Newburyport Conservation Commission closes 30-year-old permits, clears waterfront boardwalk project

Conservation · Meeting of May 5, 2026

Newburyport Conservation Commission unanimously closes two 1990s-era open permits and clears a major waterfront boardwalk rehabilitation project in a single meeting. The commission voted 6-0 to issue certificates of compliance for two 1995-1996 orders of conditions at 2 Marsh View Way, relying on a signed affidavit from attorney Matt Kavanaugh after city records were destroyed in a mold incident and Mass DEP could produce no documents; former owner Christopher Raines confirmed via Zoom that the permitted dock, gazebo, and elevated walkway "were never undertaken at all." In a separate 6-0 vote, the commission issued a negative two determination for a phased replacement of the city's deteriorating central waterfront boardwalk at 22 Merrimack Street, where GEI Consultants' Daniel Robbins said replacing the entire structure would cost roughly $1 million more than the hybrid timber-and-composite approach proposed, with construction targeting the October-to-May off-season. A sauna operation at 82 Second Street was continued to May 19, with staff directed to consult the zoning administrator about whether the operator has exceeded a 180-day temporary-structure limit and warning that enforcement action remains on the table.

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Source: the Conservation meeting of May 5, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.