Crews started work early Jan. 21 to remove the large monkey tree from the property on the southeast corner of Northwest 60th Street and Ninth Avenue Northwest.

East Ballard resident Robert Donat was watching as the tree came down. For some people, the tree was a symbol of the neighborhood, he said.

Roger Smith, another observer, said the tree has been there since before most of the residents – at least since 1947.

Dawn Hemminger, president of the East Ballard Community Association, said she noticed them preparing to take the tree down on her way to work.

The tree removal company tried to convince the new owners of the property to simply prune the tree, as it was still very healthy, but they wanted to tear it out, Hemminger said.

She said she is upset the tree is coming down and thinking about the generations of children who spent their youth climbing it.

The Department of Planning and Development is looking into whether the removal of the tree went against a city ordinance requiring the removal of "rare, uncommon, unique or exceptional" trees on private property to be approved by the department.

Brian Stevens at the Department of Planning and Development said an inspector was sent to the site today to look at the tree but only after removal had started.

Stevens said if the tree is correctly identified as a non-native monkey puzzle tree, the property owners and/or the tree removal company could face a fine in the amount of the appraised value of the tree.

In order for a monkey puzzle tree to be considered exceptional, it must measure at least 1 foot, 10 inches in diameter at 4.5 feet off the ground.

Stevens said the Ballard tree appeared to be well over that, closer to three feet.

Exceptional trees on private property can still be removed, but only after a Department of Planning and Development-approved risk assessment.

"It should not be going down without permission from DPD," said Peg Nielsen, spokesperson for the department.