Hilltop Subarea Plan Adopted
The Hilltop Subarea Plan, along with its companion zoning and code amendments, was adopted by the City Council on May 13, 2014, by Amended Ordinance No. 28221 and Ordinance No. 28222, following a public hearing held on April 29, 2014. Many thanks to the community partners who were instrumental in the creation of this document that will help make the great future of the Hilltop Subarea a reality.
Plan Development Process
The City and the community have been working collaboratively over the past two-plus years to prepare a Subarea Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Hilltop (MLK) District to encourage development and revitalization of this area over the next 20+ years. The following segments highlight the plan development process to date.
Planning Commission Recommendation
The
Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on January 22, 2014, concerning the Draft Hilltop Subarea Plan and associated code and zoning amendments that were released in December 2013, and subsequently completed its review process and deliberations and made a recommendation to the City Council on March 19, 2014.
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)
The City issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on December 31, 2013.
Urban Land Institute's Visit
A delegation from the Urban Land Institute’s Daniel Rose Center visited Tacoma from March 4 to March 7, 2013 to work with City staff and stakeholders on how Tacoma can attract investment along the Martin Luther King Jr. corridor. The group included planners and urban design specialists from across the country and officials from the cities of Hartford, Conn., Louisville, Ky. and Austin, Texas. The four day visit included presentations, site visits, and stakeholder interviews and concluded with the March 7th presentation of the delegation’s recommendations for the MLK corridor. City staff followed up closely with the Rose Center for the rest of the year, with a final set of recommendations and actions steps presented at the Urban Land Institute fall conference in November. Those recommendations were utilized by staff and the community to inform the continued work on the Hilltop (MLK) Subarea Plan.
Draft Subarea Plan and EIS
The first Draft MLK Subarea Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) were released for public review in December 2012, and comments accepted through February 1, 2013. A project timeline was provided for the public's information. An online survey was instituted to help facilitate public feedback.
Draft Subarea Plan - Current as of June 2, 2014
The purpose of the MLK Subarea Plan is to anticipate, support, and guide the long-term redevelopment of the MLK District. The plan will serve as a statement of the City's commitment to and direction for future development in the MLK Subarea in addition to serving as a resource for potential investors, property owners, the community and other public agencies.
DEIS Description - Current as of June 2, 2014
The Draft EIS analyzes the impacts associated with future development in the MLK subarea, including additional development that is being planned to occur over the next twenty years, as well as the potential increases in employment and population that are being planned for this area. Preliminary growth targets for the area include 10,000 new jobs and 10,000 additional people by 2030. This new development could represent a maximum of approximately 10 million square feet of floor area for residential and commercial space.
Community Outreach
One of the most important parts of the MLK/Hilltop Subarea Plan and EIS has been civic engagement. Community input is crucial when discussing the future of any area. The MLK/Hilltop community has been very active throughout this planning process. The vision of the future for the MLK/Hilltop Subarea was only made possible through the efforts of several organizations, institutions, and community members at open house discussions and through questionnaires, surveys, letters, and phone calls.
Staff Contact
Brian Boudet, Planning Division Manager
(253) 573-2389
email