Planning Commission to Consider new Parking Lot Rules

On Tuesday the 19th the Planning Commission will discuss proposed code for complying with new DLCD climate rules.

At the Planning Commission Tuesday

These chiefly involve more trees and supporting solar installations at large new parking lots. Existing parking lots, and small new lots are not affected.

In the package also are new rules to broaden allowed single-room occupancy as different State law now requires.

McGilchrist and Bligh buildings, early 1940s
(Salem Library Historic Photos)

Bligh Hotel served as SRO when it burned down
June 9th, 1975

Downtown the Bligh Hotel, now a surface parking lot, was an SRO, and the loss of these are important ingredients in our current housing crisis. Some campers would be able to come off the street or park with a greater supply of SRO housing.

As this package of code is a matter of compliance, it seems more like a pro-forma process and not anything likely to generate much revision, let alone rejection. Maybe there will be more to say later.

But there is possibly one area where Salem is a touch short. In the section discussing "public comment" in the Staff Report, the City says

one comment had been received from the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). The comment expressed that DLCD staff wants to ensure Salem complies with the requirement in OAR 660-012-0405(2) to allow underutilized on-street parking to be converted to other uses as well as the requirement in OAR 660-012-0405(4)(c) to ensure pedestrian connections are provided between buildings and public streets in developments with new off-street surface parking areas larger than one half acre in size.

The Staff Report does not include this comment, unfortunately.

In response, Staff say

Salem has an existing program for the conversion of on-street parking to dining platforms. Businesses may apply to convert up to four on-street parking spaces to a dining platform, subject to design standards that ensure it is safe and functional.

As I am reading this, the City claims the dining platform program alone is sufficient.

But earlier in the spring, DLCD had published some guidance, and they mentioned bike parking and vegetation, in addition to parklets. The idea is much broader than merely dining platforms.

DLCD guidance on conversion

The City may be construing conversion outcomes too narrowly.

Not related to any policy matter, but generally related to our autoism, today's paper had what was hard not to read as an advertiser courtesy. While it was legit news that the vacant car dealership lot across from LifeSource had been purchased, the piece was rather flattering and uncritical.

Which footprint again?
Today and last Sunday

And in the context of other news in the paper, it didn't go deep enough.

Friday's protest and rally

Previously on that lot and on local car dealership history:

• "From Corpses to Cars: Mid-Century Redevelopment at the former Withnell Dodge Site" with links to several other related posts
  
• "Our Auto Industry was Already Large in 1923" with links in particular to gas stations
  
• And on a firm that appears to have been ancestral to Skyline, "Vick Bros Sell to Watt Shipp et. al., who form Valley Motor Company"