Showdown in Stumptown
September 17, 2015 10:38 PM Subscribe
In the midst of Portland, Oregon's ongoing building boom, one property in the Eastmoreland neighborhood has drawn special notice, as it’s home to three giant sequoias over 100 years old. When a local developer announced plans to cut them down to build two new homes, a coalition of neighbors and tree lovers banded together to raise $900,000 to buy the property. (A tree-sitter, perhaps unsurprisingly, has also been involved.) Things weren't looking good until an unexpected ally stepped in: South Park’s Matt Stone.
Kinda drunkposting here but it makes me angry that people would be willing to cut down those trees to make a few bucks. Hope the deal goes through.
posted by Standard Orange at 12:11 AM on September 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Standard Orange at 12:11 AM on September 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
You just allowed to cut down century-old trees that are in the city? That's nucking futs!
posted by five fresh fish at 12:23 AM on September 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by five fresh fish at 12:23 AM on September 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
A tree like those should just automatically become a national monument and the surroundings a national park or nature reserve, all federally owned, protected, and exempt from any sort of development schemes. Cut it down and go to federal prison.
posted by pracowity at 12:25 AM on September 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by pracowity at 12:25 AM on September 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
I was just about to lose faith in Portland, but this is heartening in the way of seeing real evidence of Portland's struggle to continue to be rad. Be rad Portland. Above all.
If this was Calgary people without real souls would already be cursing out everyone who hasn't already sold out for pennys on the dollar. People had mercenary tendencies here when times were good. Now they've leveraged the shit out of their souls and are pretty much committed to the fight against life and good itself.
I'm glad to think that out there somewhere there exists a Portland.
posted by isopraxis at 12:29 AM on September 18, 2015
If this was Calgary people without real souls would already be cursing out everyone who hasn't already sold out for pennys on the dollar. People had mercenary tendencies here when times were good. Now they've leveraged the shit out of their souls and are pretty much committed to the fight against life and good itself.
I'm glad to think that out there somewhere there exists a Portland.
posted by isopraxis at 12:29 AM on September 18, 2015
Looking at the ariel photo, those trees are the last men standing in a sea of single family homes - the single family homes of some of those people protesting probably.
The question seems to be should those trees die a slow death from soil compaction and pollution or a quick one from a chainsaw?
You just allowed to cut down century-old trees that are in the city? That's nucking futs!
There was an FPP here the other day about a tree service removing a massive oak from someone's chimney. That oak was four feet in diameter and probably twice as old as these sequoias. That old tree fell over because someone built a new house to close to it. The chainsaws came later.
It is the people who move into forests to build their excessively large single family dwellings who are the problem. This protest is symbolic nonsense: Trying to save some trees that are anyway doomed by suburban sprawl is missing the point. These country folk gotta move into town.
posted by three blind mice at 12:35 AM on September 18, 2015 [15 favorites]
The question seems to be should those trees die a slow death from soil compaction and pollution or a quick one from a chainsaw?
You just allowed to cut down century-old trees that are in the city? That's nucking futs!
There was an FPP here the other day about a tree service removing a massive oak from someone's chimney. That oak was four feet in diameter and probably twice as old as these sequoias. That old tree fell over because someone built a new house to close to it. The chainsaws came later.
It is the people who move into forests to build their excessively large single family dwellings who are the problem. This protest is symbolic nonsense: Trying to save some trees that are anyway doomed by suburban sprawl is missing the point. These country folk gotta move into town.
posted by three blind mice at 12:35 AM on September 18, 2015 [15 favorites]
sigh, just today a tree was cut down 2 doors from my house. It was a beautiful old apple tree that every year dropped amazing amounts of fruit. No-one ever picked it or let it be donated, and now it's gone.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:04 AM on September 18, 2015
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:04 AM on September 18, 2015
The trees are cool, but it's not like they are a habitat unto themselves—I don't think they will be releasing grizzlies to roam around those three trees. Also, 100 years isn't very old. It's cool that people care, but this isn't a serious conservation issue.
posted by snofoam at 4:14 AM on September 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by snofoam at 4:14 AM on September 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
It's not a conservation issue. It's a quality of life issue.
