2026-009 Comprehensive Zoning Update

Request for Proposals
Comprehensive Zoning Update
RFP 2026-009
Town of Salem, NH
SALEM PURCHASING
Gia Faccadio, Purchasing Agent
Nicole McGee, Finance Director
Joseph R. Devine, Jr., Town Manager
Prepared for and in coordination with:
Salem NH Planning Department
Jacob LaFontaine, Planning Director
jlafontaine@salemnh.gov
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TOWN OF SALEM NH
RFP 2026-009
COMPREHENSIVE ZONING UPDATE
The Town of Salem NH, in coordination with the Salem NH Planning Board is seeking
proposals from qualified planning consultants for a comprehensive update of Salem NH Zoning
Ordinance in accordance with the specifications, terms, and conditions listed in RFP 2026-009
which can be obtained at https://www.salemnh.gov/bids. All bids must be received by
August 13, 2026, at 11:00 AM EST. Late proposals will not be considered. Three (3)
original hard copies, one (1) separately sealed copy of the bid price, and one (1) electronic
copy (USB drive) in Adobe PDF of the bid package must be submitted in a sealed
envelope, plainly marked:
Town of Salem NH
ATTN: Purchasing Division
RFP 2026-009
Comprehensive Zoning Update
33 Geremonty Drive
Salem, NH 03079
Qualified companies requiring additional information or clarification relative to the contents of
the bid may direct inquiries to Gia Faccadio, Purchasing Agent, gfaccadio@salemnh.gov.
The Town reserves the right to reject any or all bids or any part thereof, to waive any informality
in the bidding, and to accept the bid considered to be in the best interest of the Town. The Town
also reserves the right to conduct reasonable negotiations with low bidders and sole bidders.
Failure to submit all information may disqualify a bid.
Background
The Town of Salem NH invites qualified planning consultants to submit proposals for professional
services to assist the Salem Planning Board in the comprehensive update of Salem's Zoning
Ordinance. The update will implement key goals, policies and recommendations set forth in the
2025 Town-wide Master Plan and will provide Town officials, property owners, businesses,
developers, residents and staff with clear and concise land use regulations, in a legally defensible
document.
The Ordinance should be approachable, user-friendly, illustrative, and provide succinct
development standards that will reduce the need for variances/conditional use permits and the
number of existing non-conformities. This should be accomplished through district revisions
tailored to the existing built environments while also contemplating reasonable future expansion
and densification as identified in the Master Plan.
The consultant team should have demonstrated experience in rewriting municipal zoning
ordinances, master plan implementation, public engagement, economic analysis, and New
Hampshire and federal land use law. Multidisciplinary teams, which may be a single firm or a
consultant team consisting of firms with specialized expertise are encouraged to submit a proposal.
It is anticipated that work will begin in the fall of 2026 and the revision will be adopted by the
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Town in late 2027/early 2028.
Finalist will be invited to review proposals at a meeting for selection.
Community Profile
The Town of Salem is located on the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border with direct access to
Interstate 93. Salem is a popular regional shopping and visitor destination due to NH's lack of
sales tax and proximity to the Massachusetts market. Total land area of the Town is 25.4 square
miles. The Town's population is approximately 31,000, making it the seventh largest municipality
in the State. However, the Town's average daytime population is far greater because of retail
shopping, recreation, and employment centers. Canobie Lake Park and Tuscan Village are regional
destinations which attract visitors from a wide area in central and northern New England, and the
Mall at Rockingham Park is the largest shopping mall in New Hampshire.
Salem operates under a Town Council form of government led by a Town Manager and nine-
member Council and enjoys, AAA bond rating from S&P due to its strong budgetary performance
and financial management.
