Who Manages the District?

The STGPD program is managed by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (Health Department) who work in close collaboration with the City of Tacoma and Tacoma Water.

Permitting and Regulation in the District

The Health Department regulates businesses and facilities that use or handle hazardous substances (product or waste) over 220 pounds (roughly 35 gallons) and/or have infiltration systems on site. Regulated facilities receive a permit and biennial site inspections from the Health Department. Compliance issues or complaints may trigger additional inspections. Whenever possible, inspections are meant to provide educational and technical assistance to businesses to achieve voluntary compliance.

Why are we updating the STGPD code?

The Growth Management Act (GMA) requires the designation and protection of “Critical Areas” to prevent harm to the community from natural hazards and to protect natural resources. Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas are one of five defined Critical Areas under RCW 36.70A.030(11). Critical Aquifer Recharge Areas are defined as “areas with a critical recharging effect on aquifers used for potable water, including areas where an aquifer that is a source of drinking water is vulnerable to contamination that would affect the potability of the water or is susceptible to reduced recharge.” The functions and values of the Critical Areas must be protected using the best available scientific information, also known as best available science (BAS). The Critical Areas Ordinances must be evaluated and revised as needed every eight years.

In addition to the GMA’s mandatory update, in March 2021, the South Tacoma Neighborhood Council (STNC) submitted an application to the Planning Commission for consideration during the 2022 Annual Amendment process. The STNC requested to:

1. Update the One Tacoma Plan and the TMC applicable to the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District (STGPD) and the aquifer recharge areas to address environmental and health risks and further prioritize protection of the STGPD;
2. Transform the South Tacoma Manufacturing/Industrial Center into an Economic Green Zone that fosters environmentally sustainable industry specifically within South Tacoma, above and near this water source.

Links and materials are available for meetings under the “Meetings and Events” tab.

Planning Commission Assessment and Recommendations of the STNC application as part of 2022 Amendment to the One Tacoma Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Regulatory Code (Mar. 2021–May 2022):

The Planning Commission assessed the STNC’s application, pursuant to TMC 13.02.070.E, and considered public comments received through a public scoping hearing in June 2021, and made a determination in July 2021 to move the application forward for technical analysis following a two-phased approach:

• Phase 1A: Work Plan (2022) - Creation of a work plan to occur during the 2022 Amendment cycle. The work plan may include review of allowed land uses, review of the One Tacoma Comprehensive Plan, refinement of allowed uses and boundaries, and periodic update of the STGPD to ensure the regulations fulfill the intent of protecting the district. (Amended Substitute Resolution No. 40985, June 28, 2022)
• Phase 1B: STGPD Code Amendments (2022-2024) - Update TMC 13.06.070.D pertaining to STGPD, to be done in the future 2023 Amendment Cycle
• Phase 2: Creation of an Economic Green Zone (2022-2024) - Evaluate the establishment of an Economic Green Zone (EGZ) to attract green industry to the City’s manufacturing/industrial centers, considering the recently adopted 2030 Climate Action Plan and Climate Adaptation Strategy (Resolution No. 40878, November 30, 2021).

Upon completing technical analyses and factoring in public comments, the Planning

Commission forwarded its recommendations on the 2022 Amendment Package to the City Council in May 2022. With respect to the STNC’s application, the Commission recommended that the City Council:

1. Approve the Work Plan for STGPD Code Amendments;
2. Consider the merits of a moratorium on future development projects, given that significant permit activity and development during the phased process could pre-empt the broader planning efforts.

City Council Consideration of Planning Commission Recommendations of STGPD Code Update Work Plan (Mar.-Jun. 2022):

On June 28, 2022, the City Council adopted Amended Substitute Resolution No. 40985, approving the Work Plan for the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District Code Amendments, and directed the Planning Commission to conduct a public process to develop findings of fact and recommendations as to whether a moratorium on heavy industrial uses and storage of hazardous materials within the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District is warranted, and if so, to recommend the scope, applicability, and duration for City Council consideration within 60 days of the effective date of this resolution.

