Section 3 - Community Setting

Cherry Hill Nursery

A. Regional Context

Location

West Newbury is located approximately 35 miles north of Boston in the Merrimack Valley region. Encompassing an area of roughly 14 square miles, it is bordered on the north and west by the Merrimack River, on the east by Newburyport, and on the south by Newbury and Groveland. The Town falls primarily within the Merrimack River watershed, but the southeastern portion of Town lies within the Parker River watershed. The Town is just inland of the coastal zone, and is characterized by a rolling landscape of hills, open fields, and woods interlaced by freshwater wetlands.

Community Character

West Newbury is, for the most part, a semi-rural residential community which once boasted many working farms. Today, as old agricultural fields and woodlots are sold to developers, the Town is becoming increasingly suburbanized. During the 1990s, West Newbury lost a great deal of open space -- particularly along the Merrimack River and off of Route113 (Main Street) -- to new housing developments.

Commerce

There are no industries in West Newbury, and there are relatively few commercial establishments. Aside from individuals who farm their own lands, work at small local businesses, or telecommute, most residents drive to work in other nearby towns, or to more distant jobs via nearby freeways (Routes I-95 and I-495). These roads offer easy access to Boston and the Route 128 and Route 495 corridors, making West Newbury an attractive location for commuters.

Growth

Like West Newbury, several of its smaller neighboring communities (Newbury, Groveland, and Merrimac) are experiencing unprecedented growth, which is having a major impact on schools and Town services. The communities are grappling with this issue in a variety of ways which include current Open Space Planning efforts, Master Plan efforts, and proposed growth management bylaws.

Shared Resources

The Pentucket School System: West Newbury joined with the nearby Towns of Groveland and Merrimac to form the Pentucket Regional Middle and High Schools in the late 1950's. In the mid 1990's, the Towns expanded this partnership to include the elementary school system as well. The Pentucket Regional School System has turned out

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A. Regional Context, Continued

to be a generally successful partnership between the three communities, although growth has led to overcrowding in some schools. The school system's total student enrollment was 3,048 students in October 1995, 3,212 in February 1996, 3,403 in October 2001, and reached 3,522 in October 2002.

Water Supply: The Town is currently facing a problem with the municipal drinking water supply, upon which about two thirds of the Town depends. Currently, West Newbury has only a shallow wellfield that cannot supply sufficient water year-round. Therefore, the Water Department supplements the water supply by purchasing water from the City of Newburyport at retail rates. A desire to become self-sufficient was a motivating factor in purchasing the Dunn property in 2002 and in taking an option on the Andreas property. Both properties are in the well testing/permitting process. The Water Department continues to look for other possible well sites.

Merrimack River: The Merrimack River, which flows along the north side of West Newbury, is the region's preeminent river. West Newbury shares the river not only with adjacent Towns, but also with communities upriver (Haverhill, Lowell, Lawrence, etc.) and downriver (Amesbury, Newburyport, Salisbury). In years past, upstream industries and sewage treatment plants badly polluted the Merrimack, but within the last decades major efforts from many communities along the river have led to dramatic improvements in its water quality. The Merrimack is now clean enough for fishing, and provides outstanding opportunities for boating, wildlife conservation, and scenic enjoyment. Just this year, for the first time in many decades, bald eagles have returned to nest along the Merrimack, just upstream from West Newbury. The state is planning a renovation to the Rocks Village Bridge, which spans the Merrimack River and is shared by West Newbury, Haverhill, and Merrimac. The bridge upgrade will include the addition of a pedestrian walkway.

Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area: West Newbury shares the state-owned Crane Pond Wildlife Management Area (WMA) with neighboring Newbury, Groveland and Georgetown. Approximately 350 acres of the WMA lie within West Newbury. This land is comprised of wooded uplands, wetlands, and grasslands and provides an excellent mix of wildlife habitats. The Wildlife Management Area is a favorite spot for hunters during the fall hunting season and for hikers, wildlife observers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, cross country skiers, and snowmobilers at other times of the year.

