Dear Laura, Deborah, Terry, Bruce and Jeff:  

You have already taken out at least 3 big oaks at Laurel School - "paved paradise and put in a parking lot" - with no posting of the planned cuttings so that the community could comment (as is required in unincorporated San Mateo county, where Deborah and I live), the city of Menlo Park (where Laura and maybe the rest of you live) and the town of Atherton.  

I honestly look at that school, where my 3 children went to school, and I am SO grateful that my children do not have to go there now. It is really sad to see it, and from what I can tell, was not necessary if the design had been tweaked thoughtfully. It does not make me feel good about our school district, as a member of the community, to see such blatant disregard for taking care of the trees there. Laurel already killed one big oak while my kids were there by planting a lawn right around it and watering the oak to death. Four down, how many to go?  

I realize that population increases are not your fault, and they are creating the need for increased school facilities at very small school sites, but I do think as our school board, you have the responsibility to take a strong stand on preserving these amazing oaks that Menlo Park is famous for, and create inviting and environmentally responsible schools that children and parents love to attend. There must be ways to make more of an effort, change the design as Carol Taggart suggests below and come up with a winning plan that preserves the trees. They honestly were here when Indians were here and are truly irreplaceable. Why are schools exempt from heritage tree ordinances? Schools are part of the community, not above and separate from it.  

I urge you to reconsider and come up with a design for Oak Knoll that will save the trees. The children and families that follow will be grateful.  

http://www.almanacnews.com/story.php?story_id=6345  

Thank you,  

Kris Olson

930 Colby Ave.

Menlo Park, CA 94025 Received on Thu Jul 10 15:24:43 2008