Neighbors express concerns of damage to Methodist church's tree to town planning commission

The first memory from the La Conner United Methodist Church memorial garden project isn’t what anyone had in mind.

Town of La Conner staff last week requested that work by volunteers in the garden cease while an arborist reviews potential damage by a backhoe to the root system of a large Norwegian spruce tree.

Neighbors voiced their fears that the tree’s health was compromised and now poses a threat to nearby properties and the historic church building at Second and Benton during the public comment segment of the Aug. 6 planning commission meeting at Maple Hall.

“There’s concern about the tree...