Tacoma City Council
Study Session
Noon, Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Room 16
Tacoma Municipal Building North
733 Market St.

Updated industrial zoning code
Over the last three years, the City of Tacoma has worked on updating and streamlining its zoning code. City staff will present recommendations for industrial zoning to the City Council. Some of the recommendations include clarifying the language for landscaping requirements, renaming the current “M-3” heavy industry District to “PMC” (Port Maritime Commerce), combining industrial uses into two broad categories defining outdoor storage and vehicle storage in industrial areas.

Old Murray Morgan Bridge
City Council members will get a look at three options for the future of deteriorating bridges on 11th Street, including the Murray Morgan Bridge. The state Department of Transportation already has restricted traffic across the historic Murray Morgan Bridge above the Thea Foss Waterway. The state plans to close the bridge altogether by the end of this year. Options include removing or replacing bridges along East 11th Street. Closure or removal bridges would affect the transportation routes for Tacoma’s emergency services between downtown and the Port Industrial area. Before determining a fate for the Murray Morgan Bridge this fall, the City will conduct a public involvement process to help identify issues and concerns with any of the options.

Tacoma City Council
Regular Meeting
5 p.m., Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Auditorium
Gault Middle School
1115 East Division Lane

Continuation of BIA
The City of Tacoma may authorize continuation of the Local Development Council’s (LDC) Business Improvement Area (BIA) for the sixth year under an ordinance up for City Council vote. The ordinance would allow the City to collect and appropriate $651,570 for the BIA between May 1, 2003, and April 30, 2004. The LDC will then submit reimbursement requests to pay for BIA expenses.

Juvenile offender housing zoning
The City Council will vote on an ordinance that would change the zoning code to recognize the state’s authority to place non-adjudicated youth sexual offenders in group care homes in Tacoma. If the council approves the zoning code changes, the ordinance will meet the criteria defined in the state Growth Management Act.

Alarm ordinance clarifications
Two proposed amendments to Tacoma’s 3-month-old alarm ordinance should clear up misunderstandings within the alarm industry about the intent of the original ordinance. One amendment deals with what makes up an alarm system versus a multiple system. The other would clarify what constitutes an “alarm monitoring company.”

Power rate increase
Tacoma Power will ask the City Council to approve a 5.1 percent system-wide rate increase that would take effect March 31.

Click! rates for non-Tacomans
Click! Network will ask the City Council to set cable television rates for its future customers outside of the city limits.

Town Hall meeting
Following the regular City Council meeting, a special Council District 4 Town Hall meeting will be held at approximately 6:30 p.m. It will include an East Side development presentation by Council Member Rick Talbert.