Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority Board Positions Open

The Tacoma City Council is looking to fill two voluntary positions on the 10-member Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority Board. Both positions require experience in the construction or development industries.

The Board, among other things, administers loans to a variety of clients including low-income Tacoma families that need help buying or repairing their homes, developers that provide multi-family housing to low-income families, businesses that create jobs or rehabilitate blighted commercial spaces, and non-profit organizations that provide housing assistance and economic development services to the Tacoma community.

Board members serve two-year terms. To the extent possible, the board shall be comprised of two members with experience as attorneys, two members with experience in banking or financing, two members with experience in the construction or development industry, two members with experience as certified public accountants, and two members with three or more years of experience as licensed real estate brokers or agents.

For additional information on the Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority Board, please visit the City of Tacoma’s website or contact Jacinda Howard at 253.591.5221.

Applications must be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office by Feb. 14, 2014. To apply, please visit cityoftacoma.org/cbcapplication or contact Linnea Meredith at 253. 591.5178, City Clerk’s Office, Room 220, Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market St., Tacoma, WA 98402.

Planning the Port-Industrial Area's Future

At this month's Manufacturers-Industries-Maritime (M-I-M) meeting, two major planning documents underway were featured. Having completed their draft phases, requiring complementary and collaborative efforts by the Port of Tacoma and the City of Tacoma, these land use and transportation plans identify policies and action strategies to support capital improvements, attract private investments and encourage economic growth.

Kell McAboy, Planning Manager, Port of Tacoma, explained the Port of Tacoma’s land use and transportation planning that will identify policies and recommendations to support capital improvements, attract private investments and encourage economic growth.

The land use and transportation plan will build on the goals and initiatives in its Strategic Plan by providing information, policies and recommendations to support capital improvements, attract private investments and encourage economic growth.

The plan will be a policy-based document that identifies and prioritizes actions needed to achieve the Port's goals. It will act as a form of communication for decision makers and be designed to guide development over a 10 to 20 year planning horizon.

The area of focus for the plan is the Port of Tacoma Manufacturing Industrial Center (MIC) as designated by the Puget Sound Regional Council. Here is the link to the DRAFT Plan.

The City of Tacoma enjoys the economic contributions of the Port of Tacoma. 

Ian Munce, Special Assistant to the Director of Planning & Development Services, City of Tacoma explained the City of Tacoma’s collaboration with the Port of Tacoma, in preparing a Container Port Element (CPE).

In order to protect the unique and critical infrastructure and industrial node of our state’s intermodal ports, in 2009, the Washington State Legislature amended the Growth Management Act (GMA) to include a requirement for a Container Port Element (CPE) in the GMA Comprehensive Plan for cities that contain a marine container port with annual operating revenues in excess of $60 million.

The legislative intent is “… to ensure that local land use decisions are made in consideration of the long-term and widespread economic contribution of our international container ports and related industrial lands and transportation systems and to ensure that container ports continue to function effectively alongside vibrant city waterfronts.” RCW 36.70A.085

Accordingly, the City of Tacoma, in collaboration with the Port of Tacoma, has prepared a Container Port Element for public review. Consistent with state requirements, the element provides policy guidance to achieve the following:

•         Protection of core areas of container port and port-related industrial areas within the City

•         Efficient access to the core area through freight corridors within the city limits

•         Protection against potential land use conflicts along the edge of the core area

•         Identification of key transportation corridor improvements.

The text of the Proposed CPE, together with background information, can be found on the City Website. To access the webpage for the CPE visit the Planning Services Division’s homepage and click on “Container Port Element”, or go directly to the CPE.

Tacoma Charter Review Committee Formed

The Chamber encouraged its members and their associates to apply for the City of Tacoma Charter Review committee in December. The City Charter is the constitution of the City and will determine how the City is governed and administered for the next decade. We tip our hat to those who responded and applied—the Charter Review committee has now been formed. Thanks to all who applied. There were over 50 applicants.

Tacoma Charter Review Committee

• Chair, Bill Baarsma, retired, Professor.  Previously Mayor of Tacoma.
• Teresa Baker, Community Volunteer
• Gary Brackett, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber
• Mabel Edmonds, Clover Park Technical College
• Timothy Farrell, Lobbyist, former Pierce County Councilman
• Eric Hahn, General Plastics Manufacturing Co.
• Dr. Charles Horne, retired.
• Justin Leighton, Pierce Transit
• Mark Martinez, Pierce County Building & Construction Trades Council
• James Merritt, Merritt Arch.
• John Messina, Attorney, Messina Bulzomi Christensen
• Ken Miller, Consultant, Community Volunteer
• Patricia Talton, Northwest Leadership Foundation
• Catherine Ushka, Tacoma Public Schools Board
• Justin Van Dyk, Political Consultant

 

2014 Horizons Program Broadcast

A replay of the 26th annual presentation of the Pierce County Economic Index Report, a forecast of the economic well-being of the Pierce County metropolitan area on January 9, 2014 will be broadcast on TV Tacoma on the following dates and times:

Monday, January 13 - 8 p.m.
Tuesday, January 14 - 4 a.m. & 11 p.m.
Wednesday, January 15 - 9 a.m. & 8 p.m.
Thursday, January 16 - 1 p.m. & 9 p.m
Friday, January 17 - 2 p.m. & 10 p.m.
Saturday, January 18 - 8 a.m. & 6 p.m.
Sunday, January 19 - 1 a.m., 3 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Monay, January 20 - 4 a.m.

TV Tacoma is carried on both the Click! and Comcast cable systems. On Click! TV Tacoma can be seen on Channel 12 in the Tacoma city limits and in Pierce County, with the exception of University Place, where it is found on Channel 21.

On Comcast, TV Tacoma can be seen on Channel 12 in the Tacoma city limits and on Channel 21 in Pierce County. It is NOT carried on the Comcast system in University Place.

TV Tacoma is also streamed on the internet at tvtacoma.com.

Program information line: 253.573.CITY.

Top 10 "Voice" Featured at Horizons

From the rural town of Duvall, Washington comes the voice of an honest soul.

Austin Jenckes is by definition a singer/songwriter.  A Top 10 finalist on Season 5 of "The Voice," Austin has shared his story and his voice with an audience of over 15 million.

He's a 25 year old believer in the universal language of music that spills his heart into every word, with lyrical roots in country and folk, and an unmistakably unique vocal style.

Free: Stormwater Management Workshop

“Stormwater Management & Compliance Strategies”

Free Workshop for Tacoma Businesses

Learn how your business can protect Commencement Bay from polluted runoff.  Hear about free, confidential assistance available from Citizens for a Healthy Bay.  Find out how to avoid legal problems from representatives of McGavick Graves and Coastline law firms.  Hear from leading Tacoma businesses about their challenges and successes in meeting stormwater regulations.  Explore treatment options with an expert from GeoEngineers.

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28th
at the Center for Urban Waters at 326 E. D Street in Tacoma

To register, call Citizens for a Healthy Bay at (253) 383-2429 or send an
email to chb@healthybay.org.  Free lunch is included.