West Newbury Planning Board Rewrites MBTA Site Plan Rejection Standard, Seeks Counsel Review

WEST NEWBURY -- January 7, 2025, West Newbury Planning Board rewrites MBTA zoning site plan rejection standard and sets March public hearing target. Meeting without Associate Member Tim Cronin, the five-member board debated whether to follow town counsel Robin Stein's recommendation against any site plan denial provision in the MBTA Communities multifamily overlay district bylaw, ultimately agreeing to replace specific "intractable problem" language with a broader reference to "applicable law." Stein had written that the board should not include any denial provision and suggested seeking feedback from the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities before including even the high-standard "prudential case" language. Town Planner Katrina reported a traffic study is due January 31, a joint Planning Board and Select Board meeting is tentatively set for mid-February to review a fiscal impact study and choose a development site, and the public hearing is slated to open March 4. An outside fiscal impact study presented by consultant Angus found that multifamily developments at the contemplated density would be revenue-positive for West Newbury, while conventional single-family development would be revenue-negative.