Salem Historic Preservation Plan

Categories:

Zoning and Land Use

Blue historic house.

Historic preservation is important for economic, environmental, cultural and educational reasons.

You can review the City's goals and actions items by goal below. You can also view the action items implementation timeline or download a PDF of the plan.

View actions by timeline

Goal 1: Improve public outreach and community education

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Action	Strategy	Need	Timeline	Completion document	Title
Continue to celebrate Historic Preservation Month in May with awards and educational programming	Improve community engagement and acknowledgement of excellence in historic preservation	Community not aware of excellent historic preservation projects	ANNUAL		22
Work with Neighborhood Associations to establish and celebrate ‘Historic Neighborhood Day’	Improve community engagement and acknowledgement of excellence in historic preservation	Community not aware of excellent historic preservation projects	ANNUAL		38
Develop a FAQ sheet/Brochure and online resource regarding the designation process and benefits/responsibilities of owning a historic property in Salem	Educate the public about designation	Neighborhood support can be difficult to get for designation	2020		3
Review and update HLC newsletter format and distribution method including the annual mailing about historic property owner responsibilities; Use social media to regularly share information about the program and Salem’s local history	Improve website and social media presence	Not enough easily accessible information about the review process, Salem history, and the program	ANNUAL		4
Have a single City HLC website landing page where all information and resources for historic property owners is located.	Improve website and social media presence	Not enough easily accessible information about the review process, Salem history, and the program	2021		25
Coordinate homeowner FORUM meetings, so owners can share experiences, information	Provide technical training	Not enough easily accessible information about the review process, Salem history, and the program	ANNUAL		5
Organize history talks and walking tours featuring Salem’s history and historic resources in partnership with Travel Salem and local non-profits. Including school groups	Develop interpretation and coordinate educational programming about Salem’s diverse local history	Not enough information about local history	ANNUAL		1
Develop interpretive signage (i.e vinyl utility box wraps and sign toppers) for each historic district and Heritage Neighborhood	Develop interpretation and coordinate educational programming about Salem’s diverse local history	Not enough information about local history	2021		26
Develop interpretation and educational programming about Salem’s traditionally underrepresented history and cultural landscapes	Develop interpretation and coordinate educational programming about Salem’s diverse local history	Not enough information about local history	ANNUAL		37
Support development of citywide Cultural Heritage Strategic Master Plan in partnership with Travel Salem and local heritage non-profits	Develop interpretation and coordinate educational programming about Salem’s diverse local history	Not enough information about local history	2023		39
Educate neighborhoods within the Salem Heritage Neighborhood Program, which allows historic preservation staff to work with Neighborhood Associations directly to develop educational products related to their neighborhood history and teach them about the survey and designation process.	Educate the public about designation	Not enough information about the designation process/benefits/responsibilities	ANNUAL		33
Sponsor a regular workshop in collaboration with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and other Certifeid Local Governments (CLGs) to educate Salem residents abou historic survey and designation in Oregon	Educate the public about designation	Not enough information about the designation process/benefits/responsibilities	ANNUAL		45
Continue "This Place Matters" photo contest with awards	Improve community engagement and acknowledgement of excellence in historic preservation	Not enough information about the designation process/benefits/responsibilities	ANNUAL		23
Provide annual workshop for historic property owners outlining responsibilities and opportunities of owning a historic property (coordinated with annual property owner mailing)	Provide training about the design review process and code	Not enough information about the designation process/benefits/responsibilities	ANNUAL		46
Provide monthly opportunity to have “Lunch with the Historic Preservation Officer” to ask questions about the design review process and the code	Provide training about the design review process and code	Not enough information about the designation process/benefits/responsibilities	ANNUAL		53
Develop a “Welcome” Packet to provide to new historic property owners with brochures and information about owning a historic property.	Provide training about the design review process and code	People need assistance understanding the historic design review process and the code	2021		24
Digitally share NPS Technical Briefs for homeowners regarding appropriate historic preservation methods and treatment; Develop online video series (‘How To’) for historic homeowners	Provide technical training	People need technical preservation help	2020		2
Collaborate with other organizations (SHPO, UofO, Restore Oregon, local community colleges) to sponsor regular annual workshops - seismic, lead, window/door replacements, radon.	Provide technical training	People need technical preservation help	ANNUAL		36

