Newbury Conservation Commission Reduces Solar Bond, Defers Dock Compliance

Conservation · Meeting of January 6, 2026

Newbury Conservation Commission slashes a solar facility bond by $1.8 million and moves to monthly meetings. The commission voted unanimously at its January 6 Zoom meeting to reduce the performance bond for the former Borrego Solar project, now owned by Standard Solar, from $1.9 million to $100,000, with Chair Bob Connors saying the reduction was appropriate given minor remaining deviations — including roughly 24 square feet of a larger-than-approved turnaround within the 100-foot wetland buffer — while the applicant works to close out planning board and state DEP items. A separate certificate-of-compliance request for a seasonal dock at 254 Middle Road was continued after consultant Tom Hughes acknowledged the float was built as a T rather than the permitted L configuration and was being stored in salt marsh in violation of the order of conditions; Connors said the commission could not issue a COC "based on maybes." The board also heard an opening presentation on a marina and float expansion at the former Fernald's Marine site at 291 High Road, and directed the applicant for a 44-unit MBTA housing project at 34 Central Street to file a revised, re-noticed notice of intent rather than a new one.

Citing late document dumps — including CAD files received at 4:15 p.m. the night of the meeting — the commission voted unanimously to meet only on the first Tuesday of each month through May 2026.

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Source: the Conservation meeting of January 6, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.