When I moved here, I had this beautiful tree in the church property across the street. (Yes, I live across the street from God, in a college neighborhood. He's great, quiet on weekends, except Sunday mornings.) Magnificent tree. Was a friend of mine. I'd watch the seasons come and go, and that tree and I would commune. My girl cat Nancy, sometimes when taking her out on her leash, would go to that tree and pretend to climb it before moving along.
And then last June, I woke up one morning to this taking place.
The entire feel of the front of my house has changed. Now it's just a church. There's a beautiful willow a block away that I can see now, but it's just something to look at. It's not my friend. It's not close enough to watch day by day, this giant old thing that stands in the weather and just goes "yeah, that's what's happening now" and is beautiful every fucking day.
I miss my friend. And if those trees are cut down, the people who view them as friends, as part of the neighborhood, they will miss them too. And life there will be diminished.
posted by hippybear at 4:44 AM on September 18, 2015 [29 favorites]
When I moved here, I had this beautiful tree in the church property across the street. (Yes, I live across the street from God, in a college neighborhood. He's great, quiet on weekends, except Sunday mornings.) Magnificent tree. Was a friend of mine. I'd watch the seasons come and go, and that tree and I would commune. My girl cat Nancy, sometimes when taking her out on her leash, would go to that tree and pretend to climb it before moving along.
And then last June, I woke up one morning to this taking place.
The entire feel of the front of my house has changed. Now it's just a church. There's a beautiful willow a block away that I can see now, but it's just something to look at. It's not my friend. It's not close enough to watch day by day, this giant old thing that stands in the weather and just goes "yeah, that's what's happening now" and is beautiful every fucking day.
I miss my friend. And if those trees are cut down, the people who view them as friends, as part of the neighborhood, they will miss them too. And life there will be diminished.
posted by hippybear at 4:44 AM on September 18, 2015 [29 favorites]
It is cute that they care about the trees, but if they wanted to have a meaningful environmental impact they would ignore those three trees and put that money to better use. That same $900,000 could buy a 1000 acre property (and larger in some areas) elsewhere in the state, or pay for permanent conservation easements on several much larger properties, in either case providing perpetual habitat protection and value as well as public access.
Total failure of proper planning regulation.
I would have thought there would be more planning barriers to cutting large trees in Portland, but even in places where there are planning review and public comment requirements, those aren't meant to serve as prohibitions on cutting trees.
posted by Dip Flash at 4:49 AM on September 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
Total failure of proper planning regulation.
I would have thought there would be more planning barriers to cutting large trees in Portland, but even in places where there are planning review and public comment requirements, those aren't meant to serve as prohibitions on cutting trees.
posted by Dip Flash at 4:49 AM on September 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
three trees? gotta roll my eyes at these twee Portlanders. the whole area around me is thick pine forest getting mowed down in dribs and drabs to put in ugly strip malls.
posted by indubitable at 5:11 AM on September 18, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by indubitable at 5:11 AM on September 18, 2015 [6 favorites]
Apparently, an agreement with the city was made last night with the terms to be drawn up today in the morning, but the developers drove in to try and cut down the trees anyway. Fortunately, there was a blockade of protesters who were able to make them go home and give up. Source - video and caption I saw on Facebook.
posted by oceanjesse at 5:37 AM on September 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by oceanjesse at 5:37 AM on September 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
This protest is symbolic nonsense: Trying to save some trees that are anyway doomed by suburban sprawl is missing the point.
To say that Portland is doomed by suburban sprawl is kind of missing the point...of Portland.
posted by oceanjesse at 5:40 AM on September 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
To say that Portland is doomed by suburban sprawl is kind of missing the point...of Portland.
posted by oceanjesse at 5:40 AM on September 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
That same $900,000 could buy a 1000 acre property
Sure, assuming you could raise equal interest and money for that thousand acres out in the middle of nowhere, which you probably couldn't, so it's kind of pointless to complain that it should have been otherwise. And if you are going to complain about the effectiveness of this, you might as well start complaining about how many people they (and you and I) could feed instead of everything else we throw money at.
