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Complete Streets Guidelines Heading to Council

Derek Young — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:53:40 GMT

The City’s Complete Streets Design Guidelines came before the Tacoma City Council Study Session today after nearly two years in development.

Elliott Barnett from the City of Tacoma stated in an email to stakeholders:

The Guidelines are a comprehensive Complete Streets approach tailored to Tacoma. The objectives are to design, build and maintain streets that safely, comfortably and appropriately accommodate all users and transportation modes; foster a sense of place in the public realm; and, reduce environmental impacts when feasible. The Guidelines set a framework to achieve these objectives, add cost-effective tools to the City’s toolbox, and identify implementation steps. The final draft Guidelines incorporate changes identified through the extensive public input received on the previously released public review drafts.

This isn’t intended to be a one size fits all approach. Not every street will handle every mode of transportation, but the City is trying to make a system that can accommodate all modes of transportation. Tacoma’s Complete Streets guidelines:

Support a balanced transportation system
All users and transportation modes to be considered in street design
Provide options to reduce environmental impacts
Support efforts to make streets safe, attractive and comfortable
Provide options for streets that contribute to neighborhood character
Support growth vision for Mixed-use Centers; livability in residential areas
Add cost-effective street design options to Tacoma’s “toolbox”
Approaches tailored to Tacoma

The implementation of Complete Streets will be an ongoing process whenever construction, alteration, and maintenance occurs on our City streets. It puts the design elements at the beginning of the process.

On November 17th, a resolution endorsing Tacoma’s Complete Streets Design Guidelines is scheduled for Council consideration.

Complete Streets Project Summary (PDF)

More information at CityofTacoma.org

The Round No. 7

Derek Young — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:44:28 GMT

This is THE {TACOMA} ROUND:
3 songwriters share the stage,
slam poets, live painters…
audience sits in rapt attention.
It’s definitely not your normal concert.

In what some might call the collision of guerrila art and a tractor pull, Lance Kagey brings his friends along for an experience you won’t soon forget. Immerse yourself in the warmth of community while you participate, as this audacious team brings you to a new place, a place to re:concile who we are, and who we will become. Time to re:think, re:create, re:fresh.

the Round no.7
Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives
Kelli Schaefer
Luke Stevens
SOTA’s China Team
Lance Kagey
Tom Llewellyn

Details
Friday the 13th of November – Doors open at 7:30
The Warehouse
1114 Court E. Tacoma
$8.00 at the door or via Brown Paper Tickets

Unofficial Tacoma Election Results and Live Blog

Derek Young — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:06:12 GMT

Exit133 will be hanging out at the Pierce County Elections office while results are coming in this evening. We’ll then be posting what we know as we know it. The latest info, at least for the first couple hours, will probably be on our Twitter feed – which we have embedded below.

Polls are ~~still open for a bit more than four hours~~ closed. Who would like to speculate on the percentage split in each race?

Unofficial Results (Updated as of 5:05 pm Monday)

CITY OF TACOMA

Mayor
Jim Merritt: 48.37% (17,723 votes)
Marilyn Strickland: 51.37% (18,823)

Position 2
Jake Fey: 97.48%

Position 4
Marty Campbell: 60.53%
Roxanne Murphy: 39.02%

Position 5
Joe Lonergan: 59.68%
Beckie Summers-Kirby: 39.90%

Position 6
Keven Rojecki: 43.00%
Victoria Woodards: 56.53%

PIERCE COUNTY
Charter Amendment #1
Yes: 32.19%
No: 67.81%

Charter Amendments #2
Yes: 46.98%
No: 53.02%

Charter Amendment #3
Yes: 70.80%
No: 29.20%

County Auditor
Shabro: 41.29%
Anderson: 49.91%
Baker: 8.44%

TACOMA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Position No. 2
Jerry Thorp: 44.59%
Catherine Ushka-Hall: 55.02%

Position No. 4
Kurt Miller: 60.09%
Stan Smith: 39.39%

PORT OF TACOMA COMMISSIONERS
Position No. 1
Connie Bacon: 56.78%
Bill Casper: 42.69%

Position No. 2
Charles Kelly Creso: 38.03%
Dick Marzano: 61.43%

Position No. 4
Don Meyer: 68.31%
Cathy Pearsall-Stipek: 31.28%

WASHINGTON STATE MEASURES
(Pierce County Only)
I-1033
Yes: 48.44%
No: 51.56%

I-71
Yes: 47.58%
No: 52.42%

A Few Notes – way too late in the evening

Julie Anderson’s win for the unexpired auditor term will create a vacancy on the Tacoma City Council within the next few weeks. From what we heard this evening, the moment the election is certified she will need to be sworn in. Expect someone new on the City Council by Thanksgiving.

