New in Summer 2024 - The Urban Design Board
June 26 News: The newly created Urban Design Board is seeking applicants to fill the inaugural slate of seven board member positions. Apply today on the City's Committees, Boards and Commissions webpages.
Urban Design Board Establishment
The Tacoma Urban Design Board is established by Tacoma Municipal Code Chapter 13.19 (Ordinance 28966).
Duties and Responsibilities
The Urban Design Board has three core functions:
- The Board provides early concept design guidance and make final design decisions for specific Urban Design Project Review (UDPR) permits.
- The Board provides valuable advisory input to the City of Tacoma on matters related to urban design.
- The Board serves as an educational resource to the community and an advocate for design excellence, benefiting all of Tacoma and its community members.
Membership
The Urban Design Board comprises seven (7) positions, appointed by the City Council for staggered three-year terms. The composition of the Board includes:
- Design and Development Professional (four positions): These members bring professional experience related to site and building design and development from fields such as architecture, landscape architecture, planning, urban design, land use or real estate law, real estate development, construction or building trades, and civil or structural engineering.
- Allied Community Representative (three positions): These members offer lived and/or professional experience and/or training in active/multimodal transportation, sustainable development, and culture and heritage. Their expertise spans various fields, including transit agency administration, transportation planner or engineer, “green” building professional, urban forestry professional, environmental planner, artisan/craftsperson, historian, architectural history professional, and cultural organization administrator. One representative is to be appointed for each of the three priority subject areas.
Additional Board membership information:
- Two of the seven positions must reside and/or conduct business primarily in Council Districts three, four, or five.
- While preference will be given to Tacoma residents, up to two Board members may reside outside of Tacoma.
Meetings
The Urban Design Board meets once a month on a weekday (day TBD), after normal business hours, virtually and in the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market Street, Tacoma. All meetings are open to the public.
Additional Information
Staff Support
The Urban Design Board is supported by the Planning and Development Services Department.