USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > Official reports of the town of Wayland 1945-1947 > Part 11
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The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article and the appropriation of $1,000 for the purpose.
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate for "Road Machinery Account" a sum of money, the funds to be taken from "Road Machinery Fund," or do or act.
When maintenance or construction work is being done on Chapter 90 roads, and town equipment is be- ing rented to do the job, the State requires that cer- tain expenses of maintaining the equipment shall be charged to the "Road Machinery Account."
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The Town has but two alternatives in setting up the account. It may either make a direct appropria- tion or it may transfer from the "Road Machinery Fund," if sufficient monies from rental have been accumulated in that fund. The balance in the fund now stands at about $2,000.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article and the appropriation and transfer of $1,500.
Article 10. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and assess the sum of $1,500 for the purchase of a car for the Police Department, or do or act.
The car used by the Police Department has always been owned by the Chief and he has been allowed by the Town a fixed annual amount for its operation. All expert opinion on the subject and the statistics them- selves indicate an increase in law breaking and crime as an aftermath of the war. For the proper perform- ance of his duty, particularly where the department is operated as a one-man affair, there is real need that the car operated by the Chief be equipped with a two- way radio tied in with the radio system of one of our neighboring towns. It is only through the use of the two-way radio that the Chief is able to give the maxi- mum amount of coverage and protection. It appears to your Finance Committee that, if expensive radio equipment is to be installed, it should be installed in a car owned by the Town, rather than in a privately owned car.
The Finance Committee therefore recommends the approval of the article and the appropriation of $1,500 for the purpose.
Article 11. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and assess the sum of $500 for the purchase of a two-way radio to be installed in the Police Car, or do or act.
By no means, other than a two-way radio here requested, can messages be forwarded to the officer while he is patrolling the Town. Through a suggested tie-in with the Natick Police Station, it would be pos- sible for any one in the Town to get word to the Chief promptly, thus increasing his effectiveness in the per-
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formance of his job. If the Town sees fit to appro- priate the money for the cruiser as outlined in the previous article, the Finance Committee feels that the two-way radio here requested should also be purchased.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article and the appropriation of $500 for the purpose.
Article 12. To see if the Town will appropriate and assess a sum of money for the purchase of land from Mrs. Bessie Trimble for an addition to the Lakeview Cemetery, or do or act.
The matter of an addition to the Lakeview Ceme- tery has come before the Town on several previous occasions in the past ten years and for one reason or another, the Town has delayed taking the necessary steps to increase the area of the cemetery. The situa- tion is now acute, and the Cemetery Commissioners are urging that the Town take steps, without further delay, to purchase two much-needed additional pieces of land. This past year, eight lots were sold, leaving but ten lots available.
The property here referred to consists of 13/4 acres of land contiguous to the northeast corner of the cemetery. The Commissioners have had some talk with the owners and, while no definite trade has been made because of previous offers which they have had in connection with this piece, they feel it would be reasonable for the Town to pay $1,000 for the prop- erty.
The Finance Committee has made an inspection of the land and feels that, although the price is high, it is not unduly so for the purpose for which it will be used and that the Town would be entirely justified in going ahead at this time. The purchase of this piece of land can be financed from funds available for the purpose, as explained in the following article.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article and the appropriation of $1,000 for the purpose.
Article 13. To see if the Town will vote to transfer a sum of money from "Sale of Cemetery Lots and Graves" for the
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purchase of land for an addition to the Lakeview Cemetery, or do or act.
In 1945, the Town revised its previous policy of using funds from the sale of cemetery lots for what might be considered normal cemetery improvements and started accumulating the receipts for use toward the purchase of additional land for the cemeteries.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article and the transfer from "Sale of Cemetery Lots and Graves," the sum of $1,000 for the purpose outlined in the previous article.
Article 14. To see if the Town will appropriate and assess a sum of money for the purchase of land from Henry J. Lupien for an addition to the Lakeview Cemetery, or do or act.
The needs of the cemetery are as outlined in a previous article. This particular property is contigu- ous to the northwest corner of the cemetery. It con- sists of 112 acres of land, a portion of which is a natural gully which is now being used, through the permission of the owner, for the disposal of the norm- al debris and refuse from the cemetery. When filled, this area, together with the remainder of the piece, would provide land for additional burial lots. The Finance Committee likewise feels that this piece should be added to the cemetery.
