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Content current as of 05/16/25

Annual Land Use Regulatory Code Update

Part of the City’s responsibility in developing and managing the Comprehensive Plan is to review and update the Land Use Regulatory Code each year. This is done to maintain consistency with the goals and objectives in the Comprehensive Plan, to comply with the Washington State Growth Management Act, and to incorporate any new laws, requirements or guidelines that were adopted in the previous year. The intent of the amendment process is to review all of these changes simultaneously, where appropriate, so that the cumulative effects can be considered.

The City is currently utilizing a two-year cycle for Comprehensive Plan amendments, with City-initiated amendments generally processed in odd-year adoption cycles and private-initiated amendments processed in even-year (e.g., 2024 Amendment) adoption cycles.

Code amendments or area-wide rezone applications that do not require a Plan change may be applied for and processed at any time, depending on staffing resources and Planning Commission capacity.

Contact

Stephen Atkinson
Principal Planner

(253) 905-4146

Tacoma Municipal Building
747 Market Street, Third Floor
Tacoma, WA 98402

Code Updates

2025 Minor Code Amendments

City Council Review

Public Hearing – June 3, 2025

On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, the City Council will conduct a public hearing on the 2025 Minor Amendments as part of the One Tacoma: Comprehensive Plan update public hearing. The hearing will be held during the City Council meeting and will begin upon completion of the regular agenda items, no earlier than 5:15 p.m.

More information about how to participate in the public hearing can be found on the One Tacoma: Comprehensive Plan web page.

City Council’s Tentative 2025 Review Schedule

  • June 3: City Council public hearing
  • June 10: First Reading of Ordinance
  • June 17: Final Reading of Ordinance

In addition to the Planning Commission recommended amendments (items 1, 3-8, and 10-24), the City Council will also consider an amendment related to Electrified Fence Standards. All relevant documents are linked below.

Public Review Documents

Planning Commission Review

Public Release – February 5, 2025

Potential minor amendments to the Tacoma Land Use Regulatory Code (Title 13) were presented to the Planning Commission on February 5, 2025. At this meeting, the Commission decided to release 12 amendments for public review and scheduled a public hearing on March 5, 2025.

Public Hearing – March 5, 2025

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, to solicit feedback on the Draft 2025 Minor Code Amendments and continued to receive written comments through March 7, 2025.

Debrief – April 2, 2025

Staff presented a debrief of the questions and comments received to the Commission on April 2, 2025. Potential revisions to a few amendment items were included for Commission direction. A list of 12 additional amendments related to the recently adopted Home in Tacoma Code amendment package was also presented for direction.

Recommendation – April 23, 2025

Staff presented the draft Findings of Fact and Recommendation Report, per the Commission’s previous direction on April 23, 2025. The Planning Commission recommended that City Council adopt Minor Amendment items 1, 3-8, and 10-24.

The City Council adopted the Permitting Level of Service and Public Notice Code Amendment package on December 17, 2024, based largely on (and with some modifications to) the Planning Commission’s recommendations.

  • Ordinance No. 29011 – amending Chapter 13.05 of the Municipal Code, relating to Land Use Permits and Procedures, to revise levels of service timelines and public noticing procedures for land use permits, to implement Washington State Substitute Senate Bill 5290 and Substitute House Bill 1105, effective January 1, 2025.

The City Council adopted the 2023 Amendment package on August 15, 2023, based largely on the Planning Commission’s recommendations through the adoption of the following legislations:

  • Amended Ordinance No. 28901 – amending the Future Land Use Map for the Mor Furniture site, located at 1824 South 49th Street, to change from a Low-Scale Residential land use designation to a General Commercial land use designation, and amending the Parks and Recreation Facilities Map to remove the subject site.
  • Substitute Ordinance No. 28902 – amending Chapter 13.06 of the Municipal Code, relating to Zoning, to expand the allowed use of electric fences in association with outdoor storage in various zoning districts, with associated development standards.
  • Ordinance No. 28903 – amending Chapter 13.06 of the Municipal Code, relating to Zoning, to support the expanded use of shipping containers for temporary and accessory uses, as recommended by the Planning Commission.
  • Ordinance No. 28904 – amending Chapters 13.01 and 13.06 of the Municipal Code, relating to Definitions and Zoning, to clarify delivery-only retail business use and standards, as recommended by the Planning Commission.
  • Ordinance No. 28905 – amending Chapter 13.06 of the Municipal Code, relating to Zoning, by amending various sections to clarify commercial zoning design and development standards that would apply to projects seeking to utilize the Multi-Family Tax Exemption Program in neighborhood commercial areas, as recommended by the Planning Commission.
  • Ordinance No. 28906 – amending various chapters in Title 1, relating to Administration and Personnel, and Title 13, relating to the Land Use Regulatory Code of the Municipal Code, to adopt minor code amendments, as recommended by the Planning Commission.

The City Council’s reviews and deliberations of the 2023 Amendment, leading up to the adoption of these legislations, included a public hearing on June 27; study sessions on June 27, July 11, and August 8; regular meetings on August 8 and 15; as well as the Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability Committee’s reviews on January 25 and March 8, 2023. To review the agendas for these Council meetings, please visit Council Calendar.

The City Council adopted the 2022 Amendment package on June 28, 2022, based primarily on the Planning Commission’s recommendations, through the adoption of the following legislations:

  • Amended Substitute Resolution No. 40985 – approving the Work Plan for South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District (STGPD) Code Amendments, as recommended by the Planning Commission; and requesting the Commission to conduct a public process to develop findings of fact and recommendations by August 27, 2022, as to whether a moratorium on heavy industrial uses and storage of hazardous materials within the STGPD is warranted, and if so, to recommend the scope, applicability, and duration for the Council’s consideration.
  • Amended Ordinance No. 28819 – approving the land use designation change for the “NewCold” site, as recommended by the Planning Commission; and requesting City administration to consider conducting a traffic impact study and a noise study for the existing and expanded facilities on the site during future site rezoning or permit processes.
  • Ordinance No. 28820 – approving the land use designation changes on several parcels owned by the South Sound Christian Schools and the CenterPoint Christian Fellowships and ensuring preservation of the Garry Oaks onsite, as recommended by the Planning Commission.
  • Ordinance No. 28821 – approving 17 minor amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and the Land Use Regulatory Code, as recommended by the Planning Commission.

The City Council’s reviews and deliberations of the 2022 Amendment, leading up to the adoption of these legislations, included a public hearing on June 7, study sessions on June 7 and 14, regular meetings on June 14, 21 and 28, as well as the Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability Committee’s reviews on March 9 and May 25, 2022.  To review the agendas for these Council meetings, please visit Council Calendar.

The City Council adopted the 2020 Amendment package on December 8, 2020, based primarily on the Planning Commission’s recommendations, through the adoption of the following legislations:

  • Ordinance No. 28723 – adopting the Land Use Designation for the Heidelberg-Davis Site, as recommended by the Planning Commission
  • Amended Ordinance No. 28724 – adopting the 20-ft Height Limit for certain areas within the View Sensitive Overlay District except Node 4 and 5 lots in Node 2 (while the Planning Commission had recommended for denial)
  • Ordinance No. 28725 – adopting Minor Plan and Code Amendments, as recommended by the Planning Commission

Contact

Stephen Atkinson
Principal Planner

(253) 905-4146

Tacoma Municipal Building
747 Market Street, Third Floor
Tacoma, WA 98402