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Newburyport ZBA approves special permit for 25 Summit Place; ADU, deck and driveway changes allowed with conditions
Summary
On Jan. 13, 2026 the Newburyport Zoning Board of Appeals approved a special permit allowing modest rear and side additions and a 511 sq ft accessory dwelling unit at 25 Summit Place, subject to a single ADU curb cut, sidewalk work and a tree-planting condition; final curb-cut approval remains with DPS.
The Newburyport City Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5–0 on Jan. 13, 2026 to grant a special permit for 25 Summit Place, allowing a 170-square-foot rear addition over an existing deck, a right-side addition and an accessory structure that will contain a 511-square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU).
Attorney identified in the record as "Attorney B," representing owner Sally McHugh, told the board the project ‘‘is not substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood than the existing non-conforming structure,’’ and described the additions as modest and sited to preserve large trees. Architect Andrew Sford said the design intent was to "blend in" with the existing house and keep the accessory structure under 14 feet to match neighborhood scale.
City materials presented to the board reported the lot area as 8,267 ft² and noted existing setback nonconformities: a front setback recorded as 10.7 feet (where 25 feet is required) and a left-side setback at 4.3 feet (where 10 feet is required). The applicant described the proposed rear extension and deck as occupying the same general footprint as the existing deck; presentation slides stated the ADU would be 511 sq ft and the rear addition about 170 sq ft. The record contains a transcribed figure for the existing rear setback that appears as "221," which the board treated as a transcription anomaly while noting the rear encroachment is less than the required 25 feet.
Board members questioned the applicant about driveway and curb-cut arrangements for the ADU, on-street parking impacts, and neighbor outreach. Several members said they were comfortable deferring technical approval of curb cuts and related street-work to the Department of Public Services (DPS) but wanted conditions to avoid creating two double-width driveways that would change the block’s character. Attorney B and the applicant said they would work with DPS on final curb-cut configuration.
During deliberations members repeatedly cited the lot’s comparatively large width as a reason the project would fit in context. The board approved the permit by roll call vote with conditions requiring: (1) a single curb cut for the ADU driveway (final configuration subject to DPS approval); (2) replacement of the sidewalk per staff recommendation; and (3) planting a tree between the two buildings as mitigation.
The board’s approval is a permit under the ZBA’s special-permit provisions for existing nonconforming structures. The vote was 5 in favor, 0 opposed. The applicant and attorney may still need permits or administrative approvals from DPS for the curb cut and from building/code enforcement for ADU construction; the transcript indicates those approvals are separate from the ZBA’s action.
The ZBA closed deliberations and moved on to routine business. The meeting record shows no in-room or online public commenters spoke on 25 Summit Place during the public-comment period.
What happens next: the applicant will work with DPS on the curb cut and with city staff to satisfy the stated conditions; the transcript does not specify a date for permit issuance or building permits and lists those follow-ups as administrative steps.
