Tacoma Comp Plan Update

Last night, the Chamber testified at the Tacoma City Council public hearing about the update for the City's Comprehensive Plan Update.

The Chamber focused on plan proposed amendment, 2008-09 South Tacoma Manufacturing/ Industrial Center. The Chamber's comments were submitted by Gary Brackett, the Chamber's Manager for Business and Trade Development. His statement:

"Good evening, Mayor Baarsma and Councilmembers.

"I am Gary Brackett, Manager, Business and Trade Development for the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber.

"I speak tonight in favor of the South Tacoma Manufacturing/Industrial Center designation, as I have before the Tacoma Planning Commission.

"The Chamber supports the new designation because it will elevate that area into a regionally-recognized industrial center, and possibly qualify it for future transportation dollars. That will result in a more attractive location for companies and plants which will, in turn provide our community with more quality jobs and increased tax base.

"As our community continues to struggle with job creation to match our population growth, such initiatives by the City to increase the value of our land and our infrastructure are necessary. And, the best part - this designation does not impose on the community anything more than is currently allowed.

"Thank you for your consideration."

The Tacoma City Council still have several steps ahead with a first reading of the proposed ordinance on Dec. 2 and a final reading on Dec. 9.

It's Official... (Or Is It?)

Auditor Pat McCarthy has apparently won in her bid to be the next Pierce County Executive.  

The last votes to be counted give her a 4,000 vote lead. There is a possibility that a recount may take place, which means we may not know until December who the next Executive is.

Click here for the final(?) results.

Pierce County Executive Race

According to numbers recently released by the Auditor's office, Pat McCarthy will win the Pierce County Executive race.

Having analyzed the numbers prior to the election, it appeared the Republican candidate, Shawn Bunney, would need to have at least 39% of the total votes cast in the first round of the race in order to win in the final round. The unofficial tabulation from the Auditor's office shows Bunney capturing only 33% of the vote in the first round.

The ballots cast thus far indicate that Pat McCarthy will ultimately win the Pierce County Executive seat. For the most current information on the breakdown, click here.

Say It Like You Mean It

Today (Oct. 29), public comments are due for the Environmental Assessment of a Lifestyles Center on Ft. Lewis.

This issue was earlier blogged on the Chamber's Live Wire website here. You are encouraged to view the materials linked in that earlier blog.

The Chamber solicited comments from its members. Those comments were actually received as phone calls. As explained in the enclosed letter here, those comments were divided into two opinions:

1. the local economy is large and diverse enough to satisfy the consumer needs of soldiers and their families.
   
2. this proposed Lifestyles Center is such an important quality-of-life amenity for soldiers and their families that it should be supported.

The Chamber shared this perspective with our comments to the contact point for the project on Ft. Lewis. You are encouraged to share your concerns - but do it today for official consideration.

FEDERAL FUNDING SYMPOSIUM DATES

I received the following invite from our Senators' staffs for our members to attend workshops on federal funding. Information is below:

Good afternoon, Mike.

The staff of Senator Cantwell and Senator Murray will be holding their annual federal funding workshops throughout Washington State in November. Please see the attached document for dates and locations. Please R.S.V.P to the email address workshop@murray.senate.gov if you would like to attend. Also, please forward this email on to anyone you think would be interested. Below is a short list of what will be covered at these workshops. Thanks and I hope to see you there.

- Tips on Submitting a Successful Grant application
- Finding the right funding source for your project
- Working with your congressional delegation
- Current outlook and Trends for Appropriations

Presidential Fact Checking

With all of the speeches and political ads on television nowadays, it is sometimes hard to believe what is being said by the candidates or their campaigns.

CNN provides a fact-checking blog for the presidential election. Go to CNN’s Political Ticker to find out what is true, false or misleading about the latest statements and ads.

Shoreline Open House Focus

Last night's Shoreline Master Program update focused on rehabilitation and public access, especially for the Foss Waterway's S-8 shoreline district. That district encompasses the industrial northeasterly portion of the area.

An Open House is not an opportunity to present hard position statements to a public body, but rather an opportunity to discuss with City staff and their consultants the desires of interested and affected (not the same persons usually) parties.

Frank Erickson, Tacoma Youth Marine Center, was heard discussing the aspects of public access in the industrial northeasterly part of the S-8 shoreline district. His points: homeland security and industrial safety, registered. But, others commented that the public could simply walk around those areas!

Gary Brackett, the Chamber's Manager for Business and Trade, talked with another table group staffed by one of the City's consultants. He noted that the City had amended its Comprehensive Land Use plan to restrict the land north of E. 11th Street from residential and hotel-motel uses. Thus the most logical development was for industry like in the balance of the port-industrial area. But, he said that development was hampered for market forces taking advantage of economic opportunities by the inclusion in interim shoreline rules excluding property owners expanding industrial operations beyond property boundaries.

The Comprehensive Land Use Plan looks to market forces to allow development to influence the future land uses of the Foss Industrial Peninsula. But, the Shoreline Master Program interferes with market forces by trying to make the most logical uses uneconomic.

Brackett proposed that these land use restrictions be removed for the Foss Industrial Peninsula portion of the S-8 shoreline district, or that the area from E. 11th Street to the tip of the peninsula where it abuts the port-industrial S-10 district be included in that S-10 district.

What are your thoughts?