Humboldt County planners heard a hotly disputed request June 18 to remove a remaining old-growth redwood in Lower Redway.
In a staff presentation to the Planning Commission, county staff said Robert Scarlett’s special permit concerns a tree that is about 252 feet tall, 118 inches in diameter and more than 350 years old, but that expert reports concluded it poses a hazard to nearby homes, roads, utilities and the public. Staff recommended approval, and said the permit could include a condition that the trunk be offered to California State Parks for cultural and habitat uses if the commission approves the request.
The item centers on a tree in the Lower Redway Q-zone, a protected area governed by county ordinance. The agenda described Scarlett’s request as a special permit to remove a hazardous mature old-growth redwood tree in the lower Redway Q Zone area and said the project would be reviewed under CEQA exemptions. The June 18 agenda listed Cal Fire, arborist and forester reports, a nesting bird survey and comments from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife among the attachments.
Public comment during the hearing was overwhelmingly opposed. Speakers argued the tree is healthy, questioned whether the danger was immediate, and criticized what they described as inconsistent county enforcement of Q-zone protections. The applicant’s representative, meanwhile, said Cal Fire, a forester, an arborist and planning staff all supported approval and that Scarlett followed the process he was directed to use.
The excerpt reviewed does not include the commission’s final vote, so the outcome was not visible in the materials available for this report.