The Town's 2025 Master Plan can be viewed at the following link:
https://www.salemnh.gov/1162/2025-Master-Plan
Project Scope
The updated Zoning Ordinance shall address the following goals:
- Improve consistency between the Zoning Ordinance, the Master Plan, and Land Use
Regulations
- Eliminate conflicts, redundancies, and outdated provisions
- Improve clarity, organization, and usability
- Ensure compliance with current New Hampshire and federal land use law
- Modernize standards to reflect current best practices in the field of planning
The selected consultant shall:
1. Conduct a comprehensive regulatory audit identifying inconsistencies, gaps, and outdated
provisions with respect to goals expressed in the 2025 Master Plan;
2. Conduct public outreach, including preferred in-person attendance at three (3) Planning
Board and/or Town Council meetings, (2) Public input events, and remote attendance at
recurring staff meetings;
3. Recommend gaps and specific areas for improvements to the existing Ordinance including,
but not limited to:
a. Dimensional standards
b. Building type and lot standards
c. Streetscape standards
d. Parking and Access standards
e. Landscape Standards
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f. Special standards (aesthetic/nuisance/life-safety);
g. District boundary updates
h. Definitions
4. Prepare revised, comprehensive draft language for the Revised Zoning Ordinance,
including graphic content to improve ability for interpreting and communicating
dimensional standards and design preferences;
5. Align definitions, procedures, and dimensional standards across all Planning regulations;
6. Implement flexible context sensitive dimensional standards that reduce reliance on
variances and conditional use permits.
7. Improve administrative and review procedures for clarity and efficiency.
Priority Considerations
The objective of this project is to develop a zoning ordinance that will manifest and build on the
vision and recommendations of the 2025 Master Plan, which is fundamentally about shaping
Salem's development patterns in a way that continues to provide big city amenities with a small-
town feel. The Master Plan is structured around four interlocking Plan Pillars - Mixed Use Core,
Missing Middle Edges, Gathering Spaces, and Town Connectors - designed to reinforce and rely
on one another; and two development vision focus areas - the Historic Town Center and Depot
Village. This zoning update should be particularly informed by these and the following elements:
Mixed Use Core: The Master Plan identified the Broadway (Route 28) commercial corridor as an
area that can harness the growth from Tuscan Village and strategically absorb it along the
corridor's abutting parcels creating a buffer and transition between urban-scale corridor
development and Salem's small-town residential fabric. This approach sets the tone for a delicate
balance between encouraging the kind of investment that can address cost of living and amenity
and infrastructure gaps in the town, while continuing to respect, protect, and celebrate Salem's
small-town feel.
Missing Middle Edges: The Master Plan established the goal of expanding housing options to
match Salem's household sizes and budgets, especially near the "Mixed Use Core." It was
acknowledged that the local economy cannot thrive if local housing options remain unattainable
and continue to be a barrier to attracting and maintaining a talented workforce. It is critical that all
denser development is tied to the delivery of infrastructure and other priorities that emerged
through the Master Plan process such as sidewalk, intersection, crossing, and recreation
enhancements, and must include context sensitive design (especially abutting lower density
residential neighborhoods) as well as appropriate mitigation to avoid negative impacts on
residents' quality of life and tax burden.
Depot Village: Salem's Depot Village is located at the intersection of Main Street (Route 97) and
Broadway (Route 28) has a long history as a distinct center for the town and has been a center for
commercial and regional visitors since the railroad era. Recent investments - including restoration
of the historic Depot Station, construction of Veteran's Plaza, portions of the Salem Rail Trail, and
reconstruction of the Depot intersection - have spurred redevelopment. The Town has seen modest
utilization of the existing Depot Village Overlay Ordinance; the Master Plan anticipates expansion
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of the district boundaries and updates to the design standards and permitted density and height to
increase use and produce a built environment consistent with historic planning efforts.
Historic Town Center/Main Street Corridor: Salem's Historic Town Center located at the
intersection of Main Street (Route 97) and Bridge Street/School Street had served as the Town's
civic center from the 1740s into the 1940s. Main Street now lacks coherence and vibrancy to serve
its historic role of connecting and unifying local life to regional and national development. The
potential is there for it to again serve as a unifying, complementary spine for Broadway (Route 28)
that connects this vital commercial corridor to neighborhoods to the West and East, respectively.