Goal 2: Streamline historic code, process, and enforcement

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Action	Strategy	Need	Timeline	Completion document
Establish policies and procedures for adversely impacting a known archaeological site in Salem	Improve enforcement policy	Enforcement is inconsistent	2020
Coordinate regularly with Neighborhood Associations (ie. CANDO, NEN and SCAN) to review and update existing historic enforcement policy and implementation	Improve enforcement policy	Enforcement is inconsistent	ANNUAL
Establish policy for charging double fees for historic design review of enforcement cases	Improve enforcement policy	Enforcement is inconsistent	2026
Monthly HLC meeting, public hearings and roundtable	Improve criteria and streamline design review process	HLC is responsible for reviewing alterations to designated historic resources and applying criteria established in SRC 230; in certain cases sometimes this process is complex	ANNUAL
Develop easy to understand Brochure/FAQ with a flowchart describing the historic design review process and general overview of the historic code; Develop online FAQ and online consultation form where historic property owners can request information about the review process and the program	Provide training about the design review process and code	People need assistance understanding the historic design review process and the code	2020
Improve and clarify design review criteria for accessibility (ie. Aging in place)	Improve and clarify criteria to address key issues identified as priorities in the overall Comprehensive Plan	Relationship between use and historic unclear; Need to align Historic Design Review with Comprehensive Plan priorities such as Climate Change and Affordable Housing	2020
Improve and clarify design review criteria for accessory dwelling units and infill housing development (ie. In coordination with HB2001/2003 and Salem’s Middle Housing)	Improve and clarify criteria to address key issues identified as priorities in the overall Comprehensive Plan	Relationship between use and historic unclear; Need to align Historic Design Review with Comprehensive Plan priorities such as Climate Change and Affordable Housing	2023
Improve and clarify design review criteria for adaptive reuse	Improve criteria and streamline design review process	Relationship between use and historic unclear; Need to align Historic Design Review with Comprehensive Plan priorities such as Climate Change and Affordable Housing	2020
Clarify criteria for work that is exempt from historic design review (i.e ordinary maintenance and repair and work approvable through building permit review)	Improve criteria and streamline design review process	Time for design review is long and expensive for some simple projects	2020
Develop criteria, process and lower fee for “over-the-counter” (Class one) administrative historic design reviews	Improve criteria and streamline design review process	Time for design review is long and expensive for some simple projects	2020
Review historic code and identify areas for cleanup - streamlining	Improve criteria and streamline design review process	Time for design review is long and expensive for some simple projects	2025
Clarify and improve criteria in SRC 230.100 Preservation of Archaeological Resources including development of policies and procedures for ground disturbing activity within Salem’s Historic and Cultural Resource Protection Zone.	Improve criteria and streamline design review process	Time for design review is long and expensive for some simple projects	2026

Goal 3: Increase financial support

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Action	Strategy	Need	Timeline	Completion document
Allow consolidation of design review applications (i.e one fee for multiple projects on a single property)	Establish Historic Design Review Fee Program that supports historic property owners	Design review fees too burdensome for residential historic property owners	2020
Limit any increase in historic design review fees for residential historic property owners (ie. Limit goal of cost recovery for staff time)	Establish Historic Design Review Fee Program that supports historic property owners	Design review fees too burdensome for residential historic property owners	2022
Offer a streamline process where value of project is under $1,000 and the fee a small amount (ie. $25.00)	Establish Historic Design Review Fee Program that supports historic property owners	Design review fees too burdensome for residential historic property owners	2025
Develop and offer a program for homeowners to apply for a Residential Historic Design Review Fee Voucher (funded by double fees collected through enforcement)	Establish Historic Design Review Fee Program that supports historic property owners	People need financial support and assistance maintaining and restoring their historic structures which provide a public benefit to our community	ANNUAL
Offer Annual Residential Toolbox Grant	Improve financial support for historic property owners	People need financial support and assistance maintaining and restoring their historic structures which provide a public benefit to our community	ANNUAL
Identify sustainable City funding source in order to expand historic Residential Toolbox Grant Program (ie. Explore feasibility of permanent allocation from Council through TOT funding)	Improve financial support for historic property owners	People need financial support and assistance maintaining and restoring their historic structures which provide a public benefit to our community	ANNUAL
Identify additional non-profit community sources in order to expand historic Residential Toolbox Grant Program.	Improve financial support for historic property owners	People need financial support and assistance maintaining and restoring their historic structures which provide a public benefit to our community	ANNUAL
Identify additional private donor sources in order to expand historic Residential Toolbox Grant Program.	Improve financial support for historic property owners	People need financial support and assistance maintaining and restoring their historic structures which provide a public benefit to our community	ANNUAL

