Greetings District 5,

Happy New Year, everyone! It's time to hit the ground running as we gear up for an exciting start to the year ahead. I’m excited to bring you up to speed on all the latest developments in our city, including the warm welcome to a new addition to our city in the Manitou neighborhood. Additionally, I'll be addressing some of the concerns many of you shared with me regarding nuisance properties. I have also outlined several avenues for your involvement in city planning initiatives and opportunities to volunteer on several openings for our boards and commissions.

Thank you all who have reached out. Please let me know if there are any additional items of interest you have that you’d like to see in future newsletters.

Thank you,
Council Member Joe Bushnell
City of Tacoma, District 5

Topics in this newsletter include: 

• Manitou Annexation Welcoming Event
• Spotlight on South Tacoma
• Legislative Agenda Update
• Update on Charter Review
• APCC’s 26th Annual Asia Pacific New Year Celebration Feb 24, 2024
• Public Hearing Regarding Proposed Moratorium Extension for South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District on February 20
• Volunteer Opportunities Available on City’s Committees, Boards and Commissions
• Enforcing our Nuisance Code When There are Repeat Offenders
• In the Community

Manitou Annexation Welcoming Event

On December 12, 2023 the Tacoma City Council set an effective date for the annexation of the Manitou area from unincorporated Pierce County to the City of Tacoma on April 1, 2024. You can learn more about this annexation at: https://cityoftacoma.org/manitou. This annexation has been a long time coming, and I want to thank the many partners, organizations, and staff that made this process successful by focusing on the residents that are impacted by this change and ensuring they have a positive experience. I look forward to engaging our newest residents in the important conversations our community is having to shape the future of Tacoma. The Manitou Annexation Area is a 37-acre unincorporated Pierce County area located on the southwest corner of the city, near Lakewood Drive W. and 66th Street W (see map). This small area is surrounded by the cities of Tacoma and University Place. As one of the unincorporated "islands" in Pierce County, annexation of the Manitou Area to the City of Tacoma is expected by the State Growth Management Act (GMA) and considered a high priority in regional, county and city planning policies. Please join us for a family friendly “Welcome to Tacoma” open house event at the STAR Center (3873 S 66th St, Tacoma, WA 98409) on February 10, 2024, between 11:30am to 2:30pm. Refreshments and fun will be provided!

Spotlight on South Tacoma

The City heard your questions about upcoming City of Tacoma initiatives, as well as other projects that will impact the future of South Tacoma. Our City’s Planning and Development Services Department is holding three events in early 2024 to better understand your questions, concerns, and vision for the future, and to identify ways that we can collaborate with you on making that vision a reality.

There was great turn out for the first event – thank you to everyone who joined in that discussion! Be sure to learn more about the South Tacoma Way Neighborhood Plan. Over the coming months, the conversation will continue.

February 2024 
Plan-A-Thon Kick-Off Event
Help kick off the South Tacoma Way Neighborhood Plan and share your vision for the future of your neighborhood!

Date and time: Thursday, February 29, 2024 from 5:30-7 PM
Zoom Link to Join Dial to Join: (253) 215-8782; Meeting ID 891 8468 9746 and Passcode 123456

March 2024 

What’s Happening; What’s Coming in South Tacoma
An open house for you to hear more about upcoming initiatives in response to community feedback, programs the City is working on to address your concerns, and how to get involved.

Date and time: Thursday, March 21, 2024 from 5:30-7:30 PM
Location: STAR Center, 3873 South 66th Street, Journey North Room

Learn more at our website: CityofTacoma.org/SpotlightSouthTacoma 

Legislative Agenda Update

Did you know the City of Tacoma has a state and federal legislative agenda? Right now, Washington State is in the middle of their Legislative Session. The City of Tacoma tracks their work closely and lobbies on issues related to affordable housing, health and safety, transportation, climate action, and more. As a Council Member, I work with the City’s government affairs team to meet with our state legislators. This picture is of me and CM Rumbaugh in Olympia talking to the 29th LD Representatives Melanie Morgan and Sharlett Mena about Tacoma's priorities. I’ve shared the importance of creating a safe space in the South End for our community to gather and recreate, as well as additional funding for ongoing operations of our city shelters. Additionally, I’ve asked for support for the Tacoma Fire Department to meet the needs of our city. This is just a few of many ongoing conversations with our state delegation. This year I was also appointed to the Association of Washington Cities (AWC)’s Large City Advisory Committee. This committee works with cities across the state to advocate in Olympia to ensure there is a common understanding that the state is only as strong as its cities and towns. I believe that many of our cities across the state have common issues that we can work on together to address at the state level and being on this committee will allow me to advocate for you and our city to get the resources we need and solve the issues that we share.

Update on Charter Review

The City is in the middle of one of the most important processes that occurs once a decade. The City Charter requires the City Council to commence a comprehensive review of the City Charter no less frequently than once every ten years by appointing citizens to a Charter Review Committee. The City Charter is of a similar nature to a constitution for the state or federal government. That’s why the review of our Charter Review Committee is so important.   

You can follow the 2024 Charter Review Commissions work on this website. The anticipated charter review timeline is:

• January–April 2024: CRC meetings held 
• Tuesday, May 7, 2024: CRC final report and recommendations due to City Council
• May–August 2024: City Council reviews recommendations and staff prepares for elections 

To request to be added to the Charter Review interest list (to receive notices and meeting information), please email charter@cityoftacoma.org. 

