Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance in Salem Falls Short
July 10th at 9:45pm.
Yesterday, the Salem City Council voted on the Inclusionary Zoning ordinance which failed to meet the required supermajority for first passage. Failure to meet the required supermajority means the Inclusionary Zoning cannot be reheard until 2021.
The ordinance had gone through several changes in an attempt to come to a compromise on the measure. Those changes included an increase to 12% of units be made Affordable instead of 10%, not allowing payments to the Affordable Housing Trust for fractional units (for example in a 10 unit project that would require 1.2 Affordable Units), and a willingness for further conversation on the 25% density bonus given to developers before second passage.
An amendment was made and seconded to remove the 25% density bonus but the amendment did not pass.
The final vote was 7 in favor and 4 opposed. 8 votes in favor are needed to pass a zoning ordinance of this nature.
