Committee moves to add 269 High Road to proposed district, prepares testimony for town meeting

The Newbury Lower Green Local Historic District Study Committee agreed to pursue inclusion of 269 High Road in its proposed district and set follow‑up steps to finalize the change before town meeting.

Joy said a resident approached the committee asking to include a property on High Road; committee members concluded the house (identified in committee notes as 269 High Road, owner John Ferrara) met the eligibility criteria used in the inventory and was ‘‘on the cusp’’ of the proposed boundary. Joy read a response from the deputy state historic-preservation official confirming that preliminary report boundaries can be adjusted after a public hearing and that changes may be noted in the final report.

Members agreed to update the boundary map, revise the inventory entry and add a current photograph and a short paragraph describing the property's historical significance. The committee asked the member who already took a photograph to send it and requested that the inventory paragraph be drafted and circulated for editing.

Because the articles are late on the town-meeting docket, members discussed outreach to maximize turnout: Joy will draft a short letter to the New Report Daily News and circulate copy to the committee by the stated internal deadlines so it can appear in the paper before the meeting. Members also agreed to prepare two concise on‑the‑mic paragraphs explaining why voters should approve the study-district proposal and discussed whether the select-board chair (Bill Deo) might open that part of the presentation.

The committee scheduled a follow-up Zoom meeting for Monday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m. to approve the updated map and vote on including 269 High Road; the meeting ended with a motion to adjourn that carried by voice vote.