Park Board approves Point Defiance Park Master Plan Update

Move to follows decade-long process to guide enhancements to the park.

After years of community input, the Metro Parks Tacoma Board of Commissioners unanimously voted Monday to approve a long-range master plan “update” for Point Defiance Park.

“Point Defiance is one of the most spectacular park settings in the country. This is a fine example of the community working with their park district to plan for the future,” said Park Board President Tim Reid. “We appreciate all of the community input that helped us balance protection and access to natural areas with the need to provide a venue for community gathering and recreational use.”

The master plan update looks 20 years into the future and provides a framework for enhancements. Highlights will include:

• A new aquarium
• A new Environmental Learning Center at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
• A new 11-acre park on the peninsula adjacent to the ferry terminal.
• A roundabout entry at Pearl Street that will improve safety and efficiency.
• Separation of bicycle/pedestrian and car traffic from the entries to major destinations
• A nature adventure play area.
• Relocated dog park.
• Infrastructure upgrades, including utility and signage improvements and upgrades to the park’s viewpoints.

The complete plan is online at DestinationPointDefiance.org. More than 70 potential projects are listed, though implementation will depend on funding and additional planning. Some, such as the new aquarium, Environmental Learning Center and park at the Point Defiance peninsula, already are underway. As part of the process, Metro Parks is working on a Development Regulation Agreement (DRA) with the City of Tacoma that will allow an efficient, economical, and streamlined permitting process to occur.

Previously, the only official master plan was the Hare & Hare Plan of 1911. Despite the plan’s age, Chief Planning Manager Doug Fraser said the document held up remarkably well over the years.

“Hare & Hare had great vision for this park in 1911 such that when you look at their original plan you can see today’s Point Defiance,” Fraser said. “The original plan included the zoo, gardens, waterfront pavilion, beach access, and a priority for preservation of old-growth forest. We heard citizens voice all of these priorities through our public meetings, so we believed that it was valuable to continue recognizing the work of Hare & Hare and call this an update rather than a brand-new master plan.”

In 2005, Metro Parks began a lengthy process to develop a new master plan that took into account modern demands on the park, which experiences over 3 million visits a year. The work started with the mission to “achieve a balance of: Past, Present, and Future ... Recreation, Leisure, Education, Conservation, Preservation, History, and Progress.”

To ensure the plan reflected the community’s shared vision, Metro Parks staff and its consultant BCRA held dozens of meetings and open houses, heard hundreds of citizen comments and gave presentations throughout the park district, asking for input at each step. Metro Parks also engaged numerous stakeholders, including the City of Tacoma, the Tacoma School District, state and federal agencies, and adjacent jurisdictions such as the Puyallup Tribe, Nisqually Tribe and City of Ruston. This year, planners brought the process to a close through a series of public meetings from January through May that reaffirmed a shared vision for the park.

Next steps

The Master Plan represents a high-level vision for the park. More detailed planning is needed for several focus areas.

Fort Nisqually is one of the first, with a public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, to discuss long-range capital improvement and programming. The meeting will take place at Metro Parks headquarters, 4702 S. 19th St.

Other focus areas will include Owen Beach, Baker Tract/Camp 6, and topics such as parkwide traffic and circulation.

The Master Plan Update falls under the umbrella of Destination Point Defiance, a long-term comprehensive planning initiative to enhance the experience and honor the character of Point Defiance Park through preservation and stewardship, access enhancements and year-round activities.