historic preservation

Preservation Planning 

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Planning and Policy

In response to increasing public interest in historic preservation, historic districts, and related programs, the Tacoma City Council provided funding in its 2009-10 Biennial Budget for a comprehensive update to the City’s historic preservation plan and policies. 

Public Meetings and Workshops

09/23/09 Community Workshop Download flyer
12/7/09 Sustainability, Economics and Historic Preservation with Donovan Rypkema Download flyer
View Video (new) 

 

What is a Preservation Plan?

A historic preservation plan is a document that sets forth policies and a course of action for treatment of cultural resources within a community. It is an element of the comprehensive plan. 

Background

Purpose of a Preservation Plan

Preservation plans are designed to recognize our unique historic and cultural resources, create strategies for their care, and capitalize on their social and economic potential.

Typically included within the preservation plan are goals, policy statements, and an action agenda. 
This could include:

  • Defining a shared vision of Tacoma’s history
  • Identification of important themes and types of resources that should be protected
  • Policies regarding historic district development and citywide historic interpretive programs

An effective preservation plan:

  1. Clearly states the goals of the City Historic Preservation Program to the community and city staff
  2. Provides guidance to current and future property owners regarding the future growth of the City and protection of its historic resources
  3. Eliminates confusion regarding the purpose, meaning and content of the historic preservation ordinances
  4. Identifies and eliminates inconsistencies between various City policies that affect historic resources
  5. Educates and informs the community about the importance and role of preservation in Tacoma
  6. Develops an agenda for future preservation activities as well as a means to measure progress
  7. Coordinates issues relating to zoning, tourism, development patterns, and design issues that also involve historic resources
  8. Strengthens the relationship between economic development and historic preservation

Why Should I Be Interested?

Your opinion is critical! Creation of such a plan reflects local attitudes toward historic preservation, establishes preservation as public policy, and importantly, puts these values into writing.  The policies contained within the plan will set priorities for funding, study and regulations in the future.

What is the Scope of the Preservation Plan Project?

In general, preservation plans have several purposes, including:

The development of a preservation plan may include program development, amendments to the city's municipal code, and comprehensive plan policy amendments.  The general scope includes:

  • Updates to historic buildings inventories
  • Review of preservation incentives
  • Review of compatibility between historic preservation policies and procedures and other city policies and procedures
  • City policies on placement of commemorative markers and monuments
  • Feasibility study of a demolition permit review process
  • Creation of code enforcement procedures for City Landmarks
  • Review of policies and criteria for the creation of new historic districts
  • Citywide archaeological study, including revisions to current archaeological permit review procedures

Timeline

The general timeline is:

2009 - 2010:  Policy review
2010 - 2011:  Adoption of Comprehensive Plan policies

Historic Property Inventory update

Implementation and code updates


Questions?

Call Reuben McKnight at 253-591-5220 for more information.

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