PLANNING: When aesthetics hurt

Well, the “planners” never thought about the problems they were creating when setting the scenery, aesthetics and standards for community developments. Apparently they knew all about it, with one notable exception. They didn’t do their homework, and it ain’t over yet. Just wait until the bills come due for pruning tools, equipment and qualified manpower.

Having been directly involved for several years, particularly, in the early “’50s” and generally through my business years, with municipalities and public utilities, notably after the hurricane seasons, and hopefully for all, long before the hurricane season, it became obvious to the community “fathers” that trees belonged in parks and forests, not along the streets, by-ways, power lines, etc. regardless of the costly dreams of the planners and developers. Power, Communication, Municipal trade publications are full of articles and references on the subject, as the cost of weather-related outages in most industries is one of, if not the highest, in some areas of our nation and Canada.

Certainly, the fall and pre-winter foliage is great to view, summer greenery is refreshing, but snow, ice, freezing temperatures and others of nature’s vagaries wreak havoc in any community, particularly the more populated. Why make it more difficult and expensive for the local populace and taxpayers, including liability insurance for the volunteers, or temporary employees? A licensed professional arborist, already insured, and with basic tools, perhaps even a truck-mounted “cherry picker” with hydraulic, pneumatic or electric powered tools will eventually be required to “do it right.” It’s fairly standard equipment these days, and should be figured into the future budgets.

JOHN S. McCONNELL

Post Falls