North Downtown Next for a Subarea Plan?
Sub-area plans and Environmental Impact Statements seem to be popular ideas in Tacoma lately. Since last fall the City and community stakeholders have been working on Sub-area Plans and EISs for the MLK and South Downtown Neighborhoods, and now we see on next week’s City Council agenda a request for a resolution authorizing a grant application to the State Community Economic Revitalization Board for $50,000 to prepare a sub-area plan and EIS for North Downtown.
The Community and Economic Development Department’s request for the resolution describes the subarea planning process as
… a process that is designed to result in fast tracking revitalization through up front environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act, planning and design of capital facilities, and planning for infrastructure and neighborhood amenities to support increased density.
The idea is to get environmental impacts and plans for development dealt with at an area level, rather than on a project-by-project basis. This makes development in the area more predictable for developers, and saves them the time, cost, and general hassle of environmental assessments and public meetings. It addresses the existing community’s desires for their future up front. And, in the case of the plans currently under way, and the proposal to do the same for North Downtown, the City can largely pay for the process with grant funds (i.e. the $50,000 grant application for the proposed $75,000 North Downtown project).
We heard at last week’s City Council study session about progress on the MLK plan, which, if it we had to sum it up in one word, it would have to be “certainty.” Certainty for prospective developers, certainty for current community members, and certainty for the City. The dream seems to be that we will set up the system to upgrade the neighborhood, and bring the residents along. Is this happening? Will it happen going forward?
It sounds like the public outreach process got off to a little bit of a rocky start; among other concerns in the community was a worry that the so-called “Medical Mile” would pre-empt neighborhood priorities for planning. Among the community priorities identified by the process were a desire for a revitalization of the strip of MLK that serves as the downtown for the neighborhood. Transportation, infrastructure, streetscape, and housing development done in such a way as to benefit existing residents and to continue to foster diversity in the neighborhood were among other priorities discussed. It’s easy to see how these priorities could dovetail with the interests of future developers in the area, but it’s also possible to imagine a scenario where they come into conflict.
The concept of the subarea plan and EIS processes sounds good all around, particularly in comparison to Tacoma’s propensity for reactionary planning… Mayor Strickland called it a “tool” to help with development in the neighborhoods concerned.
Is there really not a down side to this trend for Subarea Plans and pre-fab EISs?
Conceptual illustrations of possible full build-out for the MLK neighborhood, from a January 5 community meeting presentation. Read more about the MLK planning process, visit www.cityoftacoma.org/MLKPlan.
Previously from Exit133: MLK Subarea Plan Workshop.
Filed under: Downtown Tacoma, Neighborhoods, City Projects, City Government, Comprehensive Plan, North Downtown Planning
8 comments
F fredo April 10, 2012
The city spent millions to clean up the Sauro’s Cleaners site in DT Tacoma. The reason? So that developers would have an attractive site to bring some economic activity to DT and they wouldn’t get bogged down with any environmental stuff. So what development was eventually placed on the cleaned up site? That would be a parking lot which was effectively given to DaVita.
The sub-area planning sounds good but perhaps we could try this on a case by case basis. If nobody wants to build in Tacoma, then the fact that the environmental impact paperwork is already finished isn’t going make any difference.
N NEAL April 10, 2012
“This makes development in the area more predictable for developers, and saves them the time, cost, and general hassle of environmental assessments”
Sounds like a way to make it easier for downtown development … it sounds … gasp … efficient.
F fredo April 10, 2012
Yes, the planning may make it easier to attract development if…GASP…anybody actually wants to develop something in Tacoma.
There were no prospective developers mentioned in the story, Nor was there any evidence provided in the story that the “general hassle of environmental assessments” was an impediment to current development. This is just an assumption.
T talus April 10, 2012
You’d think the recent sunny days would brighten Fredo’s outlook, and that he might at least applaud government efficiency efforts that will, over time, improve our economy and improve our quality of life. But no. Sad!
J jd April 11, 2012
Unfortunately, some people have only one thing on their minds…misery. It just doesn’t matter how well everything else may be going, they are bound and determined to find the dark side to any story. “Sure, those kittens at the Humane Society are cute, and it’s nice that they can be adopted and have nice, loving homes, but why do those dirty rat-bastards at the HS need to have a non-profit standing? We should charge them extra, since they don’t help with economic development!”
J jd April 11, 2012
I think this is potentially a great idea! If we can save time (and time is money) in pushing projects through, then this will be a benefit to all.
As to the issue of a parking lot having been “effectivly given to DaVita”, I fail to see the problem here. DaVita employs approximately 1,000 people in their main downtown office alone. I addition to their main building, they also lease another 80,000 square feet in the Columbia Bank Center and are looking for even more space. They’ve also recently opened the Paladina medical clinic in the Pacific Plaza building.
Could it be that some businesses are actually growing and prospering in DT Tacoma? I didn’t think that was possible with our oppressive taxes!
J Jesse April 11, 2012
Great job of slashing through the red-tape to make it easier on companies to build offices and locate here — as well as building apartments and condos!
C Chris April 11, 2012
It’s worth noting that with the addition of North Downtown’s EIS, a hypothetical Tacoma Link extension along MLK would benefit from both master planning and a transfer of development rights program along much of the route. This is a very smart move by the City.
I still think that a 6th Avenue extension is worth pursuing, but if we can get more development out of an MLK extension, I could be convinced of its merit.