TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Norman Wright, Community Development Director
SUBJECT:
title
Amending the boundary of the North East Salem Community Association (NESCA).
Ward(s): 2
Councilor(s): Hoy and Stapleton
Neighborhood(s): None
Result Area(s): Welcoming and Livable Community
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SUMMARY:
summary
The property bounded by D Street NE, Center Street NE, Park Avenue NE and 23rd Street NE (the former north campus of the Oregon State Hospital) is not currently located within the boundaries of a neighborhood association. Redevelopment of the property necessitates the need to place the property into the boundary of a neighborhood association.
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council adopt Resolution No. 2022-11 to amend the boundary of the North East Salem Community Association (NESCA)?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Adopt Resolution No. 2022-11 to amend the boundary of the Northeast Salem Community Association (NESCA).
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
Procedural Findings
1. The City began the neighborhood association program in 1972 and recognized the first neighborhood association that same year. Recognition of a neighborhood association as a duly formed association was done by resolution; the resolution also described the neighborhood’s boundary. NESCA was recognized by the City Council in 1973. The City Council may amend the boundary of a neighborhood association by resolution.
Property History
2. There are currently 18 officially recognized neighborhood associations. When the neighborhood associations were established, the Oregon State Fairgrounds and the Oregon State Hospital were not included within the boundaries of a neighborhood association. Staff has not found any documentation of the reason for this omission though it is likely because the properties did not include any permanent residents or private businesses.
3. The former state-owned property, often referred to as the north campus of the State Hospital, but more formerly described as being located between D Street NE, Center Street NE, Park Avenue NE and 23rd Street NE, has been rezoned and, in part, sold to private developers and the City (Attachment 1).
The properties are now zoned a combination of RS (Single Family Residential), RM-II (Multiple Family Residential), MU-I (Mixed Use - I) and PH (Public and Private Health Services).
The property includes the D Street Park, Salem Housing Authority’s affordable housing project (Yaquina Hall), a 246-unit apartment complex (under construction), 45 single family dwellings (under construction), the historic Dome Building, which currently houses the Department of Corrections, and vacant state owned land along Center Street.
Additionally, the property between Center Street NE, B Street NE, 23rd Street NE and 25th Street NE, containing the Dome Building, Yaquina Hall and associated grounds are located with the Oregon State Hospital National Register Historic District.
Including these properties within the boundaries of NESCA will not affect the zoning, allowed uses or historic district boundaries.
4. The property is adjacent to NESCA on the north and east and adjacent to Northeast Neighbors (NEN) on the west. The Oregon State Hospital, which is not located within a neighborhood association, is located to the south of the property.
5. The State of Oregon ceased use of the subject property in 2012, consolidating the State Hospital uses on the property to the south. The State considered opportunities for private ownership and redevelopment of the property with the Legislature authorizing building demolition and site preparation for future development in 2015. In 2017, a developer was selected for redevelopment which resulted in rezoning and development plan approvals. Additionally, the City purchased land for the D Street Park and the Housing Authority purchased Yaquina Hall for affordable housing.
Neighborhood Association Selection
6. Salem Revised Code Chapter 64 provides for the creation and recognition of neighborhood associations, provisions for annual review of the neighborhood, procedures for consolidating neighborhood associations and assignment of newly annexed land to an association. The code does not, however, have provisions for assigning unassigned land to a neighborhood association. In forming a staff recommendation, the following was considered:
• Existing neighborhood boundaries
• Creating logical boundaries
• Ease of park administration
7. City staff conducted outreach with both NEN and NESCA in the summer of 2021 to discuss placing the property in NESCA. NESCA has submitted a letter of support detailing their work on the redevelopment of the north campus property, including their December 2013 nine-point plan for redevelopment (Attachment 4). NESCA explains that the residential properties closest to the park are in NESCA and that splitting the park between two neighborhoods would diminish their voices.
The NESCA-Lansing Neighborhood Plan (2018) details support for the new D Street Park and redevelopment of the property. The D Street Park had been acquired prior to the adoption of the Neighborhood Plan.
8. NEN has expressed concerns with placing the park in NESCA and requested that the park be split between NEN and NESCA and that it be managed cooperatively (Attachment 5). NEN’s letter details their concerns over the loss of recreation/park land in NEN, a documented need for more park land in the neighborhood and future involvement in the parks planning process. The letter also documents NEN’s history of working cooperatively with other neighborhoods and supporting the upkeep and improvement of existing parks in their neighborhood.
The NEN-SESNA Neighborhood Plan (2015) identified a need for additional parks in NEN and reflected the Parks System Master Plan (2013) which has identified new parks near North Salem High School and the State Fairgrounds. The D Street Park was not yet contemplated in the redevelopment of the north campus property at the time of the neighborhood plan. The Neighborhood Plan contains a chapter on the north campus redevelopment opportunities. A NESCA representative attended the neighborhood plan meeting for the north campus where they presented their nine-point plan for redevelopment. The NEN-SESNA plan calls for open space that is available for the public to be incorporated into any future redevelopment plans.
9. The proposal to split the park between two neighborhoods raises administrative concerns. There is currently one park that is split between neighborhoods - Deepwood Museum and Garden - which has approximately 75% of the park in the SCAN Neighborhood; the rest is located in the SESNA Neighborhood. Current processes, including the rules for Salem Parks Improvement Funds (SPIF) grants, were generally created under the assumption that each park is located within one neighborhood association. In the Deepwood Museum and Garden situation, Parks staff has worked exclusively with SCAN as the park is contiguous to Bush’s Pasture Park, which is entirely in SCAN and Deepwood’s museum and garden are in SCAN. Parks staff has no experience working with a park that is evenly split between two neighborhoods where each neighborhood would have equal say in the park. There is no established process to address a potential dispute between the neighborhoods on the park development.
To address NEN’s concerns regarding involvement in future planning for the D Street Park, the Public Works Director will provide a letter to both NEN and NESCA board chairs committing to engaging both neighborhood associations in the future parks master planning effort.
10. Three public comments have been received; one in support of the park being placed in NESCA and two in support of the park being placed in NEN or split between the two neighborhoods (Attachment 6).
BACKGROUND:
Neighborhood Associations were established in Salem in 1972 primarily to involve residents in local government planning and decision-making that affects their neighborhood. Neighborhood associations serve additional functions within the community such as providing a mechanism for local community involvement, neighborhood improvement, and volunteer opportunities.
Lisa Anderson-Ogilvie, AICP
Deputy Community Development Director/ Planning Administrator
Attachments:
1. Vicinity Map
2. Resolution No. 2022-11
3. Exhibit A: New NESCA Boundary Map
4. Testimony from NESCA
5. Testimony from NEN
6. Public Testimony