Committee forwards North Union Avenue Greenway median nomination to council after asking for more review time

The Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability Committee voted to forward a Landmarks Commission recommendation to add the North Union Avenue Greenway median to the Tacoma Register of Historic Places, directing that full council consider the nomination no sooner than two months from the filing date.

Rudy McKnight, city assistant preservation officer in Planning and Development Services, told the committee the nomination covers only the planted median within the public right-of-way and does not include private property elements such as furniture or trees. McKnight said the Landmarks Commission heard 59 public comments on the nomination, “nearly all of them were in support,” and that the commission incorporated concerns raised by Environmental Services and Public Works into its recommendation.

Why it matters: committee members pressed staff on how historic designation would intersect with routine maintenance, utility work and possible future capital projects. McKnight said routine maintenance and required installations such as ADA improvements are exempted from review, but “major changes to the landscaping and configuration” would require Landmarks Commission review. He described the commission’s effort as trying “to accommodate the operational needs of the city departments that are affected, at the same time, recognizing certain significance” of the median’s history and public use.

During questions, council members asked whether elements such as picnic benches, trails or tree plantings would trigger further review. McKnight said small enhancements are likely to be treated as minor and not subject to full review, but larger redesigns or reconfigurations would come back to the commission. Council members also discussed whether historic registration is the right tool, whether it creates another layer of review and whether alternative approaches exist that would preserve public input while maintaining operational flexibility.

Following discussion, a council member moved to send the Landmarks Commission recommendation to full council for consideration of the North Union Avenue Greenway’s inclusion on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places and to forward it no sooner than two months from filing. The motion was seconded and carried; the committee chair declared the motion carried and staff will transmit the nomination and record of the committee discussion to the full council.

Next steps: the nomination and the Landmarks Commission’s findings will be filed for council consideration, and staff said they will consult with real property services and other departments to answer committee questions about alternatives and operational impacts before the council considers the item.