Dear PoP – “tree choppin’ in Mt Pleasant”

“Dear PoP,

You should check out Haydee’s Restaurant’s decision to go into the tree removal business.  Personally, I’ve thought that some of the recent controversies around their application for a nightclub license were overblown, but if the facts are accurate, this is a really arrogant and selfish action…”

From the Mt. Pleasant forum:

“Not sure if you are aware of this or not but Haydee’s cut down the tree in front of her business last Saturday. As of June 18th I had had two conversations with telling her that she could not do this w/o a permit that in most likelihood she would not get. She initially told me that she had planted the tree and because of that she was entitled to take it down. I of course did my own research and found that it was not the case.

Last night I met with MPMS and was told that the tree had mysteriously lost all of its leaves in the last week, I assured them I had photo of a healthy looking tree. We walked over there and were shocked to see the tree no longer there and the tree box covered.

I am told by other sources that another ANC supported these actions – I hope this is not true, this is a bad example to set for all the other businesses.

As you probably know Haydee’s withdrew her application for outdoor café. She would have gotten the permit but one of the conditions was that she remove two tables by her entrance to provide sufficient sidewalk space to pedestrians as they walked by the tree box, she refused and said that she wanted all the tables and did not understand why there needed to be 6’ of clearance.

I am enclosing some pics I took of the before and after.

Gabriela Vega
Transportation Planner, Ward 1”