Curzon's Mill Bridge: The Commonwealth, with the cooperation of West Newbury and Newburyport, restored the old Curzon's Mill Bridge over the Artichoke River so that it can be used for foot, bike, and horse traffic. This project sets the stage for the development of a trail that will connect the two communities along the Merrimack River.

B. History of the Community

Early Colonial History / Establishment of West Newbury

West Newbury shares its early history with neighboring Newburyport and Newbury. All three communities were originally part of the (then) much larger Town of Newbury.

Roughly 100 settlers from Wiltshire, England settled Newbury in 1635. This group of settlers arrived in Boston in May of 1634 and spent their initial winter in Agawam (Ipswich) before boating north to their new home on the Parker River. House and agricultural lots were allotted during that first summer (1635). "Prudential Men" (later known as Selectmen) were elected to attend to the matters of the Town, and other Town's people were appointed to offices such as the "cullers of staves" and "informers of deer".

In 1642 some of the land in the Newbury "Upper Commons" (now West Newbury) was allotted to the freeholders of Newbury. These lots were originally used as wood lots and pastures, but houses soon began to appear on them. In 1686 the remainder of the Upper Commons was divided. After a long period of petitioning both the Town of Newbury and the State, the residents of the Upper Commons were allowed to split from Newbury and incorporate their own Town. The Town of Parsons, renamed West Newbury one year later, was established in 1819.

Manufacturing

In times past, the Town supported a variety of manufacturing enterprises. West Newbury was the birthplace of the comb industry, which began in the mid-1700's; at one time there were 30 comb shops in Town. Shoe making, carriage building, leather tanning, and brick making were also important at various times. The Ruddock Shoe Factory employed 250 people in the mid to late 1800's. These businesses were transitory for a variety of reasons: some (including the Ruddock factory) were destroyed by fire, others (such as the comb shops) died out when local manufacturing practices became obsolete. While West Newbury's experience with manufacturing was somewhat fleeting, agriculture has been a constant for the Town, and was, until recently, the Town's primary "industry".

Agriculture

A look at West Newbury's history and location helps explain why agricultural has been so important to the community. The area that became West Newbury was initially parceled out to Newbury landholders for use as agricultural fields and woodlots. Newbury commerce was centered in the port area that later became Newburyport when it separated from agrarian Newbury in 1762.

West Newbury has never played the role of a major crossroads, and in recent years it has been somewhat insulated from the direct impacts of I-95 and I-495. The industrial

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B. History of the Community, Continued

enterprises that were begun in the mid 1800's failed for a variety of reasons, leaving the Town's citizens to rely on the land for their livelihoods. West Newbury remained primarily a farming community until after World War II. The Town's agrarian tradition can be seen today in its actively tended hay fields, apple orchards, cultivated lands, Christmas tree farms, and greenhouses.

Settlement Patterns

Settlement patterns dating from the 1600's and 1700's have defined West Newbury's present-day layout. The following map of the "West Parish" (Figure 3-1) dates from 1729 and shows striking similarities to today's West Newbury. With the exception of modern subdivisions, West Newbury's present road system was well-established by the early 1700's. As the map indicates, homes were concentrated along the Bradford Road (now Main Street/Route 113) and interspersed fairly evenly along the other Town roads. It appears that West Newbury has never had a distinct Town center. The historic pattern of homes and businesses being distributed evenly along the length of the old Bradford Road has led to the current configuration, in which various buildings and businesses are stretched along Main Street.

Historically, residential development has been concentrated primarily within the
Main Street corridor and, more recently, along the Merrimack River. But, as the
highly sought-after lands along the Merrimack River and Main Street are developed
as new housing, developers are beginning to turn their attention to areas south and
east of Main Street, increasing the threat to the lands central to West Newbury's
farming history.

Figure 3-1: 1729 Map of West Parish (West Newbury)

use the existing map

C. Population Characteristics

Population Growth

The population of West Newbury grew by 260% from 1950 to 2000 (2000 Census), with consistent population increases averaging around 20% for each decade during this period. This rate of increase is about twice that of the average for the Merrimack Valley region over the same period of time and much faster than that of Massachusetts (135%) or the United States as a whole (186%) for the half century. The population of the Town was 3,421 in 1990, and grew to 4,149 by the 2000 census. It is anticipated (by Merrimack Valley Planning Commission projections) that the Town will continue to grow at a rate of about 20% per decade.

