This petition is to urge The Town of Black Mountain, Kimley Horn Design Consultants and The Circle K Developers, to amend the landscape and design of the new Circle K gas station, at 200 NC Hwy 9 Black Mountain NC 28711, in order to save the “SunTrust Maple Tree”, a mature maple tree referred to in the development plans as tree #991 – 36’ Maple, located to the front right corner of the lot.  

Town of Black Mountain, Kimley Horn Design Consultants, and the Developers of Circle K, we the people, urge you to use your strength and influence to stop the needless cutting down the of, what most of us locals refer to as, the “SunTrust Maple Tree”.  This is a very mature maple tree with a remarkably beautiful widespread canopy located in the old Sunburst building lot. Many residents and visitors have admired this maple tree for decades, especially in the fall when it turns every vibrant shade of red and orange imaginable. This tree provides shade, ambiance and beauty to an otherwise unaesthetic part of town. It is one of the first trees a person would admire along the travel into the downtown area from interstate. Many residents and visitors alike stop at this tree to admire, photograph, and rest in its widespread canopy of shade year round. An abundance of photographs are shared online of families standing happily in front of this beautiful maple, with its tall canopy of leaves as the photograph background. The tree stands tall and proud and happy to be a part of our stories. It truly is our towns welcome tree.

The “SunTrust Maple Tree” is not just a beautiful part of the landscape going into downtown; it is a part of our community’s heritage and wellbeing. We are people of a mountain town. We don't just live surrounded by nature, we coexist with the nature that surrounds us. That being said the “SunTrust Maple” is not only enjoyed by humans, it also provides for countless wildlife, as well. The removal of said tree would cause a heartbreaking disruption to the life of every animal who relies on the tree, from bugs and the slugs, to the birds and to the squirrels.

As you may know, Black Mountain was hit hard by Hurricane Helene last September. Among the many losses we suffered were hundreds of mature, cherished trees, many of which had stood for generations. These trees are more than just part of the landscape, they represent our town’s deep-rooted connection to nature, our history, and our shared sense of place. The maple tree survived the storm and has truly become a symbol of resilience of our community. 

We beg of you to hear our collective and passionate plea to redesign and to reconsider any plans that call for the maple tree's removal, so we may continue to enjoy its remarkable beauty and resilient spirit, for generations of admirers for ages to come.