Zoning Board Approves Plum Island House Addition
Zoning Board · Meeting of September 17, 2026
Newbury Zoning Board clears a Plum Island second-story addition after resolving a basement "story" dispute. The board, chaired by Eric Svahn with members Jack Kelly and Michelle Weidler, unanimously approved Peter Nikolakopoulos's special permit for 129 Northern Boulevard, requiring basement plumbing to be cut and capped and finishes removed. Architect Bill Nolan of Savoy Nolan Architects trimmed the project's floor area ratio increase from 4 percent to roughly 3 percent, with the existing 1,835-square-foot house at 32.8 percent FAR and the proposed 2,046-square-foot design near 35 percent.
A building inspector's letter found the basement's finished floor sits under five feet above grade, meaning it does not count as a third story under the Plum Island Overlay District's two-story cap. Resident Richard Solari objected during public comment, saying the applicant "use it or you don't use it" regarding counting basement square footage. The board also continued, unanimously, a separate Melody Lane special permit case pending a Conservation Commission review.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,235 words
Source: the Zoning Board meeting of September 17, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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