Children/Seniors:

West Newbury has many families with children. The 2000 average household size (3.05 persons) is higher than that for the region as a whole (2.88 persons). Within the fifteen Merrimack Valley region communities, West Newbury has the second highest percentage of children under eighteen, and the lowest percentage of people aged 65 and over. As the population grows so does the need for recreational activities. The Town has just completed the process of building and upgrading athletic fields at Pipestave Hill. Over 850 children participate in Town and school sponsored athletic programs.

Racial Diversity

West Newbury is not an ethnically diverse community. In 2000, over 98% of the population was Caucasian.

Income

West Newbury's median household income ($92,828 according to 1999 data) is the second highest in the Merrimack Valley region, and far exceeds the state average of $50,502. As of 1999, 79% of West Newbury workers were classified as "white collar;" again, the second highest percentage for the region.

Employers

Many West Newbury residents work in the greater Boston area; others commute to Newburyport, Haverhill, Lawrence and Lowell. The largest employers within the

community are the Pentucket Regional School System, the Town of West Newbury, and the Children's Castle (a day-care facility). There are no manufacturers in the Town, but

there are a variety of small service-oriented businesses and an assortment of agriculturally based businesses. Under current zoning regulations, it is unlikely that West Newbury will support a manufacturing or commercial employer in the foreseeable future.

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C. Population Characteristics, Continued

A long-held priority of many of West Newbury’s committees and boards is to maintain
a diverse population of young families, empty-nesters, and retirees. Home to many
families with high incomes and small children, West Newbury is in danger of pricing
older, lifelong residents out of their own community, due to increasing land values and
higher taxes. Above all else, our open space goals must be compatible with the needs
of all residents, ensuring active and passive recreation opportunities for young and old,
while keeping space open for future municipal needs such as schools, affordable
housing, and water wells.

The Town must continue to address the rapid rate of residential growth by developing
mechanisms to guide the conversion of open lands to residential areas. The

Town must continue to preserve "critical" open space, including areas of special scenic,
recreational, environmental, and municipal value to the community.

D. Growth and Development Patterns

1. Patterns and Trends

Concentration of homes along Main Street and the Merrimack River

The development of West Newbury by European settlers began when the Newbury "Upper Commons" was allotted for pasturelands and woodlots. Home building soon followed, and by the early 1700's the Town's streets looked much as they do now. In the early years the highest density of homes was found along the Bradford Road (now Main Street/Rt. 113), a pattern that continues today.

Main Street has always been relatively densely built, but over recent years almost all of the large tracts of land along this road have been developed. Heavy residential development has also occurred along the Merrimack River in West Newbury. An area that was once considered the "undesirable" part of Town (when the river was badly polluted), land along the river has now become a highly sought-after place to live.

New construction on Main Street and along the Merrimack River has occurred in the form of subdivisions and Form A lots (lots meeting minimum frontage requirements along existing roads).

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D. Growth and Development Patterns, Continued

Development Pressure on Outlying Areas

Residential construction has also been occurring in the outlying portions of Town (lands south of Main Street); but while some new subdivisions have been built in these areas, Form A construction is more the norm. As the Main Street and Merrimack River areas begin to build out, heavier pressure for building land will be exerted on the outlying areas. Figure 3-2 shows the extent of development in Town as of 2000.

With its fine school system, easy automobile access to I-95 and I-495, and proximity to MBTA commuter rail lines, West Newbury will face continued development pressures.  The challenge to the Town and to its residents is to encourage development that retains those characteristics that have brought people to our quiet, semi-rural community.  A related challenge, given the exceedingly high value of land, is to encourage the development of a variety of housing options for a diverse population.  Left to market forces alone, current development tends toward large expensive homes, which are not affordable to many of those who work in the community. Some progress has been made along these lines since the 1996 OS&R Plan.  Several landowners have chosen to protect their family lands with conservation restrictions.   With funds from the Land Preservation and Growth Management Bond, the Town has purchased an important viewshed in the Cherry Hill area, as well as the 71 densely developable acres of Dunn Farm. Recently, a committee was formed to investigate the opportunity for an "over 55" continuing care development in Town.

