Salem's planning director called 'visionary' as he retires after 39 years

Dec. 13—Ross Moldoff leaves Salem looking much different as he plans to retire at the end of the month after nearly four decades as planning director.

The 65-year-old helped the town review plans for a new grandstand at Rockingham Park horse track, the Mall at Rockingham Park, improvements to Canobie Lake Park and the development of Tuscan Village.

Other less flashy projects have included water and sewer improvements to support growth over his 39 years as department head.

"It was an exciting time in Salem's history," Moldoff said Monday afternoon. "I played a small part in reviewing the development plans."

He came to Salem in 1983 after working for the Rockingham County Planning Commission.

"I really wanted to get to the local level," he said. "I thought I would be able to make a difference at the local level."

He liked getting into the nitty gritty of local plans. After 20 years, he often joked he might want to return to more regional planning.

"I like being able to make a difference, although I would say it is a relatively small difference," Moldoff said. "I was able to work with so many different people and it was fun for me."

Tuscan Village, at about 4 million square feet, is by far the largest project needing attention from the planning division. The development is at the site of Rockingham Park, which officially shuttered in 2016.

Joe Faro, developer of Tuscan Village, first met Moldoff in 2009 as he started to come up with concepts for the development. Moldoff had screensavers of village centers on his computer such as developments in Reston, Virginia, and Annapolis, Maryland, which include homes, shops, restaurants and entertainment.

"Ross is every bit as visionary as we are," Faro said. "It has been a tremendous experience to visualize and conceptualize and ultimately execute the Tuscan Village."

Faro said Moldoff had a huge impact on the project.

"He saw the vision for a mixed-use, downtown center even before I did," he said. "Honest to God, if you didn't have a planner as visionary as Ross, I don't know if the Tuscan Village would have been a reality ... Ross' thumbprints are all over the Tuscan Village and we are super proud of that."

Some of his contributions include architectural features and landscaping. Molfoff pushed for community parks and gathering spaces.

"If you think about everything in Salem that has happened under his guidance, Salem is a transformational gateway to New Hampshire," Faro said.

Moldoff started at 26 years old with a construction boom going in town. He has seen growth ebb and flow over the years.

"We've gone through two or three of them at least," he said of building booms. "Every decade it seems like there are boom and bust cycles in the economy and that affects the type of stuff I get to do."

He has worked on three master plans and multiple other comprehensive plans.

"One I kind of wrote myself," he said. "It was an update. We hired consultants for a couple of them."

Master plans are often technical and require zoning amendments and changes to town regulations. Some of the work included amendments to wetland, sign, home occupation, affordable housing and accessory dwelling ordinances.

At one point, he oversaw the Conservation Commission, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustments.

"It was quite a workload," he said.

Eventually, assistant planner Jacob LaFontaine was hired to help with the load. LaFontaine is set to succeed Moldoff.

"We've worked together for three years," Moldoff said. "He's ready now."

Faro said construction of Tuscan Village is about 50% complete with its master plan being 85% complete.

"For a city planner, one of the most fun things you can do is help plan a city, that is what we are supposed to do," he said. "Joe Faro is building a little city out there. It actually isn't that little."

Moldoff said he will miss working with small business owners and other town hall employees the most. His last day will be Dec. 30.

The biggest challenge over the years? Keeping up with everything.

"There was so much development," Moldoff said.