Q & A

Q. I heard you are trying to “get rid” of the Tacoma Rifle & Revolver Club. Is this true?

A. No. In 2008 the club applied to change their status as legal “Non-conforming Use” to an “Allowed” use in our most restrictive Single Family Residential Zone. They asked for the rezone so that they could EXPAND their shooting facilities. I voted against this request because I felt expansion of their shooting platforms would have a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhoods (More platforms = more shooting and more noise and stray bullets). My vote not to allow expansion of their shooting platforms has been incorrectly portrayed by some gun club members as a vote to “get rid” of them. The gun club has a vested right, under the laws of the State of Washington, to remain at its current location for as long as it wishes to do so. (See my March 2009 letter to the club protesting this characterization )

Q. Why does the City charge a “Traffic Impact Fee” on new development?

A. The state provides the City with two ways of mitigating traffic impact. They can either require full SEPA mitigation fees when the intersections reach capacity, or they can levy a “Traffic Impact Fee” on all new development.

The city used SEPA method for a number of years. As long as the intersection functioned within standards, no mitigation was required. However, as soon as an intersection reached a critical capacity, the next project built was required to mitigate ALL of the traffic that had accumulated at that intersection. Unfortunately, as our significant intersections became more and more congested, the “mitigations fee” to improve the entire intersection when it reached capacity proved to be very expensive for developers and in some cases, even cost prohibitive and projects could not be built.

Two years ago, the City Council adopted “Traffic Impact Fee” on all new residential and commercial development. This fee allows the cost of improving significant intersections throughout the City to be shared by ALL new growth, and not just the project unlucky enough to “trigger” the mitigation at a specific intersection. As a result, when an intersection reaches “full capacity” funds will available to improve the intersection.

Q. What is LIFT and why is it important to the Town Center Development?

A. LIFT stands for Local Improvement Financing Tool. University Place was designated as a “demonstration” LIFT project during the last legislative session. As a result, the State will make available to the City up to $500,000 per year for the next 25 years of the state share of sales and property tax within the “Town Center District”. LIFT does NOT increase your property tax or sales tax. It is an investment by the State of a portion of their share of the taxes that would normally be collected within the designated district.

This “tool” allows the city to repay general obligation bonds or pay for certain public improvement costs within the Town Center District with money from the “LIFT” proceeds.

Q. Is the City broke or bankrupt?

A. No! We have had 14 years of balanced budgets and clean yearly financial audits from the State Auditor. The City currently has $4 million in reserves and an "A+" bond rating.

Q. Were businesses "forced to leave" the City because of Town Center?

A. No. Most of the businesses that leased space in the buildings that were demolished have re-located to more profitable locations within the City.

Q. Was Mama Stortini's "kicked out" of Univeristy Place?

A. No. It was sold to new owners who officially informed the City of their intent to move their restaurant to Puyallup BEFORE the Town Center plan was conceived or adopted. They could have continued at their Windmill Villiage site to this day if they had wished to do so.

Q. Did the City "pay off" a developer to get out of their contract with them?

A. No. When the City cut ties with the developer they paid them 1.75 million to reimburse their earnest money and to buy the architectural and engineering plans which the developer had contracted with Cooper Carry and Associates to create. This firm is recognized nationally for their expertise in quality retail development design. These plans now form the basis of the Town Center public infrastructure improvements which are now almost complete.

Q. Is the City a good place to do business?

A. The City has a reputation as an EXCELLENT place to do business. In 2007 Seattle Business Monthly rated University Place the best suburb in Pierce County to do business and 12th in the Puget Sound region overall. They particularly recognized our “Small business Assistance Program”. Retail sales tax revenue has increased 7% a year for the past five years, a significantly greater increase than surrounding cities, and has doubled over the past ten years.