Big tree topples onto Gatewood house; everybody OK

| Gatewood | West Seattle news

(HELICOPTER NOTE: The Channel 7 chopper some have asked about in the 11 am hour was shooting this scene.)

Close call for a Gatewood family this morning! Mark Brent tweeted a photo after that tree fell this morning on the back of his house; we went over a short time ago to get the photo you see above, and to find out more about what happened. Mark told us his wife was inside that part of the house when she heard a noise – and suddenly, the tree came crashing down. Neither she nor anyone else was hurt. They’re currently working to find somebody to come over and take care of the tree; he says there are a couple other nearby trees that are of concern too.

Dc March 25, 2011 (9:37 am)

Wow! Thank goodness no one was hurt!

35this35mph March 25, 2011 (9:39 am)

Holy cow! Thankful everybody is ok! Makes me look at my tree-neighbors with a bit more of a jaundiced eye!

thankful March 25, 2011 (9:40 am)

What street is this on? It bears a striking resemblance to a house on Ida.

WSB March 25, 2011 (9:51 am)

Since public agencies like police/fire weren’t involved, I would leave it to the homeowner whether he wants to disclose his vicinity. I will say, not Ida, but it is that area of Gatewood – Tracy

Chuck and Sally's Van Man March 25, 2011 (10:05 am)

Odd event considering it isn’t even windy today. I wonder if it was already damaged/leaning from earlier storms? Glad everyone is okay.

Alki Observer March 25, 2011 (10:14 am)

Glad to hear everyone is okay. Best of luck to the family with their insurance company and contractors. Recovery from that kind of situation can be incredibly time consuming and vexing. Our friends went through a similar experience a few years back and it took them quite a while to sort things out. Just glad no on got hurt in either case.

Lara March 25, 2011 (10:19 am)

Looks like it barely missed their car at least!

nulu March 25, 2011 (10:50 am)

Another reminder of the dangers and costs of tree ownership.
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If the tree owner had removed this dangerous and costly tree, the vocal Plant Amnesty brainwashed non-tree owning tree lovers of West Seattle would be having a rant fest.
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Tree politics on West Seattle hillsides were difficult enough before the advent of Plant Amnesty style polemics in our building codes.
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I am now responsible for dozens of hazardous multi-trunked “volunteer” “junk” trees, mostly big leaf maples, that whenever I have trimmed, someone calls in a complaint.
I in turn, must defend my actions to DPD.
I have had an inspector illegally trespass to photograph a stump that was intentionally left after I went through the long and expensive process of securing a permit to remove the tree. The inspector did not even check for permits or speak with me before sending out a citation by registered mail.
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Most people would be shocked to hear some of the tree requirements that have been recently added to our building codes.
These codes were cleverly defined to cover new construction and vacant lots only, therefore bypassing the vast majority of West Seattle homes.
If your house was already here, you can defoliate and pave your property…and scream bloody murder when a neighbor does the same.

Diane March 25, 2011 (11:05 am)

glad all are ok
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not sure if this tree is big enough, but before having it cut up to remove, maybe contact Meyer/Wells to see if they can use; they make incredible furniture out of reclaimed urban trees
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http://www.meyerwells.com
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or City Tree Salvage
http://www.citytreesalvage.com/

Owlish March 25, 2011 (11:34 am)

We swapped out our kid’s room with our office because our neighbors won’t take care of their hazard tree and if it falls, it’ll fall on our house, possibly in the middle of the night. What is our recourse?

lucky chick March 25, 2011 (11:59 am)

