City of Tacoma
Notice of Public Hearing
August 16, 2022
On Tuesday, September 13, 2022, the City Council will conduct a public hearing on the proposed Tideflats Subarea Plan and Environmental Impact Statement alternatives, as recommended by the Tideflats Steering Committee. The hearing will be held during the City Council meeting and will begin upon completion of the regular agenda items, no earlier than 5:15 p.m. For additional details, please see the attached information.
Pursuant to Proclamation of Emergency Rule No. 6, the meeting will be conducted in a hybrid format that includes an in-person component and a remote option. To attend in person, the meeting will be held in Council Chambers, on the first floor of the Tacoma Municipal Building, located at 747 Market Street. The meeting canbe attended remotely by dialing 253-215-8782 or through Zoom at www.zoom.us/j/84834233126, and entering the meeting ID 848 3423 3126, and passcode 349099 when prompted. The meeting will be broadcast on TV Tacoma and live streamed.
Resolution No. 41011, which set the public hearing date, can be viewed in its entirety on the City’s website at www.cityoftacoma.org/councilmeetings by clicking on the link for August 9, 2022, or by requesting a copy from the City Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@cityoftacoma.org or 253-591-5505.
For more information, please contact Stephen Atkinson, Principal Planner, at planning@cityoftacoma.org or 253-905-4146.
Doris Sorum
City Clerk
City Council Public Hearing September 13, 2022
Agencies, affected tribes, and members of the public are invited to comment on the scope of the Tideflats Subarea Plan Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). You may comment on the alternatives, probable significant adverse impacts, and proposed mitigation measures. VISIT: www.cityoftacoma.org/tideflatsplan QUESTIONS? E-mail: planning@cityoftacoma.org
The Tideflats subarea planning process is intended to create a shared long-term vision and more coordinated approach to development, environmental review, and strategic capital investments in the Tideflats. Completion of the subarea plan will support the ongoing eligibility for and prioritization of transportation funding in the regionally-designated manufacturing and industrial center.
BACKGROUND
Located in the heart of Commencement Bay, the Tideflats is a unique environment containing marine shoreline, river delta, tidal creeks, and freshwater and salt marshes, providing vital saltwater and estuarian habitat for salmon, shellfish, and other marine life. The Tideflats subarea is within the ancestral lands of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and continues to serve as an important location for cultural traditions and the practice of tribal treaty rights. The area is also designated as the Port of Tacoma Manufacturing Industrial Center (MIC). In recognition of the regional significance of the Tideflats, the City of Tacoma, Port of Tacoma, Puyallup Tribe of Indians, City of Fife, and Pierce County have partnered to develop a Subarea Plan for adoption by the City of Tacoma as part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Required: The City of Tacoma has determined that the Tacoma Tideflats Subarea Plan is likely to have a significant adverse environmental impact. An EIS under RCW 43.21C.030(2) (c) will be prepared. This decision was made after review of information on-file with the City. Preliminary indications are that the following environmental parameters will be evaluated in this EIS:
* Air Quality * Stormwater and Water Quality
* Plants and Animals
* Land and Shoreline Use/Plans and Policies
* Population, Employment, and Housing
* Cultural Resources
* Transportation
* Public Utilities
* Public Services
Alternatives: It is proposed that the EIS analyze several alternatives as part of the Tacoma Tideflats Subarea Plan. The Alternatives include a No Action Alternative and three Action Alternatives. It is anticipated that the alternatives will be based on variations of elements such as the mix of industrial zoning and land uses, employment growth scenarios, transition areas, housing types and location, sea level rise adaptation strategies, fish and wildlife habitat restoration, and shoreline public access and recreation. For purposes of the No Action Alternative, it is assumed that development would occur within the Tacoma Tideflats Subarea based on existing zoning and development standards. Development or redevelopment that is proposed within the Tacoma Tideflats Subarea in conjunction with the No Action Alternative would undergo environmental review on a project-by-project basis. Such projects would be subject to site-specific mitigation and potential SEPA-based appeals. The alternatives are described in more detail on the project webpage found at www.cityoftacoma.org/tideflatsplan.
IDX-961105
August 17, 2022
