[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6632279,"mediaKeyId","2675190-29bab6c57c3af56267a98e159e5768d2","parentId",2675190,"title","Tacoma committee advances animal‑control code edits to study session; tightens outdoor‑pig rules, licensing incentives considered","audioSeconds",486,"startMs",1431000,"endMs",1917000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2675190-29bab6c57c3af56267a98e159e5768d2&start=1431&end=1917","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2675190-29bab6c57c3af56267a98e159e5768d2/thumbnail_1431000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6632279/Tacoma/Pierce-County/Washington/Tacoma-committee-advances-animalcontrol-code-edits-to-study-session-tightens-outdoorpig-rules-licensing-incentives-considered","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6632279-33ad2cfdccb9059ce942377a2385c781/orig.mp4?Expires=1775300999&Signature=OiimRusGE1xooaz3mtJz5bfNGnuTIFiCEo16JglyM5ZzpoIUCFbaxd00jU9EPJbevRzPz8pcLCy5awIV-EVqVRCrV3ONJSmUVdL1EEET~WLaeXG3pAYnPPf~wjE4djx70S4LYVpp2nzzjvWEX9FEkF6p2l3Jd~ZmCmCEqVdldly7B0dmtYoWwmZgKyuDv2MM1hzHJLRf1nXsOlgiRS7UxakDo9H--sy2nuOziIzzZ7Y5SKyWxh-dNpYVwUMCrh-HTf86SwTjxBd1~-oe3oWvdduKsUaV0F2M08IuM0~N9hHzyudiHy350tVMiltN8t9pkX8Li0vWXecpIMyn3Nukmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tacoma","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","The Government Performance and Finance Committee on March 18 heard staff briefings on a package of proposed updates to Tacoma’s animal control code and agreed to move the draft to a city study session for further consideration.

Chair Hines summarized proposed changes intended to address animal overpopulation and impacts on neighborhoods. Staff said Tacoma‑Pierce County Humane Society no longer accepts stray animals from Better Way as of Jan. 1, 2025; those animals are now directed to a shelter in Burien called Cares, and the humane society supports the code updates.

Key proposed changes include adding all members of the swine family (pigs, boars, sows, gilts, shoats and piglets) to Tacoma Municipal Code Title 5 for outdoor‑keeping rules; keeping hogs raised for slaughter prohibited; and applying the 11 existing Title 5 conditions used for animals such as chickens to outdoor pigs. Those conditions include written consent of all property owners within 50 feet, minimum property square footage, keeping animals at least 50 feet from adjoining property lines, rodent‑proof and sanitary structures, daily collection and secure storage of manure to prevent flies and odors, and prohibitions on objectionable odors, noises or unsightliness. Code enforcement — not animal control — would enforce outdoor pig standards.

For indoor pigs, staff are not proposing a ban but recommended new requirements: licensing, spay/neuter, microchipping and a lowered weight limit from 200 pounds to 150 pounds for household pet pigs, and leashing when off the owner’s property. Hines said the lower weight threshold was intended to better distinguish typical pet pigs from animals kept for production.

The draft also proposes expanding reduced‑rate pet licensing to include residents who qualify for the city’s BCAP program (in addition to the current age‑65 reduced rate), and retaining the humane society’s ability to keep the first year of license fees on adopted animals as an important revenue stream. Committee members discussed enforcement mechanisms for breeders and sellers; staff said animal control investigates complaints and that the code changes would add criminal penalties in some cases and create a separate misdemeanor classification for certain offenses.

