Trees vs. views: Could Seattle's tree policy change?; Seattle, WA

Trees vs. views: Could Seattle's tree policy change?:
Last year, a Leschi homeowner applied for a permit to lightly prune a few city trees near her home to enhance her view of Lake Washington.

The application ignited rage over a long-ago poisoning of a big-leaf maple in the area, which paved the way for a current moratorium on all such permits, which led to a renewed debate on the ethics of tree trimming -- all over a desire to snip a few branches.


But in leaf-loving, view-gawking Seattle, the debate between saving trees and preserving views has always been tense. Stories of butchered trees often prompt the same outcry as violent crimes, with tree lovers railing against homeowners whose property values depend on how bushy the foliage gets outside their windows.