Judge puts tree cutting on hold, grants restraining order to Save Our Trees

A huge victory for our urban forests was won today by the North Seattle neighbors fighting to save a greenbelt at Ingraham High School:

A grove of trees near Ingraham High School received an 11th-hour reprieve Wednesday when a King County Superior Court judge ordered a temporary hold on school district plans to fell them.

Seattle Public Schools planned to begin removing the trees Friday over the objections of neighbors who argue that a hearing examiner erred when he found earlier this year that the cutting wouldn't significantly affect the environment. Chief Civil Judge John Erlick's decision Wednesday afternoon bars the district from felling the trees until Aug. 27 at the earliest and affords neighbors an opportunity to seek a permanent restraining order.

The district, which apparently anticipated possible legal action by the neighbors, told the court that it signed a contract with Weiss Tree Service and Logging Company last week that awards the company a penalty if it can't cut the trees this weekend.

The district subsequently asked in court that the neighbors pony up a bond to cover the penalty that the district deliberately included in the contract.

Our good friend Steve Zemke (who is one of the plaintiffs and attended the 3 PM hearing earlier today) told NPI that the district originally asked for a $25,000 bond but the judge ultimately reduced it to $7,500.

The neighbors have twenty four hours to post the bond money.

They will be back in court in two weeks to seek a permanent injunction against the district to preserve the greenbelt and force the classroom expansion to be sited in a more appropriate location on campus.

NPI applauds Judge Erlick's decision to grant a temporary restraining order. We'd also like to salute the courage of those involved in the grassroots Save Our Trees effort. Their determination has stopped the chainsaws...for now.