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Kalama considers temporary reprieve for palm trees

Sunday, July 6, 2008 11:47 PM PDT

By Leila Summers

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The Kalama City Council is considering allowing palms trees to remain on North First Street until the city’s downtown streetscape project reaches that side of town.

Councilman Dominic Ciancibelli on Wednesday asked the council if he could approach the business owner who planted the palms with the idea before the next council meeting.

No vote was taken on the matter, and the owner of the trees is still under a city order to remove them.

Jeff Carrigg, owner of the Columbia Inn Restaurant, planted seven palm trees last month in the city right of way to beautify what he considers the neglected north end of town. The trees are about 5 feet tall, wind-resistant and can tolerate cold down to minus-20 degrees, Carrigg said.

A $500,000 downtown beautification project is currently under way on the south end of downtown Kalama. City officials ordered Carrigg to remove his palm trees because they don’t fit with the city’s design.

The city is planting ornamental pear trees and Lacebark elm trees along First Street and installing new street lights and sidewalks.

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Classy 'Nook wrote on Jul 7, 2008 8:23 AM:

" Take them down!! They look rediculous... Removing them now will be easier, instead of letting the trees get established in the dirt there. Then maybe Mr Carrigg can still use them elsewhere. I applaud him for trying to improve the landscape on the north end of town, but it should conform to the style of the downtown beautification project's landscape! "

Go Chinooks!!! wrote on Jul 7, 2008 8:57 AM:

" Does anybody have any idea what elm trees roots do? They find your water and drain pipes and then fill them up. After all the work done to clear and make the drainage downtown better they are going to plant trees that are well known for damaging and filling water and drain pipes. not a good prospect for down the road a few years from now.
They also have a tendency to lift up as they get older and all that pretty new sidewalk is going to start lifting up and breaking apart. But that will just lead us to the Kalama re-beautifcation project of 2018. As to Classy Nooks comment, please show me where in any Kalama rules and regulations is there any thing about conforming? Also its a city "right of way" but the owner still owns the land and as long as the City is able to enter and leave they have their right of way. There are no ordinances or laws in Kalama as to the planting of anything downtown. So whether we like them or not is a moot point, he's within his rights to plant what he wants. "

CONCERENED wrote on Jul 7, 2008 9:29 AM:

" re:GO CHINOOKS
sounds like you know what your saying, perhaps you need to run for a seat on the council!!! NOT!!! live and let live, kalama has been the butt end of jokes for yrs, and it wont change i say!!!!! "

nickandholly wrote on Jul 7, 2008 9:36 AM:

" I completely agree with GO CHINOOKS. Leave the palm trees alone. They have been planted they need to stay planted. "

Louie wrote on Jul 7, 2008 9:55 AM:

" The thing is he planted them on city property. The 'parking strips' are city property not business property and unfortunately they can dictate what is planted on that property.
Kalama could be making a big mistake if the Elms are water seekers, like willows. Longview had a similar fiasco downtown with those Hornbeams they planted. They blocked the visibility of the businesses so many were cut down.
I called the parks dept. in Longview and asked for a tree to be planted on my 'parking strip' thinking they would match a flowering plum that they had already planted there. Nope, a Hornbeam went in and they get huge. "

El Fuego wrote on Jul 7, 2008 12:53 PM:

" My comment to Jeff is to move the trees onto his own property along with about twenty more and then watch Kalama'a outdated council moan and groan. The council should work in and for the people, not try being a mini dictatorship. And that's the way I feel, thank you. "

Rastor wrote on Jul 7, 2008 9:32 PM:

" Louie, "Right of way" is not property ownership for any organization, it is just a right to use the land in a particular fashion. The "owner" (AKA the Business) still has to pay the taxes on the land even if the city has the "right" to use it. Like many small towns, "beautification" projects usually take very long times, and rarely finish on time. Let them stand until the project actually reaches that area, then let him have them professionally relocated to keep them alive. If it takes more than a year for the city to reach that area, then let them stay. Variety is better than just conforming to conform. "

1980mustang wrote on Jul 8, 2008 6:18 AM:

" Well, another project Kalama didn't look in to before jumping in with both feet. The Lace Bark Elm is a huge tree, mature height 40-50 feet and the mature spread is 40-50 feet a very fast grower. I don't think the sidewalks are going to be that wide. Plus I guess they didn't look into who is going to be cleaning up all those leaves in the fall, they are known to be a late in losing the leaves sounds like a big mess come Fall time. So maybe the other business's down town better get on the band wagan with the Columbia Inn. The Pear is a better choice but I do belive that the city has already bought the tree's. "

mom of four wrote on Jul 8, 2008 10:08 AM:

" Why do you have to hire a huge company to make drawings of where to plant something. Guess what leave the palms and someone else in the community buy something to go along with them and have a community clean up. Have the city install a sprinkler system. Look problem solved and it looks better. "

Classy Nook wrote on Jul 8, 2008 10:54 AM:

" I understand there are no rules or regulations regarding type of landscape for the downtown area, and Mr Carrigg could probably make a pretty good argument to keep them if the city can maintain the "right of way" they have with the trees there. I just think they look silly and would prefer to see something that looks nice downtown! If all the info about the elms being planted is true, Kalama may be making a serious mistake there... I hope they did their research! "

mom of four wrote on Jul 8, 2008 11:14 AM:

" Of course they did their homework they hired someone from out of town to come in get some enginner plans. They choose to do some Elm trees, so in the year 2018 (like classy nook said)they can re-do all the Elm trees, from the year 2008-2009. That way they can make more money off the city of Kalama (which is all you tax payers) DUH! of course they did their homework. "

SPARROW wrote on Jul 8, 2008 11:55 PM:

" Personally I love the Palms. But this story printed about the B&B in Kalama that just took things for granted and assumed their work would be accepted and approved before inquiring if what they were doing or constructing was legal. Seems like the attitude of these people doing things without permit or approval from the city are just being arrogant, thinking they can do whatever they want, and chances are they will get away with it, legal or not. Just for the sake of discipline and respect for residents in this town, he should be fined and made to remove the trees, because the next do\gooder may decide to plant pot or poppy in his business planter, or on the city easement. If you have rules, you need to have at least an idea why you have them, and how they will be enforced if broken. The climate in Kalama is looking quite unprofessional to the rest of the world about now. "

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