TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
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Initiating major comprehensive plan amendments pertaining to the Salem River Crossing preferred alternative.
Ward(s): 1, 5, and 8
Councilor(s): Bennett, Dickey, Lewis
Neighborhood(s): Highland and West Salem
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ISSUE:
Shall the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2016-35, initiating major comprehensive plan amendments pertaining to the Salem River Crossing preferred alternative?
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt Resolution No. 2016-35 (Attachment 1), initiating major comprehensive plan amendments pertaining to the Salem River Crossing preferred alternative.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
The Salem River Crossing refers to the environmental planning process that the City of Salem has been participating in to identify the preferred location for a new bridge across the Willamette River in the Salem-Keizer area. The Federal Highway Administration published the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for this project in 2012. In February 2014, the Salem River Crossing Oversight Team identified a preferred alternative to advance in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Attachment 2). Detailed analysis of the preferred alternative will be documented in the Final Environmental Impact Statement, scheduled for publication in 2017.
The State Agency Coordination Rule (Oregon Administrative Rule 731-015-0075(3)) requires that the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) rely on affected cities and counties to make all plan amendments and zone changes necessary to achieve compliance with the statewide planning goals and compatibility with local comprehensive plans prior to completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement. The City must take a number of land use actions in order to demonstrate consistency with statewide planning goals and compatibility with the Salem Area Comprehensive Plan. The land use actions include amending the Salem Transportation System Plan, modifying the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), and taking an exception to Statewide Planning Goal 15 (Willamette River Greenway). The UGB amendment must also be concurred in by the City of Keizer, Marion County, and Polk County.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The following land use actions are necessary for the Salem River Crossing preferred alternative to achieve compliance with statewide planning goals and compatibility with the Salem Area Comprehensive Plan:
a. Amend the Salem Transportation System Plan to include the project and make associated changes to maintain consistency with the Salem Transportation System Plan and the Salem Area Comprehensive Plan.
b. Amend the UGB to include land needed to accommodate the preferred alternative, including portions of the planned Marine Drive NW.
c. Take an exception to Statewide Planning Goal 15 (Willamette River Greenway) to allow roadway and bridge structure in the Greenway boundary.
Amending the Salem Transportation System Plan, modifying the UGB, and taking an exception to Statewide Planning Goal 15 are considered major comprehensive plan amendments under Salem Revised Code (SRC) 64.020(b).
Amending the Salem Transportation System Plan and the UGB require amendments to their respective definitions included in SRC 64.005.
Major amendments to the Salem Area Comprehensive Plan must be initiated by the City Council per SRC 64.020(e)(1).
Adoption of Resolution No. 2016-35 will initiate the land use actions necessary to advance the Salem River Crossing preferred alternative.
Following adoption of Resolution No. 2016-35, staff will submit the required notice to the Department of Land Conservation and Development.
Amending the UGB requires concurrence by all four affected jurisdictions (Salem, Keizer, Marion County, and Polk County). The City Manager has requested concurrence from the three other jurisdictions.
A public hearing will be scheduled for Council to consider the proposed land use actions. The City Manager is coordinating with the other three jurisdictions on the possibility of convening a joint public hearing to provide the public an efficient means of submitting comments to all four jurisdictions.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 2016-35
2. Salem River Crossing Preferred Alternative Description
08/02/2016