CITY OF TACOMA-PUBLIC HEARING

Published 1:30 am Friday, May 15, 2026

LEGAL NOTICE

CITY OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON

On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at approximately 5:15 p.m., the City Council will conduct a public hearing on the proposed amendments to Chapter 13.11 of the Municipal Code, relating to Critical Areas Preservation, as recommended by the Planning Commission.

For additional details, please see the attached information.

The meeting will be conducted in a hybrid format. To attend in person, the meeting will be held at the Tacoma Municipal Building in the Council Chambers, located at 747 Market Street, on the first floor. To attend remotely, join through Zoom at www.zoom.us/j/84834233126 or dial 253-215-8782 and enter the meeting ID 848 3423 3126 and passcode 349099 when prompted. Council meetings are also available to watch live on TV Tacoma.

Oral comment will be taken during the City Council meeting. Those wishing to submit written comment may do so by email to the City Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@tacoma.gov or by mail at 747 Market Street, Tacoma, WA 98402, by 5:00 p.m., on Monday, June 1, 2026. Written comments will be compiled, sent to the City Council, and posted online.

Resolution No. 41907, which set the public hearing date, can be viewed in its entirety on the City’s website at http://cityoftacoma.legistar.com by clicking on the link for the May 12, 2026, meeting, or by requesting a copy from the City Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@tacoma.gov or 253-591-5505. For more information, please contact Robin Bolster-Grant, Land Use Division Manager, at rbgrant@tacoma.gov.

Nicole Emery City Clerk

CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING

June 2, 2026

What is happening and why am I being notified?

The City of Tacoma is proposing to update its Critical Areas Protection Ordinance (CAO) – the primary local regulation that protects environmentally sensitive lands including wetlands, streams, fish and wildlife habitat, geologically hazardous areas, flood hazard areas, and critical aquifer recharge areas. You are receiving this notice because you are on the City’s distribution list for this update.

About the Proposed CAO Update

The Growth Management Act (RCW 36.70A.130) requires cities and counties to periodically update their critical areas regulations to reflect best available science. The proposed update modernizes Tacoma’s critical areas protections to align with current science, state requirements, and the City’s adopted environmental and climate goals. The proposed update was developed following a gap analysis, extensive public outreach, several rounds of Planning Commission review, and a public hearing on August 20, 2025. The Planning Commission completed its recommendation on April 1, 2026. All public comments received through the process are documented in the public record.

What happens at the public meeting?

The City Council will conduct a public hearing on the proposed CAO Update during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on June 2, 2026. The Council will accept testimony from community members, property owners, businesses, and other interested parties wishing to provide comment on the proposed code amendments. Written comments submitted prior to the hearing will also be included in the public record. The public hearing is an opportunity for the Council to hear from the community before taking action on the proposed update. The Council will not vote on adoption at the June 2nd hearing.

What happens after the public hearing?

Following the public hearing, the City Council is tentatively scheduled to consider the proposed CAO Update for a first reading on June 16, 2026, and for a final reading and adoption on June 23, 2026. These dates are subject to change depending on the outcome of the public hearing and Council deliberation. The City will provide updated scheduling information as it becomes available. Upon adoption, the updated CAO will apply to new development applications and permit reviews citywide. Existing approved permits and vested applications are not affected by the update.

What do you need to do?

You are NOT required to take any action, but if you wish to provide oral testimony and/or written comments, please follow the instructions on this notice.

Staff Contact

For more information, please contact Robin Bolster-Grant, Land Use Division Manager,at (253) 401-1413 or rbgrant@tacoma.gov.

IDX-1030915

May 15, 2026