Has City Gone Too Far

______CAPTION ______FOLIO ________JUMP WORD ________JUMP PAGE NO. ________STORY ENDS FInals week Ducks study hard for title test — SEE SPORTS, B12 PortlandTHURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2015 • TWICE CHOSEN THE NATION’S BEST NONDAILY PAPERTribune • PORTLANDTRIBUNE.COM • PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND THURSDAY Revenue up, but not for new programs Mayor wants to be If bureau managers and prudent, restore city councilors want to some cut items add programs or staff, Mayor Charlie Hales is By STEVE LAW asking them to “ realign” The Tribune existing resources — The city of Portland is en- fi nd cost savings in joying record-breaking tax existing programs. collections from hotel visi- tors, surging business taxes and higher-than-expected 2015-16 budget period and be- property taxes. yond, plus $14.4 million in one- Nonetheless, Mayor Charlie time-only money. Hales is warning city councilors The relatively rosy revenue Has city gone TRIBUNE: PHOTO: JONATHAN HOUSE and bureau managers not to go picture means the city doesn’t Portland arborist John Ryan hog wild by adding lots of new face any mandatory cuts for the prunes branches off a maple tree programs when they submit budget year that begins in July, at a Southeast Portland home. next year’s budget requests a Hales says. However, “the unem- Ryan is bracing to be the “ bearer month from now. ployment rate remains stubborn- too far out of bad news” when explaining the A fi nancial forecast released ly high, wage growth remains city’s new tree-cutting in mid-December showed the fl at, and those most in need are restrictions to his clients. city can expect an additional $4.6 million in ongoing funds for the See NO CUTS / Page 2 Enforcement of new tree code could be costly to homeowners BES chief resigns in ON A LIMB? legal deal with city By STEVE LAW The Tribune Questions about the code? side law fi rm, the city will focus City Tree Code Hotline: 503-823-TREE Marriott to get cash, on what construction practices ohn Ryan stands to land more Web: portlandoregon.gov/trees/ need to be changed to prevent customers from Portland’s year’s salary in wake cost overruns like those at the new tree code that took effect of cost overrun audit bureau’s new Columbia Waste- Jthis month, but the certifi ed could cost several hundred or even water Treatment Plant services arborist, like many other tree lovers, several thousand dollars. building in North Portland. fears the new tree-cutting restric- “Nowhere in this tree code does it By JIM REDDEN Commissioner Nick Fish, who tions go too far. tell you what it’s going to cost you,” The Tribune is in charge of the bureau, placed “I’m sure some homeowners are says Eric Sorensen, a landscape con- Marriott on paid leave in October feeling like the city is infring- tractor and plant broker who The surprise resignation of after the City Auditor’s Offi ce re- ing on their rights; their kind attended three workshops on embattled Bureau of Environ- ported that the cost of the build- of basic right to control their the new code. As written, he mental Services Director ing had increased from the fi rst own property,” says Ryan, TRIB says, the code could require Dean Marriott has changed estimate of $3.2 million to $11.5 owner of Limb by Limb, one of someone to shell out $650 to TRIBUNE: PHOTO: JONATHAN HOUSE the focus of the city’s ongoing million for a variety of reasons, the companies on the city’s re- SERIES replace a 2-inch-diameter Portland arborist John Ryan demonstrates how investigation into him. including design and mission ferral list. SECOND OF tree, or $6,500 to replace a large a branch must be before a homeowner must Marriott was scheduled to re- changes. The City Attorney’s Of- The new tree code requires TWO PARTS 20-inch tree — more than seek a permit to prune a street tree. This one sign on Jan. 7 in exchange for fice retained the Barran Lieb- every resident to seek permits they pay in property taxes. measures a half-inch; anything a q uarter-inch or one year’s salary of $199,160 and man law fi rm to conduct what before removing medium-size “I consider that a taking,” larger req uires a permit. $49,000 to pay the legal expenses the contract called a personnel or larger trees in their own yards. In Sorensen says, referring to the con- he incurred during the investiga- investigation. many cases, they must replant trees tion. Marriott indicated he would elsewhere to compensate, which See CODE / Page 2 Now, instead of a personnel investigation assisted by an out- See MARRIOTT / Page 2 Joy Team changes world one smile at a time Channel Outdoor billboard. streaming through our brain. Nonprofi t accentuates Chances are, you’ve already When we consciously make a the positive through seen one of the 99 other upbeat commitment to positivity and messages around the city. happiness, no matter what the billboards, campaigns The message, “Best. Day. Ev- circumstances around us, we er. And it’s yours.” is bright and begin rewiring those neural net- bold against a sunny yellow works to create new pathways By SARAH NIPPER backdrop and is sponsored by for happiness and positivity.” For the Tribune local business owner Heather Launched in 2010, the Van- Strang. couver, Wash.