Edgewater Partnership

Fall has started & Edgewater Partners is kicking the season off with all kind of New. Join us tomorrow for our monthly meeting 9am to 10:30 am Northwest Human Services Conference Room. See what we learned from our listening session. Meet Monica & Danielle. Hear about our new budget. Awaken to new---new---new & maybe a little of the old. See you tomorrow. . .

Join us this Thursday for the West Salem Peace Walk at 7pm. As neighbors, we walk in the Edgewater neighborhood learning and recognizing places & community partners of beauty here. We begin the Peace Walk across from Annette’s Restaurant on Edgewater Street. If anyone would like, we also pick up trash along the way. All supplies are provided for trash pickup.

Stop by this Thursday (10:30am to 2:30pm) and explorer our West Salem Farmers Market on Edgewater. It is the last market of the season. Weather looks good. There is one more "Heart of West Salem" to find. Cherriots will be our booth sponsor. Should be something interesting on the table there. Do stop by and say hello.

NEW & AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY

Planning Commission Requests
Changes to Housing Code Project

The Planning Commission has requested potential changes to Salem’s zoning code to encourage more infill housing across Salem. The requested changes were discussed at a public hearing on September 8, 2026 after staff presented a proposed code amendment implementing the City’s Housing Code Project. The public hearing will be continued at the Planning Commission’s October 13, 2026 meeting.

The Planning Commission requested more information on the following items, as they consider potential changes:

Reduce the minimum lot size for middle housing in the single-family zone

Eliminate the maximum density for middle housing in the Multiple Family Residential-II (RM-II) zone

Provide a density bonus for middle housing in the RM-II zone

Reduce bicycle parking requirements for industrial uses

Revise lot coverage requirements in the single-family zone to decrease paving and promote permeable space

Allow adult day care centers more broadly in Salem

Participate in the Continued Public Hearing

Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Time: 5:30 p.m.

Place: Senator Room, Marion County Office, 555 Court St NE

Watch: Live on YouTube

Submit Comments: Submit comments to [email protected]

Testify in Person: No need to sign up in advance

Testify Virtually: Sign up by 3:00 p.m. on October 13 by emailing [email protected] or calling 503-540-2304

Learn More

Staff report: You can read the September Planning Commission staff report here.

Public hearing video: You can watch the Planning Commission’s public hearing on September 8 here.

Supplemental staff report: The supplemental staff report will be posted here on October 6, 2026

Background

The proposed code amendment stems from Salem’s Housing Production Strategy, which was adopted by the City Council in May 2025 and approved by the State in October 2025. The strategy includes 17 actions to promote housing development and equitable housing outcomes.

The City Council asked staff to prioritize code changes when implementing the Housing Production Strategy. In response, staff developed the Housing Code Project in 2025 and advanced the ideas from that project into the proposed code amendment that is now going through the public hearing process.

To learn more about the Housing Production Strategy, visit the project website www.cityofsalem.net/housingproduction or contact Eunice Kim at [email protected] or 503-540-2308.

Housing Production Strategy | Salem, Oregon Salem needs more housing. To help meet that need, the City has developed Salem's first Housing Production Strategy (HPS). This plan outlines 17 actions that aim to encourage housing development and promote equitable housing outcomes.

EDGEWATER PARTNERS---FYI
Hello Steve,

I hope this email finds you well.

In the month of August, SLF had the pleasure of hosting listening sessions with all four of our Neighborhood Partnership Teams. Over 100 people attended these sessions and shared their recommendations for program presentations, communication preferences, funding priorities, and volunteer opportunities. This input will help shape the experience of the entire NPT Network in the coming year. We will share a report from the listening sessions at the September NPT meetings.

I also shared that because of the generosity of our community, SLF now has the needed funds to hire two new staff members who will participate in all of the NPT meetings. The first new SLF staff member is Monica Fiedler, who was hired in July to be the Associate Director of Networks. Monica will oversee organizational communications, provide administrative support to the entire SLF staff team, and will be a consistent relational presence at NPT meetings and CaN Centers Luncheons. You can reach out to Monica at [email protected] or read her bio here.

The other position we were able to hire is the Director of Neighborhood Partnership Teams. This is an elevated position with expanded roles and responsibilities, including fundraising. Part of the hiring process included a panel of NPT participants who interviewed all the finalists, and made recommendations for whom to hire.

Today, I am excited to announce that SLF has hired Danielle Daly to be the Director of Neighborhood Partnership Teams!

Danielle brings a deep love for this city that has been home to her for almost twenty years, including over a decade of pastoral leadership at Court Street Christian Church. Danielle is most excited to collaborate with leaders from all across Salem and direct her listening, networking and volunteer management to enriching our neighborhoods in Salem. Read more about Danielle here.

Danielle will be at all four NPT meetings this month. If you would like to reach out and welcome her you can do so at [email protected].

Monica, Danielle and I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming Neighborhood Partnership Team meeting!

Thank you and have a great week,

Kyle Dickinson
Executive Director
Salem Leadership Foundation

LOOK:
Neighborhood BBQ & Car Show this Saturday. Kingwood Bible, a partner & supporter that stepped up this summer with a booth & games at the West Salem Farmers Market, are holding their annual BBQ/Car Show. Stop by to say hello--To say thank you. Have fun . . .

NPT Listening Session Survey
If you were unable to attend an in-person Listening Session this August, you're invited to participate using this survey:

Thank you to those able to attend and participate in person. Even if you were able to join us earlier in August, you're still invited to submit feedback via the survey.
QR Code link to survey

STOP * * *
LOOK # # #
LISTEN @@@

Edgewater Partners is meeting tomorrow, Thursday Aug 27th from 9 to 11am at the same place--Northwest Human Services' Edgewater Clinic. NOTE DIFFERENT START TIME

We are holding what is called a "LISTENING SESSION". Your voice is important to be heard. We will have the leadership of Salem Leadership Foundation with us to talk about plans and budgets going forward. How we reach out and engage our community. How we expand our neighborhood footprint. How we include more neighbors and businesses. Expanding our partnerships. What we are looking to be now and into the future.

I say again---Your Voice Is Important--We want all to attend.

Edgewater Partners is alive & well. We are set to shape a wonderful future in our community. We want to invite you and others to our table.

Please come and share your ideas. See the future. Be the future.

Hope you are enjoying Wednesday and a lovely summer day. Plan to stop by our Thursday Farmers Market on Edgewater (10:30 to 2:30) tomorrow. Include a visit each Thursday on your "To Do" list. ENJOY---ENJOY---ENJOY

Don't Forget "The Heart of West Salem" is hidden out there. . .