That’s mentioned in the story/

Adjacent property owners have the accountability of maintaining trees along arterials and other streets, unless the tree was planted by the city. Doesn’t mean a government agency might not step in and do some cutting for reasons such as the City Light get-the-tree-out-of-the-wires cutting in recent years, but otherwise, it’s up to the property owner (Parks in this case).

As for the bogginess of the park, you hit it on the head, this area was a large bog that was turned into a park. There are a number of natural underground springs that feed into this basin. The Parks have made numerous attempts to mitigate this problem with no success. Once a bog, always a bog.

As for the school buses, this was a proposal that came from the school district before reopening Fairmount Park. The handling of full sized buses in front of the school (loading and unloading) was very problematic before the school closed. The proposed solution (much to the liking of the local residences) was to move the loading and unloading of large school buses onto Fauntleroy. This is the reason for the new all weather pathway. As for bus drivers complaining I don’t know but I suspect it is more a case of coincidence and just another good reason to remove the dangerous trees. AND, I suspect SDOT gets involved in a number of ways, traffic safety being one and who do you think will be replacing the terrible sidewalk?

I like the idea of trying to help the bog with planting new trees…Fairmount Park is terrible from November thru April … Now that there is a new school there, is anyone looking at how to mitigate the mud or will kids be wearing welling tons to school?!?

Friends of the Urban Forest is working on writing a Tree Ordinance to address how and when trees can be removed.

Mary Fleck
co-chair, West Seattle Green Spaces Coalition