Committee members expressed support for the goals of reducing overpopulation and protecting animals while noting resource limits for enforcement. The package will proceed to study session for additional review and possible refinement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tacoma - 20250318 Government Performance and Finance Committee - Mar 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members reviewed a draft overhaul of Tacoma’s animal‑control code on March 18 that adds swine family animals to municipal regulations for outdoor keeping, lowers the indoor pet‑pig weight limit, requires licensing, spay/neuter and microchipping, and directs the proposal to a study session for further review.","taxTitle","Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington","taxId",2675,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6632284,"Tacoma committee forwards amendment to raise commercial call‑to‑haul rate, orders outreach pilot for multifamily",475,47000,522000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2675190-29bab6c57c3af56267a98e159e5768d2&start=47&end=522","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2675190-29bab6c57c3af56267a98e159e5768d2/thumbnail_47000.jpg","/articles/6632284/Tacoma/Pierce-County/Washington/Tacoma-committee-forwards-amendment-to-raise-commercial-calltohaul-rate-orders-outreach-pilot-for-multifamily","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6632284-60a3214d39ed22651e5b8ae824beb1a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775300999&Signature=euF6VCR-Gm0UOOdtsLRr0YsDLDrht9bIqG7EBgQzTjmQJfIBi-24YBZs8t73n2V-eOekS5CbsaRYK49KjzWlsfToWr8Pfv8FCisTxi~nz8Ej-z5skNZiludDasHfyjXCPl7IlWjZWIZaF3v5rwrNepXUw5C1eZQ6wWefB3elJK3xaRSJ-qDKipugfdnYmhqT9riSSNj9UJa9xGQBsHca2WkCsEp9to4RCg-jzjxgxd5Fku9n4MnXaG8aYI46sM4~VnkKrILIZPeW61N-y2v3oyJmXPeT~oNuyaYB4gtQOU6lZrfrWFbtzsd99YZCbXcnx8-DWH8YHkytKq2H33c~jQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Government Performance and Finance Committee of Tacoma on March 18 forwarded to the full City Council an amendment to Tacoma Municipal Code section 12.09.120 to increase the city’s commercial call‑to‑haul fee and to fund an education and engagement pilot for multifamily customers.

Louis Girdeth, division manager for the Solid Waste Management Division in the Environmental Services Department, and Hailey Falk, business services manager on the Rates and Budget team, told the committee the current flat fee of $75 per appointment has not been updated since 2014 and no longer reflects the city’s cost of service. Falk said a recent cost analysis found the true cost per pickup is about $145, and staff proposed three options for the committee: keep the $75 rate, raise it to $1.15 to phase toward cost, or set it at the full cost of service of $1.45.

“The plan is to do education and outreach and get input from multifamily property managers and residents about what might work better for them,” Girdeth said. He added the department is hiring a full‑time position to lead the outreach effort, which staff hope will be on board in the second quarter.

Falk told the committee the city currently classifies residential service as two units or less and everything else as commercial, so multifamily properties are treated under the commercial rate structure despite having different needs. Staff said residential customers receive two call‑to‑haul pickups included in their service and that residential demand averages roughly $3.75 per residential bill for the service; staff reported about 10,000 residential pickups a year and roughly 20% utilization on the residential benefit. By contrast, staff said commercial call‑to‑haul usage is low — on the order of a few dozen pickups per year under the current policy — which complicates direct cost allocation.

Several council members pressed staff for more context about private market rates and the city’s costs for cleaning up illegal dumping. “I think the cost for illegal dumping would be really great to include in this when we go to council,” Councilor Robles said, noting the financial burden illegal dumping places on neighborhoods. Vice Chair Bushnell supported breaking out multifamily as its own rate class and framing the city’s call‑to‑haul as a basic, affordable service for customers of city garbage service.

Staff recommended adjusting the ordinance to $1.15 per pickup as a gradual alignment with cost of service while maintaining an affordable option and committing to outreach to determine willingness to pay. If the committee’s recommendation is adopted by the full council in April, staff said implementation could follow in June after the required notice period and once the outreach position is in place.

The committee voted to forward the proposed amendment to the full City Council for consideration. The motion was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.","The Government Performance and Finance Committee on March 18 forwarded an amendment to Tacoma Municipal Code 12.09.120 to the full City Council that would raise the commercial call‑to‑haul fee from $75 to $1.15 per pickup and launch an outreach and engagement pilot focused on multifamily customers.","actionData","errors"]

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Tacoma committee advances animal‑control code edits to study session; tightens outdoor‑pig rules, licensing incentives considered

Tacoma committee forwards amendment to raise commercial call‑to‑haul rate, orders outreach pilot for multifamily