APCC’s 26th Annual Asia Pacific New Year Celebration Feb 24, 2024

Public Hearing Regarding Proposed Moratorium Extension for South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District on February 20

On Tuesday, February 20, the Tacoma City Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed moratorium extension on certain high impact uses within the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District (STGPD). 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 PM.

The meeting will be conducted in a hybrid format with in-person and virtual options to attend. Details on how to participate in the hearing and send comments on the proposal are listed below and available online at cityoftacoma.org/stgpd.

The City Council adopted a moratorium in March 2023 to temporarily prohibit the new development or expansion of existing underground storage tanks or metal recycling/auto wrecking facilities in the STGPD while the City of Tacoma and its partners work on the STGPD code update, anticipated to be completed in 2025. The existing moratorium is set to expire on March 20, 2024. If approved, the moratorium extension would add another six months and continue to prohibit these high impact uses until the code amendment process has been completed.

City Council Public Hearing

Tuesday, February 20, no earlier than 5:15 PM 

• Attend in person at the Tacoma Municipal Building in Council Chambers, 747 Market St. in Tacoma, 98402
• Participate on Zoom at zoom.us/j/84834233126 or (253) 215-8782 (Meeting ID: 848 3423 3126 / Passcode: 349099)
• Written comments are accepted before Monday, February 19 at 5 PM via email to cityclerk@cityoftacoma.org or by mail to 733 Market Street, Room 11, Tacoma WA 98402

More information about the proposed moratorium extension on certain high impact uses in the STGPD is available at cityoftacoma.org/stgpd. Community questions can be directed to Senior Planner Maryam Moeinian at mmoeinian@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 532-1446.

Volunteer Opportunities Available on City’s Committees, Boards and Commissions

The City of Tacoma encourages residents who are interested in informing the City Council’s policy decisions on a range of local issues to consider joining one of the City’s numerous volunteer committees, boards and commissions. Each year, dozens of volunteer positions are open to residents and, in the next three months, the following committees, boards and commissions will have openings for new applicants:

• Citizen Commission on Elected Salaries – open now
• Landmarks Preservation Commission – open now
• Commission on Immigrant and Refugee Affairs 
• Sustainable Tacoma Commission 
• Human Services Commission
• City Events and Recognitions Committee 
• Public Utility Board
• Planning Commission

More information is available at cityoftacoma.org/cbc. Questions about the application process, requests for the application in an alternate format, or requests to submit additional documents may be directed to Elizabeth Wing in the City Clerk’s Office at servetacoma@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5178.  

Appointed applicants are required to complete Open Public Meetings Act and Public Records Act trainings provided by the Washington State Office of the Attorney General, within 90 days of being appointed to a City committee, board or commission.

Enforcing our Nuisance Code When There are Repeat Offenders

One of my priorities for the new year is reviewing the City of Tacoma’s public nuisance code. In a past enewsletter I shared information on how the City responds to reports of public nuisances. Nuisance Property Violations are unsafe, unhealthy or undesirable conditions that exist on public or private property, are generally not part of the main building or structure, and may include abandoned or inoperable vehicles. You can learn more about the City’s code compliance and enforcement here.

Recently I met with our Neighborhood and Community Services Department to learn more about why it sometimes can take months to resolve a nuisance complaint. If you’re interested in better understanding the timeline and response to nuisance complaints you share with the City, you can listen to the 2023 Code Compliance Overview presentation to the Community, Vitality and Safety Committee.

What I am most interested in is exploring how the City can most effectively respond to repeat violations. What I hear from constituents is that frustrations are highest when the City responds to one reported nuisance, and immediately after its resolved a new nuisance at the same location starts up again. I learned a lot from staff about how the City already seeks to address this. Our code allows higher penalties for repeat offenders, we have processes that allow us to more swiftly respond to concerns if there are concerns over life safety, and we pursue legal options when appropriate in order for the City to abate issues on private properties. I will continue to learn more about this topic and how other Cities are tackling these issues to see if there are any policy changes I can champion. 

In the Community

In December, I spoke to the Metro Parks board about the need for a community center in the South End of Tacoma and thanked them for their partnership on serving our community.

Last holiday season, I had the chance to volunteer with and speak to the Marine Corps JROTC Cadets from Silas High School in support of the Toys for Tots organization.

CM Daniels and I sporting SOTA BOT buttons. We both attended and spoke at the Teched Out Technology Summit at Mt. Tahoma High School. This immersive event was designed to ignite the curiosity and passion for technology among young minds.

I joined the Washington State Korean-American Day Celebration Foundation for the 17th Annual Korean-American Day Celebration this January.

I love planting trees! This January, the Port of Tacoma partnered with the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma Tree Foundation to plant around 50 trees on city right of way in the Tacoma Tideflats next to Auto Warehousing on Marshall Avenue.

I joined the entire Tacoma City Council in January for a Council workshop where we discussed research-based approaches to workplace stress, our visions for the city, and spent time connecting with executive staff.

Deputy Mayor Hines and myself with the Chinese Consulate General Zhang Jianmin at Lincoln High School. We all attended an event to kick off event of student exchange between Lincoln High School and China. The student group from Lincoln High school is the first group to kick off an exchange of 50,000 students between the US and China.