Concerns about the destruction of Oregon White Oak trees growing in a planned subdivision in Battle Ground are unfounded, city officials say.

Over the course of late July and early August, The Reflector received claims the current “B & G” Subdivision was developing past what it was set to do.

Those who pushed against the development said it was encroaching on established rights of way, and most prominently, destroying identified Oregon White Oak trees. 

Battle Ground city spokesperson Alisha Smith said as of Aug. 4 those trees had been identified with an orange wrap along them.

“There are some trees that will be removed, it sounds, but any Oregon White Oaks, and any trees that are in the identified wetlands, will not be removed. They don’t have authorization to remove,” Smith said.

Smith said there were inspectors to enforce plans when looking at subdivisions.

Smith said their removal would involve the Department of Ecology. The department itself said that would be handled at a local level.

“Ecology wouldn’t have anything to say about the oaks. That would be a city issue — likely falling under city or county code or Critical Area Ordinance,” department spokesperson Jeff Zenk said in an email.

Smith said in an email the city has not received an official developer agreement regarding the development. 

As of Aug. 5, Smith said the city’s code compliance officer only received one complaint regarding construction dust. That complaint was ultimately ruled unfounded given the heat.

According to Ecology, there had not been any complaints as of Aug. 5.

“To date, our intersection with this project has been related to solid waste and construction stormwater management,” Zenk said in an email.

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I personally walked the tree line south of the houses on NE 10th St & 3rd Ave and found two young Oregon White Oak trees. These trees were not officially identified and were not marked by the Critical Areas Report created by Ecological Land Services, nor noted on any of the development plans held by the city or submitted to the Department of Ecology. These two trees were slated to be clear cut with the Cottonwood, Cherry, and Hawthorne trees around them.

Only after I submitted photos to the city and Ecological Land Services, and my neighbors (who share an ea*****t line with the trees) used the photos to challenge the developer did protective fencing go up around the two trees. Comments made by boots on the ground indicate that the developer hopes to plant substitutes elsewhere on the development in order to eventually cut these two remaining oak trees.

I also have photos of an additional young Oregon White Oak mowed down by a brush cutter in the same tree line in the weeks before clear cutting began.

Our neighborhood learned we can make a small difference if we work together and speak up. Or at least make sure the city charges the maximum fines due.

@Julpoints please reach out to me at Shauna.walters@cityofbg.org. I would like to talk more about this with you.

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209 E Main St, Ste 139 Battle Ground, WA 98604 360-687-5151