Updates to the Salem Sign Code – Salem Revised Code Chapter 900 (Case No. CA23-03)
The Salem City Council passed Code Amendment CA23-03. This code amendment will become effective on January 3, 2024.
The purpose of the sign code is to protect the health, safety, property, and welfare of the public; to improve the neat, clean, orderly, and attractive appearance of the community; to improve the effectiveness of signs in identifying and advertising businesses; to provide for safe construction, location, erection, and maintenance of signs; to prevent proliferation of sign clutter; to minimize adverse visual safety factors to travelers on public highways; to minimize adverse impacts on adjacent properties; and to achieve these purposes consistent with state and federal constitutional limits on the regulation of speech.
The proposed amendments to SRC Chapter 900 are needed to update and clarify definitions and development standards for temporary and permanent signs, update standards applicable to vehicle viewing signs (menu boards for drive-through uses), remove current processes for sign adjustments, sign variances, and sign conditional uses, establish a measurable brightness standard for illuminated and electronic display signs, and overall update and reorganize the applicable standards for each zone and overlay zone.
Case Documents:
Please direct questions or comments to Aaron Panko, Planner III, apanko@cityofsalem.net or 503-540-2356.
Amending the Salem Transportation System Plan for Landaggard Drive NW and Colorado Drive NW (Case No. CA23-05)
On December 4, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 23-15 for the purpose of amending the Salem Transportation System Plan to reclassify Landaggard Drive NW from a collector street to a local street and extend Colorado Drive NW east as a collector street to connect with Doaks Ferry Road NW. This ordinance will become effective on January 3, 2024.
Case Documents:
Please direct questions or comments to Julie Hanson, Transportation Planning Manager, JHanson@cityofsalem.net or 503-588-6211.
Climate Mitigation for Large New Parking Lots and Allowing Single-Room Occupancy More Broadly (Case No. CA23-04)
The Salem City Council passed Code Amendment CA23-04. This code amendment will become effective on December 27, 2023.
The code amendment amends Salem Revised Code to comply with new state requirements resulting from the Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities rulemaking process, as well as recently-approved State legislation aimed at allowing single-room occupancy housing more broadly in Oregon communities.
The code amendment requires climate-related mitigation when developing new parking lots that are more than one-half acre in size; allows existing parking lots citywide to be converted by a public agency to park and rides; and allows single-room occupancy housing in all residential, commercial, and mixed-use zones.
Case Documents:
Please direct questions or comments to Austin Ross, Planner II, aross@cityofsalem.net or 503-540-2431.
Eliminating and Amending Overlay Zones in the SCAN Neighborhood (Case No. CA23-02)
On October 23, 2023 the City Council adopted Ordinance Bill No. 5-23 for the purpose of eliminating the Hoyt-McGilchrist, Oxford-Hoyt, and Oxford-West Nob Hill Overlay Zones and amending the Saginaw Street and Superior-Rural Overlay Zones to increase their maximum height to 45 feet and remove all other use and development standards in these two overlay zones.
This ordinance became effective on November 22, 2023.
Case Documents:
Please direct questions or comments to Austin Ross, Planner II, aross@cityofsalem.net or 503-540-2431.
Eliminating Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements Citywide (Case No. CA23-01)
On April 24, the City Council voted to adopt a proposed code amendment that eliminates minimum off-street parking requirements citywide. The code amendment became effective on May 24, 2023.
Following the code amendment, off-street parking spaces can still be provided, but the City will no longer mandate the minimum amount of parking required.
You can read the April 24 City Council Staff report, attachments, and notice of decision online:
The proposed code amendment responds to new State rules that were developed through the Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rulemaking project. Salem's Climate Action Plan Committee recommended the proposal in November 2022.
Amending Commercial Zones and Implementing New State Laws (Case No. CA22-05)
On November 28, 2022, the City Council approved a code amendment to update the Unified Development Code (UDC) to respond to a Land Use Board of Appeals decision, implement changes in State law and rules, add new temporary uses, and address other issues. The code amendment became effective on December 28, 2022.
You can learn more about the changes in this City council staff report.
Commercial Street Legislative Zone Change (Case No. CA22-02)
On November 14, 2022, the City Council approved an ordinance to rezone properties along Commercial Street SE - roughly between Superior Street S and McGilchrist Street SE - to Mixed Use-II (MU-II) and Mixed Use-III (MU-III) to allow a mix of commercial and residential uses and encourage pedestrian-friendly development. The zone change became effective on December 14, 2022.
You can learn more about the changes in this City Council staff report, which includes maps of the properties that were rezoned.
