Question of the Month
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You can also answer past Questions of the month here!
What should we focus on in the next 10 years in one or more of the following areas: housing, public facilities & services, open space, recreation, natural resources, historic preservation, and cultural resources?
Need help getting started?
- Public facilities include all town-owned and/or operated buildings like the library, school buildings, senior center, town parks & recreation areas, town hall, fire station, police station, etc
- Public services include public safety services, library services, healthcare services, recreation programs, snow removal, solid waste services, events/activities for your, schools/education, etc
- Housing includes type of housing available, cost of housing, rental and ownership opportunities, housing issues and discrimination, location of housing, etc
- Open space, recreation, & natural resources include wetlands/marsh, trails, the beach, etc
- Historic preservation & cultural resources include the things that you think should be preserved that help make Salisbury the unique community it is (like Ben Butler's Toothpick!)
- Recent
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5 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
Cleaning our water supply should be a priority before our town becomes a cancer cluster!! New fire house with ambo. Limit used car dealers.
5 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
I feel that a focus on water supply, new fire station, and DPW facility are essential.
4 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
A new fire station. Ours is so outdated and moldy. We took care of the police officers and now it’s time to take care of our firefighters.
4 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
Focus on Housing in a thoughtful way that doesn’t give in to over development. Less condos and more single family homes. Increase taxes.
4 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
Should not over build as we will run out of well water.
4 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
Public services & facilities should be top priorty. Open space, recreation, & natural resouces and historic preservation are important too.
4 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
Disc golf courses
3 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
New Fire Station and Fire based Ambulance.
3 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
I feel Open Space is vital, as development is getting out of control in Salisbury. We, or I, love the small Town we moved to, Salisbury, Ma
3 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
Biys and girls club 2nd floor senior housing. New fire station. Redo our current parks. Ambulance fire department. More police. Clean center
3 September, 2025
Anonymous says:
In reference to housing we should focus on more affordable housing for families and seniors. Recreation: making sure the upkeep is done.
What is a Master Plan?
A Master Plan is a comprehensive, long-term plan that municipalities in Massachusetts are encouraged to adopt, as authorized under MGL c. 41 § 81D. The plan can cover many different topics or elements and is meant to last for at least ten years. A good Master Plan provides a high-level blueprint for what a community wants their town to look like at the end of the plan’s lifespan and recommends a series of strategies for achieving that vision. The plan is divided into chapters for each element, and each chapter has two main components: an inventory and assessment section that succinctly summarizes existing conditions and an implementation section with goals and recommendations based on the needs and opportunities identified in the inventory and assessment section.
Having a Master Plan benefits Salisbury by providing a cohesive and comprehensive vision for the Town that future planning efforts can rely on as a foundation. This document will help guide decision-making for future boards and committees and give developers an idea of what the residents of Salisbury want. The planning process also encourages community members with different interests to come together, hear each other’s voices, and hopefully come to some common understanding.
Phase 1: 2022
Phase 1 updated several sections of the Town's 2008 Master Plan. In cooperation with Town Staff and a local Master Plan Committee, Barrett Planning Group crafted existing conditions reports and new sets of long-term goals and strategies for the following five elements: land use, transportation, community health, climate change, and economic development. The plan was adopted by the Salisbury Planning Board in October 2022.
Phase 2: 2025
Phase 2 will focus on four key elements: housing, historic and cultural resources, open space and natural resources, and community facilities and services.
The housing element will contain an assessment of population growth and demographics, household, and housing data sufficient for someone to understand Salisbury’s development history and to see how housing policies have influenced the size and make-up of the local population.
It will identify and analyze existing and forecasted housing needs and objectives including programs for the preservation, improvement and development of housing. This element will also identify policies and strategies to provide a balance of local housing opportunities for all Salisbury residents.
The historic and cultural resources element will focus on preserving and enhancing historical and cultural resources. It will examine the places and structures that give Salisbury the character and atmosphere its residents and visitors recognize and love, looking at how the built environment and community evolved together. The element will also document conditions requiring special protective and preservation measures.
This element will provide an inventory of the significant cultural and historic resource areas of Salisbury and policies and strategies for the protection and management of such areas.
The open space and natural resources element will outline strategies and actions to preserve and enhance scenic, water, & ecological resources and open space areas in the community. Open space may include recreational resources such as neighborhood, community-wide, and regional parks, as well as trails, golf courses, aquatic facilities, protected open space, and other publicly available outdoor and indoor facilities.
This element will provide an inventory of these natural resources and open space areas and policies and strategies for the management and protection of them.
The community facilities and services element will help Salisbury plan for schools, libraries, law enforcement, fire protection, emergency medical services, child care, senior care, arts and culture, and infrastructure. Municipal and school services help attract residents and businesses to the community and keep both residents and businesses over the long term. In addition, planning ahead for infrastructure such as public drinking water, sewer service, telecommunications, and stormwater facilities matters both for managing the community’s debt obligations and protecting the public health and welfare.
This element will identify and analyze existing and forecasted needs for facilities and services used by the public.