The Master Plan anticipates cultivating the Historic Town Center as a counterweight and
complement to Tuscan Village. New opportunities for redevelopment should be encouraged, while
highlighting the preservation of historic structures and adjacent neighborhoods.
Recreational Districts: The Town has four distinct areas zoned Recreational clustered around the
Town's water bodies, including Arlington Pond, Captains Pond, Shadow Lake and Wilsons Pond.
The Zoning Ordinance does not reflect the current development patterns within these areas, and
dimensional variances have routinely been granted. Consideration should also be given to adding
areas to the west and north of Millville Lake, with historic development patterns consistent with
this District, as well as rezoning the area adjacent to Wilsons Pond where the development pattern
is more consistent with the Rural District.
Town Connectors: Salem's development history has resulted in multiple town centers, each
offering different experiences, amenities and services. In order for them all to work together to
provide a high quality of life for the Salem community, they need to be better connected, especially
for those who would prefer to travel between these hubs of activity on foot or by bicycle. The
recommendations under this category offer a series of projects and policies that can collectively
establish the "Complete Streets" infrastructure needed to connect Tuscan Village and the Depot to
the Civic Core and Historic Town Center.
Gathering Spaces: The Master Plan envisions a series of connected spaces achieved through
focused updates to sidewalks and connecting key destinations, light improvements to intersections
and street design. The zoning update should be informed by these elements.
Business Innovation Overlay (Exit 2): The Town's Business Innovation Overlay District seeks
to encourage and support key growth industries (high technology, health care, biotechnology,
education, etc.) to bring increased investment to the Town to create a sustainable economic base,
and produce job creation, growth and retention. This Ordinance has not been utilized since its
adoption in 2016.
Core and Supporting Topics: Housing; Economy; Transportation; Land Use and Built Form;
Recreation and Amenities; Public Utilities, Services and Facilities; Natural Resources and
Conservation; Sustainability and Resilience; Historic Preservation.
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Project Schedule
Once the consultant team is selected, it is anticipated that work will begin in the fall of 2026 and
the revised Zoning Ordinance will be formally adopted by the Town in late 2027/early 2028. The
Town anticipates a timely and efficient project schedule that will maintain the interest of the
community to ensure the process carries momentum, but also allows for robust engagement,
collaboration, thoughtful debate and opportunities to thoroughly vet the document. It's anticipated
that the project will be completed no later than 18 months from date of project commencement.
While the Municipal staff will be closely involved with preparation of the zoning update,
existing work commitments preclude them from spending substantial time conducting research
or writing documents. It is essential that the consultant be able to dedicate the time needed to
conduct tasks and manage the project independently.
Project Deliverables
At the completion of the project the consultant shall provide the following:
- Executive Summary including definitions, principles, intent, and an explanation of the
regulations and land use permitting process in clear and concise language.
- Zoning Map delineating district boundaries, the location of streets public spaces, natural
amenities, and other special features. Mapping will be completed by Town Staff with
design input from the consultant team.
- Building Types and Lot Standards governing basic form, placement, and fundamental
elements to ensure that buildings complement existing development and enhance the
streetscape. Building standards should be based on existing building types as well as new
building types that will add vitality to the streetscape, provide new housing choices, and
new venues and amenities.
- Dimensional Standards that are context sensitive and minimize the need for zoning relief.
- Permitted Use Regulations that simplify use categories for all districts and eliminate
redundancy and/or outdated regulations.
- Public Realm and Streetscape Standards define the types of spaces appropriate for various
districts and locations and promote walkable spaces in close proximity to residences and
workplaces.
- Parking & Access Standards that are context sensitive, encourage alternative forms of
transportation, discourage vehicular oriented development, and provide suitable parking
requirements to minimize the need for conditional use permits.
- Landscape Standards that are context sensitive and enhance commercial development
outcomes.
- Special Standards as needed to address aesthetic or nuisance related concerns, such as
signage, loading, trash areas, noise, light, or life/safety issues.
At least one reproducible hard copy of the final document and one electronic copy in both Adobe
PDF and MS Word format including all narratives and graphics shall be submitted.
