When Portland's BES slapped an "environmental overlay" on my property, they sent me about 20 pounds of paper to tell me what I couldn't do with "my" property. They killed a lot of trees in the name of "environmental protection".
You see, there was a tributary of Fanno Creek which ran though the very back of "my" property. The fact that I took care of it, even leaving a couple of dead trees standing as snags for wildlife habitat along the bank - that wasn't good enough. No, in the reams of paperwork, they informed me that I could not plant non-native plants within 50 feet of the bank. A vegetable garden, then, was out of the question, as none of those plants are native. They did provide a list of approved plants, which I would be allowed to plant on "my" property. Very big of them.
Also included in the paperwork was a notification that I could make no changes to my home without their approval. Well, the deck was unsafe, so I made the mistake of telling them that I planned to replace it. In order to do that, I was told, I would have to submit plans to them, together with a $1200 fee. They would then examine the plans and decide whether or not I could proceed.
Very big of them.
I'd had about enough of their crap, so I tore off the old deck and built a new one. I didn't submit plans for their approval, and I didn't pay them $1200. They didn't get a dime. Then I sold the place and moved out of the reach of BES.
And people wonder why I hate bureaucrats.
Phonehenge West from Devin Schiro on Vimeo.
