Summary
The zoning currently reads '35 feet or 2.5 stories,' and developers keep hitting the story limit even under 35 feet. The board is debating whether to allow three stories in some districts and wants input from lake associations.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 5
- Last 30 days
- 0
Last discussed Aug 11, 2026.
Impact analysis
Builders and developers who want clearer height standards.
Mentions & discussions (5)
Planning Board (Regular) - Aug 11, 2026
The proposed amendment would require cigar bars operating after 10 p.m. and kennels to sit at least 750 linear feet from residential districts. Critics say the buffer is so wide there'd be almost nowhere on Broadway for these businesses to open, and the board wants a map of viable locations before moving forward.
Planning Board (Regular) - Jun 23, 2026
Salem is drafting zoning changes to allow mixed-use buildings — ground-floor commercial with up to four stories and 60 feet of height, modeled on Depot & Main. The public hearing is postponed until state legislation shakes out, so residents will get a chance to weigh in later.
Planning Board (Regular) - Jun 9, 2026
The zoning currently reads '35 feet or 2.5 stories,' and developers keep hitting the story limit even under 35 feet. The board is debating whether to allow three stories in some districts and wants input from lake associations.
Planning Board (Regular) - May 26, 2026
The Board is shaping several zoning changes: letting salons and similar service businesses open in the Business District, defining cigar bars with residential setbacks and an 11 p.m. closing, and implementing a new state law requiring multifamily housing in mixed-use buildings. These could shape what opens downtown and where new housing goes.
Planning Board (Regular) - Feb 10, 2026
The board started a conversation about cleaning up Salem's zoning — fixing conflicting childcare/daycare categories, allowing spas and personal services by right, setting 750-foot buffers for cigar bars and kennels, and rethinking ADU and duplex rules ahead of a new state multifamily housing mandate.
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