Seattle City Council Includes Protection Language for Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree in Draft Resolution of Comprehensive Plan

We are pleased to share that the Seattle City Council has added protection language for the Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree in a draft resolution of the Seattle Comprehensive Plan, the city’s 20 year plan to accommodate new growth.  This is thanks to Seattle CIty Council Member Rob Saka, who represents the district where the Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree lives.

Copy of page with protection language about Sequoia House and the Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree from Draft Resolution 32183

For those who are not familiar with the Seattle Comprehensive Plan, this is one of the city’s most major overhauls of its land use policy in decades.  Housing density and tree protection are two of the top (and most controversial) issues.   Combined with the recent state mandate that allows up to four buildings on a residential lot and the move by the city to “upzone” many neighborhoods to include more multifamily housing, the inclusion of the Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree in the resolution is especially important and significant for the protection of the Tree.

Sequoia House is included in Resolution 32183 under Section E “Tree Protection”:  “Continue to protect Tier 1 trees as well as development sites, such as Sequoia House in West Seattle, from development that is harmful to Seattle’s heritage trees.” 

A special thanks to Council Member Saka, his Chief of Staff Elaine Ko and Deb Barker and the Morgan Junction Community Association (who took CM Saka on a site visit to see the Tree in March) for making this happen.  Final vote on the resolution is still being determined by the City Council, but if you would like to add your support for protecting the Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree in the draft resolution, please email the Seattle City Council at council@seattle.gov! You can see the full draft resolution here.