​​​​​​​Mayor Driscoll Announces Flood Ordinance Amendment for Climate Resiliency

New measure would build on previous work for climate resiliency in the community
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As part of the City’s ongoing effort to address climate change impacts, Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll has announced that the City’s Departments of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) and Sustainability and Resiliency are preparing an amendment to the City’s Flood Hazard Overlay District (FHOD) Special Permit zoning ordinance for the City Council's consideration.

The FHOD amendment builds from recent resiliency related initiatives including the Beverly & Salem “Resilient Together” Climate Action & Resilience Plan, the Resilient Together: El Punto initiative, and the wetlands protection ordinance update. Input from the general public, working groups, experts, and City staff identified the need to review the current FHOD ordinance in light of projected increased flooding resulting from climate change.

“Salem’s current flood hazard overlay district ordinance only requires construction to be resilient to today’s flood risk,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll. “Salem’s ordinance needs to be updated to reflect more recent modeling, which shows increased flooding risks in the future. This policy change will build on the recent wetlands ordinance amendment and help ensure that what we build to meet our housing, transportation, economic development, and recreation needs will be climate resilient. This is a necessary and important step to keep Salem vibrant, equitable, and strong as it faces the future.”

“Because Salem is projected to be impacted substantially by climate change, we are engaging the community and working to reduce carbon emissions citywide and incorporate climate adaptation into everything we do,” said Salem’s Sustainability and Resiliency Director Jenna Ide. “This ordinance amendment is a critical part of that work to make sure that we grow sustainably and resiliently.”

In March 2022, the Salem City Council adopted an amended wetlands protection ordinance following a series of public forums and working group meetings held throughout 2021. The updated ordinance enhances protection of Salem’s wetlands and flood zones and gives the Conservation Commission authority to consider climate change adaptation and mitigation in its permitting review. However, the wetlands ordinance primarily protects the ecological functions of these resource areas, and a zoning ordinance amendment to further protect human health, safety, and welfare within flood zones was identified throughout the process as a necessary next step.

In May 2022, the City Council authorized funding for the flood hazard overlay district zoning ordinance amendment, and the City has hired Beals + Thomas to provide expert support for the effort. In addition, the City has convened an advisory group comprised of staff from the DPCD, Engineering, Building, and Sustainability Departments, members of Salem’s land-use boards, and representatives from local environmental groups and the general public.

The City has launched a project webpage at PublicInput.com/SalemFHOD to share ordinance drafts and other project information with the public. The City will host a public forum to supplement other ongoing climate related outreach and education initiatives and to solicit feedback on the draft ordinance, which will ultimately be presented to the City Council for their consideration and vote.