Tacoma City Council
Study Session
Noon, Tuesday, February 5, 2002
Tacoma Municipal Building North
Room 16
728 St. Helens Ave.
Adolescent Program, Pay Station
The City Council will hear an update on the Health Department Adolescent Program and learn about the proposed Pay Station Parking pilot program. Since 1994, Tacoma and the Health Department, along with the Pierce County Juvenile Court, have partnered to reduce juvenile crime, gang activity and youth violence. The results of several adolescent programs indicated a significant decline in youth violence in Tacoma and improved performance of “at risk” kids in Tacoma schools.
Tacoma should find out if a Pay Station Parking system can solve some parking problems with a pilot program in the Tacoma Municipal Building area. The council will learn about a plan to spend $395,000 to purchase and install Pay Station Parking units for use along South Seventh to South Ninth streets – north and south sides of the street and Broadway to Market.
Tacoma City Council
Regular Meeting
Tacoma Municipal Building
747 Market St.
Water plan ready for council nod
The council will take public testimony and vote on Tacoma Water’s Comprehensive Water Plan Update and the Green River Watershed Management Plan. The Washington State Department of Health and King and Pierce counties require the plan, which outlines water quality and public health programs to meet federal, state and local regulations, such as the Growth Management Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Tacoma Rail rates
The council will review separate ordinances that affect Tacoma Rail rates. The council will consider Tacoma Rail’s Rate Policy that guides the utility’s financial planning and a rate adjustment. Tacoma Rail wants to replace nearly $140,000 in projected lost revenue with a $6 per car tariff switching rate increase. The rate increase applies to container-loaded rail cars and is lower than inflationary trends. The increase will not affect general cargo and non-containerized railcars. The tariff rate is the amount train companies pay for each car that uses the municipal railroad’s switching services. The rail operator has lost money because of the mix of cars that use the rail system and an overall decline in the volume of business. The increases will take effect April 1. The council expects to vote Feb. 12.
City may renew ‘Wired City’ contract
The council will take testimony and vote on renewing Development Counsellors International’s “America’s #1 Wired City” contract until Feb. 28, 2003. Items proposed for the 2002 contract include: media tours to Seattle and other major media markets; visits to Tacoma by targeted national journalists; meetings with leading site selection consultants around the country and; additional strategies for reaching identified target industries. The cost of the contract is $91,100.
Public hearing: zoning code changes
At a public hearing at 5 p.m., on Wednesday, Feb. 20, citizens can comment on proposed zoning code changes that govern Group Care Class I Homes, housing for people with special needs. Topics include new and updated definitions for special needs housing and proposed changes in permitted zones.