The trees

This is my corner, and I remember it looking pretty much the same my whole life. But now it has changed, the trees are all gone, and they have stayed gone since before I ran for Council last time. This was what made me get up the nerve to run for Council last time.

Shame on the people that came here from another state just to do this. Shame on the real estate agent that didn’t steer them towards some nice, well-drained farmland and turn them away from an old, established leafy neighborhood. Shame on the architects and contractors who have never said “No” to a client.

But “Thank you Sir, and God bless you” to the guy with the chainsaw on the boom truck who told my wife, “I tried to talk them out of cutting down that big live oak”. While the stripping of this lot was going on, Fred Jordan, my 94 year old neighbor, said to me, “Howell, tell those people that I shed a tear for every branch that is being cut on each one of those live oaks”.

We have a Tree Committee, what do they do? If you want to see the picture of how it used to look, click here. If you don’t want this to happen in your neighborhood, vote for me.

(By the way, Fred had a bad fall on Monday. Please, please pray for his recovery and then pray a little more. Fred is the best, and we all love him)

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howell

Comments

9 responses to “The trees”

  1. Susie Avatar
    Susie

    Trees add value to our property. They provide shade to help keep our homes cool in the heat of the summer. They clean the air we breathe. They absorb much of the water in the downpours that are the norm in our part of the country. I cherish the live oak that spreads its leafy boughs over my house like a protector. I care for it. We should all recognize the value of our trees.

    In recent years, the trees in the Fruit and Nut area have suffered from builders who prefer perfectly barren lots to build on and from an influx of people who either have moved from places with very few trees or have an unreasonable fear that the tree in their yard is waiting for the next storm to come so it can fall on their house. My protector oak has stood through major hurricanes and has on one occasion, caught a tree falling from a neighbor’s unkept lot from smashing through my roof.

    Let’s value our trees and make an effort to rectify areas where they have been stripped by planting new trees.

    Reply
  2. Emily Hagan Avatar
    Emily Hagan

    I agree Howell. Thank you so much for taking up this mantle of responsibility to protect our beautiful city. I know it’s a burden and you have other things you could be spending your time on, including raising your new, beautiful baby. I’m so glad though, that you decided our city was worth the effort. I’m sure you want our kids to have a great place to grow up in as well, but if this leaching of our resources and unfettered population explosion (due to the greed of so many who are lining their pockets just to make a quick buck) is left unchecked, there won’t be anything left for our progeny, at least nothing similar to what we’ve been blessed to enjoy here. I’m so sick of these people who come here like locusts, devouring the trees and land and resources, stripping them of their worth, and then moving on to the next site. I think “locusts” really is the best description of them. I have no problem with moderate growth, to a degree that does keep a community healthy and from becoming stagnant, but one must use wisdom and discretion, and must plan for such growth in a way that upholds the integrity of the city, and also protects those who are native or longtime residents here as well. While I think some places, such as, Seaside, Florida are nice, this is not that. If we keep trying to make Fairhope become something like Seaside, we will not only destroy what Fairhope is, but we’ll end up with a poorly planned, sub-par version of Seaside, where only transplants and the uber rich are able to stay. That is, until even they become sick of it here because there are better places for that type of experience than what we would offer here by destroying our town to try to attract them.

    Reply
    1. howell Avatar
      howell

      Good morning Emily. I just put up my first post about the issue of development. The people coming here are not locusts, they are just people like you and me. The locusts are the big cynical developers, like this outfit, who have built millions of homes and not one church or used book store that I can see.

      Reply
  3. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Current city tree laws do not apply to private residential property.

    Reply
    1. howell Avatar
      howell

      Good afternoon. I said that the people who did that to our neighborhood should be ashamed, not arrested. I can’t tell where you stand from your comment. If you want Fairhope to enact a tree protection ordinance that’s even tougher than Gulf Shores, which forbids the cutting of live oaks greater than 6 inches in diameter, even on private property, I can see me getting behind that. But I very much prefer people just acting like good neighbors.

      Reply
  4. Einar Avatar
    Einar

    Please let Fred know we’re all rooting for a full recovery, and keep us posted on how he is doing.

    Reply
    1. howell Avatar
      howell

      Thanks, I’m sure that’ll mean a lot to him, and your prayers worked. He should be out of the trauma ward in a day or two, and then rehab for a while.

      Reply
  5. Ran Nisbett Avatar
    Ran Nisbett

    38 mature trees were clear-cut from the lot you mention and it’s been empty now for 5 years. Many neighbors and walkers have asked how that could happen. I spoke to the City and tree folks about it at the time. I totally respect property rights and would never interfere but many of us did beg the owner to consider other options. I was told that—as opposed to commercial property—residential property owners can do what they want with their trees. Several nearby cities and states have better control of urban deforestation that changes microclimate, separate from the aesthetics and added property values trees bring. My ask is only that the tree committee capture data. My wife and I did a regular survey of the Fruits & Nuts for every new home construction. The cumulative tree loss is huge. In full disclosure, just last month we had to cut down two beloved 70-90 feet tall laurel oaks to protect our neighbors, so we all recognize the complexities. But, decisions should be based on data, in my view. Thanks for putting this out there and promoting due vetting and civil discourse in the issues we face as a community.

    Reply
    1. howell Avatar
      howell

      I’m sure I’ve said it elsewhere, but I don’t like rules and regulations, I am pretty much a Libertarian at heart. My problem with Libertarians is that they are often too inflexible and doctrinaire. What does the Libertarian say when a workable solution is found? “That’s all fine in practice, but how will it work in theory?”

      Any community is nothing more than a group of like-minded people who respect and look out for one another. I would welcome anyone to our neighborhood who understands that and tries to live it. Come on down, but be humble. Unfortunately, when too many people put their own appetites and dreams first, I have to ditch my Libertarian instincts and ask for some rules. Which really stinks.

      Reply

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