Salem City Hall Announces Amendment to Flood Hazard Overlay District Zoning Ordinance

Salem, Massachusetts has been tackling the challenges of climate change with a series of initiatives and updates to its zoning ordinances. The latest development involves the preparation of an amendment to the City's Flood Hazard Overlay District zoning ordinance, aimed at ensuring the City's infrastructure and development plans are resilient to projected increased flooding. This move follows the adoption of an amended wetlands protection ordinance in March 2022, which highlighted the need for further protection of human health, safety, and welfare within flood zones. The amendment process involves extensive public engagement, working group meetings, and expert input to ensure that the updated ordinance is effective in addressing the City's climate resilience needs.

Key Takeaways:

• The Salem City Council has authorized an amendment to the City's Flood Hazard Overlay District zoning ordinance to address increased flooding risks due to climate change.
• The amendment process involves public engagement, working group meetings, and expert input to ensure the updated ordinance is effective in addressing climate resilience needs.
• The City has convened an advisory group comprised of staff, local environmental groups, and the general public to inform the amendment process.
• The ordinance amendment builds on recent initiatives such as the "Resilient Together" Climate Action & Resilience Plan, the Resilient Together: El Punto initiative, and the wetlands protection ordinance update.
• The updated ordinance aims to ensure that new development meets climate resilience standards, particularly in high-risk flood areas.
• Mayor Kim Driscoll has emphasized the importance of updating the ordinance to reflect more recent modeling showing increased flooding risks in the future.

Statistics:

• The Salem City Council adopted an amended wetlands protection ordinance in March 2022.
• The updated ordinance enhances protection of Salem's wetlands and flood zones.
• The new ordinance gives the Conservation Commission authority to consider climate change adaptation and mitigation in its permitting review.
• The City will engage the community and experts to review the current flood hazard overlay district ordinance.
• The City has convened an advisory group to inform the amendment process.
• The amendment aims to make Salem's infrastructure and development plans climate resilient.

Sources:

• Salem City Hall: Press Release on the amendment to the Flood Hazard Overlay District zoning ordinance.
• "Resilient Together" Climate Action & Resilience Plan, 2022.
• Resilient Together: El Punto initiative.
• Wetlands protection ordinance update.
• Salem City Council Meeting Minutes, 2022.