West Newbury Planning Board Continues Pickleball Court Review, Flags Signage and Path Issues

WEST NEWBURY — August 6, 2025 — West Newbury Planning Board advances pickleball court site plan review, continues hearing to August 19. The board, meeting August 6 with four of five members present, reviewed revised engineering plans for two CPA-funded courts at Action Cove, pressing engineer Rich Williams on fence post foundation depth, signage placement, and the access path's proximity to a wetland buffer zone. Conservation Commission member Molly Hawkins, 347 Main Street, asked the board to document justification for routing the path within the standard 25-foot no-disturb zone; Williams demonstrated a revised alignment hugging closer to an existing 10-inch tree that would bring the nearest approach to roughly 20 feet from the wetland. Town Manager Angus Ramsay confirmed no lighting is planned and that Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Doug Casey is targeting a 9 or 10 a.m. opening time, an 11 a.m. Sunday start, and an 8 p.m. hard close. The board voted unanimously to continue the site plan hearing to August 19 at 7:30 p.m. and agreed to write a formal letter to the Select Board recommending future investment in parking improvements and a formalized path between the two parking areas.