The undersigned respectfully request that the application for a variance to remove the healthy, historic live oak at 8900 Kings Road be denied. To preserve the character and identity of our community, we further ask that no future request to remove a healthy historic live oak within the Dunes be approved.

We inherited this heritage live oak — and the many others that define our neighborhood — from those who came before us. We have a responsibility to protect them for those who will come after. To destroy this tree now, whether for convenience or to accommodate a larger residence, would inflict a permanent wound on our landscape and diminish the very qualities that make the Dunes a special place to live.

This position is not taken lightly. In just the past two years, more than 40 acres of nearby land have been clear‑cut for residential development. An additional 26 acres stand poised for commercial and/or residential construction. With so much rapid change occurring around us, safeguarding the historic trees within the Dunes is essential to maintaining the natural beauty, shade canopy, and sense of place that our community is known for. These trees are protected by local ordinance for a reason, and the desire to build a larger home should not override that purpose.

For these reasons, we respectfully request that the variance application be denied.