The Finance Committee therefore recommends the approval of the article and the appropriation of $800 for the purpose.
Article 15. To see if the Town will vote to acquire for park and other municipal purposes, the property located on the southerly side of Millbrook Road now or formerly in the name of Estelle F. Atwood and bounded on three sides by land of the Town of Wayland, containing approximately 40,317 sq, ft., or any portion of said land and the buildings thereon, make an appropriation therefor, and determine how the money shall be raised, or do or act.
This property consists of a residence, a barn and about one acre of land. The property faces on Mill- brook Road and is completely surrounded on three sides by land owned by the Town at Wayland Center. Individuals and organizations have, from time to time,
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raised money for the purchase and gift to the Town of land in this general location. The Planning Board has for years felt that at the appropriate time, the prop- erty should be acquired by the Town. Due to the change of residence during the past year by the owner, the property has come onto the market and has been purchased by an individual who has agreed to hold up the sale of the property until after the Town Meeting to see if the Town desires to acquire the site. The present owner would agree to remove the barn and sell the property to the Town for $15,000, a price which, not low, is in line with prices which have been obtained in the past year or two for comparable properties in the immediate vicinity.
There has been a real shortage of rental housing for school superintendent, principal and teachers in the Wayland Center area for a number of years. The house could be readily rented at $70 to $75 a month, thereby producing in the neighborhood of $900 a year to the Town until such time as the house is removed. There are a number of possible house sites in the im- mediate vicinity to which the house could be moved, thereby ultimately providing a maximum recovery from the building itself Through the ownership of this property, it will ultimately be possible for the Town to grade the entire park area between the State Road and Millbrook Road and substantially improve the general appearance of the center of the Town.
The Finance Committee feels that the purchase should be made and that a substantial portion of the amount paid would be returned to the Town through rental and the ultimate disposal of the building itself.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article.
Article 16. To see if the Town will vote to acquire the following parcel of land, or any rights or easements therein and make an appropriation therefor: the small triangular plot of land formed by the intersection of Plain Road and Claypit Hill Road in the Tower Hill section so-called, or take any action thereon.
The Planning Board has been gradually attempt- ing to acquire for the Town the various "heater
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pieces" at the junction of town roads and at the An- nual Town Meeting last year, the Town approved the acquisition of three such pieces. This article suggests the acquisition of a fourth piece. The ownership of this parcel is unknown and there is some presumption that the title already lies with the Town. The Plan- ning Board feels that this type of piece should be kept open for a number of reasons, principally, the safety of traffic.
The Finance Committee recommends that the Town authorize the Selectmen, upon recommendation of the Planning Board, to acquire by gift, purchase or any legal manner, the above-mentioned parcel and use therefor any of the funds appropriated for the general purpose under last year's article.
Article 17. To see if the Town will authorize the Trustees of the Public Library to dispose of articles which, in the opinion of the Trustees are no longer needed by the Library, or do or act.
The Trustees have advised the Finance Commit- tee that there is a miscellaneous lot of used articles now stored in the basement of the Library for which the Library has no further use and which they feel are questionable as to value which, in any case, does not exceed $100. They would like permission of the Town to dispose of these in the ordinary course.
The Finance Committee feels that the request is a reasonable and normal one and therefore recom- mends the approval of the article.
Article 18. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the appointment of a special committee to prepare revaluations of all assessed property in the Town and to make its recommenda- tions to the Assessors, and to the next Annual Town Meeting, and will appropriate and assess for the expenses of such a com- mittee a sum of money, or do or act.
Over a period of years, there have gradually crept into the assessment rolls numerous inequities. Al- though this is a condition which, from time to time, develops in any community, the problem has become increasingly critical in Wayland in recent years and has resulted in an unfair distribution in the cost of
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government. A few minutes' study of the valuation book, as printed in 1945, should be sufficient to fully illustrate the point. The whole matter has been under discussion for a number of years, but was held in abeyance pending the preparation of assessor's maps. These have just been completed and the time appears appropriate for a revaluation which might be expected to result in revisions both upward and downward. It is neither realistic nor reasonable to expect that Asses- sors who have to face election every three years to per- form this task without some sort of a mandate from the Town. And to make the matter impersonal, the Finance Committee feels that an unpaid committee of seven sufficiently qualified local citizens should be ap- pointed solely for the purpose, with the aid, if neces- sary, of some independent advice, to produce a schedule of revaluations and a set of recommendations which the Town can request the Assessors to put into effect.