People protect themselves, their families, their homes, their neighborhoods, and so on, in larger and larger concentric circles. That South Park guy coughed up the money for the trees because Kenny, Kyle, and Butters all live in the neighborhood, not in the Amazon. (And because he's not Norwegian.)
posted by pracowity at 5:53 AM on September 18, 2015 [7 favorites]
Sure, assuming you could raise equal interest and money for that thousand acres out in the middle of nowhere, which you probably couldn't, so it's kind of pointless to complain that it should have been otherwise. And if you are going to complain about the effectiveness of this, you might as well start complaining about how many people they (and you and I) could feed instead of everything else we throw money at.
People protect themselves, their families, their homes, their neighborhoods, and so on, in larger and larger concentric circles. That South Park guy coughed up the money for the trees because Kenny, Kyle, and Butters all live in the neighborhood, not in the Amazon. (And because he's not Norwegian.)
posted by pracowity at 5:53 AM on September 18, 2015 [7 favorites]
There's something fundamentally wrong with our society when the only way to stop something evil from happening is to hope you can find a rich person to support your cause.
posted by Beholder at 6:07 AM on September 18, 2015 [14 favorites]
posted by Beholder at 6:07 AM on September 18, 2015 [14 favorites]
Doomed by suburban sprawl? Portland's green belt is designed specifically to PREVENT sprawl. Now they just need to update it to protect historic trees like these who happen to find themselves inside the line.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:41 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:41 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Notable for the strange occurrence of a South Park bro publicly taking a stand on something. How utterly predictable that it required only an infusion of money and no risk.
posted by Poldo at 7:10 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Poldo at 7:10 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
but even in places where there are planning review and public comment requirements, those aren't meant to serve as prohibitions on cutting trees
I don't know Portland's planning regime (and I bet you know more than me), but that is the failure of proper planning regulation that I was referring to. It is entirely possible for a society to implement planning laws that prevent certain trees being cut down without sufficient reason (not merely including a desire for development), e.g. where I live, Tree Preservation Orders. In Portland's case, it is wonderful that these trees have been saved, and everyone involved should be fucking livid that members of the public had to pay a developer $900,000 to save them. This is not a victory (in my humble opinion), it is a symptom of a society that hasn't implemented appropriate regulation.
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posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:17 AM on September 18, 2015 [6 favorites]
I don't know Portland's planning regime (and I bet you know more than me), but that is the failure of proper planning regulation that I was referring to. It is entirely possible for a society to implement planning laws that prevent certain trees being cut down without sufficient reason (not merely including a desire for development), e.g. where I live, Tree Preservation Orders. In Portland's case, it is wonderful that these trees have been saved, and everyone involved should be fucking livid that members of the public had to pay a developer $900,000 to save them. This is not a victory (in my humble opinion), it is a symptom of a society that hasn't implemented appropriate regulation.
In that context, please invest with quidnunc kid natural wealth management Inc.! We invest in property containing features of significant beauty that contribute to the natural wealth of their surrounding area, and then threaten to destroy that natural beauty unless members of the public pay us hefty rents. Then we laugh in the faces of those stupid suckers, while we light our cigars with $100-bills! Every new investor gets a free cigar, and returns well above comparable S&P 500 yields. Plus you get to meet celebrities! And you can threaten to destroy those celebrities unless people pay you hefty rents, or to not destroy them unless people pay you hefty rents, depending on the celebrity in question. A single Taylor Swift, for example, could see an annual return on investment of over 27.4%.
quidnunc kid natural wealth management Inc. is a deregistered investment advisor, unlicensed to give investment advice and to manage investments. Please note that representatives associated with quidnunc kid natural wealth management Inc. may only discuss and/or transact securities business with the residents of the following states: CZ, CF, F4, IK, IQ, KK, M!, M?, N-flat major, N-flat minor, NX, XN and ZOX.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 7:17 AM on September 18, 2015 [6 favorites]
Also, 100 years isn't very old. It's cool that people care, but this isn't a serious conservation issue.
I would love to have trees half that age near my house. My neighborhood is newish and at best, the trees planted are just barely into their teens. The absence of mature trees makes the place seem a bit more harsh and alien. They might be just three 100 year old trees, but a tree is a beautiful thing and even just one can make the world a much better place.
posted by Atreides at 7:32 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I would love to have trees half that age near my house. My neighborhood is newish and at best, the trees planted are just barely into their teens. The absence of mature trees makes the place seem a bit more harsh and alien. They might be just three 100 year old trees, but a tree is a beautiful thing and even just one can make the world a much better place.
posted by Atreides at 7:32 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
East and Gulf Coaster here -- there are so many live oaks "accidentally" or purposefully cut down that it becomes a blur. Invariably the trees are all "under stress" or "in decline" (aren't we all?)
