Page 4 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2018

LETTERS cont’d from page 3
age at 45 years old. If the pine is showing signs of stress and is looking in poor health I’d definitely favor taking out the pine over a healthy redwood tree. My wife is getting tired of me pointing out pines in our neighborhood. First with, “Look
at the dead tips on those green branches” and a month or two later pointing out the browned over dead tree. Meanwhile that 100 year old redwood is just a baby and will most likely outlive us all, if allowed to.
trees, gardens, walking paths and pocket parks around the new homes. And how about creating policies giving development priority to high rise builders who include vertical and rooftop gardens in their designs. It’s not just about building fast and furious, it’s about building smart, sustainably, and adding to the quality of life of the people in our communities.
Taking it Even Further
Right now, I’m working with
a group of people who want to
take it further. We are designing a community of a dozen homes on three acres where we reduce the costs of construction by using sweat equity and prefabricated and reused building materials. Our construction costs will be 1/3 the current market rate. We will also reduce our cost of living by sharing transportation, producing our own food, sharing meals, reducing waste, and reusing greywater. Best of all we will build stronger relationships with each other. Thirty percent of our homes will be HUD Section 8 Home Ownership subsidized allowing anyone to move in. This plan includes Republican fiscal and Democratic social economic virtues. Now is not the time to just do things quickly
like chickens with our heads cut off. It’s a time to be smart and create affordable housing that builds better communities. For more information on our community go to: socovillage. wordpress.com
If there was ever a time for the ex- presidents to speak up and address what’s happening in our nation
it’s now. In his drive to be held unaccountable and above the law
this president has broken the rules and precedents established over 250 years of government, and in so doing presents a clear and present danger to the political system that governs us.
There is no other political body, save the judicial, that can counter
this president’s ambitions and goals, and the highest court is soon to be drastically weighted to partisan interests, perhaps for generations to come. Therefore the only small group of political leaders that can influence the public’s consciousness, and whose voice can be heard above the clamor and chaos and vitriol generated by the current president must be sounded. And the time is now, for tomorrow may well be too late.
Redwoods, unlike many other species, can thrive with multiple trunks in close proximity to each other, reproducing from basal sprouts. The secondary spar likely isn’t taking away from the mother tree but is collecting more solar energy and fog drip for their shared root system. Even still, trees growing too close to each other can sometimes break out
Will Shonbrun, Boyes Springs
Matt Banchero cl#913093 Matt Banchero’s Tree Service
if they haven’t grafted to each other. Talk to a local professional.
Caring for Redwoods
Housing: Reactionary
Ideas are Not What We
Need Right Now
I live in Corte Madera and have a Redwood in the front yard which an arborist estimates at 100 years.
The tree has a companion which has a substantial trunk and id growing right next to the larger tree.
In response to the front-page article in the July edition of the Gazette titled, “Housing; Who Gets What, When & How?” I agree, only building more rental housing is not a solution. Nor
is building it in our protected green zones. They are two reactionary ideas that only benefit developers and landlords. If we need to build lots of housing fast, apartment rentals are fine, but at least do it in central urban locations where people building their careers who want to live in them can be closer to the resources they need, like transportation and jobs to cover their hirer rental housing costs until they can buy into homes of their own.
Both trees are adjacent to a Monterrey Pine in a neighbors yard which is seriously compromised. It leans toward the house next door . has sap running down the trunk and has many brown needles.
You may find these articles informative on how municipalities are working with people in Shared Equity Programs into order to increase homeownership for economically-challenged individuals. Shared Equity Models Offer Sustainable
We are thinking of cutting the companion tree to the mother redwood to help balance the larger redwood, provide it with more light and perhaps encourage the Monterrey pine.
Homeownership
Paths to Homeownership for Low-Income
Do you think this is a good idea and if it will be of benefit to the pine. The companion is much closer to the mother than the pine and the pine
is actually in very poor shape. Both redwoods are healthy and beautiful, but it seems that the mother tree might be better off with her daughter gone.
And when building these apartments in downtown centers they need to go up vertically putting more units in smaller spaces. More bang for the buck, more housing for those who need it, but this is not the only type of housing we need.
and Minority Households
Shared Equity Programs Gain Popularity
Thanks for considering my question.
It’s Not Just About Building Fast and Furious
Besides rentals for cash-strapped citizens, we also need lots of housing for people who can afford the down payment to get into a mortgage that builds long-term housing stability and financial equity, i.e. homeownership! Single-family homes may need more space than apartments, but this doesn’t mean we have to destroy our green space for them. We just need to stop letting high-end developers put McMansions on multi-acre properties and require lots of development provided green infill such as fruit
There is no one solution for all people, but homeownership creates a stable monthly expense with fixed- rate mortgages - whereas rents go up at random and put people at risk of not being able to house themselves.
Sandra Burke
All you have to do is drive around Sonoma County and you will see plenty of older homes in need of loving care (fixer-uppers which are affordable) and homes that are large, brand new, and not affordable under construction.
Hello Sandra,
Without seeing the trees and their
orientation to each other and the surrounding buildings I can only speak in generalities. Before making any decisions have all of the trees looked at by a qualified arborist for structure and health.
I see homes in older neighborhoods as a solution for many people - which is why I bring this topic up whenever I can. It’s a win/win for all concerned. ~ Vesta
I’ve been seeing many mature Monterey pines succumbing to drought stress, beetles and old
for Municipalities, Private Investors
4 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 8/18
LETTERS cont’d on page 5