“Is it really worth a million dollars in taxpayer money to save one tree? I say no.”
I live in a city with “heritage oaks.” The city would MUCH rather you go out of business than you cut down a tree. Also, if the Greens thought you were cutting down a tree you’d be picket and the news would cover it and interview the picketers.
I watched a company build a building on a lot where there were two such trees. The builders did incredible things to keep the trees safe; until the building was finished. It was obvious from the tiny lot and the design that the trees would make using the building impossible. But, the building was finished and there was no access to the parking lot once the required curbs, drainage and sidewalks were in.
I drove by Friday afternoon and the trees were there. On Monday morning they were gone; not a trace! Somehow the builders had kept the tree-huggers happy and satisfied until the building was done and then over the weekend; they cut them down and took away every scrap. I have no idea what fines they paid, but the fines would surely be less than the multi-million dollar building sitting empty and unusable.
My suggested solution; spray the tree with tree-kill around 1am. A million is too much. Ten-thousand is too much. A thousand is too much. You can plant another tree.
Does anyone recall the young men who poisoned the tree at the Alamo? I always wondered how they turned out.
I lived in WV. I wanted to build a pond on the side of a mountain. The application fees and time for processing would have meant at least six months, and around $15k (if permit was approved, which was iffy!).
I rented some equipment and built it. It cost me a $5k fine... and reaped a great deal of enjoyment. You should hear the bullfrogs sing, and the neighborhood kids loved the fishing ($2500 to stock it!).
I never got around to building the house, though. I ended up with a divorce, instead! I now live at the AFRH in Gulfport, MS, right across from the Mississippi sound (and the Gulf of Mexico). Had some #10-12 shrimp on the grill last night!!! $3 a pound, heads on!!!!!!!
(Reference: Google Earth "39.431188,-78.17796")