The proposal to change zoning in preparation for a new complex at Kuebler and I-5, across 27th from the new Costco site, is at the Planning Commission tomorrow, Tuesday the 21st, and it's turned into a bit of a rhubarb.
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| A large new project proposed (Costco label added) |
It was first at the Commission in November, and the debate has not yet been resolved with a decision.
The first Staff Recommendation was for denial. The heart of the on-going disagreement is the magnitude of retail traffic induced:
The largest difference between the applicant’s proposal of CR (Retail Commercial) and the Our Salem proposed CO (Commercial Office), is the amount of retail sales allowed....The zone proposed by ‘Our Salem’ generally allows office and professional services, along with a mix of housing and limited retail and personal services, where the applicant’s proposal allows a wide array of retail sales and office uses....Staff does not agree that the CO Zone would provide the same amount of automobile generation as CR, that the peak of the businesses would be similar to the CR zone or that the market would support 24-acres of eight story office buildings.
The neighborhood associations are generally opposed. South Gateway would like the whole site zoned for mixed use, and Morningside would simply like denial.
The current Staff Recommendation still tends towards denial, and proposes to close the hearing but to keep the record open for further documents and comment, aiming for a decision at the January 11th meeting.
Part of the problem for the City may be self-inflicted, as the whole Costco process may have opened an unwelcome can of worms.
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| Process for the Costco site opened a can of worms |
The project would induce lots more car travel and the applicant also proposes to gigantify the side street even more. 27th is a collector (see the roundabout at the Costco entry) and the new mitigation proposed is for a great enlargement.
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| Proposed zoning could entail a 10x increase in trips |
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| Seven lanes for 27th?! |
From here, it seems that our planning goals are still not very coherent. Whether it's a slightly smaller shopping center or a large complex of office buildings and retail, it's still fundamentally autoist.
If we really want to adjust our land use to reduce the need for driving trips, a different vision from both City and developer is likely necessary.
I am late to this project, missed it in November and then forgot about it, and there may be more to say later, especially on the traffic impacts.
You can submit comment to Olivia Dias, ODias@cityofsalem.net, re: Comprehensive Plan Change and Zone Change Case No. CPC-ZC21-04.
2 comments:
The city has made their bed and now they must lie in it. I just have a couple of brief comments.
Traffic movement from SB I-5 off ramp to LT queuing lanes for 27th may be problematic. Right turners from the right lane will be crossing a high speed traffic lane within a fairly short distance. If accidents do occur, they will tend to be severe.
A proposal that the project be delayed until after the opening of Costco, for the purpose of obtaining more accurate traffic data, is simply bizarre.
...and so it goes. Traffic will be a nightmare on 27th. The queuing on Kuebler will be up to 900 ft., which would take it almost up to the I-5 off ramp. It was stated that ODOT refused to allow a third right turn lane, which is evidence that the applicant was aware of the potential danger mentioned in my earlier post.
Nevertheless, I am more or less ok with how it ended. The owner of the property was not responsible for the 27th street limitations and if Costco was prevented from building there as it did, as was the intention of the Council that failed to memorialize their decision, the situation would not be as serious as it now is.
The only reason that the lucrative zone change would have been denied would have been the traffic concerns.
Mitigation requirements were incorporated into the final motions, so the width of 27th just south of Kuebler will be substantial.
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