2. Infrastructure

a. Transportation System

Roads: West Newbury's location provides it with easy access to several major transportation routes including Interstates 95 and 495, US. Route 1, and State Routes 1A, 97, 110, 113 and 133. Route 113 (Main Street) bisects the community, and other major routes are within a short distance of the Town. Interstate 95 runs north-south through the eastern end of Town and is accessible via Main Street (Route 113) and South Street. Routes 1 (Newburyport Turnpike) and 1A parallel I-95 to the east, and run south past Route 128 to Boston, and north to New Hampshire. Routes 110 (through Merrimac), 113 (through West Newbury) and 133 (through Georgetown) run east-west, providing easy access to Merrimac, Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Newburyport, and other north shore communities.

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D. Growth and Development Patterns, Continued

Aside from Route 113, West Newbury roads are typically winding, scenic country roads which are ideally suited for hiking, biking, jogging and nature observation although

increased traffic related to increased development is beginning to compromise their recreational value. The traffic increase has also led to road improvements, changing the

narrow, camel-backed nature of West Newbury’s country lanes to roads which can be traveled at greater speeds. These improvements caused a great deal of discussion and controversy within the Town, which ultimately led to the passage of the Scenic Roads By-Law in 2002. Figure 3-3 shows the Town's roads and water supply system.

Public Transportation: No railroad crosses West Newbury, but two lines of the MBTA traverse the eastern Merrimack Valley region. One of the two rail lines passes through nearby Haverhill enroute to Portland, Maine from Boston; the other runs from Boston to Newburyport and into New Hampshire (this line is currently active only between Boston and Newburyport). Both the Haverhill and Newburyport lines are currently utilized by Amtrak, which provides MBTA commuter service to Boston. Recently, the Haverhill line has added service to Portland, Maine.

In addition, express bus service operated by C&J Trailways and the Coach Company is available from Newburyport, Byfield, and Groveland to several destinations in Boston, including Logan Airport. Service is also available to Portsmouth and Durham, New Hampshire. The Newburyport Park & Ride (which supports both C&J and Coach Company service) contains about 400 parking spaces.

Other Transportation: Air travel to all parts of the world is available to West Newbury residents from Logan Airport in Boston, and from Manchester Airport in Manchester, NH. In addition, nearby Lawrence has a municipal airport approved for commercial flights. There is a commercial seaplane base at Methuen as well as a Coast Guard seaplane base at Salem, NH. There are also a number of private fields in the county, including one on the Newbury-Newburyport line.

There are eleven coastal harbors in Essex County. The harbor at Newburyport is used primarily by pleasure boats and small commercial craft. The Merrimack River affords additional opportunities for pleasure boating.

Transportation services for elderly Town residents are available from the West Newbury Council on Aging. The Council on Aging does not provide regularly scheduled transportation service to its members, but it does provide transportation for special group outings. It also provides individual transportation by prior arrangement.

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Figure 3-2: Extent of Development

D. Growth and Development Patterns, Continued

b. Water Supply System

Background: West Newbury purchased water from the Town of Groveland until 1979. In October of that year, two of Groveland's wells were found to be contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE), and West Newbury turned to Newburyport's Artichoke Reservoir for water. In December of 1990 West Newbury brought its own wellfield on line.

The Town Wellfield: The West Newbury wellfield is located on the Town line with Newburyport, near the Artichoke Reservoir. The Town's wellfield consists of seven shallow wells, with the capacity to pump 190,000 gallons of water per day. During periods of peak water usage, especially the summer, and while recharging the aquifer, the Town purchases water from Newburyport to augment its own supply. Daily peak-season water purchases from Newburyport average 300,000 gallons. Future supplements to West Newbury's water supply by Newburyport may be at risk as the city is considering providing water to Plum Island residents in the near future. The Town commissioned a water master plan, which was completed in 2001 and is currently working on a hydraulic study in order to evaluate more specifically the condition of the system and identify needed improvements.