Planning Commission Consideration of a Moratorium (Jul.–Aug. 2022)

The City Council’s initiation of the STGPD moratorium consideration was in response to public comments received by the Planning Commission and the City Council during the review and adoption processes for the 2022 Annual Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Commission conducted four meetings, on July 6, July 20, August 3, and August 17, 2022, in response to public comments regarding the moratorium. Planning and Development Services staff also conducted a community informational meeting on July 27, 2022. The Planning Commission completed its review and deliberations of the matter through a public process, and forwarded its Findings of Fact and Recommendations Report, along with a letter of recommendations, to the City Council for consideration on August 17, 2022.

A summary of this recommendation is included below:

• That the City Council consider enacting a targeted and specific moratorium on the establishment of the following uses:
• Metal recycling/auto wrecking facilities,
• Vehicle service and repair,
• Vehicle service and repair – industrial, and
• Underground storage tanks.
• The moratorium should additionally limit the expansion of existing facilities but allow for normal maintenance, repair, and replacement activities of existing uses.
• The duration of the moratorium should apply initially for a period of one year, to be resolved through the South Tacoma Groundwater Code update.

To review the full recommendation:

• Planning Commission Findings and Recommendations Report (August 17, 2022)

City Council Consideration of a Moratorium (Sept. 2022 – Feb. 2023)

In response, the City Council referred the recommendation to the IPS Committee for further consideration. Following that referral, the IPS Committee, on November 30, 2022, approved the following amendments to the Planning Commission proposal, and forwarded the amended moratorium proposal to the City Council:

1. Use Categories: The IPS Committee did not find sufficient risk to groundwater resources from the establishment or expansion of vehicle service and repair or industrial vehicle service and repair uses to warrant a moratorium. Therefore, the moratorium should apply only to metal recycling/auto wrecking and underground storage tanks.
2. Expansion of Existing Uses: The IPS Committee found that a moratorium that is too restrictive on the expansion of existing uses could have the counter effect of prohibiting improvements that provide environmental benefit or reduce the risks and impacts of existing uses. Therefore, the moratorium should allow for reasonable facility and site development that improves environmental outcomes while avoiding the introduction of new risks to the City’s groundwater resources.

On March 7, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 28872, enacting a moratorium within the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District as recommended by the IPS Committee. The moratorium in Ordinance No. 28872 became effective March 20, 2023, and were enacted for an initial period of up to one year, to expire on March 20, 2024.

City Council Consideration of a Moratorium Extension (Jan. 2024– Mar. 2024)

On March 5, 2024, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 28958 extending an existing moratorium on certain high impact uses within the STGPD for a 6-month period, expiring on September 20, 2024.

City Council Consideration of a Moratorium Extension (Jul. 2024– Aug. 2024)

On August 27, 2024, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 28977 extending an existing moratorium on certain high impact uses within the STGPD for a 6-month period, expiring on March 20, 2025.

March 2021 – May 2022: Planning Commission assessment and recommendations (and public process) of the “STEGZ application”

March 2022 – June 2022: City Council consideration and adoption of the Work Plan, as part of 2022 Amendment

July 2022 – August 2022: Planning Commission consideration of if moratorium recommendation is warranted

September 2022 – February 2023: City Council Consideration of Moratorium

March 2023 – December 2023: Updating of the Work Plan by the Planning Commission

January 2024 – March 2024: City Council extension of the moratorium

July 2024 – August 2024: City Council extension of the moratorium

August 2024 – Present: Code Update

NOTE: More information is available below on City Council and Planning Commission meetings.

Below is the list of different agencies and their roles in managing, monitoring and implementing the STGPD program.

