A Southwest Portland family is facing off with City Hall in court after a 150-foot Douglas fir came crashing down in the January 2024 ice storm, crushed their home, and narrowly missed their 6-year-old. The Bonds are suing the City of Portland for $4.8 million, arguing that city inspectors ignored clear signs of decay and wrongly denied their request to remove the tree. The city disputes that, saying its inspector believed the towering fir looked healthy at the time.
Arborists Say Red Flags Were There For Years
At Multnomah County Circuit Court, certified arborist David Hunter walked jurors through photographs that have been entered into evidence, testifying that they showed long-standing rot and woodpecker activity that should have triggered a deeper evaluation of the tree. Consulting arborist Casey Johnson told the jury that the tree’s base was extensively decayed and that visible defects would have led him to order a more thorough inspection.
Under cross-examination, Hunter acknowledged that the ice and snow during the January 2024 storm likely played a role in the failure. Those details were reported by OregonLive.
Storm, Splintered Roof, And A Denied Permit
The Douglas fir fell on the Bonds’ Southwest Portland house during the January 2024 ice storm, leaving the structure uninhabitable but sparing the family. A branch punched through the upstairs bathroom ceiling near the family’s 6-year-old, but everyone inside survived, as reported by OPB.
The Bonds say this was not a freak accident they could not see coming. They first applied in late 2021 for permission to remove the tree, only to have that request denied in 2022, according to coverage by Willamette Week.
City Denies Negligence As Former Forestry Boss Exits Case
In their lawsuit, the Bonds argue that Urban Forestry inspectors failed to recognize indicators that the tree was unsafe and that the city wrongly refused removal. They are seeking $4.8 million in damages from the city.
The City of Portland, for its part, denies negligence and has said the tree "appeared healthy" during the inspection. Court records show that former urban forestry manager Jenn Cairo was later dismissed from the case. Those points were detailed by OregonLive.
Why This Fight Matters For Portland’s Tree Rules
Beyond one family’s ordeal, the case is a stress test for how Portland’s Tree Code and Urban Forestry inspections work on private property, especially when storms hit. Portland’s Title 11 generally requires permits for most large private trees and gives city inspectors wide discretion over removals; the rules and permitting process are outlined on Portland.gov.
After the January 2024 storm, the city waived some retroactive removal fees for properties with storm-damaged trees, a policy shift previously reported by OPB. Advocates say this trial could sharpen calls for clearer standards on when inspectors should dig deeper, literally and figuratively, into the health of large trees.
Family Says City’s Tree Stance Put Kids At Risk
The Bonds have argued that the city’s strict approach to tree removals put their children in harm’s way and that the aftermath of the collapse has been life-altering. "If I just did not like how the tree looked ... this was like a life or death kind of situation," a family member said in earlier coverage, according to Willamette Week.
The trial now centers on whether city inspectors’ field assessments met accepted arboricultural and legal standards, and whether Portland is on the hook when a tree that once “appeared healthy” comes crashing down.
