City of Tacoma Planning Commission

Sean Gaffney, Chair Scott Winship, Vice-Chair

Chris Beale Donald Erickson Benjamin Fields

Tina Lee Alexandria Teague

Erle Thompson Stephen Wamback

HANDOUTS and PRESENTATIONS

Meeting of August 6, 2014

1. North Downtown Subarea Plan (PowerPoint Slides; for Discussion Item D-1)

2. North Downtown Subarea Plan – Stadium District Parking

(Handouts; for Discussion Item D-1)

3. Tacoma Mall Center Subarea Plan and EIS (PowerPoint Slides; for Discussion Item D-2)

The City of Tacoma does not discriminate on the basis of disability in any of its programs, activities, or services. To request this information in an alternative format or to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Planning and Development Services Department at (253) 591-5056 (voice) or (253) 591-5820 (TTY).

747 Market Street, Room 345 ❚ Tacoma, WA 98402 ❚ (253) 591-5682 ❚ FAX (253) 591-5433 ❚ http://www.cityoftacoma.org/planning

North Downtown Subarea Plan & Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) City of Tacoma Planning and Development Services

Planning Commission August 6, 2014

North Downtown Subarea Boundaries

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Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) City of Tacoma & Bates Technical College

partnership – co-lead agencies Analyzes cumulative impacts for the entire

North Downtown subarea. Eliminates the need for project-specific State

Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review. Issued July 2, 2014

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North Downtown Plan and EIS North Downtown Subarea Plan

An area-wide, long-range plan for the subarea. Serves as a statement of the City’s commitment

and direction for the area. Supplements current Tacoma policies governing

the environment, land use, transportation, parks, recreation, economic development, and utilities.

Background Funded by a $50,000 grant from State

Community Economic Revitalization Board One of 3 subarea plans for Downtown Tacoma Encompasses 520 Acres in North Downtown

area Project initiated in June of 2013

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Outreach

Community Meeting - May 29, 2013 Scoping Meeting - June 26, 2013 Steering Committee – Met twice monthly from

September 2013 to June 2014 Staff-led Comment Period - May 15 to June 16, 2014 Staff-led Public Hearing - May 29, 2014 Planning Commission Public Hearing - July 16, 2014

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Stadium Way Hillside Design Standards

Stadium Business District Boundaries

On-Street parking in the Stadium Area

Comments Received -Key Issues Identified-

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Stadium Way Slope Design Standards

Establishment of design standards for the pedestrian connection between the neighborhood and the Schuster Parkway Promenade.

Balances the preservation of public access to scenic views with slope stability, habitat, and public health and safety.

Consistent with the Urban Forestry Element of the Comprehensive Plan and Shoreline Master Program.

Metro Parks Tacoma and the City’s Environmental Services Department are preparing a “long-range natural resource management plan” for the hillside. The Design Standards in the Plan will inform that process.

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Stadium Business District Boundaries

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• The Stadium Business District Association boundaries have been requested to be revised to reflect membership.

• Proposed boundaries exceed criteria establishing the Business Districts per TMC 1.47.

• Community and Economic Development Dept. (CED) is currently in the process of making changes to TMC 1.47 to allow for larger business districts and conducting outreach to the Stadium Business District.

• Plan text and maps to be revised. Currently states “Revised District Boundary” but will be changed to state that the boundary shown is a “Conceptual Revised Boundary” pending CED’s process.

Existing Program Boundary

Proposed Program Boundary

On-Street Parking

Public Works Parking Inventory Study of Stadium District

Requested by Business Association Objective was to identify parking

conditions in the core of Stadium District

Each on-street parking stall in the District was mapped

397 total spaces identified Goal LU-5 added to Plan:

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On-Street Parking

1) 35 to 40 on-street parking stalls removed due to Stadium Way improvements.

2) 4 on-street stalls to be removed for bike lane.

3) 16 on-street spaces removed due to lane reconfiguration.

4) 23 off-street stalls removed.

5) 7 on-street stalls removed as a result of Stadium Way improvements.

Supplemental Information

On-Street Parking

Should this goal be preserved, changed, or removed?

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Subarea Plan and EIS Schedule

2014 Date Event July 2 Issued Final Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) July 16 Planning Commission Public

Hearing on Revised Plan August 6 Planning Commission Review of

Public Comments August 20 Planning Commission

Recommendation of Final Plan August 26 City Council Study Session

September 9 City Council Public Hearing

September 16 City Council First Reading September 23 City Council Final

Reading/Adoption October 5 Effective Date of Ordinances

TACOMA MALL CENTER SUBAREA PLAN & EIS

August 6, 2014 Staff leads: Elliott Barnett Cheri Gibbons

Project Overview • Funding – $250,000 grant • Timeline – 2014 to 2016 • Approach:

• Subarea Plan • Programmatic EIS • Implementation

• Partners • Property/business interests • Neighborhood groups • Community stakeholders • Public agencies • City departments

Objectives • Sustainable growth consistent with vision • Ongoing community engagement • Transition from auto-dependency • Promote investment that provides:

• Jobs and housing near transportation choices • Equity and housing choices • Salmon recovery and reduced stormwater impacts • A healthy economy • Regional conservation • A unique, vibrant and attractive center

• Address issues identified through outreach

Vision 2040 & Tacoma’s Centers

Context

Land uses & zoning

Stormwater

Transportation • Bikes and pedestrians • Cars • Transit • Freight

Housing

Jobs

Open Space & Schools

What’s the vision? LU-MUUC-10 Tacoma Mall Subarea Planning Prepare a subarea plan for the Tacoma Mall urban center that accomplishes the following objectives: • Meets the Regional Growth Center criteria for

targeted activity levels for employment and housing; • Establishes the desired urban form, building, and

related site design standards; • Defines average block size, future “complete

streets,” the public street network, and on-site streets (“Complete streets” include safe facilities for pedestrians, bicycles and transit in addition to vehicles.);

• Further defines the appropriate mix and scale of land uses;

• More specifically defines market potential; • Defines center nodes and public spaces and the

relationship of these components to transit; and • Plans for other aspects of phased redevelopment to

achieve the Regional Growth Center criteria.

Next steps Fall 2014: • Consultant selection • Stakeholder engagement • Data gathering Winter 2014-15: • Existing conditions summaries • Initial outreach summaries

Discussion