Sunday, October 2, 2016

October 5th: Walk+Bike to School Day, Strong Towns Curbside Chat, ADUs

Wednesday, October 5th is a busy day!

Over at Just Walk, about a month ago they posted about October 5th's Walk+Bike to School Day.

In light of our autoism, the response was not wholly surprising: Crickets.

The only response was from the Sponsor, the former Bicycle Transportation Alliance. The Just Walk members did not find it interesting or engaging, it seems.

The event hasn't picked up traction elsewhere, and most are passing by it in silence.

So here's another reminder. Walk+Bike to School Day is next Wednesday, October 5th. There is swag!
Registering is simple. Sign your school up for Walk+Bike to School Day here. After you register, you can order fun, free incentives to motivate your student body to walk, bike, or scoot to school. All Oregon schools registered for Walk+Bike to School Day are eligible to receive $40 worth of free incentives. Order your prizes here.
Salem-Keizer schools that are registered:
  • Grant
  • JGEMS
  • Washington
  • Forest Ridge
So there's lots of opportunity, as they say! Sign up, hurry, hurry!

Strong Towns Curbside Chat

Via Salem Community Vision
They're will be more to say on Tuesday, probably!

Granny Flats

City of Salem
Unfortunately it's scheduled for the same time as Chuck Marohn's Strong Towns talk at the library, and City staff and others who will be at this meeting ought to be at the Marohn talk instead.
The Housing Choices Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, October 5, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m., at Pringle Hall (606 Church Street) to talk about accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which are also known as mother-in-law apartments or granny flats. This meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to receive guidance from the committee on ADUs and how they could be regulated in Salem, as well as explain ADUs and how other cities regulate them.

Input will be used to help develop a proposed code amendment to allow ADUs in Salem. This work is the first step of a multi-year work plan to address Salem’s projected land shortage for multifamily housing. The projected 207-acre deficit was identified in the Salem Housing Needs Analysis, which was accepted by the City Council in February. For more information, contact Eunice Kim at ekim@cityofsalem.net or 503-540-2308.
A conversation about ADUs will be different if you have heard the financial critique of the "growth ponzi scheme."

From two years ago - finally a meeting
Right now the talk about ADUs looks to be more as a frill or amenity or option, and avoid the deeper structural questions about city form and city finances and climate change.

Survey for City Website

From a City correction
As a footnote, it is unfair and a low-blow to point this out, but it's also an apt symbol: In a newsletter, the City whiffed on a link to a new survey about the City website. (Hinessight has more commentary on that.) But the City website is bad, the new Council agenda thingy is full of awkward epicycles, and if you use them, or would like to use them, it would be worth commenting on the electronic duct tape and bailing wire. Here's the corrected link for the survey.

2 comments:

Susann Kaltwasser said...

I totally agree with you on the ADU committee. Back in 1994-5 I was on a committee that was looking at how to increase housing in Salem. We spent some time discussing 'granny flats' and other small houses. After about 4 meetings we realized that this was a waste of our time. We moved on to talk about increasing the land for multifamily housing instead.

The reason it was a waste of time was two-fold. First, the resulting housing stock would be minimal. And second, it would be super expensive to build. I don't think these realities have changed in 20 years.

If were really interested in increasing housing we would re-zone the 200 acres that a recent study said is needed for RM land. We might also as a temporary solution to the housing squeeze Council might consider repealing the ban on allowing people to live in RVs within city limits. We could perhaps put some rules in place to make such uses livable in neighborhoods, but at least we could get some people into housing instead of in the streets or sleeping on people's couches.

I am hoping that the staff and committee members will end their meeting a little early and all come over to the Library to watch Marhon speak.

Anonymous said...

Actually the ADU meeting ends at 6:30 PM and the Strong Towns presentation doesn't start until 7:00. They are also located very close the each other (Pringle Hall and the Library) so I don't believe it is an either/or choice.