Water Service and Usage: Roughly 64% of the Towns’ residents (845 homes) are served by Town water, the remainder by private wells. The present Town water system covers the western section of the Town and also runs the length of Main Street. (See Figure 3-3). Any new developments built within 1,000 feet of the water main are required to be connected to the water system.

Between 1990 and 2000 daily water usage in West Newbury increased from an average of 174,490 gallons per day to 210,000 gallons per day. In 1999 the Town adopted a bylaw requiring rain sensors on irrigation systems to prevent unnecessary watering.

Search for a New Well: The West Newbury Water Department is currently looking for and testing new well sites. An option to purchase the Andreas site off Indian Hill Street has been acquired, and the Town has received the necessary approvals from the Department of Environmental Protection to move forward with the purchase. Tests have indicated that the Dunn property on Chase Street is a promising well site and the Town purchased that property at Town Meeting in the spring of 2002.

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D. Growth and Development Patterns, Continued

The Town has appointed a Hydraulic Study Commission to evaluate probable future
needs and the actions the Town should take to meet those needs. 2002 has seen a
drought and water restrictions in West Newbury and surrounding communities.
Thankfully, the winter of 2002/2003 was wet and saw much snowfall. By spring, the
surface reservoirs were once again full. Even so, and even after the proposed new wells
come on line, the Town will be under considerable pressure to meet an anticipated
increasing demand for water. The Town is strongly encouraging water conservation
and may have to further limit residential irrigation.

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Figure 3-3 (Optional Map D): Road and Water Service, West Newbury 2002

D. Growth and Development Patterns, Continued

c. Sewer Service

West Newbury has no municipal sewerage system and has no plans to construct one. All sewage is disposed of via on-site systems. Septage (the material pumped from septic tanks) is transported by local haulers to the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District in North Andover. Each residential or commercial building must have its own on-site subsurface sewage disposal system constructed in accordance with the Department of Environmental Protection's Title 5 Regulations and local regulations. This requirement currently limits development to those areas where such sewage disposal systems may be located.

While that will continue to be true, the nature of allowable systems has changed. One sort of change is the advent of “shared systems.” Known variously as “community systems” or “package plants”, they use existing, approved technology to provide a single waste treatment system to service multiple dwellings. In West Newbury, the Housing Authority already uses such a system.

In 1995, the Title 5 regulations were revised to allow new alternative/innovative wastewater treatment and disposal technologies in Massachusetts. As of June 2001, DEP had approved nearly 50 different Innovative/Alternative technologies for use in Massachusetts, and DEP and local boards of health had approved more than 1,350 individual installations across the state. http://www.state.ma.us/dep/brp/wwm/files/septfact.pdf

One effect of the greater use of shared systems and the adoption of Innovative Technology by DEP will be to allow the development for housing of parcels which have been previously thought un-developable.

Other Towns in the state have been forced to construct municipal sewerage systems to address water quality problems from failing septic systems. The Town has no known problems with septic systems polluting ground or surface waters, and should remain diligent in preventing this from happening.

Regulations relating to sewage treatment currently play a very important role in
determining where development may occur within Town. If the Town were ever

forced to construct a municipal sewerage system in order to correct water quality

problems, many lands that are not currently developable under Board of Health

regulations would become buildable. Newly relaxed Title 5 regulations, along with

DEP approval of new innovative/alternative wastewater treatment technology, will
also open previously undevelopable lands to development.

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D. Growth and Development Patterns, Continued

3. Long-Term Development Patterns

West Newbury's Zoning Bylaw, first adopted in 1954, creates five zoning districts, three

of which are residential. The Bylaw was most recently revised in the fall of 2001 and it is expected that more revisions will be proposed by the Planning Board in 2003.Table 3-1 and Figure 3-4 provide information about the Town's five zoning districts.

