Planning FAQ

• When does the Planning Board meet and what are the submission deadlines/requirements?

  The Planning Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, at 7:00 PM, in the Knightly Meeting Room at the Salem Town Hall.

  Subdivisions and site plans must be submitted to the Planning Director at least 15 days prior to the meeting at which they are to be considered. Applicants are required to discuss plans with the Planning Director in advance of the submission deadline - incomplete plans will not be accepted. Six copies of the plan must be submitted, along with the names and addresses of abutters (on mailing labels), application forms, and the appropriate filing/notice fees.

  Applicants should review the Town's Zoning, Subdivision, and Site Plan Regulations prior to preparing plans for Planning Board review. These regulations contain information on permitted uses, dimensional restrictions, application procedures, and specific plan requirements. Copies are available for $10 from the Planning Department at the Town Hall.

  For additional information, please contact Planning Director Ross A. Moldoff at (603) 890-2080.

• How can abutters or interested citizens raise concerns about a project to the Planning Board?

  Abutters often play a crucial role by providing information and helping the Planning Board evaluate plans. Abutters and other citizens interested in a project are encouraged to call the Planning Office with concerns or comments, view the plans at Town Hall, submit written comments, attend the Planning Board meeting, or watch the meeting on local cable channel 17.

• Do I need Planning Board approval for my project?

  Approval from the Planning Board is required for all subdivisions, lot line adjustments, new non-residential development, and expansions or changes of use to non-residential buildings or sites. Significant changes to signs that are shown on a site plan may also require Planning Board approval. For additional information, please contact the Planning Director.

• Do I need a permit to fill a low spot on my property?

  No permit is required to fill a low spot unless it is a wetland. Wetlands are designated by wetland or soils scientists based on specific criteria including vegetation, soils, and hydrology. In many cases, a wetland does not contain standing water. Both State and Town regulations require a permit for filling of wetland areas. For additional information, including a list of soil/wetland scientists, please contact the Planning Director.

• Do I need a permit to install/repair my dock or retaining wall on the shoreline?

  The State requires permits for all docks, wall, piers, and other shoreline structures. Call the State Wetlands Bureau at (603) 271-2147 for more information or visit their web page.

• How do I submit a citizen zoning petition?

  The deadline for submitting citizen zoning petitions is in early December. Amendments must be written in proper form and signed by at least 25 registered voters. For assistance with drafting zoning amendments, please contact the Planning Director.

Planning Quotes

"A good plan executed right now is far better than a perfect plan executed next week."

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

"Growth is inevitable and desirable, but destruction of community character is not. The question is not whether your part of the world is going to change. The question is how."

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remember, that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty."

"We are the Planning Board, not the Wait-And-See-What-Happens Board!

"The good building is not one that hurts the landscape, but one which makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before the building was built.