The draft of a new Port of Tacoma strategic plan calls for creation of a new common user container terminal, more cost-competitive rail service, development of the Tacoma as a strategic military port and attraction of more break bulk business to its terminals.

Those and other initiatives are designed to restart the port’s growth engine, which has been sputtering since the start of the recession more than three years ago.

The draft plan is the result of more than a year’s work by consultants, port commissioners and staff members.

A common user terminal would allow smaller customers who don’t want …

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If you want a say in what the City of Tacoma plans for the future of Hilltop’s Martin Luther King Jr. business district, there’s a meeting this week you should attend.

The city is inviting local residents to offer their input on how the area that extends from Division Avenue to South 25th Street along along Martin Luther King Jr. Way should be developed. The meeting is set for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Evergreen State Community College, Tacoma Campus, 1210 6th Ave., Room 105.

That area includes two major medical campuses, MultiCare Medical Center and St. …

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Today’s Sunday Business section featured a report on the Tacoma business community’s reaction to proposed changes to city code when it comes to large-scale retail businesses.

Part of that report referenced a 2006 study published by the American Planning Association that outlines best practices for governments when it comes to big box stores. I included a few references to it in my story, but the report is really interesting. I thought some readers might want to read it, too.

A copy of that 69-page report is below.

UPDATE, Feb. 6, 10:55 a.m.: The American Planning Association has asked that …

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Big-box stores and other large retail development would face a new set of hurdles before being allowed to build in Tacoma, under proposed rules presented Tuesday to the City Council.

Tacoma should create a new, “conditional use permit” requirement for development larger than 45,000-square-feet, about the size of Tacoma’s Best Buy store, according to recommendations from the city’s Planning Commission. In addition, such developments also would be required to have more review of parking, site layout, traffic and plans for building re-use should it become vacant.

Finally developers of such buildings could be required to have community meetings about …

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The Green Building Certification Institute has awarded its highest certification – LEED Platinum – to the University of Washington Tacoma’s Russell T. Joy Building.

The Joy Building is the first in Tacoma and first in the University of Washington to achieve a Platinum rating in the “new construction/major remodel” LEED system, the university said in a release Tuesday. It is the second state-funded building to receive this recognition. The downtown Wells Fargo Plaza in July received a LEED Silver designation for existing buildings, and the Pacific Plaza project received LEED Platinum. St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw has received a Silver …

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A stronger-than-expected air travel business boosted Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to a new record for passengers served last year, the airport announced this week.

The airport served some 32.8 million passengers, a four percent increase over last year. The number surpassed the previous record set in 2008 when the recession had yet to make its full effect felt. The Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac’s owner, had forecast a one percent increase for the year.

Of those 32.8 million passengers, three million arrived or departed on international flight. That’s the most in the airport’s history. Sea-Tac has added several new international airlines …

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The second annual celebration of shopping locally happens Monday.

Tacoma Shift Happens, an initiative by business alliance GoLocal, is an attempt to get people to shift 10 percent of their spending from national chains to a locally owned businesses.

The event is open to the public, and everyone is invited.

Tacoma Shift Happens 2012 starts at 4 p.m. with a happy hour featuring a cash bar and more than 20 local food vendors, according to the event’s website. That leads into the featured proram, including the Mayoral State of the City address, followed by a showcase of …

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The Port of Tacoma’s dominant business eked out an increase last year, new statistics show, but that business volume remains far below its pre-recession highs.

The port’s terminals handled 1,488,799 cargo container units last year, figures released by the port this week show. That’s 2.3 percent above the 1,455,466 the port saw in 2010.

The port’s container business had fallen every year since 2006, when the port handled 2,067,185 container units. The business bottomed out in 2010.

The port’s higher container volume still falls substantially short of that of its Puget Sound rival, the Port of Seattle. Seattle …

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