City Overhauls Building Code
A special committee proposes sweeping changes to Tacoma's building ordinance to modernize oversight and safety standards.
After several months' consideration, the special committee appointed during Mayor Campbell's administration to revise the building ordinance has completed its work. An ordinance to 'regulate the erection, alteration and repair of buildings in the city of Tacoma' will be introduced at the council meeting tonight. The committee was composed of D. I. Cornell, contractor; O. L. Tuell, building inspector; Scott Snyder, member of the council, and Frederick Heath, architect. The committee found the present ordinance not at all suitable for a city the size of Tacoma, and many changes are proposed. Among other things, the new ordinance provides that a fee of $1 shall be charged for a permit for a building costing $1,000 or less, and a charge of 50 cents for each additional $1,000. For all buildings costing over $2,000, a copy of the plans must be filed with the building inspector. Permits for the removal of buildings will cost $5.
“The committee found the present ordinance not at all suitable for a city the size of Tacoma.”
Tacoma’s ongoing struggle with density, rapid development, and building safety remains as pertinent today as it was in the early 1900s. The shift toward requiring professional plan submissions mirrors the city's modern efforts to balance growth with structural accountability.
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