The consultant shall also submit any maps and supporting map data prepared by the consultant for
the report, provided in a format compatible with the latest version of ArcGIS; and Spreadsheets
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and charts in MS Excel format including support data for any tables and graphs used in the
document.
Submission and Proposal Requirements-Appendix A
To facilitate evaluation of the proposals, interested consultant teams are instructed to be concise
and follow the following outline in responding. Proposals that do not follow the outline, or do not
contain the required information, may be determined to be incomplete and not considered.
All proposals must include the following information:
1. Letter of Transmittal
2. Executive Summary: Provide a brief description of the project team's approach to meeting
the requirements as outlined in the RFP, indicate any major requirements that cannot be
met, highlight why this project is of interest to the team, and outline the firm(s) history,
structure and capabilities.
3. Project Team: Provide an organizational profile of the project team, including the
background and experience of all firms represented. Clearly identify the project manager
and team members and staff who would be assigned to each section of the project. If
different consultants are teaming together, identify who would be the lead consultant.
4. Summary of Project Understanding and Approach: Provide a statement summarizing the
proposed technical and professional approach to the project and a detailed outline of the
proposed services for executing the requirements of this RFP. Describe the communication
methods that your company will use to ensure project expectations are met.
5. Project Schedule: Submit a schedule detailing how the project approach would be
implemented including estimated dates for project milestones.
6. Related Project Experience: Submit summaries of at least three projects with a similar
scope described in this RFP. The summaries should reflect a demonstrated record of
completing projects on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of the communities
involved. The contact information for the municipal contacts should be included, and the
Town reserves the right to contact any references provided or otherwise obtained.
7. Cost Proposal and Budget: Please submit a cost estimate and typical billing rates (in a
separate sealed envelope).
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed utilizing a quality-based evaluation process and bids will not be opened
until all proposals have been reviewed for their quality. The selection team will evaluate each
proposal based on the following criteria:
1. Conformance with submission requirements; including the format of the proposal,
capabilities, work program, professional and technical approaches, and clarity.
2. Apparent specialized experience and technical competence of the firm(s) and its personnel
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in the required disciplines, including thorough understanding of federal, state, and local
land use statutes that the Town operates under.
3. Past record of performance with respect to quality of work, control of costs, ability to meet
schedules and references from past clients.
4. The ability of the consultant team to address the project scope and core competencies
outlined in this RFP.
5. Innovation and creativity in the proposal's approach to the project
RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS
Vendors must include the following in the submissions of their bids:
1. Submission no later than Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 11:00AM EST.
2. Attachment A: Submission and Proposal Requirements
3. Attachment B: Signatory Declaration
4. Attachment C: Non-Collusion Statement
5. Attachment D: Indemnification Agreement
6. Attachment E: No Bid Questionnaire
7. W-9
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GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
*These are General Terms and Conditions for all Request for Bids, and some items thereof may not
be applicable to this bid.
PREPARATIONS OF BIDS/PROPOSALS: Proposals shall be submitted on the forms provided and
must be signed by the Bidder or his authorized representative. The person signing the proposal shall initial
any corrections to entries made on the attached forms.
Vendors must provide pricing on all items appearing on the bid forms unless specific directions in the
advertisement, on the bid form or in the special provisions allowed for partial bids. Failure to provide
pricing on all items may disqualify the bid. Alternative bids will be considered, unless otherwise stated,
only if the alternate is described completely, including, but not limited to, sample, if requested and
specifications sufficient so that a comparison to the request can be made.
Any questions or inquiries must be submitted in writing and must be received by the Purchasing
Department no later than seven (7) calendar days before the Request for Proposal due date to be considered.
Any changes to the Request for Proposal will be provided to all bidders of record.
The name of manufacturer, trade name, or catalog number mentioned in this request for bid description is
for the purpose of designating a minimum standard of quality and type. Such references are not intended
to be restrictive, although specified color, type of material and specified measurements may be mandatory.
