Riparian Advisory Committee

The Riparian Advisory Committee (RAC) provides guidance and advises staff during the City’s project to better protect waterways and adjacent riparian corridors in Salem.

The City started this Riparian Corridor Planning project in early 2025. It is being conducted in two phases. Phase 1, which has been funded and is being led by the Public Works Department, is primarily data collection with an inventory of riparian corridors. That work is underway and is nearing completion.

Phase 2 will use the data collected in Phase 1 to develop regulations to better protect Salem’s riparian corridors. That phase is expected to start in the summer of 2026.

A project consultant team of Pacific Habitat Services and Winterbrook Planning has been contracted to assist the City during Phase 1 of the project. The City’s Planning Division staff will undertake Phase 2 of the project.

Open House

The City held an open house on May 7, 2026 to present the results of the riparian corridor inventory. If you missed the open house, you can see the presentations and maps below.

Presentations:
- Inventory Results
- Summary of Phase 1 Work
Maps: You can view maps of Salem's riparian areas and associated wetlands under the "Project Documents" drop-down menu below.

Members

Councilor Deanna Gwyn, Ward 4
Councilor Micki Varney, Ward 8
Commissioner Lisa Heller, Planning Commission
Commissioner Marissa Theve, Planning Commission
Michael DeBlasi, Oregon Department of State Lands
Natalie Janney, Homebuilders Association of Marion and Polk Counties
Mark Wigg, 350 Salem OR
Charles Weathers, developer
Ken Bierly, Glenn Gibson Watershed Council

Meetings

The Riparian Advisory Committee (RAC) is scheduled to meet on the following dates:

Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, 10 a.m. - 12 noon Parkway Building, 440 Church St SE, PA4-307
- Meeting 1 Agenda
- Phase 1: Riparian Corridor Inventory Presentation by Pacific Habitat Services
- Phase 2: Riparian Corridor Protection Program Presentation by Winterbrook Planning
- Meeting 1 Draft Minutes
- Meeting 1 Recording
- Draft Riparian Areas Overview Map
- Draft Riparian Areas Inventory Maps with Creek Names

Project Documents

Large Maps from Open House (May 2026)

Draft Riparian Inventory Report and Maps (March 2026)

Draft Salem Local Wetland Inventory (March 2026)

Draft Salem Local Wetland Inventory (LWI) Report
Appendix A: LWI Overview Map
Appendices B and C
- Appendix B: Wetland Summary Sheets
- Appendix C (page 139): Wetland Determination Data Forms
Appendix D to G
- Appendix D: OFWAM Data and Results
- Appendix E (page 276): Locally Significant Wetland Determination Sheets
- Appendix F (page 414): OFWAM Summary Table and Field Forms
- Appendix G (page 554): Technical Staff Members and Qualifications
Riparian Areas Wetlands Inventory Overview Map

Draft Maps of Riparian Areas (November 2025)

Background

On November 8, 2021, the Salem Planning Commission asked Salem City Council to consider funding a phased Goal 5 update, focusing first on inventorying riparian corridors. Goal 5 is a broad statewide planning goal that encompasses more than a dozen resource categories. It requires local governments to “adopt programs that will protect natural resources and conserve scenic, historic, and open space resources for present and future generations” in order to “promote a healthy environment and natural landscape that contributes to Oregon’s livability.”

The Planning Commission identified updating Salem’s waterways map and adoption of minimum required setbacks along waterways as a high priority and an important first step to ensure that the impacts of development along Salem’s waterways is minimized. The City has funded Phase 1 of the project.

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