The Tacoma City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved three procedural agreements with Sound Transit that will set the stage for a commuter rail construction project south of downtown.

The votes had little to do with the architectural design for the planned Tacoma-to-Lakewood Sounder rail link through Tacoma’s Dome District that has drawn controversy.

Still, council members made it clear they accept Sound Transit’s design as a solid compromise, and all agreed the plan needs to move forward.

“We did the best we could and it’s time to move on,” said Councilman Jake Fey.

But just as they did two weeks ago, opponents to Sound Transit’s “berm” construction method showed up to make their protests heard.

“I think the public has spoken en masse on this, and we do not want the berm,” said John Trueman, former president of the Cross-District Association.

For the first time Tuesday, Sound Transit officials publicly presented conceptual renderings of what the agency’s design will look like. Chief Executive Officer Joni Earl gave the presentation, which described a design that blends construction methods and includes lighting, landscaping, street and pedestrian upgrades.

The agreements adopted by the council essentially set the ground rules for determining public rights-of-way and construction issues between Sound Transit and the city.

But the council also included several amendments, including an agreement giving the council final say on aesthetics for a planned bridge over Pacific Avenue and calling for certain habitat improvements and future landscaping and maintenance plans along the proposed route.

Sound Transit’s design calls for an earthen berm to elevate and extend tracks over Pacific near 25th Street.

Opponents, including all of the city’s neighborhood councils, support a “post and beam” design they view as less obtrusive. Some contend public officials have ignored their concerns, though council members flatly call such characterizations false.

For months, an effort headed by mayoral candidate Jim Merritt and Dome District president Keith Stone have sought to draft a post-and-beam design to win public support and force Sound Transit to change its plans.

Stone told the council Tuesday that engineers’ estimates show a post-and-beam plan would cost $30 million less than Sound Transit’s plan. Before the meeting, Stone told a reporter his group is willing to take its fight to court or the Federal Transit Authority, which helps fund such projects.

Council members said the design of the route has been thoroughly vetted and changed in a series of public meetings. Changing course now would only delay the project further, they said.

Lewis Kamb: 253-597-8542

lewis.kamb@thenewstribune.com