Related efforts:

• Comprehensive Plan and Critical Areas Ordinances Update
  Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan is an important tool that establishes the City’s future vision and policy direction, as well as guiding growth and development over the next 25 years. The City of Tacoma is in the process of updating the Plan which is expected to be completed by June 2025. Concurrently, the City's Critical Areas Preservation Ordinance is being updated, which will assist us to prevent harm to the community from natural hazards and to protect natural resources including the aquifer recharge areas.
• Tacoma Water Integrated Resource Plan
  An Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is comprised of an assessment of the future water needs and a plan to meet those future needs. It is “integrated” in that it looks at both demand side (conservation, water efficiency, etc.) resources as well as the more traditional supply side (new sources, maximizing existing sources, etc.) resources in making its recommendations on how best to meet future water energy needs for the Utility.
• Tacoma Water Wellhead Protection Plan
  The purpose of the wellhead protection program is to prevent contamination of groundwater used for drinking water, thus protecting the health of people using groundwater for drinking water.
• Urban Waters Protection Plan
  The purpose of Tacoma’s Urban Waters Protection Plan is to implement strategic stormwater management actions to protect our streams, lakes, wetlands, bays and Puget Sound from polluted runoff. The plan uses a data-based approach to prioritize the most effective stormwater actions and projects, at the most important locations, to build a more healthy and resilient Tacoma and a thriving Puget Sound while taking into account city planning priorities, partnership opportunities, neighborhood needs, critical habitat protection, and anticipated climate change impacts. The locations of these actions will be selected to provide more equitable stormwater services throughout Tacoma.
• Stormwater Comprehensive Plan
  The City of Tacoma (the City) is developing the City’s first ever Stormwater Comprehensive Plan (SWCP). The SWCP will describe how the City will manage, operate, and finance stormwater-related activities within Tacoma City Limits. The purpose of the SWCP is to guide how the City will address surface water and stormwater management needs and requirements, including program management, operation and maintenance (O&M), climate change, capital facilities, and financial elements, while also balancing rates and the financial resources available to the City.
• Home in Tacoma EIS

1. What is a Moratorium?
   A moratorium is the suspension of accepting or processing new applications for building, zoning, subdivision, or other types of development permits in order to preclude new development from occurring for a specified period of time while new or revised policies, zoning or regulations are considered. A moratorium may be imposed on all development types or all permit applications, or just on specific types of development or permit applications and is generally applied to a specific geographic area or, if citywide, fairly specific circumstances.
2. When should a Moratorium be used?
   There are two reasons to enact a moratorium – in response to an emergency situation or when a temporary protective measure is necessary:
   • Emergency situation: An emergency is defined as when human health and safety is jeopardized and/or public or private property is imminently endangered.
   • Temporary protective measure: A temporary protective measure is needed to protect the status quo or prevent harm from the vesting of rights to develop under existing regulations.
3. What is the Adoption Process?
   The City Council has the sole authority to enact a moratorium, but the Council or Planning Commission can initiate the consideration of one.
   a) Initiation: To initiate consideration of a moratorium, the City Council or Planning Commission makes a determination at a public meeting that a moratorium may be warranted. If the Council initiates, that determination is then forwarded to the Planning Commission for findings of fact and a recommendation.
   b) Initial Planning Commission Review: If the Planning Commission has not already done so, the Commission is tasked with providing findings of fact and a recommendation to the Council.
   The Commission’s recommendation should include:
   • Whether the action is warranted
   • The appropriate scope and duration for the moratorium
   • The work plan and timeline for crafting the new or revised policies, zoning or regulations needed
   c) Council Enactment: After receiving findings of fact and a recommendation from the Planning Commission, the Council holds a public hearing before deciding whether to adopt the moratorium with appropriate findings justifying its action.
4. Duration and Renewals:
   Moratoria can be in place for up to six-months but can be initially enacted for up to one-year if a work plan for related studies is developed requiring the longer period. A moratorium can be renewed for additional six-month intervals provided the Council holds another public hearing and findings of fact are made to support each renewal.
5. TPCHD FAQs