POLICY DATABASE
Policy Summary

Identifies urban agriculture as an accessory use, focusing on chicken keeping, and sets standards for keeping of chickens.

Background Information

State Massachusetts
Jurisdiction Name Salem
Jurisdiction Type City,
Population Size 5,000-50,000
Legal Strategies
  • Requires something, sets standards
  • Expressly allows something
Reach Community-wide
Food System Category Grow; Get;
Evidence for Health

This policy may correspond to diet-related strategies identified by the County Health Rankings’ What Works for Health tool, including:

For research on the potential effectiveness, please review the category links above.

We understand that this information is not comprehensive. It also does not include other important forms of evidence such as community members’ lived experiences and practice-based evidence.

Policy Details

Refers to priority populations?
Yes

"to ensure housing for all income levels" (Sec. 1.1).

Health-related goal?
Yes

"to preserve health" (sec. 1.1).

Environmental goal?
Yes

"to preserve and protect the water supply, open space and conservation of natural resources, to prevent the pollution of the environment" (sec. 1.1).

Economic goal?
Yes

"to ensure housing for all income levels" 1.1

Includes findings?
No

Has a stated intent or purpose?
Yes

"For the purpose of promoting the health, safety, convenience, morals or welfare of the inhabitants of Salem...to lessen congestion in the streets; to preserve health; ... to conserve the value of land and buildings; to encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the City; and to preserve and increase its amenities, to preserve and protect the water supply, open space and conservation of natural resources, to prevent the pollution of the environment and community blight, to ensure housing for all income levels and compliance with the master plan of the City of Salem." Sec. 1.1.

Includes definitions?
Yes

Sec. 10.0

Addresses implementation?
Yes

Applications for a permit to keep hens is sent to the Inspector of Animals, on an annual basis. Sec. 3.2.7.2(h).

Enforcement provisions?
Yes

"Violation of any of the provisions of this Ordinance shall constitute a misdemeanor. Any person who violates this Ordinance shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than three hundred dollars ($300.00) per violation and, in addition, shall pay all costs and expenses involved in the case. Each day such violation continues shall be considered a separate offense. " Sec 9.2.3.

Evaluation component?
No

Requires extra investment?
No

Code context and ordinance history

Zoning Code, § 3- Use regulations, 3.2 accessory uses, 3.2.7-urban agriculture. History: Ord. of 12-11-14(3).

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