PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Northeast Portland couple is fighting to save a giant sequoia tree in their yard.
According to homeowners Claire Bollinger and Shayan Rohani, the city’s Urban Forestry Division is declaring the tree a nuisance because the root system is damaging the foundation of a home on a neighboring property.
KOIN 6 News was told by the couple the house has been vacant for the past three years and deemed unlivable. However, those property owners say the tree’s root system is damaging the foundation of the home, making it unlivable.
The couple has filed numerous appeals to save the tree, which is more than 100 years old, but said they keep getting denied by the city. The neighboring property owners dispute the age of the tree, saying it’s closer to 70 years old.
More than 6,600 people have signed a Change.org petition to save the tree, and a GoFundMe page has been established to help them with their defense.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with information from the neighboring property owner. Read the follow-up story here.