TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Planning Commission
SUBJECT:
title
Annual Planning Commission Report
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
The Planning Commission Annual Report.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information Only.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
The Salem Planning Commission acts as an advisory commission to the City Council with a broad scope of concern in promoting the growth and orderly development of the city of Salem. Salem Revised Code Chapter 6 states that the Planning Commission (Commission) shall make and file a report with the City Council of all transactions of the Commission for the preceding fiscal year.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
Planning Commission Membership
As of February 2015 the Planning Commission consists of nine members, appointed by the City Council. There was a resignation, leaving one partial term vacancy, which was filled on February 26, 2018. The Planning Commission roster and 2017 committee assignments can be found in Attachment 1.
Planning Commission Work January 2017 - December 2017
Between January 2017 and December 2017, the Commission held 18 public meetings where they reviewed 19 land use applications, including Comprehensive Plan/Zone Changes, Design Reviews, and Appeals. All of the Commission’s cases from January 2017 and December 2017 are listed for reference (Attachment 2). Additionally, the Commission made recommendations on four code amendments to the City Council, including amendments to allow short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units, domestic violence shelters, the sign code, and a Comprehensive Plan amendment to adopt the NESCA-Lansing Neighborhood Plan.
Planning Commission Work Plan
Every two years the Planning Commission presents the City Council with their two-year Work Plan. The 2018-2019 Plan contains four goals that will guide the work of the Commissioners over the next two years (Attachment 3). The Plan covers City planning projects that have been approved by the City Council, such as the Comprehensive Plan/Visioning project, as well as outreach, education and Commissioner training. All outreach, education and training detailed in the Work Plan will be secondary to the Commission’s main charge of reviewing development proposals.
The Commission completed numerous projects detailed in their last work plan, including participation on advisory committees, hearings and formal recommendations, on the Housing Needs Analysis, NESCA-Lansing Neighborhood Plan, Maple-Winter Family Friendly Bikeway, Commercial-Vista Corridor Plan, Short-term Rentals and Accessory Dwelling Units, among others. In addition, the Commissioners worked on community outreach and education through participation in informational Land Use Videos <https://www.cityofsalem.net/Pages/neighborhood-association-board-resources.aspx> and attendance at neighborhood associations meetings.
Planning Commission Work - 2018
Land use applications are projected to continue to increase in the next year. This will result in continued increase in land use application review for the Commission. Additionally, the Commission will continue to be involved in long range planning projects including hearings and recommendations on the State Street Corridor Plan, the West Salem Zone Code Cleanup and the Comprehensive Plan/Visioning.
Lisa Anderson-Ogilvie, AICP
Deputy Community Development Director
Attachments:
1. 2018 Commission Roster
2. Annual Commission Cases
3. Planning Commission 2018-2019 Work Plan