On Tuesday, March 20, 2018, at approximately 5:15 p.m., the Tacoma City Council will conduct a public hearing on the proposed Emergency Temporary Shelters Permanent Regulations, as recommended by the Planning Commission.
This hearing will take place in the City Council Chambers on the first floor of the Tacoma Municipal Building, located at 747 Market Street, Tacoma, Washington. All persons will have an opportunity to present their oral comments at the meeting. Those wishing to submit written comments may do so at the public hearing, or may submit them to the City Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@cityoftacoma.org or 733 Market Street, Room 11, Tacoma, WA 98402, by 4:00 p.m., on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.
Resolution No. 39944, which sets the public hearing date, can be viewed in its entirety on the City’s website at www.cityoftacoma.org/recentlegis by clicking on the link for February 27, 2018, or by requesting a copy from the City Clerk’s Office at (253) 591-5505.
For more information, please contact Mr. Lihuang Wung, Senior Planner, Planning and Development Services Department, at (253) 591-5682.
Subject: Proposed Temporary Shelters Permanent Regulations, as recommended by the Planning Commission.
Summary of the proposal: Currently, there are interim regulations in effect concerning temporary shelters that were originally enacted by the City Council on June 6, 2017, per Ordinance No. 28432, and subsequently modified on October 17, 2017, per Ordinance No. 28460. The proposed permanent regulations are being considered by the City Council for adoption, subject to further amendments, before the interim regulations expire on April 16, 2018.
The proposed Temporary Shelters Permanent Regulations would amend the Tacoma Municipal Code, Sections 13.05.020, 13.06.100, 13.06.635, and 13.06.700.
The basics are as follows:
• Includes governmental institutions, in addition to the already allowed religious (previous code) or non-profit organizations (interim regulations);
• Allows for shelters to run for 185 consecutive days with a 40 day extension or a longer extension in the case of inclement weather or natural disaster;
• Shortens recurrence period to six (6) months between end and start date of a shelter hosting period;
• Allows six shelters city-wide, with a maximum of two in any single Police Sector, once all four Police Sectors have one shelter;
• Provides flexibility in type of sheltering, some site requirements, and service provision;
• Allows children aged under 18 accompanied by a guardian;
• Requires a signed trespass order to be filed with the Tacoma Police Department;
• Replaces the words “camp”, “camps”, or “homeless camp” with the words “shelter”, “shelters” or “temporary shelter”; and
• Defines “Police Sector” and “Temporary Shelters”.
Additional information: Please visit the Planning Services Division’s website at www.cityoftacoma.org/Planning, and click on “Current Initiatives and Projects” and then “Emergency Temporary Shelters Regulations.
– City of Tacoma
