Well, I’m not exactly getting a PhD in all this planning and development stuff, but I am beginning to learn a little bit more.

I never understood about this “pre-application,” informal chat thing with the Newburyport Planning Board, where the neighbors were not informed. And I would like to know when these “informal chats” are going to take place, because a lot could happen at one of these “informal chat” things that an abutter or a resident in general might like to know about.

So my question was how do you know when one of these “informal chats” with the Newburyport Planning Board is going to take place?

Now I’ve learned that the pre-application hearings are placed on the agenda. And the agendas for the Planning Board are posted on the City’s website.

I thought I would have to go into Newburyport City Hall to find out what would be on the agenda, but no, I can do it right here from my trusty computer.

Well, that’s pretty cool.

It is my understanding that most of the time agendas are usually posted the Monday before the Newburyport Planning Board meets. The Planning Board meets on a Wednesday.

It’s also my understanding that there is one librarian in charge of posting the agendas on the City’s website. The very, very small caveat is that if this librarian is out or on vacation the agenda does not get put up on the City’s website right away. Apparently this does not happen very often. (The librarian appears to be on vacation at the moment, that is why the agenda for the last meeting is not up there.)

I also learned that the minutes of the Planning Board meetings also get posted. The minutes are approved at the following meeting and then they are sent to be posted. So that means that it takes 2-3 weeks for the public to see them on the City of Newburyport’s website.

If you would like to see the Newburyport Planning Board agendas or minutes, go to the website for the City of Newburyport. That link is at the side of the main page of the blog under “Helpful Links.” Go to the menu sidebar at the left side of the City’s website and press “Boards & Comm’s.” You will then see a link that says “Newburyport Planning Board Meeting Minutes, Agendas & Public Hearing Notices.” Press on that link.

At the left you will see folders for “Agends,” “Minutes” and one for “Public Hearings.” Press the folder you are interested in. You will then see the Minutes or Agendas listed by years. Press the year that you want. There will then be a list of documents. Press the document that you would like to see.

Mary Eaton, Newburyport