TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Keith Stahley, City Manager
FROM: Kristin Retherford, Community and Urban Development Director
SUBJECT:
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Study of Walkable, Mixed-Use Areas as required by the State Climate Friendly and Equitable Community rules.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Natural Environment Stewardship; Safe and Healthy Community; Safe, Reliable and Efficient Infrastructure; Strong and Diverse Economy; Welcoming and Livable Community.
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SUMMARY:
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The City is required by new State rules to conduct a study to identify and evaluate potential walkable, mixed-use areas and submit the study to the State. The City, working with the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments, has completed the study in compliance with the Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities rules.
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ISSUE:
Information only.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
On July 21, 2022, the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) adopted administrative rules that were developed through a rulemaking project called Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC). The CFEC rules aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution from transportation while increasing housing choices and creating more equitable outcomes for Oregonians.
One major component of the rules requires Salem and other cities in metropolitan areas to identify walkable, mixed-use areas (WaMUAs) - referred to by the State as “climate friendly areas” - and adopt regulations in these areas to promote development. The first step was to conduct a study of potential walkable, mixed-use areas (Study) in Salem.
The Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments (MWVCOG) conducted the Study with assistance from the City, completing the work in June 2023. The Study must be submitted to the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) by December 31, 2023. It is included as Attachment 1.
Overview of the Study
In Salem, the Study largely relied on and built upon the recently-completed Our Salem project. That multi-year project rezoned many areas in Salem - particularly transit corridors - to allow higher-density, mixed-use development. That aligns with the CFEC requirements for walkable, mixed-use areas, which are urban, compact areas that support a mix of uses and access by people who walk, bike, or take transit.
The Study, which was funded by DLCD, includes several main components, including the following:
• Identification of potential WaMUAs: The Study identifies three potential WaMUAs, which include the downtown area, north downtown, and inner West Salem (Attachment 2). These are areas that have already been identified through the Our Salem project as places where the community would like to see walkable, mixed-use areas. The WaMUAs are sized to have a zoned residential capacity that can accommodate at least 30 percent of Salem’s current and projected housing needs.
• Evaluation of potential WaMUAs: The Study evaluates the zoning and capacity of each potential WaMUAs for compliance with the CFEC rules. It also looks at the available transportation facilities, utilities, and parks in and around the potential WaMUAs. The three potential WaMUAs meet the capacity requirements in the CFEC rules and largely comply with the detailed zoning requirements. Minor updates to the zoning code will be made when the WaMUAs are implemented through a future code amendment.
• Anti-Displacement Analysis: The Study considers the potential that residents could be displaced in Salem - with or without the WaMUAs - and identifies actions the City could take to help mitigate or avoid that displacement. The City worked with the new Equity Roundtable to identify areas at risk of displacement and potential anti-displacement strategies. These strategies will be incorporated into the Housing Production Strategy that the City plans to develop by the end of 2025.
• Community Engagement Plan: The Study includes a community engagement plan that outlines the process and outreach tools to identify and later implement WaMUAs. The plan includes a description of the community engagement that the City conducted during the Our Salem project that resulted in the zone changes in and around the potential WaMUAs.
Next Steps
The City will consider and incorporate the potential WaMUAs into the update of the Salem Transportation System Plan. This will include examining the multimodal transportation needs in each area and identifying proposed projects to fill gaps in the multimodal networks. The City will also formally designate the WaMUAs through a future code amendment, zone change, or Comprehensive Plan Map change.
BACKGROUND:
On March 10, 2020, Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Order 20-04, directing state agencies to reduce climate pollution. In response, LCDC launched the CFEC rulemaking project in September 2020. The rulemaking project amended rules governing Oregon’s planning system for communities in Oregon’s eight most populated areas.
Many of the CFEC rules align with the work already accomplished through the Our Salem project as well as the ongoing work to implement the Climate Action Plan. Other major components of the CFEC work the City is required to undertake includes conducting regional scenario planning, updating the Salem Transportation System Plan, and updating land use regulations. The City has already completed the CFEC requirement to reform citywide parking regulations. Attachment 3 describes the relationships between Our Salem, CFEC rules, and other long-range planning efforts underway or anticipated for the next two to five years.
Eunice Kim
Long Range Planning Manager
Attachments:
1. Study of Walkable, Mixed-Use Areas
2. Map of potential Walkable, Mixed-Use Areas
3. Your Guide to Planning for Our Future, June 2023