Proposals will be considered for any brand that meets or exceeds the quality of the specifications listed. On
all such proposals, the bidder shall specify the product they are proposing and shall supply sufficient data
to enable a comparison to be made with the particular brand or manufacturer specified. Failure to submit
the above may be sufficient grounds for rejection of the proposal.
SUBMITED BIDS/PROPOSALS: Proposals must be submitted as directed in the Notice to Qualified
Firms, and on the forms provided unless otherwise specified. Proposals must be typewritten or printed in
ink. Proposals must be mailed or delivered in person. Proposals that are faxed or emailed will not be
accepted.
WITHDRAWING BIDS/PROPOSALS: Proposals may be withdrawn prior to the opening date and
time upon written request of the Proposer. Negligence on the part of the Proposer in preparing his/her
proposal shall not constitute a right to withdraw a proposal subsequent to the proposal opening.
PROPOSAL EVALUATION:
The Town reserves the right to reject any and all proposals received for the following reasons including
but not limited to:
* Fails to adhere to one or more of the provisions established in the proposal.
* Fails to submit its proposal at the time or in the format specified herein or to supply the minimum
information requested herein.
* Fails to meet the minimum evaluation criteria specified in this proposal.
* Fails to submit its proposal to the required address on or before the deadline date established by
the Town.
* Misrepresents its services, experience and personnel by providing demonstrably false information
in its proposal or fails to provide material information.
* Fails to submit its cost on the enclosed bid form.
* Refuses a reasonable request for an interview.
* Refuses to provide clarification requested by the Town.

RECEIPT AND OPENING OF PROPOSALS:
Proposals shall be submitted prior to the time fixed in the Request for Sealed Bids/RFP. Proposals received
after the time so indicated shall be returned unopened.
PROPOSAL RESULTS:
All sealed bids received will be considered confidential and not available for public review until after
the bid opening is conducted. Bid and RFP openings will be scheduled and opened accordingly. Results
will not be given over the phone. Please send your request in writing or send an email to
gfaccadio@salemnh.gov to receive sealed bid results after the public opening. All Bids, RFP's, and
RFQ's will remain unofficial and if applicable confidential until the award has been posted on the Town
website.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: If and as requested per document, provide a description of the
firm's knowledge and experience in the industry. Highlight your company's experience to provide the
highest quality and effective product and reliable service and support.
REFERENCES: If and as requested per document, projects within the past ten years best illustrating current
qualifications for this project.
AWARD OF BID: It is the policy of the Town of Salem, NH that bids are awarded only to responsible
bidders. In order to qualify as responsible, a prospective vendor must meet the following standards as
they relate to this request:
* Have adequate financial resources for performance or have the ability to obtain such
resources as required during performance.
* Have the necessary experience, organization, technical and professional qualifications, skills
and facilities.
* Be able to comply with the proposed or required time of completion or performance schedule; and
* Have a demonstrated satisfactory record of performance.
* Adhere to the specifications of this bid and provide all documentation required of this bid.
The bid will be awarded to a responsive & responsible bidder based on the best cost, qualifications
and experience of the bidder, the quality of the equipment/product /materials/services to be provided
and the support that the bidder offers during the duration of the contract terms. The Town reserves its right
to award based on its best interest understanding the volatility of current market conditions including
excessive lead times, build dates, delivery dates, recalls, and specification uncertainty. Exceptions can and
will be made thereof should they be warranted.
EXECUTION OF AGREEMENT:
The successful proposer shall sign (execute) the necessary agreements for entering into the contract and
return such signed agreements to the town within ten (10) calendar days from the date mailed or otherwise
delivered to the successful Proposer.
APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT:
Upon receipt of the agreement that has been fully executed by the proposer, the owner will complete the
execution of the agreement and return the agreement to the contractor. The Agreement accompanied by a
Town issued purchase order will be delivered to the contractor and will constitute a mutual approval and
agreement by both parties to abide by the terms and conditions of the agreement.
FAILURE TO EXECUTE AGREEMENT:
Failure of the successful proposer to execute the agreement at the date and time agreed upon by the Town
and the successful Proposer shall be just cause for cancellation of the award and forfeiture of all deposits.