Planning board continues Country Club Estates hearing after residents raise wastewater, parking and screening concerns

The Newburyport City Planning Board on Dec. 17, 2025 continued the public hearing for the Country Club Estates site-plan to Jan. 7, 2026, after a presentation of revised site plans and sustained public comment from nearby residents about wastewater backups, rodent control and loss of screening.

The applicant’s representative described plan changes since the last meeting, saying the revised plan adds a left‑side drive aisle to improve vehicle maneuvering, introduces additional landscape islands near the pool and along the long strip parking, proposes roughly 30 new trees (up from six in the initial submission) and increases parking capacity by 59 spaces. The representative also said pavement changes required adjustments to the stormwater management design and that some construction details remain to be finalized.

Neighbors said the proposed changes would worsen existing infrastructure problems and privacy impacts. Frank Clapp, who identified himself as a trustee and treasurer in the village of Newburyport, told the board: “I’m extremely concerned that this wastewater treatment plan… the extra backflow going into our storage system on the street is, I think, a good problem.” Multiple residents described recent sewer backups into homes and slow‑draining puddles on Woodman Way. One resident said, “the sewage backs up into our bathrooms,” underscoring the neighborhood’s concern about drainage capacity.

Other public commenters focused on visual and noise impacts. Deb Georgio, a trustee involved with local landscape efforts, asked the board to “carefully consider what accommodations will be made for the people who currently live on Corporate Way,” warning that headlights and loss of existing planting would reduce privacy. Jane Haggerty, a Woodman Way resident, asked why guest parking and numbered spaces would be added and said she doubted the promised plantings would materialize. Rose Machapi reported continuing rat problems and said moving dumpsters closer to buildings could exacerbate that issue.

Board members questioned the rationale for increasing parking above a configuration the project had used for years (the applicant said demand had increased and that zoning does not set a maximum), sought clarification about screening and buffering along the property line, and asked the applicant to provide missing details on dumpster screening, landscape plan certification, and any necessary traffic or environmental impact analyses. The board and staff noted receipt of a comment letter from a staff reviewer and discussed an ADA memo that appeared to find code compliance; the ADA item was flagged for a potential special condition if needed.

One board member raised a procedural concern about the applicant’s standing to represent property interests on behalf of a trust that owns Woodman Way and recommended legal review. The board adopted a motion to continue the Country Club Estates hearing to the Jan. 7, 2026 meeting to allow the applicant to clarify representation and to give the city solicitor an opportunity to advise the board. A committee member moved to continue the hearing, the motion was seconded, and the board voted to continue.

What’s next: The board asked the applicant to submit any revised waiver requests and updated plan sheets before the next meeting and to clarify dumpster/screening details, landscape specifications, and stormwater documentation. The hearing was continued to Jan. 7, 2026 for further review and legal clarification.