Planning Board sets basic maximum of 26 units for 187 Main Street subdivision
Planning Board agrees on 26-unit cap for 187 Main Street Open Space Development. Applicant John Sarkis sought to justify a higher density based on smaller one-bedroom units, but Chair Ann E Bardeen, Board members Brian R. Murphey, and Raymond A. Cook held firm that the bylaw does not account for
Planning Board · Meeting of January 20, 2026
WEST NEWBURY — Planning Board agrees on 26-unit cap for 187 Main Street Open Space Development. Applicant John Sarkis sought to justify a higher density based on smaller one-bedroom units, but Chair Ann E Bardeen, Board members Brian R. Murphey, and Raymond A.
Cook held firm that the bylaw does not account for bedroom size in calculating density. The Board also heard a pre-application proposal for a 28 Coffin Street family compound that raised concerns about soil percolation, stormwater runoff, and reduced frontage violations. The Board voted unanimously to accept amended September 2025 minutes and set March 17 for public hearings on Cannabis and Parking Regulation zoning articles ahead of April Town Meeting.
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Source: the Planning Board meeting of January 20, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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