Goal 4: Protect natural environment and archaeological resources

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Action	Strategy	Need	Timeline	Completion document
Celebrate Historic Landscape Architecture month annually in April	Encourage preservation of the natural environment	Community not aware of excellent examples of historic and cultural landscapes in Salem	ANNUAL
Develop and offer a “Beautification Award” acknowledging maintenance/restoration of a historic or cultural landscape	Encourage preservation of the natural environment	Community not aware of excellent examples of historic and cultural landscapes in Salem	ANNUAL
Collaborate with Parks (Salem’s Public Works Department) and the Salem Parks Advisory Board (SPRAB) on the development of Cultural Resource Management Plans for the identification and preservation of historic, character defining natural features and landscapes.	Encourage preservation of the natural environment	Not enough coordination with Parks regarding identification and preservation of historic, character-defining, natural features and landscapes	2020
Coordinate with Parks (Salem’s Public Works Department) to review/revise any applicable design review code and criteria related to the alteration of significant landscapes and the removal/replacement of significant trees within historic districts and on individually listed historic properties.	Encourage preservation of the natural environment	Not enough coordination with Parks regarding identification and preservation of historic, character-defining, natural features and landscapes	2020
Collaborate with Parks (Salem’s Public Works Department) to develop a clear FAQ and educational brochure about the review process for removal of trees in Salem’s historic districts and individually listed historic properties	Encourage preservation of the natural environment	Not enough coordination with Parks regarding identification and preservation of historic, character-defining, natural features and landscapes	2020
Identify opportunities to collaborate with Parks within Salem’s Public Works Department on educational programming to educate the public about Salem’s historic cultural landscapes	Encourage preservation of the natural environment	Not enough coordination with Parks regarding identification and preservation of historic, character-defining, natural features and landscapes	ANNUAL
Adopt Historic and Cultural Resource Protection Zone Map and associated administrative policies and procedures	Encourage preservation of historic and cultural archaeological resources	Project managers, planners and property owners need help with archaeological compliance and coordination with SHPO and the Tribes regarding the preservation of historic and cultural archaeological resources while redeveloping their property	2020
Support development of MOU with Confederated Tribes of Siletz and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs similar to MOU with Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde	Encourage preservation of historic and cultural archaeological resources	Project managers, planners and property owners need help with archaeological compliance and coordination with SHPO and the Tribes regarding the preservation of historic and cultural archaeological resources while redeveloping their property	2021
Monthly historic and cultural resource compliance coordination meetings with the Tribes and SHPO	Encourage preservation of historic and cultural archaeological resources	Property owners need help with archaeological compliance and coordination with SHPO and the Tribes regarding the preservation of historic and cultural archaeological resources	ANNUAL

Goal 5: Encourage sustainability

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Action	Strategy	Need	Timeline	Completion document
Develop and improve historic design review criteria addressing key ‘hot topics’ defined by the community including: energy efficiency, solar and light pollution	Encourage sustainability in the restoration and redevelopment of historic structures	Lack of support and education regarding sustainable practices that support the environment	2020
Develop historic design review criteria requiring submittal of a deconstruction plan be submitted as part of any demolition application	Encourage sustainability in the restoration and redevelopment of historic structures	Lack of support and education regarding sustainable practices that support the environment	2020
Establish and offer Historic Preservation Green Fund Grant to offer grants for window restoration, energy efficiency omprovements and solar panel installation	Encourage sustainability in the restoration and redevelopment of historic structures	Lack of support and education regarding sustainable practices that support the environment	ANNUAL
Offer annual speakers series to educate the public about sustainable practices in historic preservation.. Collaborate with regional partners (ie. National Trust Preservation Green Lab in Seattle, WA) on the development of educational programming	Encourage sustainability in the restoration and redevelopment of historic structures	Lack of support and education regarding sustainable practices that support the environment	ANNUAL

Goal 6: Survey and designate historic resources

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Action	Strategy	Need	Timeline	Completion document
Spotlight key surveyed resources or buildings featured within Salem Heritage Neighborhood Architectural Guide through HLC social media and newsletter	Work with neighborhoods to identify, survey and designate archaeological sites, historic structures, places and landscapes that are meaningful	Neighborhood support can be difficult to get for designation	ANNUAL
Coordinate with the Oregon Historic Preservation Office and Tribes and other intersted stakeholders to survey and develop Cultural Resource Management Plans for areas in Salem with a high concrentration of archeological sites and/or significant cultural landscapes	Work with neighborhoods to identify, survey and designate archaeological sites, historic structures, places and landscapes that are meaningful	Neighborhood support can be difficult to get for designation	2023-2025
Utilize an online interactive map to ask the public to identify areas to survey and/or designate in preparation for Historic Preservation Plan update in 2030	Work with neighborhoods to identify, survey and designate archaeological sites, historic structures, places and landscapes that are meaningful	Neighborhood support can be difficult to get for designation	2029

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Kimberli FitzgeraldHistoric Preservation Officer

Email: [email protected]

Phone:

503-540-2397

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