West Newbury Planning Board Unanimously Approves Pleasant Street Common Driveway Special Permit

WEST NEWBURY -- June 17, 2025, West Newbury Planning Board issues common driveway special permit and opens native plant policy discussion. The board voted 4 to 0 Tuesday to grant six subdivision waivers, adopt required special-permit findings, and issue the permit for a common driveway on Pleasant Street, capping a review process that began in February. Acting Chair Rob Phillips and members Ray Cook, Deb Hamilton, and Brian Murphy added a condition requiring that both existing concrete culverts on the property be inspected and cleaned as necessary, after Murphy raised concerns about a 12-inch drainage pipe near the Pleasant Street entrance whose second outlet had not been positively located. Engineer John Tilton of Williams and Spragas reported that peer reviewer Meridian's eight comments had all been addressed, including documentation for a six-inch compacted-stone sub-base supporting TrueGrid pervious pavers that will widen the 12-foot driveway to 20 feet total. Carol Decker, co-founder of West Newbury Wild and Native and a 29-year Mass Audubon veteran, then presented the ecological case for native plant requirements in development review, pointing to Somerville's ordinance as a model and asking the board to develop phased guidance language. Town Planner Katrina announced her resignation, effective June 30.