Two trees too tall

Published 9:14 pm Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Kermit and Jane Hanson have seen many things happen since becoming Shoreline residents in 1950. Over time, trees have grown, been pruned and chopped down in their neighborhood. Now in their 90s, the Hansons have been told to take down two trees they love.

On June 22 the Hansons learned that the Innis Arden Board had decided that their Colorado blue spruce and birch tree in their front yard must be brought into compliance with the community’s tree height restriction. They have until July 21 to comply with the decision or face possible fines.

“It’s not good news,” Kermit said. “We’re really sorry about (the decision).”

The practice of asking homeowners to comply with height restrictions for trees in the Shoreline neighborhood is not new. Established in the 1950s, Innis Arden has had a view covenant on the books since 1981 that restricts all trees, shrubs, brush and landscaping from being higher than the roof of the house on the lot to preserve views of the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains.

At the time, Kermit, 93, agreed to the covenant but he said he asked for assurance that his mature Colorado blue spruce tree would never be bothered. The spoken agreement didn’t last.

The Hansons received notice of a complaint filed by another Innis Arden resident, John Hollinrake, about their trees in May. Although their homes were a mile apart and they had never personally met, a hearing was held on June 10 to hear both sides of the trees and views debate.

“My only interest is I’d like people to comply with the rules so all our property values are protected as well as our views,” Hollinrake said. “Unfortunately the Hansons are in the minority in that they refuse to follow the rules. There’s not a big controversy or anything.”

The Hansons have been good neighbors by windowing or thinning branches of both trees since 2005, their daughter, Katherine Hanson said, and the couple would have been willing to continue that practice if given permission by the board. The complaint process does not encourage good relations between neighbors, she added.

“At this point my father’s real concern is the neighborhood’s cooperation,” she said.

Although too late to save his trees, Kermit hopes a change in the process of how trees are dealt with in Innis Arden may foster better relationships between neighbors and save other trees. He plans to submit an idea to the Innis Arden Board at its annual meeting in August suggesting that an advisory panel of professionals who are not Innis Arden residents complete an inventory of possible problem trees and unkempt lots and report to the board directly.

“I think this will galvanize me into action as far as the current procedure on trees,” he said. “It may not save our trees but it could save others.”