PORTLAND — Two Gresham, Ore., couples have defended themselves against allegations brought in a $660,000 lawsuit that they cut down or damaged dozens of protected trees to improve the views from their homes.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that David and Alyce Hadeed El-Khal filed a response in court last week saying they only cut two or three trees that were “worthless, dead and decayed.” Their neighbors, Stephen and Judith Brugh, issued a response last month alleging they only had four trees de-limbed to prevent them from blowing down in a storm.
Oregon’s regional planning agency Metro filed the suit against the couples in March. It claims they cut down 44 trees in a protected nature area near their homes perched atop Gresham Butte to enhance their views of the city below.
