FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 16, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT

Maria Lee, Media and Communications, maria.lee@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2054

Council Member Sarah Rumbaugh on Passage of Resolution 41479

“Public access to our waterfront is an invaluable treasure here in Tacoma. By preserving ownership of waterfront properties in the City Charter, we say clearly that all residents should have access to this natural beauty and all the benefits that come with it. We have the opportunity to preserve this resource and be more efficient in how we manage it. Right now, the City of Tacoma already pays Metro Parks to manage public parks on City-owned land. As we seek to develop our waterfront properties into more park and active spaces, we need to consider if it makes sense for the City to own this land and pay for its management, or if we should allow for the sale of the land to the government agency that has the knowledge, expertise, and talent to manage parks. This amendment ties into the City’s current goal of aligning ownership of park space under Metro Parks to establish a consistent level of service across all parks and enable the City to focus its resources on other municipal priorities, while stating clearly that these lands must remain perpetually in public ownership, with public access, so that our residents never lose out on access to our cherished waterways."

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