Yes, The Commission reviews and approves over 50 projects a year. The Commission uses a set of federal standards and zoning design guidelines to evaluate proposals.
For most typical projects, such as changes to doors or porch railings, a single review is required by the Commission. The time from the point of application is submitted until approval is issued is typically 3-6 weeks.
No, work that is exempt from the residential building code does not require Commission review, including painting, landscaping, and minor maintenance.
Reuben McKnight is the Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Tacoma. He is staff liaison to the Commission and the contact person for all questions about historic properties. He can be reached at 253-591-5220 or by e-mail at reuben.mcknight@cityoftacoma.org.
Our zoning is HMR_SRD, Historic Mixed Residential-Special Review District. For zoning questions, call 253-591-5577.
For Building Code questions, call 253-591-5030.
The Tacoma Register North Slope Historic District is a City-sanctioned historic district, subject to Tacoma Municipal Code 13.07 and the North Slope Historic District inventory adopted by the Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission. Included in 13.07 are provisions safeguarding contributing structures in NSHD from demolition. The rules, laws, ordinances and zoning for the NSHD are all governed by the City of Tacoma.
The National Register of Historic Places listing is an honor; however, the National Register neither grants any privileges, nor makes any demands on owners of listed properties. Properties that are listed as "contributing", as well as those listed as "noncontributing" on the National Register still are subject to the regulations and requirements of the Tacoma Register North Slope Historic District.
A property may not be listed the same in both registers; one that is “contributing” in one register may be “non-contributing” in the other. Check both registers when looking for contributing properties in either register. Both registers were done at different times, by different people.
Note: The boundaries of the city District and the National Historic Districts are slightly different.
The nomination forms are found along the right-hand side of the City of Tacoma’s Culture web pages under 1994 Nomination, 1996 Expansion and 1999 Expansion. The Tacoma Culture page can be found here.
Additional information is in the Tacoma Municipal Code, (TMC) numbered 13.07.220 , 230, 240 and 250 found on pages 13.309 and 310 of the code found here.
The National Register of Historic Places is an extensive document that lists all the properties in the in the National version of the NSHD. The entire nomination can be found here.
The following is a summary from Tacoma Municipal code. HMR-SRD means Historic Mixed Residential Special Review District. This district is designed to apply to existing neighborhood areas because the buildings within reflect significant aspects of Tacoma's early history, architecture, and culture. They are characterized by a mix of residential buildings, where it is desirable to protect, preserve, and maintain the historic buildings. Conversion of existing multiple-family uses to single-family uses will be encouraged, but not required.
Jennifer Schreck, a past Tacoma Historic Preservation Officer, wrote about this in 2003. Her article, The Significance Of A Large Residential District On The National Register Of Historic Places can be found here.
Zoning code HMR-SRD means Historic Mixed Residential Special Review District. This zoning is defined in Tacoma Municipal Code 13.06.100 section B.4. It can be found on page 13-73 in the code found here.
The short answer is maybe. Not extra, meaning more, but extra meaning that some permits may require Landmarks review before the permit is issued. According to Marshall McClintock, who lives in the NSHD and is NSHD’s ex-officio member of Landmarks Commission, any exterior work on any building in the NSHD needs to be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Officer prior to work being started. Additional information can be obtained here.
The Landmarks Commission is a volunteer group of Tacoma citizens, with skills related to historic preservation.
Information about The Landmarks Preservation Commission can be found by here.
The simple answer is that home owners wanted to prevent demolition of houses in order to build apartments. It was only later that the group discovered the many additional reasons for preservation of their homes.
The best source about the formation of the NSHD can be found in Julie Turner’s Personal Account, The History of the North Slope Historic District and can be found here.
According to the National Park Service, the keeper of the National Register of Historic Places, an historic property is one built in the period of significance. In the NSHD, the period of significance is 1881 to 1953.
A contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical quality or architectural integrity of the historic district. The contributing properties are key to a historic district's historic architectural qualities.
The list of contributing properties in the Tacoma Register of Historic Places can be found here along right hand side.
Note: In the NSHD, it is the City of Tacoma’s classification of “contributing” that counts — the city version rules. The list of contributing properties in the Tacoma Register of Historic Places can be found here.
Contributing properties on the National Register of Historic Places were designated by different people at different times and with different criteria than the City of Tacoma Register. In short, contributing structures on the National Register today look like the structure did when first built.
Listing on the National Register does not carry any protection or requirements for property owners; it is strictly an honor classification. For the National Register, the classification is listed, and if it shows Historic Contributing it means it was built in the period of significance, and is a contributing property on the national level. Look up your home here.
The best source about the being nominated for the National Register can be found in Jay Turner’s Personal Account, History of the North Slope Historic District being listed on the National Register of Historic Places and can be found here.
With a little digging and attention to detail, it’s likely you will be able to uncover your home’s story – who built it, who lived in it, information about things that happened there, photos, blueprints and more.
Brian Kamens, of the Tacoma Public Library, created the Pierce County Buildings Index, which offers all the available information on each home and building in Tacoma: the architects and contractors, blueprints, photos from the library’s photography collection (which he also helped put online), articles from Tacoma newspapers and local history books, and more.
We are very lucky to have the Tacoma Public Library's Northwest Room. For more information, start here.
Information sent to residents from NSHD, Inc. comes from the this web page, the Trolley Times newsletter or via Board-initiated emails. NSHD, Inc. endeavors to take into account ordinances and zoning laws of the City of Tacoma, along with the by-laws of the NSHD in all communications. Information passed on to you these three ways is as accurate as we can make it.
The current copy of the Trolley Times can be found here.
