Board defers affordable housing variance to town counsel
Board of Health · Meeting of February 10, 2026
West Newbury Board of Health refers housing variance to town counsel for legal review. The Board voted 2-0-1 to appoint Blake Seale to the three-member solid-waste disposal advisory committee and unanimously approved a salary adjustment for Administrative Assistant Rachel Navarro, moving her from Grade Level H Step 7 to Grade Level G Step 5. The Resettlement Partnership requested a variance for a four-unit affordable-housing project at 885 Main Street to place the septic system on adjacent property owned by the Society of Saint John the Evangelist.
Health Agent Paul Sevigny advised the Board that denying the variance without compensation could constitute a taking, and recommended counsel's review before the Board votes on the variance.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 373 words
Source: the Board of Health meeting of February 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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