I know I said I had said my last words on the trees at City Center, but....
City Council voted tonight to approve an amended master plan for City Center. No, there's really no change in the number of trees to be taken down in the Brook Street Park area. Good-bye big water oaks. Good-bye honey locust. You might think that we (whoever "we" is) lost this round. But harken....I don't think so.
The reason I don't think so is that what has happened over the past 6 weeks, or however many weeks it has been, is that trees, the environment, greenspace, etc. has entered the conversation. I'd be a fool if I didn't recognize this to be a good thing. And it's a good thing for all the reasons I've been stating till I'm blue in the face: because natural systems matter to our waterways, our air, our heat index. Heck - disruptions to the natural ecology affect how many mosquitoes are flying around and fleas are on the animals and mites are on the plants. Also, nature (trees, specifically) actually increase retail traffic. And nature is just pretty to look at.
Down at City Hall, where I was tonight, I hear a City Council who has tuned in to the fact that this "nature", this natural world, these trees, this greenspace, actually matters.
All of this good will toward trees and the environment will show itself in various ways, according to the plan approved tonight: a semi-formal park next to City Hall, a 5 acre Brook Street Park, a .9 acre town green fronting Ga. Hwy. 9 and then symbolically, the preservation of the 45" calipre (or is it 60"? Will someone please go measure that tree?) southern red oak behind the Publix.
This is a good thing. Well done, Alpharetta City Council.
"It leads with a proactive, environmentally sensitive community It is a responsive, open government" Beer drinking, back slapping celebrations of not having to hear the "tree people" would certainly be in conflict of this mission. So - yes - hearing the public really is their job. The day that changes is the day we no longer follow our mission as a city or live in a nation that cherishes the idea of a free republican democracy. These "men" were not elected for the pay, as all of them know very well. It is a public service job.
I will be keeping up with every action they take toward the progress of City Center and the environmental impact thereof....well....keeping up with it as much as my schedule allows seeing as how I do work a full time job and don't get paid to write this blog. I don't even get the meager pay City Council members get - OR - any of the perks associated therewith. But, I look forward to watching this Council become well seasoned and either get re-elected - or not - and writing about their actions if interesting enough. Thankfully, politicians do provide much fodder for discussion, replay, and criticism.
I don't believe they were prepared for social media and the role it serves in getting information to the masses.