Tacoma Digital Billboard & Sign Ordinance Public Hearing

Tomorrow - July 19th @5pm
City Hall Council Chambers (747 Market St)

Let the council know what you think

If this issues is of concern to you go to the meeting or contact your city council members with your opinion http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?nid=54 this seems to be the last public comment opportunity for this issue.

what is the Tacoma Billboard Regulation issue?
1997 - the City of Tacoma passed an ordinance banning billboards except in limited locations and removal of selective existing billboards.

2007 - The owner of many of the city's billboards Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. sued the city claiming their rights to free speech were violated.

2010 - City Council agreed to a settlement with Clear Channel that allowed more than 30 new digital billboards to be built in exchange for removing more than 200 existing billboards and relinquishing the permits for more than 100 other billboards.

March 2011 - The Planning Commission received overwhelming input from Tacoma residents opposing the agreement and urged the city to stand by its original billboard ordinance.

May 2011 - the city council put in place an emergency moratorium that stops the acceptance of applications to install or construct new billboards or to alter, modify or replace existing billboards anywhere in the City for 180 days to allow for further review and consider changes to its billboard regulations.

Much more information can be found at: http://www.historictacoma.org/ht/2011/06/electronic-billboards-new-sign-ordinance.html

Sketch & Swap July 26th 6pm

Remember what it was like to DRAW with lead and ink?
Looking for an excuse to break out the old SKETCH book?

Well you are in Luck! Come out and go drawing with Architects. We will be meeting up to draw and discuss a few buildings here in our very own Tacoma. This summer’s theme is Past, Present & Future, so we will be sketching an old building, a new one and one that has yet to be imagined.

We will be sketching a building for the future
July 26th, 2011, 6PM
Meet at Cutters Point Coffee (on Pacific Ave)
We will check out a vacant lot ready for your recommendations!

Please RSVP by e−mail aiasww.elg@gmail.com

Next ELG Meeting

We hope you can join us.
Date: Wednesday, July 20th
Time: Noon
Place: Cutters Point - 1936 Pacific Ave. Tacoma, WA 98402

Imagine the possibilities with the South Tacoma Business District

Architects needed for August 6th workshop

Historic Tacoma is nearing the end of a study with the South Tacoma Business District to focus on their historic character and image-identity enhancing options available. On August 6th, they are looking at conducting a half-day visioning workshop based on their historical foundation work to help the District imagine the possibilities of their built environment. They are looking for architectural firms, individual architects and associate architects willing to sit with members of the District for a few hours (9-12) on a Saturday to brainstorm possibilities as well as architects who would be interested in preparing a few quick sketches (from a list of specific buildings) prior to the workshop showing how a facade could be transformed back to its original character. The goal is for the property/business owners of historic structures to understand that it is possible to bring these structures back even after decades of inappropriate design renovations in order to receive facade grants and in some cases perhaps special tax valuations. There are no 'hard' goals from the exercise, except to help them begin to make more tangible their new sense of themselves. There will be no on-going commitment and might be good exposure for future work. Some interest in performing upgrades has been expressed by some in the group.

If interested contacts are:
Gary Knudson, gknudson@harbornet.com
Caroline Swope, cswope@nventure.com
Lauren Perez, lkp2114@columbia.edu
Randy Cook, Randy@tcfarchitecture.com