As residents and patrons of the Proctor neighborhood, we care deeply about preserving the vibrancy, walkability, and family friendly atmosphere of our community. We also embrace that Proctor has a role to play in welcoming new neighbors into the fold as Tacoma grows over the coming decades. We support new development in the Proctor mixed-use district that achieves a balance in preserving Proctor’s appeal and creating more residential opportunities for those who would like to join us. Our city’s zoning code provides the right guiding principle: development in the Proctor mixed-use center is to be of “a scale that is compatible and in scale with the surrounding neighborhood” and is to “enhance, stabilize, and preserve the unique character and scale of neighborhood centers.” 

Unfortunately, the City Council undermined this principle when it changed the law in 2009 to increase the maximum permissible height of a building in Proctor from 45 feet to 65 feet. The zoning code would permit the entire Proctor mixed-use center to be filled with 65-foot buildings, a process that is underway. The 65-foot Proctor Station is nearing completion. Planning is in its early stages for another 65-foot building at 25th and Proctor. The Proctor Station developers own the building on the southeast side of 28th and Proctor that houses Yoga Palace and the restaurant Soul, as well as the home next door. And city planning staff has identified the post office, US Bank, and KeyBank sites as potential development opportunities.

We welcome sensible new development, but a wall of 65-foot apartment buildings is completely out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood and does nothing to enhance, stabilize, or preserve Proctor’s unique character. The prior height limitation of 45 feet presents a reasonable compromise that will preserve Proctor’s character and provide new densely built housing and retail space. Notably, as part of the 2015 Annual Amendment process, the Planning Commission is reviewing the city’s mixed-use centers and has assessed the Proctor mixed-use center to be “[a]n already successful pedestrian oriented MUC w/few needs” that already “achieves goals.” A 45-foot height limit would be compatible with Proctor’s continued success.

We urge the City Council and Planning Commission to immediately adopt a moratorium on future development in the Proctor Mixed-Use Center that exceeds 45 feet in height and, in response to 2015 Annual Amendment application 2015-02, amend the land use regulatory code to reinstate the appropriate 45-foot height limit.