You can generally remove 3 trees without a permit. A letter from an arborist designating a hazard tree will allow removal of any hazardous tree. Removal is limited on residential lots as follows (the building code actually allows for more tree removal when building or remodeling a single-family residence IF the building plans require it). The following pertains to developed residential lots:
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B. Limits on Tree Removal. In addition to the prohibitions in subsection
25.11.040.A (WHICH STATES THAT ‘EXCEPTIONAL’ TREES ON SINGLE-FAMILY LOTS >5,000 SF CANNOT BE REMOVED OUTRIGHT – “Exceptional tree” means a tree or group of trees that because of its unique historical, ecological, or aesthetic value constitutes an important community resource, and is deemed as such by the Director according to standards promulgated by the Department of Planning and Development), no more than three trees 6 inches or greater dbh (diameter about 4′ above ground) may be removed in any one year period in a Single-family or Residential Small Lot zone…
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The intention of this is to help – you MAY remove 3 significant trees (>6 inches dbh) with no permit, and this easily includes a multi-trunk bigleaf maple, unless it is in a critical area (wetland, steep slope).
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PS – a “volunteer” tree is simply one that has established naturally. There is no legal definition of “junk” tree in Seattle.

Nulu March 25, 2011 (11:59 am)

Owlish,
Your main option is to hire an arborist who can evaluate the tree and write a report.
If the report confirms the tree to be dangerous, send a copy to the offending neighbor as well as a copy to DPD and the city arborist.
This should put the offending neighbor on the hook and prevent them from collecting on their homeowners insurance. It will serve to make them liable.
Before all of this, I hope you have attempt to explain your concerns and your neighbors liability. I would suggest offering to pay some or even entirely for the removal of the tree which could easily be more than $1,000.

iggy March 25, 2011 (12:11 pm)

What’s frustrating is that arborists don’t always agree. My arborist said a neighbor’s tree was hazardous. His arborist said the tree was fine. I was told in a case like this to write a registered letter to the neighbor with my arborist’s report and a copy to my insurance company. That way if the tree does fall and do damage to my property, the neighbor’s insurance will have to pay (or at least my insurance company will try to make the neighbor’s insurance company pay), and I won’t have an adverse claim on my insurance. Normally, if a neighbor’s tree falls on your property, your insurance company pays (and your rates go up).

nulu March 25, 2011 (12:22 pm)

lucky chick is right.
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But she is referring to “developed residential lots.” Different, far more complex rules apply to new construction and Critical Areas where it is not unusual to have DPD demand a new home be re-designed around a tree!
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Also of note, DPD has no enforcement for the rules lucky chic describes, as their inspectors are not allowed to trespass onto the offending homeowner’s property.
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DPD’s second in command, Alan Justad confirmed that in a recent imbroglio concerning an irate fanatic, whose yard is tree barren, actually trespassing and confronting a crew from removing a tree on a Gatewood neighbor’s property.
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Also of note in the code brought up by lucky chick, “Exceptional tree” means a tree or group of trees that because of its unique historical, ecological, or aesthetic value constitutes an important community resource, and is deemed as such by the Director…”
Now that is an intentionally vague definition that allows the DPD to do whatever they want depending on?

b March 25, 2011 (12:44 pm)

Wow, looks like Nulu has some deep emotional problems they need to work out! Yikes.

Part of the solution, not the problem March 25, 2011 (12:52 pm)

Glad the family is okay…

Here is a link to find out more about city tree programs and policies…

http://www.seattle.gov/trees/

This site provides information on a wide range of tree topics from regulations to the benefit of trees.

Nulu March 25, 2011 (1:05 pm)

Yikes, b is right.
And at least some of my deep emotional problems have to do with Seattle’s irrational codes and some others with the mindless manners and cruel intent of some comments.
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I provide some tree regulation facts and relate my experience with DPD, b provides an attack on my mental health.

cho March 25, 2011 (2:31 pm)

Thank you for the link

s March 25, 2011 (3:07 pm)

Thanks for the info Nulu–very helpful. I don’t understand b’s comment.

Timh2o March 25, 2011 (4:41 pm)

I had a large maple that was overhanging my house and I had an arborist look at the tree and he made a report that said it was a hazard and I sent it to the owner of the property by registered mail. He removed the tree pronto. I do not like removing trees, But in this case it was a hazard. I lost the shade in my backyard and now it bakes in the summer.