Plans have been filed to build on four adjacent lots in South Park’s downtown. With 26,900 square feet to work with, neighbors hoped the three evergreens sheltering and cooling the community could be included in the plan. Instead, every tree on the site and four street trees will be removed. 

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These healthy, mature evergreens strengthen public health in South Park.

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The Downtown Evergreens are two Doug Firs and one Western White Pine, about 100 years old, healthy, and native to this place. Evergreen tree needles encapsulate airborne pollutants, disarming them before they can be inhaled. It’s especially important to have this type of filtering in South Park, which has more air pollution, higher rates of asthma and lung disease, and shorter life expectancy than other Seattle neighborhoods.

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South Park deserves tree equity.

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Retaining every tree we can in South Park is especially critical, because South Park has 12% tree canopy compared to Seattle’s average of 28%.  

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South Park has unique “Residential Small Lot” zoning with tree rules that are different from other communities. This zoning allows many large trees to be replaced with “one small deciduous” (aka, ornamental) tree. (source: Seattle Municipal Code Section 23.44.020)

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Small changes can save the Downtown South Park Evergreens and build the same amount of housing.

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The current plan spreads buildings far apart to the edges of the lot, with concrete paths in between. All trees will be removed in this design. The final project will have space for just a few small ornamental trees, which have marginal benefits compared to these evergreens.

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The proposed redesign from a Tree Action Seattle volunteer — and AIA certified architect — shows how small changes in where just six of the 22 buildings go would save all the evergreens.

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How to Help

1. Send this pre-written email to Seattle’s building department (SDCI) and elected officials. We’re asking them to save the Downtown Evergreens and eliminate tree policies which perpetuate environmental injustice and fail to protect South Park’s last remaining large trees. Link not working? See the email addresses and text below.
2. Join us in-person Saturday, October 12 to learn more and stand up for environmental justice–and against Seattle’s failed tree policies

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Prewritten Email

To: Nathan.Torgelson@seattle.gov; Mike.Podowski@seattle.gov; Glenda.Rader@seattle.gov; Bruce.Harrell@seattle.gov; council@seattle.gov; Rob.Saka@seattle.gov

Subject: South Park Tree Concern

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Dear SDCI Staff and Seattle City Leaders:

I am reaching out to ask that the evergreen trees at 1219-1235 S Cloverdale St be incorporated into the new construction. An architect's analysis shows that by slightly moving the placement of 6 out of 22 buildings, the trees can be easily saved while building the same number and size of new homes.

An arborist has examined these century-old evergreens and certified that they are healthy. Native trees are especially valuable to South Park, a community unfairly burdened by pollution and historic discriminatory zoning. South Park has 12% tree canopy compared to Seattle's average 28%.

I also ask that South Park's Residential Small Lot Zoning tree requirements in SMC 23.44.020 be changed to the same tree protection and replacement guidelines in Neighborhood Residential zoning, SMC 25.11.