The Finance Committee therefore recommends the approval of the article and the appropriation of $1,000 to be used by the committee in obtaining such advice and assistance as it may deem necessary.
Article 19. To see if the Town will vote to authorize the appointment of a committee to complete plans and specifications, already started, for additions to the Wayland High School and the Cochituate Grade School and will authorize such committee to file application with the Federal Works Agency for a loan for the purpose of completing detailed plans, or do or act.
Prior to the Annual Town Meeting, the Finance Committee will have held an informal public hearing on the expansion program of the School Committee, following which, it will be prepared to make a full re- port and its recommendations at the Town Meeting.
Article 20. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and assess a sum of money for the rental of quarters for Way- land Post, No. 6260 Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.
This article was inserted in the Warrant by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in what unquestion- ably seemed to them to be a fair request to the Town. The Post has recently leased, at one dollar a year, from
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the Metropolitan Water Commission, a building located within the aqueduct right of way, just off Pine Ridge Road Extension. By statute, the State enum- erates those purposes for which a town may appropri- ate money and, included therein, cities and towns are given the right to appropriate funds for leasing, for a period not exceeding five years, headquarters for a post, subject to certain limitations. Under such power, the Town in this case could appropriate no more than the dollar involved in the present lease. The matter has been fully explained by the Finance Committee to the Commander of the Post.
Solely for the reason that the law does not permit, under these circumstances, the appropriation of the funds, the Finance Committee does not approve the article.
Article 21. To see if the Town will vote to appropriate and assess a sum of money to be used from time to time for the Town's share of the cost of preparing plans for acceptance of streets under the Betterment Act, the funds to be expended under the supervision of the Planning Board on those projects for which the abutters have raised their share of funds for the planning of the work, or do or act.
The Finance Committee is of the opinion that a larger number of streets would be improved under the Betterment Act, if funds for the preparation of the necessary plans and blueprints were available. In the past fifteen years, all betterment work has been paid for as follows: 50% by the Town and 50% by the abutters, but in all cases, the abutters have had to raise the full amount for the preliminary engineering and have had to gamble the expense for the plans on whether or not the Town would be willing to vote for the project. It seems fair to your Finance Committee that the abutters ought not to have to take this risk alone and that the Town should share with them the risk in the expense for the preliminary plans by having funds available for the purpose.
The Finance Committee recommends the approval of the article and the appropriation of $500 for the purpose.
Article 22. To see if the Town will vote to amend that
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part of the by-laws of the Town known as the "Building Code" adopted at the Annual Town Meeting in March, 1941, in any one or more of the following respects :
(1) To amend Chapter 2 to increase the fees for building permits from $2 to $5 for work costing less than $5,000 and to increase the fee from $1 to $5 for each additional $5,000 of cost or fraction thereof by striking out the second, third and fourth paragraphs of said Chapter and inserting in place thereof the following paragraphs :
The fees for building permits shall be paid by the applicant and shall be as follows :
If the cost of the proposed work is $5,000 or less-$5.
If the cost of the proposed work exceeds $5,000, the fur- ther sum of $5 for each additional $5,000 or fraction thereof.
(2) To amend that part of said of said by-laws entitled, "Wayland Plumbing Code" to increase the fees for plumbing permits for new work from $2 to $5; for alterations costing less than $50, from nothing to $2 and for alterations costing over $50, from $1 to $3, by striking out the third paragraph of said by-laws, entitled "Wayland Plumbing Code" and inserting in place thereof, the following paragraph :
The permit fee shall be :
(a) For new work-$5.
(b) For alterations or additions to existing work : (1) Costing less than $50-$2.
(2) Costing $50 or more-$3.
(3) To amend that part of said by-laws entitled, "Electri- cal Rules for the Town of Wayland" to change the amount of fees to be charged for permits by striking out Section 3, which provides for such permits for new work-$2 and alterations -- $1, so that said Section 3, as amended, shall read as follows :
Section 3. The permit fee shall be :
New work, two wire service-$2. New work, three wire service-$3. Alterations-$2.
or to see if the Town will amend said by-laws by changing the fees to be paid for permits in any other manner or extent, or do or act.
