Sustainable City Year Reports 2010-11 (Salem)

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Advancing Sustainability by Fostering Civic Engagement
(University of Oregon, 2010) Nelson, Jonathan; Stavitsky, Al; Stavitsky, Al
Sustainability is a fairly understandable concept when dealing with concrete examples. Buildings and urban planning can reach sustainable standards by conserving energy, efficiently handling waste or encouraging residents to utilize smaller carbon footprints. But how does sustainability pertain to communication? At the most basic level, if a community doesn’t communicate, its sustainability is threatened. The City of Salem, like many governmental organizations, seeks better communication with its residents. City leaders met with a graduate-level Journalism class in the University of Oregon’s Strategic Communication program to discuss how to foster more civic engagement between city staff and residents in order to foster a more sustainable community. Specifically, city leaders want to ensure they engage in two-way communication with the broadest audience possible and directed the Strategic Communication class to help achieve that goal. The city also specifically requested that any plans include the use of technology, possibly including podcasts, webinars, and the city’s website.
Open Access
Bicycle Transportation
(University of Oregon, 2010) Welch, Monica; Schlossberg, Marc
The proposals reviewed in this document were generated as a result of collaboration between the City of Salem and the University of Oregon Sustainable Cities Initiative. Fifty-one students in a Planning, Public Policy, and Management course entitled “Bicycle Transportation”, taught by Professor Marc Schlossberg, reviewed and examined critical elements of an urban bikeway system and proposed projects that would encourage increased bicycle ridership.
Open Access
Controlling Congestion Through Parking Policy: Minimums, Maximums, and the Road to an Efficient Future
(University of Oregon, 2010) Cogburn, Jordan; Yang, Yizhao; Yang, Yizhao
This report was created in response to the City of Salem’s interest in comparing the off-street parking requirements of their zoning ordinance with those of other similar cities in the United States. The report also focuses on required minimum and maximum parking spaces for multi-family residential housing, with particular attention being given to the issue of whether parking requirements vary between residential developments in core areas and outlying areas. For the final project in the Land Use Policy and Growth Management course, students performed case study analyses on differences in land use parking standards for various municipalities across the nation. These parking standards are frequently developed by consulting the Institute of Transportation Engineers Parking Generation handbook and by surveying nearby municipalities for land use trends. When analyzed on a comparative basis to that of Salem, Oregon, the general trends suggest a move toward integration and encouragement of multiple modes of transportation.
Open Access
Cultural Mapping in Northeast Salem: A Civic Engagement Study
(University of Oregon, 2010) Arnold, Teresa J.; Shepherd, Jay; Silberman, Lauren; Blandy, Doug; Fenn, John; Blandy, Doug; Fenn, John
This document outlines work done by graduate students in the Art and Sustainable Society course in the University of Oregon Arts and Administration Program during the Fall term 2010 and provides recommendations to the City of Salem for further study. It can and should be used as an example and guide for further community mapping. The project focused on mapping the cultural resources of the Latino population of Northeast Salem over the course of 10 weeks. The City of Salem is interested in facilitating more engagement within this community through identification of existing cultural resources, their patterns of use, and the gaps that exist among them. The report reviews the students’ process of cultural mapping, the information gathered, trends identified within the information, and suggestions for further study and engagement.
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Downtown Parks Connectivity Analysis with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
(University of Oregon, 2010) Bean, Trafton; Schlossberg, Marc
The following report documents the ideas, proposals, and methodologies produced by the Sustainable City Year (SCY) Downtown Parks Connectivity project for the City of Salem. The Downtown Parks Connectivity project members included students in the University of Oregon’s department of Planning, Public Policy and Management enrolled in the academic course PPPM 436/536: Social Planning with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Project members were given the task of connecting Salem’s core area parks by proposing a system of urban pedestrian trails and bicycle routes. The City of Salem hopes to improve pedestrian and bicycle accessibility to enhance the recreational potential of the parks system and the enjoyment of park patrons. Research was primarily conducted using GIS, however this comprehensive report puts an emphasis on ideas for improving transportation connectivity and connecting Salem’s downtown communities rather than the technical GIS methodologies. Note that GIS is still addressed in the final sections of the report and in the appendices, but this is due to the innovative nature of select projects that require a technical understanding of GIS. Each section is divided into brief summaries of individual projects. Policy and planning recommendations are included on a case-by-case basis. The conclusion section includes an overall summary of recommendations generated by these reports.
