Seattle City Council Votes to Include Protection Language for City of Seattle Heritage Tree in Draft Resolution

The Seattle City Council recently voted to include protection language for the Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree, a city landmark and official city of Seattle Heritage Tree, in a draft resolution of the Seattle Comprehensive Plan. 

The Seattle Comprehensive Plan, also known as the One Seattle Plan, is the city’s 20 year plan to accommodate new growth in the region.  This year’s plan is one of the most far-reaching in decades, proposing major changes in Seattle land use policies including increased housing density and re-zoning some residential neighborhoods to include multi-family housing.  

The city currently has in place a commitment to 30 percent tree canopy by 2037 to help with climate resilience, including combating urban heat domes, and balancing density with tree protection is a top issue as Seattle works to finalize its comprehensive plan.  

The Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree is one of the largest Giant Sequoias on private property in the city.  It measures more than 120 feet tall, more than 30 feet in circumference and nearly 12 feet in diameter.  It features unique branching and an especially stout trunk for its size and age (nearly 100 years old), and recently required 12 adults holding hands to completely encircle the tree.

The date for the final vote for the resolution is still being determined by the Seattle City Council.  In the meantime, you can see more about the Sequoia House Seattle Heritage Tree www.sequoiahouseseattle.com and the full text of the draft resolution here.