Residents of Tacoma’s Wedge neighborhood could learn this summer whether their part of town will be designated as an historic district. Before then, however, a series of public meetings will be held at City Hall beginning next month.

According to Tacoma City Manager Eric Anderson’s most recent public policy calendar, which is included in his weekly report to City Council dated Feb. 11 ( http://cms.cityoftacoma.org/cityclerk/Files/CityCouncil/CMOWeeklyReport/2010/WklyReport20100211.pdf ), the city’s planning commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing March 17 to collect feedback on whether or not to recommend the special designation. In May, that recommendation will be forwarded to City Council, which is tasked with making the final decision. Similarly, the council’s neighborhoods and housing committee will receive an update on the proposal May 17 and make a recommendation to the full council. From there, City Council will hold a public hearing on the issue June 29 and could introduce an ordinance in July.

If approved, the Wedge Neighborhood will become the fourth historic district in Tacoma, and the second residential historic district, according to the city’s historic preservation office.

The proposal has worked its way through City Hall since June 2008, when three Wedge residents submitted the historic district nomination to the city’s historic preservation office. According to the nomination, the Wedge neighborhood is an area 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 it is ringed by Wright Park, the North Slope Historic District, and many of the city’s oldest churches.

The proposed district stretches north to south from Division Avenue to Sixth Avenue, and zig-zags in several places along the eastern border: the alley between South L Street and South M Street; the alley between South M Street and South Sheridan Avenue; and a portion of South M Street near Sixth Avenue.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) began reviewing 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.

Last year, the LPC met Wedge residents, property owners, and other interested parties for a walking tour of the neighborhood.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

For earlier Tacoma Daily Index coverage of the Wedge Historic District nomination, click on the following links/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 or http://www.wahmee.com/tdi_walkup_residence.pdf

11. Another opportunity to weigh in on Wedge historic district proposal (05/21/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1553879&more=0

12. Wedge Historic District public hearing June 24 (06/19/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1573389&more=0

13. Wedge residents share support for historic district during public hearing (06/25/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1576698&more=0

14. Opposing sides emerge in Wedge historic district nomination (06/30/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1579134&more=0

15. More voices weigh in on Wedge historic district proposal (07/21/09) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1591525&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/ .

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

For more information about the Wedge historic district, visit http://tacomaculture.org/wedge.asp .