The car haters' brown thumbs
In case you've been busy with other things this month, don't miss this doozy of a story about the latest snafu from the car haters at the Portland "transportation" bureau: They've been letting newly planted trees on their right-of-ways wither and die because they no longer have a contract in place for anybody to water them.
And in keeping with the City Hall Code of Arrogance, they are utterly unapologetic about it.
The city’s contract with that company ended March 31 of this year, according to PBOT spokeswoman Hannah Schafer. From that point onward, PBOT—the owner of the triangle—became responsible for maintaining the new trees...
Schafer says watering trees is outside the bureau’s scope: “We only trim trees for visibility and clear brush. We simply are not set up for nor have the skills for tree maintenance beyond that.”
The public reaction's been pretty predictable.
Chris Carvalho, via Twitter: “This is PBOT, failing at the simplest things. Not only are they anti-car, they’re also anti-tree.”
Mingus Mapps wants to be mayor. These bureaucrats are his people, for whom he's been going to the mat lately. If they don't get more of your money, the sky will fall! I hope there's another choice for mayor besides MM, Wheeler, and some crazies.
I didn't know it was a skilled job to stand there and water a plant with a hose connected to a water tanker.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm.... I was thinking from the headline here that the "brown thumb" was going to be something like the brown nose. But then again, maybe it is, but whose?
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts as well…just sitting on their thumbs…you know where!
DeleteThe good feeling of community, that once existed, is evaporating in Portland.
ReplyDeleteAbout once a month, PBOT toodles through my neighborhood with a giant tanker truck that waters the bioswales. Yet, somehow, they don't have the skills or resources to water trees.
ReplyDeleteMy fear is we'll end up in a situation where Mingus Mapps is the best candidate for mayor because the others are so much worse.
ReplyDeleteWait,are these the same trees that friends of trees used to maintain for free?
ReplyDeleteJurisdiction?
DeleteA few years ago they could have probably persuaded a business to water the trees in exchange for some sort of ongoing recognition sign.
DeleteIt's always best to plant shrubs and trees in Portland in the fall and follow up in Summer to keep them well watered as they enter the growing season. Also most of the trees planted as street trees if they do survive are guaranteed to wreck the sidewalks if they survive. When I've been offered the opportunity to plant a tree on our strip I've refused.
DeleteI have access to a pickup and I have an open schedule. If someone has an appropriately sized water tank and hose. I’ll do some watering.
ReplyDeleteI’ll probably need assistance with the fines handed down by the pencil necks in city hall
There is a cure! It's called enforcement of the city code Section 11.060.020 E3: " Maintenance. Maintenance of required trees including meeting the maintenance specifications in this Chapter is the ongoing responsibility of the property owner. Trees that die shall be replaced in kind. The cost of the tree and maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner."
ReplyDeleteHuh. No enforcement in Portland? Whooda thought?
And if the city planted the tree and insisted you take care of it and the tree causes damage to the sidewalk, which it will, you will also be responsible for that.
DeleteAnd remember, folks ... you need a permit to prune those trees in your parking strip. https://www.portland.gov/trees/treepermits/street-tree-pruning-permits
DeleteAnd no problem cutting down huge old trees to put up more crap apartments and skinny houses.
ReplyDeleteI suggest that the City of Portland should change its slogan from "The City That Works" to "The City That Works You Over" - who should I send the bill to?
ReplyDeleteJack used to use that line on his original blog years ago.
DeleteI first heard it 35 years ago. I didn't understand it then. I do now. I think we all do.
DeleteAh, of course, great minds think a like and all that ;-). How about this for a municipal slogan: "Troutdale, on the backside of Gresham"?
DeleteA dead tree is a fitting symbol of Potland.
ReplyDelete