June 8th there was a Clackamas County Commissioners' proposed Urban Tree Canopy ordinance public testimony meeting.

I arrived at 6:30PM and stayed until the end of the meeting...10:30PM. Several from both Oregon 912 Project and AFP Clackamas were present and spoke up. Both the main room and the overflow room were standing-room-only. I estimate that 2/3 of those who spoke were against the proposed ordinance. Over 90 people signed up to speak.

I used my 3 minutes to read from the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution's 5th and 14th Amendments: Life, Liberty, and Property are the three unalienable rights we have from our Creator. We must not surrender these God-given rights. I requested the Commissioners minimally put this ordinance to a vote of all Clackamas County citizens since this is an unalienable right (I was serious yet attempting to make a point how ridiculous it is to vote on an unalienable right). I also pointed out that the 5th Amendment specifies that government reimburse each person for each tree this ordinance would affect (and implied for each tree we would not be allowed to plant). Try figuring out how to calculate that (again demonstrating the ridiculousness of this proposed ordinance). And who would have to pay for an arborist, etc., etc. to have our own trees cut down (assuming a request was approved)? Hint...not the Clackamas County Commissioners. And how will a Tree Czar monitor every tree in unincorporated Clackamas County? Will he/she have neighbors/bounty hunters turn us in? (We will need to use silent chain saws to minimize detection.)

For those who also belong to AFP Clackamas and are signed up on http://afpclackamas.ning.com/, Warren Kitchen posted an excellent blog titled

My Fears from the June 8th Tree Ordinance Meeting

There will be a second public hearing on Monday June 28th at 6:30PM for those who signed up to speak but did not get to. Others can attend as well...just not give testimony.