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:36 AM on September 18, 2015
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:36 AM on September 18, 2015
Here's a brief review the tree-removal requirements of Portland and it's surrounding cities. Lake Oswego, in particular, tries hard to restrict tree-cutting:
Lake Oswego has some of the most restrictive tree-cutting restrictions -- allowing property owners to cut down no more than two trees that are 5- to 10-inches in diameter, per year. Larger trees require city staff to visit, posted public notice and a 28-day public comment and appeal period.
I grew up in the Portland west hills and hate seeing all the cut down and cut up trees when I go home to visit.
posted by Auden at 8:15 AM on September 18, 2015
Lake Oswego has some of the most restrictive tree-cutting restrictions -- allowing property owners to cut down no more than two trees that are 5- to 10-inches in diameter, per year. Larger trees require city staff to visit, posted public notice and a 28-day public comment and appeal period.
I grew up in the Portland west hills and hate seeing all the cut down and cut up trees when I go home to visit.
posted by Auden at 8:15 AM on September 18, 2015
In a sane world, trees like that would add so much to the property value that no developer would dream of cutting them down. I'm not a big fan of "blame the consumer" in most situations, but honestly, I will just never understand the people who buy, and want to live, on clear-cut and bulldozed-clean house lots.
posted by mstokes650 at 8:17 AM on September 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by mstokes650 at 8:17 AM on September 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
These trees have particular historical significance, not just due to their age.
They lie on an old (originally native) trading path that went North and west from Oregon City. Sequoia seeds were traded North along the path, and you can almost trace the path by looking at the (sometimes former) location of the Sequoia trees. It's not easy to discern from a map, but there are roads which driven down can give you a much better perspective.
Oatfield RD goes through Jennings Lodge, above McLoughlin on the West, and above Kellogg Creek on the East, and points right at Moreland from OC, and it's one of the best drives in Portland, because of the trees
Unfortunately Portland's local politics have been infused with real estate money and interests for at least a good ten years now. Our current Mayor receives half of his donations from Real Estate.
posted by shenkerism at 8:40 AM on September 18, 2015 [7 favorites]
They lie on an old (originally native) trading path that went North and west from Oregon City. Sequoia seeds were traded North along the path, and you can almost trace the path by looking at the (sometimes former) location of the Sequoia trees. It's not easy to discern from a map, but there are roads which driven down can give you a much better perspective.
Oatfield RD goes through Jennings Lodge, above McLoughlin on the West, and above Kellogg Creek on the East, and points right at Moreland from OC, and it's one of the best drives in Portland, because of the trees
Unfortunately Portland's local politics have been infused with real estate money and interests for at least a good ten years now. Our current Mayor receives half of his donations from Real Estate.
posted by shenkerism at 8:40 AM on September 18, 2015 [7 favorites]
...those trees are the last men standing in a sea of single family homes...
I don't think they will be releasing grizzlies to roam around those three trees.
I would watch the fuck out of that reality show.
posted by The Bellman at 9:22 AM on September 18, 2015
I don't think they will be releasing grizzlies to roam around those three trees.
I would watch the fuck out of that reality show.
posted by The Bellman at 9:22 AM on September 18, 2015
It is cute that they care about the trees
Having lovely trees in your neighborhood, especially as a kid, means you're more likely to appreciate the non-monetary, non-numerary, but still very important benefits of having nature in your life.
If you think too many people are going crazy and killing themselves, killing others, hoarding, abusing, or just not taking care of themselves, then maybe consider that this kind of thing might have a positive preventative effect. Just because it hasn't been measured, and is so complicated that it would be difficult to measure, doesn't mean the effect is negligible. I'd be willing to bet that it's huge, for a lot of people.
Also, if you yourself don't feel any particular affection for trees or wildlife, don't assume that most other people experience the world the same way. A prominent and healthy natural environment is calming, even invigorating, for a lot of people.
posted by amtho at 9:45 AM on September 18, 2015
Having lovely trees in your neighborhood, especially as a kid, means you're more likely to appreciate the non-monetary, non-numerary, but still very important benefits of having nature in your life.
