Planning Commission Annual Amendments Public Hearing

The City of Tacoma Planning Commission this week will hold a public hearing on the 2012 Annual Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Regulatory Code. The amendments come in three categories: housing, transportation, and “minor amendments and refinements.” The City of Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan can be amended once each year, and this year seven proposals were made for changes to the governing document. Of these seven, three made it through initial review, and were approved by the Planning Commission. These three now go through public review and hearings. Those three are as follows:

HOUSING ELEMENT

Amending the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan to (a) incorporate new Affordable Housing PolicyPrinciples as set forth by the City Council; (b) ensure consistency with the Countywide Planning Policies specifically relating to affordable housing; and (b) update the housing needs assessment information based on the 2010 census and other recent data.

TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT
Amending the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan to (a) reprioritize bicycle, sidewalk and intersection improvement projects, and to keep information current and address consistency among text, maps and project lists in the Mobility Master Plan section; and (b) update the Unfunded Project List in the General Plan Implementation section, to include a number of new projects, suggested largely by Neighborhood Councils.  

MINOR AMENDMENTS AND REFINEMENTS
To address inconsistencies, correct minor errors, and provide additional clarity, amending the following chapters of the Tacoma Municipal Code: 13.04 (Platting and Subdivisions), 13.05 (Land Use Permit Procedures), 13.06 (Zoning), and 13.07 (Landmarks and Historic Special Review Districts); and the Environmental Policy Element of the Comprehensive Plan.

Of the other four proposals, three are being postponed for various reasons, and one is moving forward separately from the 2012 Annual Amendment process. The first, a proposal to add a port container element to the Comprehensive Plan, as mandated by the 2009 GMA, has been put on hold to allow for completion of the Shoreline Master Program Update, with work anticipated to resume later this year. The second and third, relating respectively to “issues” with on-site signage (with an emphasis on digital reader signs), and to platting and subdivision code revisions, have both been put on hold due to staffing changes. The final, proposal on code changes designed to help implement the policies of the Urban Forestry Element will not be moving forward through the annual amendment process, but will be moving forward separately.

Comments on the three approved proposals will be taken at the public hearing this Wednesday, or may be emailed to to planning@cityoftacoma.org. For more information on the proposals, including applications for all seven proposed amendments, visit www.cityoftacoma.org.

Planning Commission Public Hearing
When: Wednesday, March 7, 5:00 pm 
Where: City Council Chambers, Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market Street, 1st Floor
Details: www.cityoftacoma.org/planning