Tacoma approves regulations to allow taller buildings

The Tacoma City Council unanimously approved new development regulations for its mixed-use centers Tuesday night, effectively increasing the density and building heights allowed in 16 of Tacoma’s commercial centers.

The plan, which has been in the works for two years, drew praise from developers and environmental groups for preparing for future growth and trying to prevent sprawl.

“I really think this is in the interest of citizens as a whole, as far as the big picture is concerned,” Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma said.

Several citizens, however, objected to some recent changes made to the plan that allow higher buildings to go up in a larger area than was originally discussed.

The new mixed-use center plan establishes height bonus areas where developers can build as high as 65 feet (the equivalent of six stories) in most neighborhood centers and 85 feet (roughly eight stories) in the Martin Luther King, Stadium and South Tacoma Way neighborhood centers.

The zoning plan recommended earlier this year by the city’s planning commission would have allowed those taller building heights only within 200 feet of main streets in neighborhood centers.

But the plan the council approved Tuesday extends those height bonus areas to include a larger area in most neighborhood districts, increasing the instances where tall buildings will abut single-family homes.

The only area where the height bonus area wasn’t increased from the original proposal is the MLK district. Councilwoman Lauren Walker asked that the MLK neighborhood center be exempted because it would be affected more than other neighborhoods – its height bonus area would have doubled.

Councilman Mike Lonergan objected to increasing the height bonus areas in all centers, saying doing so goes against feedback the council received from Tacoma residents during the past two years of public hearings.

“I just think we’re taking a step too far that we don’t have to take,” Lonergan said. “I believe we are weakening our movement toward livable, walkable neighborhoods by taking it to this extreme.”

Other council members said the mixed-use center plan with its increased height allowances will spur much-needed development in areas where it has been lacking. The plan also includes 20 pages of building design standards encouraging pedestrian- and transit-oriented neighborhoods.

“Sometimes you have to make hard calls that don’t always please everybody,” said Councilman Jake Fey. “I’m confident this is the right thing to do, and we will have a better chance of getting the right kind of development.”