Planning Board Member job description
The Newbury Planning Board is an elected Board composed of five members with staggered five-year terms. The Board’s primary responsibilities include: reviewing and approving or disapproving development plans in accordance with the State’s Subdivision Control Law, Newbury’s subdivision rules and regulations, and Newbury’s zoning bylaw; reviewing and proposing amendments to the Newbury Zoning Bylaw; updating the Town’s Master Plan and other long-range planning documents; rendering Site Plan Review decisions; and serving as a Special Permit-granting authority as designated under the Town’s Zoning Bylaw.
The Newbury Planning Board is comprised of five full members and one associate member. Full Planning Board members in Newbury are elected through regular elections, serving five-year terms. The term of an Associate Member is for one year, from July 1 to June 30, or any portion of that period as needed to fill an open seat. Associate Members are appointed by the Select Board, with recommendations made by the Planning Board.
In all cases, the Associate Member of the Planning Board may ask questions and provide input to projects under review and other long-range planning efforts. However, the Associate Member is only a voting member in the case of absence, inability to act, or conflict of interest on the part of a full Planning Board member, and when designated by the Chair of the Planning Board to be a voting Board member for the purposes of acting on a certain application.
All residents interested in serving on the Planning Board, full or associate positions, are requested to contact Martha Taylor, Planning Director, to learn more about the Board and Board member responsibilities. She can be reached at 978-465-0862 ext. 312, or at planningboard@townofnewbury.org.
Residents interested in serving as a full Planning Board member should also reach out to the Town Clerk to receive guidance on getting on a town election ballot. Residents interested in serving as an Associate Member are asked to submit a letter of interest to the Planning Board through the Planning Office, along with a brief resumé which highlights any background, experience, and skills relevant to the work of the Board.