.
The city hopes to analyze current tree permit types to identify and work through existing issues, according to a work plan draft sent by council member Susan Paine. By fall, staff hopes to clarify definitions and studied options for tree removal and replacement options. Over the winter, staff can then look at enforcement options and put together a complete ordinance to bring to city council next spring.
“These trees give us so much with their presence, cooling in the summer, absorption of gallons of water during our big rain events, capturing pollutants with their foliage, and provide a beautiful place for us to all live,” Paine wrote in an email on Tuesday. “I am very grateful that this code work can begin and that we will have significant tree protection by Earth Day next year.”
Eliza Aronson: 425-339-3434; eliza.aronson@heraldnet.com; X: @ElizaAronson.
Eliza’s stories are supported by the Herald’s Environmental and Climate Reporting Fund.
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