Table 3-1: West Newbury Zoning Districts

District A	Covers much of the southern half of Town and requires an 80,000 square-foot minimum lot with 200 feet of frontage.
District B	Is concentrated in the northern part of Town and requires a 40,000 square-foot minimum lot with 200 feet of frontage.
District C	Borders Main Street and requires a 20,000 square-foot minimum lot with 150 feet of frontage.
Business District	Located at the intersection of Main Street and Maple Street, this small district permits retail and service establishments, banks, offices, restaurants, and gasoline service stations. There is no minimum lot size, but a 100-foot frontage is required.
Industrial District	Located east of Interstate 95, this district has no minimum lot size. It is currently not occupied by industry, although manufacturing, storage, and wholesale distribution are permitted. State ownership of much of the district and wet soil conditions have discouraged development in this district.

In addition, professional offices, restaurants, and conversions to two housing units per

residential structure are allowed in all districts if plans meet specific zoning requirements

or if they receive a special permit from the Planning Board.

Open Space Preservation Development

At the fall 2001 Town meeting the Town voted to replace the old Cluster Zoning regulations with a new Open Space Preservation Development regulation (so-called “Green Neighborhood” zoning). The homes in an Open Space Preservation Development are sited together in areas that offer views of and access to preserved open space. By implementing such a regulation, the Town seeks to preserve open space for all residents without limiting the property rights of the individual landowner.

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Zoning Map

Figure 3-4

Required Map 1

D. Growth and Development Patterns, Continued

Subdivision Open Space Requirements

West Newbury subdivision regulations require a minimum of 10% of the gross parcel size to be set aside for open space in the standard subdivision lot layout. The Town does have an identified Flood Plain District, within which no building or filling is allowed.

Current Projects

Currently there is only one subdivision project underway in West Newbury, a 12 lot standard subdivision off of Coffin Street. 

Building Permits

The number of building permits (which include subdivision and Form A construction) issued during the past thirteen years suggests that the pace of new construction has tapered off a bit since the mid nineties. The "bulge" between 1992 and 1994 reflects the build-out of Twig Rush, the Town's largest (40-home) subdivision, and a period of low interest rates. The drop off may also reflect the fact that land costs are increasing, that available parcels have more marginal development potential, and that our ongoing preservation efforts have had some impact.

# of permits

1989-90 12

1990-91 15

1991-92 24

1992-93 35

1993-94 40

1994-95 29

1995-96 24

` 1996-97 24

1997-98 21

1998-99 18

1999-00 19

2000-01 14

2001-02 12

Impacts of Growth

As the Town’s 2000 Comprehensive Plan points out, the Town’s nature “is ‘semi-rural,’ or a country village with telltale signs of an emerging suburban form” and the transition to suburban is well underway. The effects of increased growth are already being felt:

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D. Growth and Development Patterns, Continued

— Space at the high school is tight.

— The Town's wellfield is insufficient to meet peak water demands, necessitating the purchase of supplemental water from Newburyport and a system expansion.

— Traffic continues to increase.

— Town administrative, public safety, education, and other municipal expenditures continue to rise.

Table 3-3: Recent Pentucket School Enrollment Figures

	1992	1994	1996	2001	October 2002
Page Elementary School	426	508	548	536	537
*Pentucket Regional Middle School	380	411	464	562	585
*Pentucket Regional High School	593	679	700	921	933

*Includes students from all three towns in the Pentucket region: West Newbury, Groveland, and Merrimac

Build-Out

As described more fully in the Comprehensive Plan, under fully built-out conditions, West Newbury will look very different than it does today. There are many large parcels of private, unprotected, or temporarily protected land remaining within the community that could (and will, if left unprotected) eventually be converted to residential use.

Absent efforts to preserve open land, the Town's 1999 Comprehensive Plan projects a nearly 100% increase in residential dwellings over the next 20 years.  Development of this scale will finish the transition from "semi-rural" to suburban, and will put huge pressures on already stressed infrastructures such as schools and the water supply.  As recommended in the previous OS&R Plan, the Town has, in the interim:

— Completed a Comprehensive Plan
— Conducted a build-out analysis
— Implemented new zoning regulations. 
— Funded the Land Preservation and Growth Management Bond

Continued efforts to match the growth of residential development with the limits of our ability to fund needed services for such growth will test the ability and creativity of our Town's planners and Town leaders. By taking land out of the building equation, open space preservation will continue to be an important strategy to maintain this balance.