It’s difficult to attend Tacoma’s Landmarks Commission meetings without picking up an agenda and noticing one item that seems to endlessly recur: a violation of the North Slope Historic District’s building and land use code, and designation as a historic district.

It’s a familiar scenario played out as recently as last week, when a North Slope homeowner — his attorney by his side — made his case to the commission to reconsider an earlier decision regarding the replacement of nearly two-dozen windows. According to the homeowner, the old windows couldn’t guard against freezing temperatures — his wife and small children were constantly cold, and he was spending over $400 month to heat the home.

But the commission saw the window-replacement project for what it was: a modification to a historically significant home that violated code governing the district. He needed to salvage the old windows and have them re-installed — work that would cost tens of thousands of dollars.

The rules are strict, but they also preserve the North Slope character and charm, and make the area one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the city.

If the commission and the homeowner agreed on anything, it was that code enforcement is spotty at best (violations are typically reported after modifications have been made), and vendors contracted to replace windows, remove siding, or add a deck to historically significant homes either aren’t aware of the rules, or ignore them outright.

“We spend most of our time here on buildings in the North Slope,” said Landmarks Commissioner Phillip Hill. He made the observation during the commission meeting Jan. 14, when representatives of the City of Tacoma’s Building and Land Use Services (BLUS) were invited to discuss the issue. “There needs to be a broader awareness in the community.”

According to BLUS project manager Charlie Solverson, two full-time BLUS staffers — a permit inspector and a code enforcer — are assigned to the North Slope.

“The key issue for us is public awareness,” said Solverson. “It’s very easy to go in and do alterations. There needs to be public awareness so we’re not getting in there after the fact.”

Solverson said building and land use violations are called into the Tacoma Cares customer service line. The complaint is logged by staff, and an inspector will visit the site by the next day. If there is a violation, a notice is written and the inspector and property owner discuss a plan of action for compliance.

“The difficulty with the historic district is a lot of damage can be done in one weekend,” added Solverson.

But Commissioner Kathryn Longwell said she has heard conflicting accounts from her fellow North Slope residents about enforcement priorities in the neighborhood.

“I’ve heard through the rumor mill that people in the North Slope have been told the guidelines are ludicrous, and [code enforcement] doesn’t see a reason to enforce the rules,” she said.

Her biggest frustration has been spending time and energy on public awareness, and having residents report violations in progress, only to find those efforts thwarted.

“There have been a couple instances where work could have been stopped, and it wasn’t,” she said. “It’s frustrating when people call and don’t see any action.”

Solverson and the commission discussed a few problem-solving ideas: educating contractors during their visits to the BLUS permit counter; partnering with the Master Builders Association of Pierce County to raise awareness; and sharing the commission’s concerns about lax enforcement with staff.

Commissioner Ken House said enforcement — and support for that enforcement — was key to preserving historic districts. “Historic district existence depends on public and city council support,” said House. He added that long-termed loosened regulation could result in historic districts being entirely dissolved.