Planning board directs staff to start short‑term zoning fixes while seeking funding for a comprehensive plan

The Salem City Planning and Zoning Board voted to direct staff to begin identified short‑term zoning code and map updates and to seek funding for a full comprehensive plan update.

Staff presented two paths: adopt MRPC’s recommended edits as near‑term fixes to make the zoning map functional, or hire an outside consultant to lead a full comprehensive‑plan process that would include a code and map overhaul. Staff said a full comprehensive plan can cost more than $100,000 and take a year to 18 months, while a more modest plan could be in the $50,000–$75,000 range.

Why it matters: staff told the board Salem’s last comprehensive plan may date to the 1960s and that an updated plan would set community priorities on housing density, transportation and infrastructure. Board members argued for a balanced approach: begin work on the “low‑hanging fruit”—code and map corrections staff can reasonably tackle—while searching for grants and other funding to pursue a comprehensive plan in the near term.

Quotes and context: staff explained that a comprehensive plan “looks at the entire community” and “kinda lays all that out in a framework,” noting it guides zoning and future boards. One board member urged prioritizing easy, necessary fixes now and returning with a ranked top‑three list of items for the next meeting.

Next steps: the board approved a motion to start staff‑identified code/map fixes and to pursue funding opportunities for a comprehensive plan; staff will report back with cost estimates and a prioritized list of initial fixes for the next meeting.