This week in Salem
What's coming up at City Hall, what was decided, and how the city is doing. Updated every morning.
Coming up
All meetingsPublic hearings: residents can speak
- Joint City Council and Planning Board, 6:00 PMPublic hearing on proposed zoning changes allowing roof-mounted wind energy systems.
- Conservation Commission, 6:30 PMPublic hearings on projects at 54-56 Margin Street, Restaurant Row, 17 March St Ct, 0 Waite St, and 102 Margin St.
- Historical Commission, 6:00 PMDemolition delay waiver for 56 Margin Street; exterior work requests at several Salem addresses; FY27 Community Preservation Act Plan comment.
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 6:30 PMZoning variance requests for 7 Burnside Street, 31 Cedar Street, and 1-3 East Collins Street, plus a 75 North Street extension.
13 public meetings this week.
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Joint City Council and Planning Board
Public hearing on proposed zoning changes allowing roof-mounted wind energy systems.
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School Committee
Vote on a school bus violation detection monitoring system, plus 2026-29 strategic plan metrics and FY27 warrant approvals.
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Tree Commission
Tree removals at 12 Franklin St., tree replacement at 329 Essex St., and future tree plantings on Salem Common.
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Beautification Committee
Salem 400+ Closing Ceremony on December 5th, a Luna coloring contest subcommittee, and wrapping up the 2026 gardening season.
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Conservation Commission
Public hearings on projects at 54-56 Margin Street, Restaurant Row, 17 March St Ct, 0 Waite St, and 102 Margin St.
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Public Art Commission
Proposals for a Train Station gift of art and a Where Do We Stand public art project, plus 400+ Sculpture updates.
Recently decided
All decisionsFrom the latest minutes the city has posted. Minutes come out after a board approves them, usually a few weeks after the meeting.
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School Committee
Approved Salem High School's February 2028 Dominican Republic trip and the revised consent agenda, both 7-0.
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City Council
Granted utility work on Bridge, Naples, Webb streets and Jefferson Ave; adopted October taxi pickup zones and $10,768.48 school salary payment.
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Design Review Board
Approved Peabody Essex Museum banner signs at 161 Essex Street; continued Lifebridge Main Campus design review at 56 Margin Street and other properties.
What's happening on your street?
How the city is doing
- Open 311 requests 4,571 ↑ 101 from last week3,363 with no update in over a year
- Time to acknowledge a 311 request 15 hours Median, past 12 months · 19% of requests were acknowledged
- Average single-family tax bill $7,285 ↑ 5.5% from last yearFiscal year 2026 · Mass. Division of Local Services (opens in new tab)
- Unemployment rate 4.7% No change from August 2025August 2026 (preliminary) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (opens in new tab)