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At the planning commission meeting last week, the commission voted to support a Moratorium on Local Historic districts, proposed by CM Rumbaugh and cosigned by CM Hines and CM Bushnell This despite an overwhelming majority of the public comments in opposition of this action, more than 90% of the comments. This follows a vote by the Tacoma Landmark Commission in opposition to the action, sighting that a moratorium was not necessary to achieve the stated goals. The Tacoma Planning Commission once again disregarded any public comments and reasserted their belief that historic districts support racism. These statements once again are not supported by the facts but personal bias of individual commissioners. Rather than discussing issue the commission has resorted to blocking any new historic districts by simply labeling the individuals and communities that support historic preservation as racist. Since the commissioners are handpicked by the city council and in some case repointed after making such unfounded accusations it appears the City Council is in agreement with their methods and actions.
The Panning Commission, and commissions in general, where once a source of independent thought, selected based on the professional experience and expertise, not ideology of belief in an unfettered developer’s market will solve all problems. The commission system was set up to advise our elected offices and site government on technical issues and issues of importance to the residents of the city, as an advisory system of checks and balances, not a method to support the goals of any one group for business or political profit. The majority of the current planning commissioners has little or no professional experience in planning and appears to have been chosen based on their support of the status quo. Under the current circumstances asking for approval from this committee, even when the request is clearly supported by the stated goals and polices of the city, is not possible if it does not meet with their personal objectives to stop such actions.
The City Council will be meeting in December to review the findings of the commissions and the public comments, the Council will make the final decision and we will just have to see where they go, with their planning commission’s recommendation or the landmark commission and public recommendation. With some of the biggest donors for the recent election campaigns in the city coming from the real-estate, landlord and housing lobbyist based on the public disclosure statement found on the PDC (state) website, I unfortunately have little confidence the council will be fair and unbiased in their opinions.
As I noted before we will just have to regroup and try again, unless the planning commission ends the historic district program all together. Please write your Council member ask them to support historic districts and cultural sites within our city and all the benefits to the public they bring to the city, before they are allowed to be outlawed by a small minority of unelected individuals who have chosen to demonize historic preservations without justification or purpose other than their own personal bias and their apparent belief those with power and money have all the rights and the rest of us are just in their way. Help promote diversity within our community by supporting historic preservation.
Nomination to the Tacoma Register of Historic Places 2024 (Currently on-hold).
The local register would help manage and protect the neighborhood from inappropriate infill projects through a design and public review process for major renovation work. The review process would be conducted by the Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission or the City’s Preservation Office. A local designation would allow residents a voice in any land use zoning changes within our neighborhood.
A local designation would require a design review process, but this is generally limited to those changes that require a Building Permit and impacts the exterior appearance of a home. Minor changes would go before the preservation officer for the city as part of the building permit review, major changes would go before the Landmark Commission. While our intent is to follow the design review requirements prepared for the Wedge district, with corrections and revisions, the document has yet to be reviewed and approved by the TLPC.
Last updated: November 24, 2023
To keep up to date on our progress please join our Facebook Group page or send us an email at collegeparkhistoricdistrict@gmail.com, we will add you to the mailing list for future meetings, new letters and other activities on our way to becoming Tacoma’s latest National Historic District and any future efforts for listing on the local register as well.
The National register of Historic Places is the highest level of historic classification but is considered an honorary listing, it has few restrictions unless you plan on putting a federal highway through your site. Listing on the National Register has been shown to bolster the civic pride in one’s neighborhood and improve a neighborhoods identity. It doesn’t hurt monetary value of our homes in fact national it has been shown to increase property values while improving the neighborhood image. Feel free to contact the Tacoma Preservation Officer for questions regarding a future listing on the local registry.
Stay tuned for more information.
College Park National Historic District 