Absurd new prohibition against protecting young trees

My message sent to the SROA Board

PLEASE READ AT THE MAY 15 WORK SESSION:
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The Design Manual amendments adopted by the Design Committee and presented to the Board for an up-or-down vote have “buried” a new criterion for plant protections. In Appendix F, under the “TREES” category, the following addition is included:

“(Must be single stem & minimum 6ft. in height to qualify for physical protection barriers, see DCM 3.18c&d for criteria)”

On May 13, 2026, former Design Committee Chair, Richard Look, posted the following statement on Facebook:

“I can assure you that if you enclose a 3 foot newly planted aspen, no one will make you remove it.”

There is no way to interpret this statement other than that the new rule is not intended to be enforced consistently, as written. That, of course, means the rule is intended to be enforced selectively, which would patently be unlawful. Look’s injudicious statement is a fatal blow to what, in any case, is an absurd criterion.

There’s no reason at all, in fact, it’s utterly counterproductive to prohibit protection of newly planted young trees, even ones FIVE FEET tall.

Further, one of Sunriver’s two iconic native trees — Quaking Aspen — has a popular and common growth habit of a multi-trunk cluster of a single plant. This criterion would prohibit such forms, which have otherwise been allowed under existing provisions for “grouping of trees.”

Finally, regardless of its merits, such a criterion obviously belongs under Section 3.18 along with other criteria.

Contact the SROA Board ASAP and insist that this idiotic criterion be removed!

Fill out this Comment Form. Be sure to check the “Yes, please” box to get a response.

Or email the Board President, Bill Burke, at Bill Burke burke@srowners.org
Be sure to request your message be presented to the Board at the May 15th work session or May 16th meeting and that you want a response.