If you live in Tacoma’s Wedge neighborhood and care about historic preservation, you might want to check your mail closely next week.
The City of Tacoma’s Landmarks Preservation (LPC) Commission agreed May 13 to release the nomination with proposed boundaries that would turn the neighborhood into an historic district. The LPC also scheduled a public hearing for June 24 at 5:00 p.m. to hear from property owners and residents about the plan. A public hearing notice will be mailed May 27 and include a postage-paid mailer soliciting comments from property owners and residents.
A draft of the mailer shows recipients will be asked, but not required, to anonymously answer questions related to whether they own or rent property in the neighborhood, live near the proposed historic district, and support or oppose the designation. The mailer also includes a map of the proposed historic district boundaries, as well as details on when and where the public hearing will be held.
“It’s not a vote. It’s not a survey,” said Historic Preservation Officer Reuben McKnight. “It will just give the commission some idea of the level of support or opposition. Part of this is putting out business reply mailers to get some engagement.”
According to McKnight, following the public hearing, the LPC will adopt findings and determine whether to make a recommendation to the Planning Commission.
The Wedge neighborhood is a part of Tacoma that boasts more than 50 homes dating back 80 years or more. It’s also where Tacoma pioneer Aaron Titlow, candy company entrepreneurs Frank and Ethel Mars, and Titanic survivor Anne Kincaid resided. And its ringed by Wright Park, the North Slope Historic District, and many of the city’s oldest churches.
Last year, the Tacoma Wedge Association Historic Subcommittee submitted an application to McKnight seeking historic district designation for the area.
Five historic districts exist in Tacoma.
The LPC began to review the nomination Sept. 10. Since then, the commission has held a series of public meetings to discuss several elements of the application, such as district boundaries, buildings inventory, and the neighborhood’s historic significance.
The process is expected to continue through July. The city’s planning commission will also review the request. Earlier this year, commissioners met Wedge residents, property owners, and other interested parties for a walking tour of the neighborhood.
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For earlier coverage of the Wedge Historic District nomination, visit the following articles:
1. Will Tacoma’s Wedge neighborhood go historic? (09/05/08) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1318920&more=0
2. A Slice of History: Two meetings will explore Wedge historic district nomination (09/23/08) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1355266&more=0
3. MultiCare, Wedge residents discuss hospital expansion, historic district effort (10/02/08) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1385425&more=0
4. MultiCare weighs in on Wedge historic district nomination (02/09/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1485714&more=0
5. Big decision ahead for proposed Wedge historic district (02/11/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1487900&more=0
6. New timeline for Wedge historic district review (02/18/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1491340&more=0
7. A Hike through History (03/05/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1502432&more=0
8. Decision expected this week on preliminary Wedge Historic District boundary (03/24/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1514668&more=0
9. Tacoma’s Landmarks Preservation Commission sets ‘working boundary’ for Wedge Historic District (03/27/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1517636&more=0
10. A house in the city, a home to neighborhood history (04/16/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1529595&more=0
For coverage of the LPC’s walking tour of the neighborhood, visit http://i.feedtacoma.com/TDI-Reporters-Notebook/walking-wedge-photos-from-neighborhood/ .
The City of Tacoma has created a Web site — http://www.tacomaculture.org/wedge.asp — with detailed information about the nomination process, including a copy of the nomination and a map of the proposed boundary.
