Tacoma Local Headlines: School Board Finalists, Planning Updates, Hilltop Streetscape
Tacoma, WA – March 5, 2026 – School board finalists advance, planners take comments on code updates, and Hilltop streetscape bids open this week.
Local headlines to know
School board vacancy: three finalists move to interviews
Tacoma Public Schools’ board voted to narrow a large applicant pool down to three finalists to fill the seat left open by Director Enrique Leon’s resignation. The finalists named were Nicollette Roe, Jennifer Vasilez, and Luke Owings. The board’s next step is formal interviews, scheduled for the afternoon of March 4, followed by a public vote to appoint a new director.
The appointed director is expected to serve until the next regular school district election in November 2027, keeping the position in place while voters prepare to decide the seat long-term.
Planning Commission: annual amendment package comment window closes Friday
The city is in the middle of its annual update cycle for planning and code changes. A public hearing was scheduled for March 4 as part of the Planning Commission meeting, and written comments are being accepted through 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 6. The hearing and comment period are a key checkpoint before potential updates move further through the city’s review process.
Hilltop streetscape work: new bid package posted for MLK Jr. Way
The city issued a new request for bids tied to the Links to Opportunity Streetscape project in the Hilltop District. Bid Package 4 focuses on Martin Luther King Jr. Way between Earnest S. Brazill Street and South 15th Street, with work that includes sidewalk replacement, pedestrian-level lighting, bike facilities, signage, and landscaping. The engineer’s estimate listed is about $1.8 million, and the bid deadline is Tuesday, March 24, with a virtual pre-proposal meeting set for March 12.
Parks Tacoma: park board meeting and community welcome set for March 9
Parks Tacoma posted notice of an in-person Board of Park Commissioners gathering at the People’s Community Center on Monday, March 9. The schedule includes a community welcome and meet-and-greet at 5:30 p.m., followed by the regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. Residents who can’t attend in person can typically listen in remotely using instructions posted by the agency.
Sources
https://tacomaweekly.com/tacoma-school-board-narrows-field-to-three-finalists-to-fill-leon-vacancy-p11290-117.htm
https://tacoma.gov/event/planning-commission-public-hearing-2026-annual-amendment-package/
https://www.tacomadailyindex.com/2026/03/03/city-of-tacoma-request-for-bids-122/
https://www.tacomadailyindex.com/2026/03/05/parks-tacoma-meeting-notice-26/