Open Access
Downtown Salem Circulation Study
(University of Oregon, 2010) Johnson, Pamela C.; Monsere, Chris
The City of Salem is adapting its current transportation infrastructure to enhance active transportation within the City. The City is complying with the goals of Vision 2020 – a comprehensive effort to secure a vibrant future for the downtown core and to create a more sustainable transportation system. The Portland State University Department of Civil and Environmental and Engineering partnered with The University of Oregon Sustainable Cities Initiative to explore the feasibility of various transportation network alternatives proposed by the City of Salem. The Downtown Salem Circulation Study was conducted by Portland State University civil engineering students in order to evaluate proposed alternatives for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements. The alternatives came from the Salem Willamette River Crossing Alternate Modes Study, Vision 2020 Bicycle and Pedestrian Working Group, and the Salem Transportation System Plan. These alternatives addressed areas that lack safe and connected travel routes for pedestrians and cyclists along traffic corridors and between neighborhoods.
Open Access
Efficient Public Lighting Options
(University of Oregon, 2010) Sylwester, Liesel; Germany, Jason O.
A Product Design studio course from the University of Oregon took on the Efficient Public Lighting Options project and worked to develop design concepts that would meet Salem’s lighting needs and reduce their energy use. The tenweek project focused on analyzing Salem’s current streetlighting and identifying areas for improvement, and on generating lighting solutions that would address areas that are lacking in the current lighting.
Open Access
Engaging the Latino Community in Salem
(University of Oregon, 2010) Lopez, Monique; Welch, Mackie; Sandoval, Gerardo; Sandoval, Gerardo
The purpose of this report is to provide City of Salem personnel with recommendations of strategies to use when engaging with the growing Latino population in the city. The barriers, opportunities, and action items identified in this report focus efforts on reaching members of the underrepresented Latino population, rather than those who are already involved as community leaders. This population is traditionally the most difficult to reach because they do not participate in formal networks. Our research was targeted at answering the following questions: • What opportunities for public engagement can be developed by understanding the Latino community’s perceptions of the City of Salem and its government? • What opportunities for mutual engagement do members of the Latino community perceive as possible for increasing interaction between them and the city?
Open Access
Green Cities
(University of Oregon, 2010) Cyrus, Heather; Dillard, Suni; Young, Robert
As one of the Sustainable City Year (SCY) projects this year, Green Cities students were asked to research, plan, and design environmentally friendly re-use and redevelopment options for the Salem Housing Authority (SHA). The Green Cities proposal approached development in Salem by organizing research into two teams, one focusing on the Glen Creek housing development site and one on the vacant Orchard Village housing site. Students working on the Glen Creek site examined agricultural land use options, energy savings, improved connectedness with surrounding areas, and options for increased density. Students working on the Orchard Village site proposal incorporated sustainable development elements into their proposal to optimize site, energy, water, and environmental use for future growth. Additionally, each site was analyzed for potential development in relation to transportation, sustenance, and waste needs. Research was conducted using site visits, in-class discussions, meetings with SHA representatives, and primary and secondary research. Green Cities students suggested proposals, strategies, and technologies to create sustainable communities on both SHA sites, and to provide a cuttingedge template for future Salem development plans.
Open Access
Minto-Brown Island Park Citizen Communications Strategy
(University of Oregon, 2010) Nelson, Jonathan; Stavitsky, Al
The city collaborated with students from the University of Oregon’s Strategic Communication program to develop a communication plan to address a variety of concerns. The city specifically wanted students to create a plan to help citizens acknowledge the value of Minto-Brown Island Park, and by extension other city-operated parks; to promote personal responsibility by park visitors; to reduce litter in the park; and to discourage dog owners from allowing their pets to run off leash in on-leash areas. Students were asked to produce a multiplatform media plan with suggested messaging. The communication plan was designed to augment a plan developed by students from the University of Oregon’s Landscape Architecture department to improve the physical, natural, and human amenities at the park.
Open Access
North Downtown Waterfront Development: Urban Design Proposals
(University of Oregon, 2010) Schmidt, Elizabeth M.; Larco, Nico
During the fall 2010 academic term at the University of Oregon, five groups of three students in an architecture studio course worked with the City of Salem to develop five schemes for the redevelopment of the North Downtown Waterfront. The students investigated existing site conditions and a variety of factors influencing development of this particular part of Salem. These investigations led the students to focus on some key issues that would be addressed by the broad range of the groups’ design schemes, including: • The Commercial Street barrier, currently blocking access to the Willamette River, particularly for bicyclists and pedestrians • A significantly underutilized Mill Creek • The rail line on Front Street • The potential for direct connections to other parts of Salem, via bike paths along waterways, Union Street for east/west connections, or Liberty Street for downtown accessibility With these issues in mind, groups began to branch out into their own particular visions of what the area could become in the future. Each group took an individual approach and worked toward a unique scheme, but all students stressed the importance of a few common elements: • Including special public places within the site • Encouraging a more bicycle and pedestrian friendly environment • Moving toward a more sustainable community, including green streets, bioswales, and ecological preservation of the creek and river habitat • Creating an overall mixed-use district that would help to form a unique and inviting community for Salem residents and visitors This report documents the students’ investigations into current conditions and possible future scenarios.
