Hello Eli,
Cc to Council members
I'm a resident of District 2 in Gerstle Park. I'm writing to ask the City Council to include a comprehensive Tree Master Plan and Tree Preservation Procedures in the upcoming city general plan.
I've lived in Marin my entire life. Downtown San Rafael has always been a place to visit to linger over coffee, shop for art supplies or unique gifts, and even attend concerts or events on closed streets. Now that I live in San Rafael itself, I've realized that it's also a place where there is great natural beauty and hiking trails in neighborhoods that visitors to downtown might never see.
This character is what makes San Rafael such a desirable place to live in and visit and it's at risk if we don't take action now to keep it that way. It's exactly our tree canopy that keeps the walk to town cool and pleasant. It's what makes it possible for us to hike and walk year-round. In a world that is only getting hotter, the fact that trees both reduce outside temperatures in the short term and reduce carbon in the atmosphere for the long term cannot be ignored.
I've been dismayed to see how many mature local trees have been felled in recent efforts to do road repair, construction, or sidewalk repairs. We will have to wait more than 50 years to once again enjoy the benefits of trees of that size. Not to mention the so-called "fire safety" work that, in our neighborhood, has led to healthy California bay laurel saplings being killed while dead trees and overgrowth of invasive species are left behind to provide tinder.
I ask that you do everything in your power to prevent further tree destruction and create a road map for the planting of new trees to replace those we've lost. The future of our city and the broader planet depend on it.
Thank you,
Amy Loflin