Council refers data center ban, parking reforms to Planning Board
City Council · Meeting of September 9, 2026
Salem City Council votes to advance data center ban and parking-minimum repeal for two-family homes. At a joint Planning Board hearing on September 9, the Council voted 10-0 to refer both Ordinance #385, prohibiting all data centers citywide, and Ordinance #387, eliminating parking minimums for two-family homes, to the Planning Board for recommendation. Mayor Pangallo cited environmental and resource concerns, including water and power demands, given Salem's dense geography and industrial past.
Councillor Lydia C. King framed the parking change as housing-affordability policy: removing parking requirements reduces construction costs and gives developers flexibility, while multifamily buildings already operate under zero minimums.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 347 words
Source: the City Council meeting of September 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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