Planning for the Future
Centers will be the primary areas for growth and change in Tacoma over the next 25 years. Focusing new growth in centers helps achieve goals of having more Tacomans live in complete neighborhoods, and use public transit and active transportation – walking, biking, and rolling – to commute to work and complete errands. It will help mitigate and prepare for the effects of climate change. Clustering and co-locating destinations and housing within compact, walkable centers makes access by transit, walking, wheelchair, and bicycle more practical and reduces the amount of driving needed to access services, thus reducing the impact on roadways, reducing congestion, and facilitating freight movement.
Learn more about Tacoma’s Regional Growth Centers:
What Is a Mixed-Use Center?
Centers are compact, walkable, pedestrian-oriented urban places. They are connected by public transit and active transportation networks. They anchor complete neighborhoods with retail stores and businesses (grocery stores, restaurants, markets, shops, etc.), civic amenities (libraries, schools, community centers, places of worship, etc.), housing options, health clinics, daycare centers, employment centers, plazas and parks, and other public gathering places. Mixed-use centers are the basis for achieving neighborhoods where residents can meet more of their everyday needs within an easy walk of their home.
What are the Typical Characteristics of a Mixed-Use Center?
Past Policy and Code Updates