City of Tacoma News: Tacoma City Council

Tacoma City Council
Study Session
Noon, Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Room 16
Tacoma Municipal Building North
728 St. Helens Ave.

Planning Commission overview
The City Council will hear an overview of the duties and responsibilities of the Planning Commission. The session will focus on the commission’s statutory authority, including its establishment in the City Charter and Tacoma Municipal Code, and the procedures for adoption and amendment of the City Comprehensive Plan. The public may attend, but the council will not take public comment.

Tacoma City Council
Regular Meeting
5 p.m., Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Council Chambers
Tacoma Municipal Building
747 Market St.

Pet license fee increase
The City Council will consider increasing Tacoma pet license fees to match the fees charged by Pierce County. The Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County currently provides domestic animal control services to Tacoma. The fee increase would allow The Humane Society to operate on a “break even” basis. The proposed fees are:

DOGS
Altered: $14 (current); $20 (proposed)
Unaltered: $50; $55
Senior pet owners – altered: $8;$10
Senior pet owners – unaltered: $28; $30

CATS
Altered: $8; $12
Unaltered: $50; $55
Senior pet owners – altered: $4; $5
Senior pet owners – unaltered: $28; $30

The council will take public comment at this meeting and is scheduled to vote on this ordinance Feb. 17. In a separate resolution, the council will take public comment and may vote on a $459,996 agreement with The Humane Society to provide domestic animal control services through the end of the year.

Transitional housing loan
The City Council is considering an amendment to the Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority (TCRA) agreement. If the amendment is adopted, $343,477 of Special Purpose Grant funds would be provided to MDC for its project at 721 Fawcett Street, an upward expansion of an existing MDC facility. The project would provide housing for homeless people who have histories of chronic and severe chemical dependency disorders and who may also suffer from psychiatric disorders. MDC will integrate the housing program with other services, including outreach, case management, education, skills training and on-site support. The City Council will take public comment.

Charter Review Committee
The Tacoma Charter Review Committee will meet at 6 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 12 in Room 16 of the Tacoma Municipal Building North. Topics for the meeting are government structure and the relationship between the executive and legislative branches of city government. Time will be set aside for public comment. Recommendations may also be e-mailed to charterreview@cityoftacoma.org. CityPost – Channel 85 on Click!, Channel 77 on Comcast – will air the audio portion of the meeting live.

New domestic violence policies
The Tacoma Police Department (TPD) will present the final draft of its officer-involved domestic violence policies to the Public Safety and Human Services Committee, at 4:30 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 12. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers.