Tacoma City Council
Study Session
Noon, March 5, 2002
Family Investment Center
1724 East 44th St.
Tacoma
Salishan redevelopment plan
The Tacoma Housing Authority Board of Commissioners will join the City Council for this study session. HOPE VI Coordinator Cleo Everett will give a general overview of the proposed revitalization plan of the Salishan Housing Development on the east side, as well as discuss the zero impact grant and sustainability concepts for environmentally friendlier developments. The new mixed-income community will feature new and unique urban design and land use principles that will help eliminate and prevent blight. The group will also discuss a proposed feasibility storm water runoff through land use design. The Department of Ecology awarded the Housing Authority a Centennial Clean Water Grant Fund for the study. The new Salishan community will increase the tax revenues for the City of Tacoma, promote private investment, create local job opportunities, expand affordable public housing opportunities and enhance the local and regional transportation systems.
Tacoma City Council
Regular Meeting
5 p.m., Tacoma Municipal Building
747 Market St.
Environmental Services bond debt
Tacoma would gain substantial interest rate savings, as well as added financial stability by entering into an interest rate swap agreement for Wastewater Management and Solid Waste Management bond debt. The City Council will take public testimony and vote on two resolutions outlining the interest rate swap, which would essentially allow the city to switch a portion of its debt from a fixed interest rate to a variable interest rate over a 15-year term. If approved, the city would swap $50 million of wastewater debt and $15 of solid waste debt. The swap agreement would reduce debt service costs for Wastewater Management by $1.7 million, and for Solid Waste Management by $400,000 at current interest rates.
Dock Street traffic revisions
Today and tomorrow, Dock Street will be reduced to one lane at the Chihuly Pedestrian Bridge from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and closed to all but emergency vehicles from 6:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., in order to erect steel girders.
Phase II zoning changes
The City Council will vote on implementing Phase II of the zoning code update. The changes would go into effect next month. The zoning code is a three-phase project to help modernize and streamline major portions of Tacoma’s zoning code – making it easier to understand and administer. During the second phase of the project, the city plans to reduce the number of general commercial districts, revise some administrative permits and add building site design standards for commercial developments. Planned revisions would include:
– 325 land use categories to 50;
– 14 commercial districts to five;
– 39 setback schemes to three and;
– 10 landscaping codes to one.
Citizens commented on proposed changes during a Feb. 12 public hearing and the Feb. 26 council meeting. Work on the comprehensive plan update began in October 2000. During Phase III, the city plans to review and update residential and industrial districts. The entire project should be complete by the end of the year.