Liz Heidhues 9.7.2022
Dear Parties Involved
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
San Francisco Department of Public Works
San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department
How does using a chainsaw to cut away a massive root for “our” tree follow the instructions of Hearing Officer Greg Lyman to protect the tree at all costs? (Ruling 7.6.2022)
WD-2852_Decision_on_appeal_Tree_Removal_lyman
An explanation is owed me!
I am the Plaintiff filing the original complaint after seeing “Notice of Tree Removal” posted on “our” tree by the SFPUC.
I observed and documented the Notice 1.10.2022, while walking in the Urban Tree Canopy, home to “our” tree at 39th and Clement.
Severing this massive root is a violation of the “Tree Protection Plan” (Public Works Code Section 808(c)(4) ). A root this size is a major source of nutrition and stability for this big healthy tree, now endangered.
Further construction compacting the remaining root system will cause more damage.
Was my staying up until dawn to research air gaps and public pipes systems in order to prepare for our Appeal and Hearing all in vain? I am not an engineer.
The public grievance system in San Francisco is a dog-and-pony show for residents not having influence, money, and time to throw at the bureaucracy.
The damage is done. When a limb of survival has been amputated, it cannot be grafted back on.
Recreation and Park employee, blatantly disregarded a Hearing Officer’s Decision, and cut off a large root of the beautiful New Zealand Christmas Tree at 39th Avenue and Clement Street.
Lee Heidhues 9.7.2022
The City and County of San Francisco has willfully and illegally destroyed a beautiful New Zealand Christmas Tree which Liz Heidhues and I successfully worked months to preserve.
After submitting numerous documents and participating in two hearings with our co-appellant a San Francisco Public Utilities Hearing office issued a Decision in our favor.
The New Zealand Christmas Tree must be preserved.
Despite this legally binding document The City’s Recreation and Parks department, which was not even a party to this action, destroyed the tree by cutting away a massive root. This morning I spoke with one of the contractor’s working on water main project adjacent to the tree. He told me that his company would not damage the tree.
Instead, a worker from the Recreation and Parks Department had no qualms about destroying this beautiful tree. He did the the dirty work himself.
Top photo – Pity the poor New Zealand Christmas Tree destroyed by workers from The City and County of San Francisco
Lee's Perspective 