Humboldt County planners on Thursday rejected a special permit to remove a mature old-growth redwood from a property in Lower Redway after a hearing that drew intense public opposition.
The Planning Commission adopted Resolution 26-045 and denied Robert Scarlett’s request on a 7-0 vote, according to the meeting minutes. The commission’s motion found the project exempt from environmental review because it was disapproved and concluded there was a lack of imminent-danger evidence that the tree would fall.
The permit sought approval to remove what the minutes describe as a hazardous, mature old-growth redwood in the lower Redway Q Zone, governed by Ordinance 2112. The tree was described in the record as about 118 inches in diameter and 252 feet tall, with a cavity and rot high in the trunk, a large cut at the base and a root system said to be in poor health.
Staff had recommended approval, according to the hearing record, and the applicant’s side argued the tree posed a hazard. The applicant’s case included a forester and an arborist, while several commenters and environmental advocates urged the commission to keep the tree standing.
The meeting drew sustained public comment from residents and advocates who opposed removal, including speakers who questioned the evidence behind the hazard claim and raised broader concerns about county enforcement and the Q-zone ordinance. The hearing record also shows that commissioners heard arguments from both the applicant and opponents before voting down the request.
If the applicant pursues another route, the tree-removal dispute could return, but Thursday’s vote closed this permit request for now.
