Shoreline blocks removal of the Firlands giant sequoia
Whether 50 years old or 400, Shoreline prohibits the removal of the Firlands giant sequoia for six months with a temporary ordinance.
On Monday, January 27, the Shoreline city council passed temporary restrictions on the removal of exceptionally large trees in the TC3 and TC4 zones. TC3 and TC4 are the small zones along Aurora that includes City Hall, the office building the city recently purchased last year, and the storage court north of city hall the city purchased in 2020 as the future site of the proposed aquatics center. The rule defines “exceptional” trees as trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) greater than sixty inches. There aren’t a lot of very big trees in the TC3 and TC4 zones. There is a big Douglas Fir on the southwest corner of Stone Way N and N 180th St that could be larger than 60” DBH.
But the discussion at Monday’s meeting focused on one specific tree: the Giant Sequoia at 18525 Firlands Way, which stands in the middle of the 1.126-acre parcel where the old Bank of America used to be. According to Save Shoreline Trees, the Firlands giant sequoia measured 72.8” DBH in 2023. Councilmember Annette Ademasu co-sponsored the ordinance because, “it gives us and the generations after us a chance to preserve a part of our natural history that cannot be replaced. There are few historic large trees left in shoreline.”
Robert McCaughan, who identified himself as the owner of the property, said in public comments that he had offered to sell the property to the city, but the city declined. Contacted by phone, Chris Haynes, a broker with Windermere real estate, confirmed the property is still for sale - a potential buyer has expressed interest but was not planning to tear down the existing building.
It is not possible to definitively measure the age of a tree based solely on its height or the width of its trunk but giant sequoias are (as their name suggests) legendary for growing fast, living long and getting very, very big. The width of a giant sequoia trunk grows faster than other tree species and their girth can increase by one to two inches every year.
Kathleen Russell with Save Shoreline Trees said trees that are wider than 60 inches are “80 to 100 years and older.” Councilmember John Ramsdell, who co-sponsored the Ordinance said trees larger than 60 inches wide are “at least 300 to 400 years old.” But Robert McCaughan, whose family has owned the Firlands property for generations, said the tree was required as a landscape tree when the bank was built in 1978.
Searching the Shoreline Historical Museum’s website turned up a photo taken during the bank’s construction which may or may not show the tree. And an arial photo on King County’s website from 1936 shows the site was a vacant lot - evidence that would place the tree’s age at somewhere in the range of 50 to 90 years old.
The temporary restrictions expire in six months and the city must hold public hearings on the rules.
With all the pavement around that tree, it may well be older than 60 years, but it is not likely 100.
I've been an arborist for 51 years. Back in 2010, we (Barnett Tree Care) removed a giant sequoia from a yard in The Highlands" It was 102 years old, The client had a record of its purchase, in 1908, for $6. It was 158' feet tall, and was just under 8' dbh and 10.5' at ground level. It produced 70 yards of chips. It was a beautiful tree, by far the largest tree we ever had to remove. But it was right next to the carport which was being lifted by the roots. Some doors in the house, closest to the tree, wouldn't close. It took us over two days, and the wood, which was put to good use, was two log truck loads. Here's a link to the tree and its removal https://www.flickr.com/photos/rbtree/albums/72157624162999759/
It was a case of wrong tree, wrong place. The lot included a carriage house, to the north, which is now a separate residence. There's a sister sequoia still standing there that was planted at the same, in a good location, thankfully.
The largest or second largest sequoia in Wa is in Leschi. It is probably approaching 11' dbh by now... and is very healthy. But it is massive, and close to the house. Again, wrong tree for the location. If it ever needed removal, it might take a month and cost a cool $million. There is zero crane access.
Thank you for sharing this!