FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 11, 2022

MEDIA CONTACTS

The City of Tacoma is launching the Neighborhood Planning Program with a Plan-A-Thon from 5:30-7 p.m. February 3, 2022 on ZOOM to kick off the McKinley Hill Project.

The purpose of the program is to provide equitable planning and development services at a grassroots level to help communities create strong, vibrant, and diverse neighborhoods. The pilot program will include the McKinley and Proctor neighborhoods.

During the kick off, attendees will have a chance to break into teams and spend 30 minutes coming up with ideas to enhance the McKinley Neighborhood, followed by 30 minutes of presenting those ideas to the whole group. Meeting details are available at cityoftacoma.org/neighborhoodplanning.

“The McKinley and Proctor Neighborhoods were selected as the first two project areas by the City Council, who allocated funding for the program,” said Principal Planner Lauren Hoogkamer. “The two selected neighborhoods are in different places on the spectrum of neighborhood growth creation and growth management, which will allow us to see how the program can be used for small and larger scale needs.”

The program will implement short-term neighborhood goals through ideas like art installations, physical improvements, cleanup efforts, community identity and history, local economic development, sustainability and streetscape and public amenities.

 “We want every community member to participate and help create strong, vibrant and diverse neighborhoods,” Hoogkamer said. “This is an opportunity to direct investment and lead change.”

The Neighborhood Planning Program supports implementation of Planning and Development Services’ larger planning processes. For more information about the City’s Long Range Planning Division or the Neighborhood Planning Program, visit cityoftacoma.org/PDS.

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