West Newbury Planning Board releases $55,000 Major Boyd Drive subdivision bond

WEST NEWBURY — December 16, 2025 — West Newbury Planning Board closes out Major Boyd Drive subdivision and debates cannabis buffer rules. The board voted 4-0 at its December 16 meeting to release a $55,000 performance bond for the Major Boyd Drive definitive subdivision, returning the guarantee to applicant Mr. Crow after the road was accepted by the town, with Town Planner Chris Riley's staff report recommending full release. The board also held an informal preview of a scenic road application from a Mr. Hayden seeking to remove 30 feet of stone wall on Roger Street for a new driveway opening, with the formal public hearing set for January 6. The most contentious discussion involved the draft cannabis zoning bylaw, where member Brian Murphy rejected opt-out language that would have waived the state's 500-foot school-proximity buffer, insisting the board should instead set "as tight a parameter as possible and certainly be legal" — prompting consultant Sam Joslin to agree to map 100- through 300-foot buffer scenarios and seek direct clarification from the Cannabis Control Commission before January 6. The board also moved toward finalizing a $45,000 comprehensive plan RFQ, incorporating pending comments from Select Board members Wendy Reed and Chris Weil, with a target of sending the document out in late January.