-based nonprof- The corner of Northeast “I’m so grateful to The Joy it’s founder Michele McKeag Weidler Street and First Ave- Team for creating an avenue for Larsen was inspired to spread nue has a little ray of sun- spreading this kind of positivity joy and optimism throughout Posters and shine to get you through Ore- throughout Portland,” says the community after experienc- billboards from gon’s dreary winter. Strang, who works as a spiritual ing fi rst-hand the effects nega- The Joy Team, a The Joy Team unveiled its teacher, author, Master Success tivity can have on one’s well- positive 100th positive message Monday, Coach, and Certifi ed BodyTalk being. Following a diffi cult ca- messaging Jan. 5, on the corner’s Clear Practitioner. reer change after the economy campaign, can “The bottom line is, what we tanked several years ago, she be downloaded think matters,” Strang says. “If says she had to consciously sur- for free on its we focus on (the bad) we liter- round herself with positivity. website: ally create neural networks in “I told myself ‘I’m just going TheJoyTeam.org. the brain that keep those types COURTESY: of heavy, negative thoughts See JOY / Page 3 THE JOY TEAM “Pamplin Media Group’s pledge is to Portland Tribune deliver balanced news that refl ects the COMEDY IN CRIME stories of our communities. Thank you — SEE LIFE, PAGE B1 for reading our newspapers.” Inside — DR. ROBERT B. PAMPLIN JR. OWNER & NEIGHBOR 505003.010815 A2 NEWS The Portland Tribune Thursday, January 8, 2015 Code: R ules apply to all homeowners No cuts: Hales’ focus ■ From page 1 Saving city trees on existing assets ■ Trees in city parks: 1.2 million stitutional guarantee of com- ■ Trees along public streets: ■ From page 1 Where Portland ranks among pensation when governments 300,000 strip peoples’ private property ■ Trees on private property (esti- benefi ting the least,” Hales stat- 5 0 largest U.S. cities* rights. mated): 500,000 ed in his budget guidance issued ■ Median age: sixth-oldest, The citizens involved in help- ■ Share of Portland covered in to bureau managers and city topped only by Miami, San ing draft the new tree code tree canopy: 29.9 percent councilors. Francisco, Louisville, Cleveland and ■ were mostly of one mind — City’s goal for tree canopy: 33 The mayor is calling for an- Seattle percent other than the homebuilders, other “stabilization” budget, ■ Share of residents aged 25 to Source: Portland Parks & who made sure their industry’s which means using uncommitted 64: third-highest Recreation ■ needs were represented, So- new funds to restore cutbacks, Share of residents under 25: fourth-lowest rensen says. such as 26 fi refi ghter positions, ■ Share of residents over 65: “There was nobody there and address anticipated require- 27th-highest that stood up for the common fair. “It doesn’t matter where ments, such as the looming ■ Single-parent families: fourth- person.” the property is located,” Cairo cleanup of the Willamette River lowest share; only San Francisco, Even Linda Robinson, a long- says. Superfund site and renovation of Seattle and Salt Lake City have time parks advocate who sat on The new code also brings the defective Portland Building lower shares that advisory committee, has new tree protections for devel- that houses many city employ- ■ Median home value: ninth-high- concerns about the new code, TRIBUNE: PHOTO: JONATHAN HOUSE opable property. “There’s more ees. If bureau managers and city est, after San Francisco, San Jose, though she says it was desper- Portland arborist John Ryan, who specializ es in tree pruning, descends opportunity to keep trees on councilors want to add programs New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, ately needed. from a tree for a q uick break. properties in development situ- or staff, Hales is asking them to Washington D.C., Seattle and Boston Before, it was common for ations,” she says. “realign” existing resources — ■ Population with graduate or residents to simply remove comply.” land Parks & Recreation. Supporters of the new tree fi nd cost savings in existing pro- professional degree: sixth-highest trees on residential land before Take the requirement that For street trees, the new regulations say they’re much grams to gain spending money share, after Washington D.C., putting it up for development, people must get a permit before code is “pretty much the same,” easier to understand than the for new initiatives.

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