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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013
Vol. CXXIV, No. 207
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Published Since Since 1890 1890
Apply today for Tacoma Arts Projects grants Posted online Weds., Oct. 23 The City of Tacoma is now accepting Arts Projects funding applications from eligible organizations producing publicly accessible arts programming within Tacoma city limits in 2014. Arts Projects funding ranges from $1,000 to $5,000, and supports community projects that focus on the arts. The application deadline is 5 p.m. on Fri., Dec. 6, 2013. Past funding has supported a variety of projects including, but not limited to, arts components of festivals; arts workshops; dance, theater, and music performances; youth-focused arts programming; arts-focused cultural and historical events; exhibits; and literary events. Funded events must take place between Jan. 20, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2014. Eligibility extends to private non-profit agencies with a 501(c) designation; organized groups of community volunteers, such as a business district or neighborhood council with an advisory body, business license and organizational bank account; and educational institutions or for-profit businesses wishing to produce not-for-profit arts functions. Applicants are required to have offices within Tacoma or, if they have no office, a majority of the applicant’s activities must take place within Tacoma city limits. Other eligibility requirements apply. Guidelines are available online at cms.cityoftacoma.org/CEDD/TacomaCulture/arts/ TA_ArtsProjects_2014eform.pdf. Funding for Arts Projects is determined through a competitive application process. Actual contract amounts will be based upon availability of funds and the review of each application as measured against evaluation criteria detailed in the guidelines. Organizations interested in applying for Arts Projects funding can read about past funded projects and download the guidelines and application form on the 'Funding' page of cityoftacoma.org/arts. Application forms are also available by calling (253) 591-5191 or emailing nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org. Applicants are encouraged to attend a free workshop, which explains and addresses questions about the application and funding process. The workshop will be held Nov. 8, 2013, from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., in Tacoma Municipal Building North, located at 728 St. Helens, Room 16, in Tacoma.
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Program could showcase Tacoma's landscaped trafďŹ c circles Article By Todd Matthews, Editor Photo Courtesy City of Tacoma Most people who drive or bike along Tacoma's neighborhood side streets rarely stop to notice the round-about traffic circles that work to keep vehicle speeds slow and pedestrians safe. But an effort is under way at City Hall to create a program that would recognize residents and community groups that volunteer to maintain their neighborhood traffic circles. Tacoma City Council's Neighborhoods and Housing Committee met Monday to discuss the issue, which was raised this spring by Tacoma City Councilmember David Boe. According to Tacoma Public Works Associate Engineer Jennifer Kammerzell, the city's traffic circle program was created in 1989 in order to curb vehicular accidents -- particularly T-bone accidents, which are usually the most dangerous -- at residential intersections. Currently, 153 traffic circles are scattered throughout the city. While 29 traffic circles are covered in asphalt, 124 traffic circles are crowned with landscaped vegetation. Of those, 43 traffic circles have been formally adopted by neighbors and community groups through Tacoma's "Adopt-ASpot" program. The program commits neighbors to a two-year agreement to maintain landscaped traffic circles. The City of Tacoma's Public Works Department installs an average of four to eight traffic circles each year, and repairs an equal number of traffic circles annually after they are run over by vehicles, according to Kammerzell. Three traffic circle locations are on a waiting list to be installed, but funding is still needed. Traffic circles are installed at the request of residents or neighborhood groups that petition City Hall. The cost to install a traffic circle can range between $6,000 to as much as $50,000, depending on the streetscape and whether work needs to be done on nearby sidewalks and curbs to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, according to Kammerzell. Some efforts have been made over the years to recognize volunteers who maintain landscaped traffic circles, but they haven't lasted long. Years ago, one neighborhood council tried a "Yard of the Month" program. "It lasted for a year or so, but it just kind of went to the wayside," Kammerzell told
The City of Tacoma is considering whether to create a program to recognize residents and community groups that volunteer to mantain their neighborhood landscaped traffic circles. There are 153 traffic circles scattered throughout the city. While 29 traffic circles are covered in asphalt, 124 traffic circles are crowned with landscaped vegetation. Of those, 43 traffic circles have been formally adopted by neighbors and community groups through Tacoma's "Adopt-A-Spot" program. The program commits neighbors to a two-year agreement to maintain landscaped traffic circles. council committee members. The City has also encouraged neighborhood groups to use annual innovative grant funding for a variety of projects, including traffic circle beautification. The thought of creating a traffic circle beautification program in Tacoma came to the forefront for Councilmember Boe during a trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, three years ago. "A lot of their bike parkways have some amazing traffic circles," Councilmember Boe told fellow committee members on Monday. "On a bike, you really appreciate them because they are at your speed. [Vancouver] actually put out a book of the celebrated traffic circles for the year. They really are just spectacular. Neighborhoods get very proud and take ownership." Back in Tacoma, Councilmember Boe biked the city and noticed it had equally impressive landscaped traffic circles, but they were largely unnoticed. "I came across one that was just glorious," he said. "I must have just hit it weatherize. It was just gorgeous. I thought, 'That's as good or better than anything I saw in that book.'" There is much more work to be done before a formal traffic circle beautification program is created. Councilmember Boe suggested creating a program to nominate the best traffic circle in each neighborhood district as a way to grow interest citywide.