West Newbury Planning Board Approves Visioning Scope, Orders Slope Regulation Rewrite

Planning Board · Meeting of February 17, 2026

West Newbury Planning Board unanimously advances master plan visioning scope and targets April public hearing on steep-slope rules. The board voted 5-0 Tuesday to approve a draft scope of work for the first phase of the town's comprehensive plan update — a visioning and build-out analysis to be conducted by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission at a net cost to the town of $25,880, after DLTA funds reduce the full $30,880 proposal; a last-minute friendly amendment added a contingency of up to $5,000 for outside consultants at MVPC's discretion. Chair Ann Bardeen said a small strike-force group including herself, MVPC Representative Brian R.

Murphey, Town Planner Chris Riley, and Town Manager Angus would meet as soon as February 23 to advance the contract to the Select Board for execution. The board also directed Clerk Raymond A. Cook and Riley to draft revised subdivision regulations replacing a 25 percent steep-slope threshold with a uniform 20 percent "slope resource area" standard matching the zoning bylaw, with a public hearing targeted for March 17.

In a separate 5-0 vote, the board recommended the town not pursue acquiring a Chapter 61 forestry parcel at 125 River Road, where a subdivision was previously approved for owner Michael Fusco.

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Source: the Planning Board meeting of February 17, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.