We find it interesting that Pierce County Auditor Jan Shabro and Chief Deputy Auditor Deryl McCarty apparently left, we were told, after the first round of results appeared – effectively leaving Katie Blinn from the Secretary of State’s office in charge.

Love Tacoma at SAX - Tuesday

Derek Young — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:22:53 GMT

Love Tacoma is back this month and we’re heading to SAX Restaurant and Lounge on Sixth Avenue. SAX will be providing a Love Tacoma Cosmo in addition to their regular happy hour menu which features $3 wells, $3 house wine, and food. Like always, there will be drawings and prizes! Tuesday’s at 9pm are open mic night for musicians, so feel free to stick around and enjoy the entertainment. Love Tacoma is an informal group of people dedicated to getting out, meeting new people, and enjoying our city. There’s no membership or fees. Join us!

Details
Tuesday, November 10th at 5:30 pm
SAX – 2309 6th Avenue

More information at LoveTacoma.com

Green Goddess at the Blue Mouse on Friday

Derek Young — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:17:20 GMT

The Blue Mouse Theatre is the oldest continuously operating movie house in Washington State. It opened its doors 86 years ago with a production of “Green Goddess”. Now, the Blue Mouse & Historic Tacoma invite you to watch as the Blue Mouse turns GREEN for its 86th Birthday Party on Friday night.

Eat popcorn from an eco-friendly bag.
Enjoy wine & hors d’oeuvres with Green Goddess dressing.
Experience a historically authentic presentation of “Green Goddess,” the silent adventure movie that packed the theatre opening night in 1923 with standing room only!
Live concert with famous silent movie organist Dennis James. Vaudeville song & dance.

This should be a great evening. Can you make it?

Details
Friday November 13, 2009 at 7:00 PM
2611 North Proctor
Tickets: $35

Advance purchase highly recommended! Buy tickets at:
The Blue Mouse Theatre or Pacific Northwest Shop

Made possible by the Packard Humanities Institute, the Stanford Theatre Foundation, Historic Tacoma, Bill Broich and Phyllis McGavick & Alfred’s Cafe

Is Now the Time for a Strong Mayor in Tacoma?

Derek Young — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:29:45 GMT

Peter Callaghan explores the history of the Tacoma strong mayor debate in his weekend column over at the TNT. This follows Federal Way voters’ apparent decision last week to move to a strong mayor. Is it time for Tacoma to consider a change too?

While it is frequently talked about and debated, Tacoma hasn’t voted on the issue since 1970. Nationally, however, there have been two seemingly conflicting trends. While the number of council-manager cities has grown from one-third in 1985 to nearly half now, larger cities have moved the other way.

Tacoma has had a council-manager form of government for more than 50 years. The City is run by a City Manager hired by the City Council. The mayor doesn’t oversee the day to day operations of the City or hire and fire in various City departments. When many of our friends describe the job of mayor, they describe the City Manager.

So, is it time to renew this discussion once again? Do we want a strong executive mayor? Does it even matter?

Link to The News Tribune

Time for a Cheney Stadium Facelift?

Derek Young — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:51:22 GMT

Are you ready for a brand new Cheney Stadium? The TNT is today reporting on the $30 million bond that will fund a renovated stadium for our triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.

Renovations are likely to include a new grandstand superstructure, roof and concourse, as well as new concession stands, seats, luxury suites and a restaurant to be open year-round, Combs said.

Locker rooms, dug-outs and press boxes also will be improved and expanded, he said, and current plans include adding a public meeting area and permanent space dedicated to housing the ballpark’s exclusive “Gold Club.”

The upgrades, in turn, will help keep the Triple-A Rainiers baseball club playing in Tacoma for most of the next three decades, city and team officials say.

The City of Tacoma would assume about 30% of the bond’s debt over its 25 year life. Private business and donors will cover the rest.

We do like our ~~Tigers~~ Rainiers. Interest rates are good. So … is now the time for a renovated Cheney Stadium?

Link to The News Tribune

Art at Work Studio Tours - This Weekend

Derek Young — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:39:01 GMT

The Art at Work month festivities continue today and tomorrow with the 8th annual studio tours.

73 artists at 39 studio locations around Tacoma. See your favorite photographers, glassblowers, sculptors, painters, and R.R. Anderson – all in one weekend. Here’s your chance to see how your local tacoma artists work. Ask them questions. Hang out. Buy art.

This is a great weekend for touring studios. Get outside and check it out!

Details
Saturday & Sunday, November 7th & 8th, 2009
10 am to 4 pm

More information including a schedule, brochure, and map at artatworktacoma.com/