A food truck park could open on a former microshelter site in northeast Salem after the city council took up a proposed lease for the 1.69-acre lot on Monday, Oct. 26.
The council was set to vote on a month-to-month lease for city-owned property at 2640 Portland Road NE, according to the Salem Statesman Journal.
A local tenant plans to use the site for a food truck park and administrative offices. The proposed rent is $4,843 per month, starting Nov. 1.
The tenant's name was not included in the council agenda materials. The tenant already leases two nearby city-owned properties at 1495 Pine St. NE and 1555 Silverton Road NE.
The Portland Road property has had several lives. The city bought it in 2020 to secure right-of-way for a planned road improvement at Portland Road and Silverton Road NE.
It previously housed a DMV building that was converted into a temporary microshelter village. That village relocated to Center Street in 2022.
City officials told the council in a staff report that the property is no longer needed for the road project because of constraints with the adjacent railroad. Its long-term use cannot be determined until the city finishes updating its Transportation System Plan.
Staff recommended the month-to-month lease "to generate revenue that will offset operating expenses until a revised use is determined," according to the report.
More money for northeast Salem parks
Also on the agenda was a $1 million mid-year budget increase for the Brown Road Park Development Project in northeast Salem. The park is planned to include a playground, outdoor fitness area, walking paths and a basketball court.
City Manager Krishna Namburi was also listed for authorization to apply for an $800,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department for improvements at Woodmansee Park. The city already has about $600,000 in 2022 Safety and Livability Bond funding earmarked for playground replacement there. Construction is planned for summer 2028.
Discrimination lawsuit settlement
The agenda included a vote to authorize Namburi to settle a discrimination lawsuit brought by a former city employee. The settlement would not exceed $250,000 and would come from Salem's self-insurance claim fund. The nature of the allegations was not disclosed.
Other items included intergovernmental agreements with Marion County and the Oregon Department of Transportation for road improvements, a grant application for the Salem-Willamette Valley Airport, and Volunteer Appreciation Awards honoring Apostle Wade Harris and Evelyn McCoy-Harris of Seed of Faith Ministries International and Kent Barker of Furniture Bank.
The money matters. Vote results from the Oct. 26 meeting were not available as of publication. The council met at 6 p.m. in Loucks Auditorium at the Salem Public Library, 585 Liberty St. SE, while city hall undergoes seismic retrofitting.