If you think too many people are going crazy and killing themselves, killing others, hoarding, abusing, or just not taking care of themselves, then maybe consider that this kind of thing might have a positive preventative effect. Just because it hasn't been measured, and is so complicated that it would be difficult to measure, doesn't mean the effect is negligible. I'd be willing to bet that it's huge, for a lot of people.
Also, if you yourself don't feel any particular affection for trees or wildlife, don't assume that most other people experience the world the same way. A prominent and healthy natural environment is calming, even invigorating, for a lot of people.
posted by amtho at 9:45 AM on September 18, 2015
Also, 100 years isn't very old. It's cool that people care, but this isn't a serious conservation issue.
A hundred might not be old to a tortoise, but it's pretty damn old to me.
The bigger point, however, is that for something to reach the age of two or three hundred, it must first survive being one hundred! It's not just that the trees are a century old, it's that our grandchildren might see them double that age. If they aren't chopped down in an act of short sighted greed, that is.
posted by Beholder at 9:52 AM on September 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
A hundred might not be old to a tortoise, but it's pretty damn old to me.
The bigger point, however, is that for something to reach the age of two or three hundred, it must first survive being one hundred! It's not just that the trees are a century old, it's that our grandchildren might see them double that age. If they aren't chopped down in an act of short sighted greed, that is.
posted by Beholder at 9:52 AM on September 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
Trying to save some trees that are anyway doomed by suburban sprawl is missing the point. These country folk gotta move into town.These trees *are* in the middle of town. That's just what some neighborhoods in Portland looks like. Eastmoreland is just south of Reed College and is a highly sought-after neighborhood. Plenty of folks are moving to Portland so we're experiencing a huge housing crunch because we have an urban growth boundary. Which leads to developers taking any piece of land they can get their hands on and building large homes with zero yard space because people pay more for big houses than big yards.
posted by funkiwan at 10:42 AM on September 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Plenty of folks are moving to Portland so we're experiencing a huge housing crunch because we have an urban growth boundary.
Right... Of course we can't build housing outside the urban growth boundary. Building on empty lots? Not this one, anyway. Maybe not others either. Probably not a lot of empty lots left in any case. Well, maybe you can tear down a house and build an apartment house with several units? No, that would disrupt the neighborhood feel. In any case, you can't go wide (gotta keep the big yards) and you can't go tall (height limits are important to neighborhood character).
Oh, so there's a huge housing crunch? Wonder how that happened... Well, it's all the new arrivals' fault anyway, certainly not ours.
posted by alexei at 11:38 AM on September 18, 2015
Right... Of course we can't build housing outside the urban growth boundary. Building on empty lots? Not this one, anyway. Maybe not others either. Probably not a lot of empty lots left in any case. Well, maybe you can tear down a house and build an apartment house with several units? No, that would disrupt the neighborhood feel. In any case, you can't go wide (gotta keep the big yards) and you can't go tall (height limits are important to neighborhood character).
Oh, so there's a huge housing crunch? Wonder how that happened... Well, it's all the new arrivals' fault anyway, certainly not ours.
posted by alexei at 11:38 AM on September 18, 2015
Well, it's all the new arrivals' fault anyway, certainly not ours.
As a lifetime Portlander who's seen my childhood neighborhood razed and developed and who can't buy a house in the city, I'd say there's a problem. It's not all the fault of transplants. The biggest and most notorious developer baron in NEP is based in the suburbs. and plenty of native portlanders have sold their homes for a quick payout.
No, the problem lies in regulations. Population density does need to increase. I'd support apartments and multi family dwellings. But we're not seeing that. Instead we get towering three story duplexes supporting couples.
Tearing down neighborhoods for that is not urban growth planning, it's a loophole for a most destructive capitalism.
posted by iamck at 2:05 PM on September 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
As a lifetime Portlander who's seen my childhood neighborhood razed and developed and who can't buy a house in the city, I'd say there's a problem. It's not all the fault of transplants. The biggest and most notorious developer baron in NEP is based in the suburbs. and plenty of native portlanders have sold their homes for a quick payout.
No, the problem lies in regulations. Population density does need to increase. I'd support apartments and multi family dwellings. But we're not seeing that. Instead we get towering three story duplexes supporting couples.
