I read the article “She gave the tree a voice” with both humor and disbelief (page A1, Aug. 7 Herald).

Why is it that businesses (whether large or small) put up with radical preservationists and these people are freely allowed to negatively impact the progress of legal operations? This elderly woman, because she had “a special connection” with this tree, seemed to believe that what is hers is hers and what is yours is hers also (by the way, this is an old Soviet Union joke about their system).

Ironically, I suppose that if this woman had fallen out of the tree she would have been able to sue the construction company and/or the landowner for her injuries. I was disappointed to learn that the Poulsbo Police Department did not immediately pull this person out of the tree and that she was charged with trespassing at the minimum.

Developers take note: if this occurs in the future, then just take your chainsaw and girdle the tree. What point would there be for a “protester” to remain and save a dying tree?

The political rhetoric gets fuel as apparently the mayor now wants the city to get more involved in telling developers which trees that they have to retain (in part due to her being a “strong advocate for trees”). I have to ask: Where was she when the trees located on the subdivision development along Noll Road (near the elementary school) were cut? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not necessarily against what happened at this site and I’m assuming that perhaps some trees will be planted along the roadways, but that’s up to the developer and future residents of this area. However, I do have to wonder that if all the trees were going to be removed, then why did the city require the developer to identify the species, diameter and GPS locations of each tree in excess of 12 inches? Just because they can? What was the point of increasing the permit/development costs if they were going to clear everything anyway?

In the future, if the city requires an individual or company to leave a 50- to 80-year-old Douglas fir tree standing and, because it is now wide open to storms it falls down on someone’s house, is the city liable? I had to chuckle at the mayor displaying pictures of Seattle’s Capitol Hill district to the City Council. How long has it been that this area was clearcut to make way for development? Also, and I might be wrong on this, but didn’t Capitol Hill get leveled to some extent for use of earthen material to fill in the waterfront area of Seattle?

I grew up in this community and have watched its growth — some good, some bad. Other than perhaps the out-of-character City Hall downtown, I think that Poulsbo, even with its new subdivisions, will still look attractive in 50 years and certainly better than Seattle.

Paul Tweiten
Poulsbo