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State raises the roof on Foss

By John Larson

Tacoma Weekly
jlarson@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: August 28, 2008

The state Department of Ecology has approved an adjustment to the city of Tacoma’s shoreline management plan that could allow condominiums to rise as tall as 180 feet along the west side of Thea Foss Waterway north of Murray Morgan Bridge.

The agency issued a ruling Aug. 25 that makes it more likely that development firm Simon Johnson LLC can move forward with its plans for 180-feet structures on sites 10 and 11, the numbers assigned to the parcels by Foss Waterway Development Authority.

The city’s plan had a height limit of 100 feet for this area. The developers filed an application in March 2004 requesting this be raised to 180 feet, claiming it was necessary to make their planned project economically feasible. Public hearings before Tacoma Planning Commission and Tacoma City Council were held later that year.

The city filed an amendment to Ecology seeking its approval for this change in January 2005. Later Ecology staff suggested more analysis of view impacts was warranted, and the city withdrew the amendment in November 2005.

City staff used computer modeling programs to analyze views of the waterway from three locations – two in Fireman’s Park and one from the roof of the Perkins Building, a seven-story structure containing 33 condominiums.

Community meetings to assess the view impacts were held in February 2006 and April 2007, and Tacoma Planning Commission held a hearing on April 18, 2007.

The possibility of taller buildings along the Foss has been a concern for some people, including residents of the Perkins Building and some downtown business interests. Several Perkins residents have testified against allowing taller buildings below them that would affect the views they felt they deserved to have for the condos.

The report from Ecology acknowledges that views from “a substantial number of residences” and from Fireman’s Park would be impacted by the proposal, while noting the shoreline plan contains provisions to minimize the effect on views.

However, the council passed an amendment to the ordinance that established the shoreline management plan to allow for the higher limits last November.

From then on, the business partners in Simon Johnson had to play wait and see, waiting for Ecology’s approval. The agency has determined they are consistent with the Shoreline Management Plan.

The developers, Simon Johnson and Herb Simon, must now wait 60 days from when the city officially publishes a legal notice of the change. Residents or other interested parties can still combat the increased height limit by appealing the decision the region’s Growth Management Hearings Board. If no one does, the developers plan to begin writing submissions for permits from the city. The project review process will begin after the developer submits any plans.

Permits must be issued before any construction can begin.

The relatively flat real estate market, especially for condominiums, could cause the developer to scale back their plans for so many condos. That scenario has played out with other proposed projects along the waterway.

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