Tearing down neighborhoods for that is not urban growth planning, it's a loophole for a most destructive capitalism.
posted by iamck at 2:05 PM on September 18, 2015 [4 favorites]
We are a neighborhood of old trees. The sycamore right in front of my house is a very mature 60 feet or more, probably planted about the time the house was built in 1950. Sadly the old oak two houses down was planted long before the road and therefore was too close to the power lines when they went in. After a few storms dropped limbs onto the power lines, the family decided it had to go. It was like murder and left an enormous stump in the front that 5 years later is still a reminder of what we lost.
The thing that strikes me is that people around here are not wealthy people and many of them are renters. The old pecan, oak, and sycamore trees get cut down but the newly planted trees are usually fast growers like Bradford pears which are short lived. When you expect to move out of your home in your lifetime rather than pass your house onto your offspring you generally choose trees for this generation rather than for generations to come.
We cut down two sweet gum trees that were nuisance trees and planted a cedar and a big leaf magnolia. The cedar after only 8 years is looking fine. I hope to live long enough to see the big leaf magnolia tower over the house and provide shade for the entire side garden.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:01 PM on September 18, 2015
The thing that strikes me is that people around here are not wealthy people and many of them are renters. The old pecan, oak, and sycamore trees get cut down but the newly planted trees are usually fast growers like Bradford pears which are short lived. When you expect to move out of your home in your lifetime rather than pass your house onto your offspring you generally choose trees for this generation rather than for generations to come.
We cut down two sweet gum trees that were nuisance trees and planted a cedar and a big leaf magnolia. The cedar after only 8 years is looking fine. I hope to live long enough to see the big leaf magnolia tower over the house and provide shade for the entire side garden.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:01 PM on September 18, 2015
My last house here in Ballard had a a redwood in the side yard. It, was a royal pain in the ass, as it dropped a ton of stuff on the roof. And if it ever fell, we would mostly end up dead. Love that tree. New owners haven't cut it down so yay!
posted by Windopaene at 5:23 PM on September 18, 2015
posted by Windopaene at 5:23 PM on September 18, 2015
Full disclaimer: I'm writing from an SF perspective, so while I think we have many similar issues, I'm sure there are differences too.
I'd support apartments and multi family dwellings. But we're not seeing that. Instead we get towering three story duplexes supporting couples.
I'm not sure I follow. Wouldn't apartment houses be equally 'towering'? Is it that the duplexes have too much square footage (although I also hear criticism that new apartments being built are "too small for families")? Would it be ok if the new buildings were subdivided into four units instead of two?
Even when everyone agrees on the need for more housing, it often seems to devolve into "oh, but not here... and maybe not over there. And not like that. Now that might be a good spot, but it needs to fulfill requirements A, B and C, and if that's not feasible then maybe we should just put it on hold." And meanwhile the pressure just keeps rising and rising...
I can hardly criticize the fact that these trees were saved, but-- all else being equal-- the neighborhood is a bit more attractive, a little bit more exclusive, and a bit more expensive than it otherwise would have been. And I doubt there's anyone agitating to build an apartment house or five nearby to change that course.
posted by alexei at 5:31 PM on September 18, 2015
I'd support apartments and multi family dwellings. But we're not seeing that. Instead we get towering three story duplexes supporting couples.
I'm not sure I follow. Wouldn't apartment houses be equally 'towering'? Is it that the duplexes have too much square footage (although I also hear criticism that new apartments being built are "too small for families")? Would it be ok if the new buildings were subdivided into four units instead of two?
Even when everyone agrees on the need for more housing, it often seems to devolve into "oh, but not here... and maybe not over there. And not like that. Now that might be a good spot, but it needs to fulfill requirements A, B and C, and if that's not feasible then maybe we should just put it on hold." And meanwhile the pressure just keeps rising and rising...
I can hardly criticize the fact that these trees were saved, but-- all else being equal-- the neighborhood is a bit more attractive, a little bit more exclusive, and a bit more expensive than it otherwise would have been. And I doubt there's anyone agitating to build an apartment house or five nearby to change that course.
posted by alexei at 5:31 PM on September 18, 2015
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posted by the quidnunc kid at 12:09 AM on September 18, 2015 [3 favorites]