Salem · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Salem public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Variance requests for residential construction in Salem
Two neighboring petitions tested how far the ZBA will stretch ADU rules — one for a setback encroachment, one for nearly doubling allowed floor space. The outcomes show a board willing to grant relief for family housing, but divided on where precedent ends.
2026 Zoning Amendments
Five zoning text changes — consolidating educational and religious uses, allowing personal services and mixed-use in commercial areas, and setting buffer distances for cigar bars and kennels — now head to the Town Council for final action.
State-Mandated Multi-Family Housing in Commercial Districts
New state law forces Salem to allow multi-family housing on commercially zoned land. The amendment adds infrastructure requirements, a 33% ground-floor commercial threshold, and blocks incompatible uses in industrial zones.
Multi-family/mixed-use zoning amendment (Res. 2026-19)
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.
Cigar bar and kennel proximity requirement
The Planning Board proposed a 750-foot buffer between kennels and cigar bars and residential districts, responding to noise and late-night complaints. Councilor Withrow split the item — kennels got the buffer, cigar bars came out.
Zoning Amendments for Multi-Family Housing
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.
Pickleball noise at 179 Main Street
The pickleball club's outdoor courts hinge on players using certified quiet paddles, which cut noise roughly in half. The town's noise ordinance isn't really built for this use, so enforcement would be complaint-based — code enforcement with a sound meter, violation notices, and ultimately possible site-plan revocation. Neighbors worry the rules won't be consistently followed.
Mixed-use development limits under new state law
A new state law forces towns to allow mixed-use in commercial districts, with local review limited to height, setbacks, frontage, infrastructure and ground-floor space — a significant shift in what Salem can control.
Rural two-acre zoning vs. housing need
Board members openly debated whether Salem's two-acre rural minimum is outdated given the housing shortage. Two subdivision variances tested how strictly the board applies the standard.
92 Lowell Road commercial development in prime wetland buffer
A commercial building, driveway, and grading project would touch 3,826 square feet of the 100-foot prime wetland buffer. The Planning Board rejected the first plan; the revised version got a unanimous recommendation from the Conservation Commission, but the Planning Board makes the final call.