Open Access
Salem Civic Center - Interior Architecture
(University of Oregon, 2010) Fuller, Leah; Zimmer, Linda; ; Zimmer, Linda
As a part of the University of Oregon Sustainable City Year program, sixteen students enrolled in a mid-level interior design studio examined the Salem Civic Center building, generating proposals for renovation and reuse of the building in order to enhance vitality and restore functionality to the Civic Center campus. The students, taught by Associate Professor Linda Zimmer, coordinated their work with the City of Salem staff, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects (ZGF), and CB|Two Architects, and worked in parallel with an architecture studio that generated proposals for new police facilities on the same campus. The focus of the interior design studio was to develop a set of strategies for the redesign of the existing Civic Center in order to reimagine the building in light of the planned relocation of the Police Department, relocation of staff from off-campus locations to the Civic Center, and improved response to current and future needs.
Open Access
Salem North Downtown Riverfront Redevelopment Concept Plan
(University of Oregon, 2010) Dong, Baofeng; Mild, Cortney; Margerum, Richard; Parker, Robert; Young, Robert F.; Margerum, Richard; Parker, Robert; Young, Robert F.
This concept plan mainly aims to restore the ecology along Mill Creek and the Willamette River and transform the North Downtown Riverfront into a mixeduse neighborhood with affordable housing, public transit, community amenities, retail, a neighborhood market, and community gathering places. All five student groups recommend the restoration of Mill Creek, establishing trails along the Creek, and offering housing of various densities for residents with different incomes. The concept plan also addresses issues such as lack of connectivity between east and west Salem, and transportation barriers from the project site to downtown Salem. Overall, this concept plan envisions a transformation of North Downtown Salem into a vibrant neighborhood with residential housing, community space, and a viable market place. We envision the North Downtown Riverfront area becoming a place open and accessible to the public through an enhanced transportation network and equitable design principles.
Open Access
Salem Police Station
(University of Oregon, 2010) Peterson, Alice; Theodoropoulos, Christine; Hilton, Josh
Students developed 24 design ideas for the new Salem Police Station. While there were a variety of approaches to developing the new station, every design addressed issues involving the Civic Center site and the police program, including connectivity within the site and to Salem as a whole; creating a “front door” for the site; developing community/public space; improving wayfinding throughout the site; exploring viable sustainability strategies; and ensuring adequate parking for the public, city employees, and police.
Open Access
Salem Strategic Economic Prosperity Plan
(University of Oregon, 2010) University of Oregon. Dept. of Planning, Public Policy and Management. Community Planning Workshop; Parker, Bob; Becker, Brie
As part of its year‐long collaboration with the University of Oregon Sustainable City Year program, the City of Salem Economic Development Division engaged with the Community Planning Workshop (CPW) to conduct a Strategic Economic Prosperity Plan. The plan is a five‐year internal action plan that is intended to help the City and its economic development partners take a strategic approach to implementing local economic development initiatives.
Open Access
Salem Streetlights: Solutions for a Sustainable System
(University of Oregon, 2010) Landis, Joshua; Moore, Caroline; Mosley, Rachel; Ruderman, Chris; Skinner, Seth; Chrisinger, Colleen
Currently, the City of Salem provides approximately 10,500 streetlights for the safety and well-being of its residents. These streetlights cost the city roughly 1.5 million dollars per year in combined electricity and maintenance costs, representing 20 percent of Public Works Department expenditures. The city uses a combination of ownership and rental options in partnership with two electric utilities, Portland General Electric (PGE) and Salem Electric (SE). The shared ownership model has contributed to a system with over 100 combinations of lights and ballasts. The city has identified this streetlight system as an important opportunity to increase the efficiency of government operations and the long-term stability of financial resources. In conjunction with the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year program, the City of Salem commissioned a team of students in a Masters of Public Administration Capstone course at the University of Oregon to recommend a more sustainable model for their streetlight operations. The city seeks a streetlighting system that is financially and politically sustainable in an era of public/private partnerships, regulatory change, rising energy costs, and unstable government revenue. At the same time, Salem is considering the environmental cost and benefits of their municipal infrastructure.The following report examines available mechanisms to improve the sustainability of Salem’s streetlight operations. The first section defines Salem’s streetlight operations problems and provides a survey of possible solutions. The remaining portions of the report provide in-depth analysis of the most suitable alternatives and recommended actions for the city to achieve more sustainable streetlight operations.
Open Access
South of Mission (Salem, Or.)
(University of Oregon, 2010) Wieczorek, Agatha; Fifield, Michael; Gillem, Mark
The intent of this study and design work is to respond to the needs and distinct characteristics of the South of Mission area in the City of Salem, Oregon. Our Mission Statement is to encourage economic development through the creation and revitalization of vibrant communities. This report describes our careful examination of the City of Salem, followed by planning and design proposals that explore the vast opportunities for development in the South of Mission area.

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