Master Plan Steering Committee

Town-wide Master Plan Adopted - April 23, 2025

On April 23, 2025, the Planning Board unanimously adopted the 2025 Town-wide Master Plan. You can view the Master Plan at either of the links below:

The Master Plan was guided and steered by the Master Plan Steering Committee, comprised of individuals from various Town committees and Salem residents at large. Many opportunities for public feedback were provided, including in-person workshops, surveys, public comment cards, etc.

This page hosts all historical documentation of the process, including meeting recordings, presentations, documents, etc. At their final Steering Committee meeting on February 19, 2025, the Committee unanimously voted to recommend to the Planning Board to adopt the Master Plan.

Since the Master Plan has been adopted, this page will no longer be updated in the future, but will remain available for viewing / historical purposes.

Overview

The Planning Board is currently pursuing the first comprehensive update to the Town’s Master Plan in over 20 years. The 2016 Master Plan may be viewed here.

What is the Master Plan? Why does it matter?

The Town of Salem Master Plan is a 12-month town wide long-range planning process to establish a vision for the future of Salem's economy, housing, transportation, and much more. One of the most important roles of a Master Plan, like this one is to 'connect the dots' so that all of the Town's efforts work towards an integrated overall strategy.

The Master Plan guides the Town's policies, regulations, and capital investment programs. It is particularly important for changes to zoning, the rules that govern what can and can't be built on private property.

Help us lay the foundation for stability, prosperity, and quality of life for many years to come!

What topics will the Master Plan address?

This update to the Master Plan will be focused on developing a unified strategy for land use, zoning, and community design, that integrates three core topics:

Economy and Jobs
Housing
Transportation and Mobility

The plan may also address the following topics that play a supporting role for the overall vision articulated for the core topics:

Recreation and Amenities
Public Utilities, Services and Facilities
Natural Resources and Conservation
Sustainability and Resilience
Historic Preservation

What is the process and timeline?

The process includes four phases of work: learning, visioning, developing the plan, and documentation. Embedded in these phases are two intensive rounds of public engagement.

Spring / Summer 2024: The first round of public engagement will focus on identifying issues and opportunities, and developing a vision for the plan.
Fall 2024: The second round of public engagement will focus on refining the draft plan framework - confirming goals, evaluating alternatives, and refining and prioritizing recommendations.

See below for a timeline overview of the anticipated process. Click the image for a full screen view.

How can I get involved?

Participate in the public surveys and workshops.

The first public 'visioning survey' took place from March 12 - May 12, 2024. The Master Plan Steering Committee (MPSC) held a public outreach event on May 30, 2024 to review results of the survey and take in more public input. Meeting materials, including survey results, are available by viewing this website page, which includes a video recap, PowerPoint slides, and public boards.

The second phase survey was available during Fall 2024 and was based on the draft of the Master Plan. The MPSC held a second public outreach event on September 18, 2024 to overview draft Master Plan recommendations. Materials, including boards, presentations, and a recap video of the event are available here.
Subscribe to the Town Hall Times!

Take a moment to sign up for the Town Hall Times so that we can make sure you know about upcoming events and engagement opportunities as well as draft plan documents available for review.
Attend Master Plan Steering Committee (MPSC) Meetings and provide feedback during Public Comment section

PURPOSE: The primary purpose of Steering Committee meetings is to get input from committee members on the direction of the plan, including shaping the public process and discussing draft work in advance of releasing it for intensive public input.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: The public is welcome to attend meetings and share comments. Steering Committee meetings will conclude with public comment, as time permits, with a limit of two (2) minutes of public comment per person. Time limits will be strictly enforced out of respect for Committee Members' time. All public comments will become part of the official meeting record and will be considered as part of the planning process, but will not be discussed at the Steering Committee meeting.

WHEN?: The Master Plan Steering Committee meets at the call of the Chair.

WHERE?: Locations may vary depending on the meeting. Typically, the Master Plan Steering Committee meets at the Salem High School Media Center.

Who is leading this effort?

It is a principal duty of the Planning Board to prepare and amend a master plan to guide development. The Planning Board has formed a Master Plan Steering Committee to support this process and ensure that the Master Plan is representative of our community wide values and aspirations.