http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/07/in_portland_its_the_law_to_get.html
City orders perfectly good trees to be cut down. The paper version of the before and after tree removal says a thousand words. The property looks much worse after.
The trees weren't "perfectly good". They were severely topped and cut without a permit. The company that cut the trees were fined $7,000. The 30-year old trees removed will be replaced.
Trees are important to any metropolitan area. However, they need to be controlled. A city overun by out of control trees will cause more problems than advantages. A balance must be found. Seattle has been struggling with this issue for decades. Most will agree that Seattle has been increasing its tree population in recent decades, but at some point, they need to be conrolled as to allow commerce and development to continue. A compromise has been struck in Sea-town, and the same needs to occur in Portland.
I don't think that the issue here . . . it looks like the trees were planted along the sidewalk when the building was built -- both appear to be 30 years old. I'm betting the city required the planting those trees when they issued the building permit. I'm thinking that THIS is why the city acted in a heavy handed way -- they likely violated their agreement with the city. We need more information, hopefully it'll come.
I don't think we need to worry about commerce development for years. Even so, I have no pity for Seattle. They wiped out nearly all the trees in the name of commerce all over that area (examples: Boeing field, Kent) and put up massive gray buildings and parking lots as far as they eye can see. Only in recent decades did tree planting take hold.
I was a kid growing up in Seattle -- gray skies, gray sound, gray buildings and gray freeways -- that's Seattle then - butt ugly. If there's a tree that still standing from the Chief Seattle days, by golly, we're gonna reroute the freeway! 
I have always thought that Portland has done a fantastic job of managing its greenery over the years. I am sure it has been a pain in the ass for many developers , but that is the way it has been and is now .
But I have noticed particularly since the late 60s how the Portland skyline, the hills and other parts of the city have cultivated a forest like appearance. I notice it about every time I come into town and then campare it to most areas of Clark County when I go over the river, it is a stark contrast.
I think the Portland/Oregon citizens can be proud of that.
I saw the pictures of the trees and they looked fine. Having them cut down was a ridiculous thing to do. The property now looks much worse than it did before. Way to go Portland, show'em who's boss!
I cut down several big fir trees next to my house not to long ago, made a call to my insurance man first and asked him if I drop a tree through the middle of my house would I be covered and he said yes, I told him if you don't hear from me on Monday then no news is good news! 6 of them dropped right were I aimed but the last one was a real nail biter!
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