The Tacoma City Council is on the lookout for qualified individuals to join the Board of Building Appeals, with five spots open for the taking. Those with expertise in various codes including Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire, and Energy, to name a few, are invited to apply. This announcement was made public on April 28th, 2025, according to the City of Tacoma's official news release.
The Board is a quasi-judicial body with a total of seven members, all of whom are nominated by the Infrastructure, Planning, and Sustainability Committee before being officially appointed by the City Council. It's an important group that has the authority to not just review but to also actively recommend changes to various city codes directly to the Council. Furthermore, they are responsible for holding hearings and making significant decisions on appeals pertaining to the application and interpretation of said codes as rendered by City of Tacoma officials.
This latest recruitment is part of Tacoma's ongoing effort to create a city that embodies values of equity and anti-racism. With this vision in mind, the call for applications is extended especially to individuals from underrepresented communities including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, persons with disabilities, seniors, youth, immigrants, and refugees, as reported by the City of Tacoma.
Those who get appointed to these positions are mandated to undertake training on meetings and public records as set forth by the Washington State Office of the Attorney General. This should be completed within 90 days of the appointment – a testament to the City of Tacoma commitment to transparency and accountable governance.
Interested candidates should mark May 18, in their calendars as the final date for submitting applications. All the necessary information, including how to apply and where to send questions, can be found on the City of Tacoma's website or by getting in touch with Elizabeth Wing at the City Clerk's Office. For these civic-minded roles, the City of Tacoma keeps its doors open, seeking to draw on the well of knowledge and experience that its citizens hold, for the better building of tomorrow.
