County's actions cut deeply

On 28 July, I attended—along with a healthy contingent of my neighbors—a commissioners’ meeting to discuss road work that has begun—without warning—on Sunnyside Road. Our reasons for attending the meeting were to bring attention to the following issues:

 • Residents were never informed that work of any kind was to commence on Sunnyside Road. It seems only ethical—and considerate—to let residents know if the county is going to cut a tree on private property, as they did at Gil Beyer’s home.

 • Lewis Rich stated that money used for tree and brush cutting is federal stimulus money. If so—still, we’re not certain because the commissioners have told us three different sources of the money—why did Roads & Bridges hire a Washington company to do the work, rather than a Sandpoint firm? Isn’t stimulus money supposed to stimulate the LOCAL economy, not the neighboring state’s?

 • The commissioners confirmed on Tuesday that there is NO money to resurface the road. Can we be assured—after trees and hedgerows have been destroyed—that the money will ever materialize?

 • Sunnyside Road goes nowhere; the majority of traffic is comprised of residents. Why was this road selected to be repaired when there are many other county roads that are in much worse condition? Sure, it’s bumpy, but that works to deter speeders, who will have a field day when the road is smooth and un-policed.

 • We were told that shade from trees harms roads, and that’s why the county was doing such radical tree removal. However, I have since learned that the City of Sandpoint recently adopted the Urban Tree Program, which suggests that trees be planted bordering streets because shade actually prolongs the life of the road. It is UV from the sun that breaks down asphalt, not shade.

 • Another argument by commissioner Joe Young is that roots will harm the road. The trees and hedgerows growing along Sunnyside Road are between 50 and100 years old; there is no evidence of root damage anywhere along the road. If the roots haven’t ruined the road yet, why does Mr. Young assume they will do so in the  future?

 • I have always been taught that government is supposed to represent the wishes of the people. In the case of our commissioners, they have been unresponsive to the pleas of our neighborhood. Each person who owns property along Sunnyside, who had trees and hedgerows removed, communicated to the commissioners that we do not want such a drastic haircut. Why don’t they pay attention? Voters certainly will next November when two commissioners’ terms are up.

 • Not only is the preliminary work destroying the historic character of the Sunnyside neighborhood, but also it is damaging essential bird habitat. The hedgerows contain numerous nests as well as food for birds and small mammals. Elderberry, serviceberry, apple, plum, red willow, wild rose and other species are important habitat for local fauna.

 • Of utmost importance is the fact that several trees that are marked for demolition are growing in waterways. Four trees on Howard Peterson’s property that are slated to be cut have their roots in the slough. Waterways, I thought, cannot be disturbed without contacting the EPA, DEQ, and the Army Corps of Engineers. If the Peterson’s trees are removed, that particular stretch of road, situated at least 15 feet above the slough, will expose drivers to a potentially dangerous situation when the road is icy. Drivers will slide off the road, but also drop 15 feet into the slough. If left to stand as natural guard rails, trees would keep an out-of-control vehicle from falling headlong into the drink. In comparison, the slough by which I reside has no trees, nor guard rails, and, since I have lived here, three vehicles have slid into the slough causing vehicular damage, physical harm, and environmental concerns about leaking petrol.

 • Sunnyside Road is 15 miles long, yet the county proposes to resurface only the initial 3 miles. The majority of the road is unpaved, rutted, pot-holed, dusty and littered with downed branches and trees. Why doesn’t the county fix the portion of the road that’s screaming for attention?

 • During the past few days, I have contacted the Army Corps of Engineers, Idaho DEQ, EPA, Pend Oreille WaterKeeper, Tri State Water Council and other conservation organizations. All have told me that the removal of trees that are growing a few inches from a body of water is not their bailiwick. That begs the question: who is protecting our water?

I beg the commissioners to take sincerely the pleas of Sunnyside residents who are merely trying to save the historic and rural character of their beloved neighborhood. The work that has already been perpetrated makes our neighborhood look like a war zone. I invite the community to drive to Sunnyside, see for themselves, and reflect seriously on this issue. Your neighborhood may be next.

CHRISTINE HOLBERT

Sandpoint