Gentlemen . . . Start Your ChainSaws !
Stumps – Pacific Grove’s Newest Industry Thanks to Bill Kampe
Pacific Grove has lost about half of its trees since 1986 – which is just short while ago.
You might think a town with reverence for trees in its very own name would try to stop that crisis. But no, Pacific Grove is now joining Seaside in the race to see which town can remove all trace of trees first.
Half of Pacific Grove’s evaporating forest canopy was chainsawed down since 1986. (The canopy was already down to only 33% in 1986 because the first two-thirds were chopped down in the previous 100 years.) This is because more than 700 trees a year are cut down every year. Few are planted; fewer still survive.
Kampe – Gets Tree Hater Award
But that wasn’t enough for tree haters like Councilman Bill Kampe. With Kampe cleverly trying to hide his effort (because he’s running for Mayor) – the PG Council just unanimously weakened the city ordinance so that giant trees on private property can be cut without any permit — possibly as soon as next month.
1. For more than half a Century all trees on residential land in Pacific Grove were protected. Now only native trees are protected – and oh by the way the Council specifically excluded our native Redwoods from the definition of native trees.
You know those giant Eucalyptus at the Post Office? And the beautiful giant Redwoods all over town? Owners won’t even need a permit to chop them down if Kampe gets his way.
2. It gets even Worse. If the tree destruction ordinance gets a second approval it will be far cheaper to cut a tree down without a permit (only a $100 fine) – than to pay for a permit. Plus if you don’t get caught – its free !
3. Councilman Huitt demonstrated his immunity to reason and rationality with a giant logical fallacy. He tried to persuade himself that somehow by allowing more trees to get cut (than the 700+ trees we lose every year) and eliminating penalties for logging without a permit — the new ordinance “should improve our forest.” If by “improve” he means “destroy” or “eliminate” – well then Huitt would be correct.
Huitt’s “reasoning” is the same as “People are mad to get a ticket for running stop signs. So we should improve our traffic by stopping fewer people and removing the penalties for running stop signs.”
4. Councilman Rudy Fisher is so uncomfortable with trees he wanted to reduce the goal of restoring our Canopy from 33 percent to 25 percent. He doesn’t even want the city to try to restore our forest. Wish he’d admitted that when he was running for Council.
5. Bill Kampe did admit (but only recently- after he got elected) that he ran for Council so he could delete our Tree ordinance. Tonight he got his goal. Robert Huitt made the motion to destroy our tree ordinance; Kampe Seconded it. Only Councilman Miller and Mayor Garcia raised any questions, but in the end everyone voted for it.
If you love trees – you can return their favors – Vote Against Kampe and Huitt in the Election.
Thankfully this law has to be voted on once more before it takes effect. You can let the rest of the City Council know you don’t want this harmful law passed.
Pine Lit with Sunset
Further Reading: Pacific Grove Tree Protection Getting Chainsawed – by Bill Kampe and Ken Cuneo
I am glad you pointed out Bill Kempe’s involvement in this. I don’t trust him.
Interesting that he is also saying that he is now opposed to Measure F, when it looks like he is one of people responsible for bringing this HOTEL project to town in the first place. Some politicians will do and say anything to get elected.
Dear All,
Greetings,
Pacific Grove trees need our voices and the voices of generations to come, or the name in the future might be Pacific Desert.
Let’s all be the voice of the voiceless, (the trees).
The following lines are a gift to all of you. I wish Pacific Grove the best now and always.
A monk asked Joshu, “What is the meaning of Bodidharma’s coming to China?”
Joshu said, “The oak tree in the front garden.”
A monk asked Zhaozhou, “What is the living meaning of Zen?.”
Zhaozhou said, “The cypress tree in the courtyard.”
– Mumonkan, Case 37
In 2009, Kampe voted against hearing the evidence that the huge pension increase for safety was illegal. Mayor Garcia voted to investigate the illegality of the increase.
In 2010, Kampe voted against the Citizens Pension Reform Ordinance. Mayor Garcia voted for it.
In 2012 Kampe voted against forming a committee of three council members to hold public hearings about the illegality of the huge pension increase for safety. Mayor Garcia voted to form the committee, which held seven public hearings, took evidence and testimony and unanimously found that the pension increase was not validly enacted. Mayor Garcia chaired the committee and wrote the concise Findings and Report of the Pension Committee.
Kampe and Huitt have not supported voiding the illegal pension increase even though failing to set it aside will probably make it impossible to continue payments to retirees in less than ten years.
Kampe and Huitt support outsourcing the Pacific Grove Police and Fire departments which insulates both departments from any local pension reform.
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