TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Krishna Namburi, City Manager
FROM: Brian D. Martin, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: Minto Island Conservation Area Land Management Plan Update
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Request authorization for the City Manager to sign the updated Minto Island Conservation Area Land Management Plan 2025-2035.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Natural Environment Stewardship
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SUMMARY:
summary
As a requirement of a 2022 Land Use Agreement with Bonneville Power Administration, that allowed the Ironman event to use the Minto Island Conservation Area (MICA) the city was required to update the 2015 Minto Island Conservation Area Management and Conservation Plan. The updated plan will govern the management of MICA from 2025-2035.
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council authorize the City Manager to sign the updated Minto Island Conservation Area Land Management Plan 2025-2035 (Attachment 1), which will then be submitted to Bonneville Power Administration for final signature and adoption?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to sign the updated Minto Island Conservation Area Land Management Plan 2025-2035, which will then be submitted to Bonneville Power Administration for final approval.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
In 2024, the City of Salem initiated a process to update the Minto Island Conservation Area (MICA) Land Management Plan (LMP) to address changes from the 2015 Plan related to event restrictions and future management of the area. The goal of this project is to provide a framework to manage MICA to comply with the requirements of the Conservation Easement, held by Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), while allowing appropriate use of the area.
This update provides guidance on restoration of native habitats, management of invasive species, and alignment with MICA’s management with regional conservation efforts under the Willamette Wildlife Mitigation Program. The LMP outlines a comprehensive approach to managing, restoring, and enhancing MICA’s diverse habitats while balancing public access and recreational use. This plan builds upon the framework established in the previous management plan, integrating new data, lessons learned over the past decade, and alignment with the Oregon Conservation Strategies.
The update of the Plan includes the input of a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) made up of stakeholders including City Public Works and Parks staff, federal and state agencies, local non-profit organizations, BPA, and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
Public outreach related to the LMP update occurred in late 2024 and early 2025 and included presentations to the Glenn and Gibson Creeks Watershed Council and Salem Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; press releases, the Salem Audubon newsletter, and posting of the draft plan on a city webpage. Comments received on the draft plan update were considered and addressed in the final LMP.
A consultant, Streamscape Environmental, collaborated closely with the city and stakeholders to collect and integrate feedback throughout the LMP development process. This included conducting five meetings with the TAC to discuss different areas of importance to the LMP. The updates to the LMP considered input from the TAC as well as public comments.
Salem Parks and Recreation Advisory Board heard a presentation about the final plan on October 9, 2025, and recommended the plan for City Council approval.
BACKGROUND:
The 307-acre Minto Island Conservation Area (Attachment 2) was acquired through the Willamette Wildlife Mitigation Program in 2013, with funding from BPA. MICA was designated as a Conservation Area and placed into a Conservation Easement to compensate for the ecological effects of dam construction and operation in the Willamette River Basin. BPA holds the conservation easement on the property, which requires the area to be managed primarily for fish and wildlife habitat, with limited trail access allowed for passive recreation.
The original MICA Management and Conservation Plan was developed and adopted by the city in 2015. This plan provides a blueprint for managing and restoring the conservation area’s natural resources and describes desired future conditions.
Since the 2015 completion of the Management and Conservation Plan there have been five Land Use Agreements between the city and BPA, which were adopted to allow for some larger events to occur in MICA along with event restrictions and additional requirements for the city. The updated Land Management Plan includes these restrictions and requirements with a revision to the number of participants qualifying as a large event from 400 to 500 individuals. Other changes include revising the plan to meet the new template requirements with revisions to the goals and objectives related to desired future conditions and monitoring.
Jason Pulley, PE
Utilities Planning Manager
Attachments:
1. Minto Island Conservation Area Land Management Plan 2025-2035
2. Minto Island Conservation Area Map