This article came before the Annual Town Meet- ing in March, 1946, at which time it was passed over. At that time, the Finance Committee pointed out that
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the fees for building, plumbing and electrical permits in Wayland were considerably lower than in surround- ing towns, that the cost of performing our inspection service had been on an experimental basis since the adoption of the Building Code and that the upward revision of the fees suggested appeared reasonable and, at the same time, would assist the Town in cover- ing the costs involved. During the year 1946, the Town paid out for inspection service : Salaries $300, expenses $197.75, against which it collected through fees, $506. This involved the issuance of 91 building permits, 117 wiring permits and 45 plumbing permits, requiring on his part some 925 hours of time, accord- ing to the Building Inspector. The pay for the work is scarcely adequate and the Finance Committee still feels that the fees should be increased, as requested in the article, in order that the department may be self- supporting, thereby eliminating any additional cost to the Town or increase in the tax rate, as it is generally being made in most cities and towns.
The Finance Committee therefore recommends the approval of the article.
Article 23. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning By-Laws substantially in the following respects or any of them :
(1) To amend Section IX, Paragraph (e) by adding at the end thereof the following sentence :
"No division of land shall be made whereby the remaining land if any excluding the lot or lots to be sold shall be smaller than the minimum size provided for the zone in which such remaining land is located, or have less frontage than the mini- mum provided."
(2) To amend Section IX, Paragraph (g) by adding the following words :
"or which shall have less than the minimum area and front- age on a right of way required for the zone in which it is located, unless such dwelling is accessory only to some existing building or dwelling ; and no dwelling shall hereafter be erected on a parcel or lot of land fronting on a street which parcel or lot of land shall contain less area and have less frontage on a street than the minimum of area and frontage required for the zone in which said parcel or lot of land is located, as set forth
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in paragraph (e) hereof, except that where such parcel or lot of land was shown on a plan recorded at the Registry of Deeds at the time this by-law was adopted, the provisions of section X relating to narrow and irregular lots shall apply," so that said paragraph (g) as amended shall read as follows :
(g) No dwelling shall hereafter be erected on a parcel or lot of land not fronting on a street which parcel or lot of land shall contain less than ten thousand square feet; or which shall have less than the minimum area and frontage on a right of way required for the zone in which it is located, unless such dwelling is accessory only to some existing building or dwelling ; and no dwelling shall hereafter be erected on a parcel or lot of land fronting on a street which parcel or lot of land shall con- tain less area and less frontage on a street than the minimum of area and frontage required for the zone in which said parcel or lot of land is located, as set forth in paragraph (e) hereof, ex- cept that where a parcel or lot was recorded at the Registry of Deeds at the time this by-law was adopted, the provisions of section X, applying to narrow and irregular lots, shall apply.
(3) To amend Section IX by adding a new paragraph to be designated (L), as follows :
(L) "No lot for which application for a permit to build has been made or upon which a building has been erected shall be reduced or changed in area or shape so that the lot as so reduced or changed or any land of the owners remaining after such reduction or change shall fail to have the minimum area and frontage required for the zone in which such land is located, unless such land as so changed shall be added to and become a part of another lot conforming to the requirements of the zone in which such lot is located."
(4) To amend Section IX by adding a new paragraph to be designated (m), as follows :
(m) "The area of any lot for the purpose of ascertaining the minimum required shall not include any part of the street or way upon which it abuts, but this provision shall not be held to apply to any area beyond the street line set aside by the Plan- ning Board as a temporary turn-around area on a dead end street intended for extension."
or take any other action relative thereto.
The amendments to the Zoning Laws here re- quested are largely for clarification of the existing laws, rather than for the creation of additional restric-
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tions. The Planning Board will have held a public hearing on the suggestions and will have a report for the Town at the Annual Town Meeting.
The Finance Committee feels that the Town might well consider favorably such recommendations as the Planning Board may make after, and as a result of, the hearing and study.
Article 24. To see if the Town will vote to amend the zoning ordinance as follows :
(1) To change from a residential to a business zone that portion of the land on the northerly side of State Road East owned by Thomas F. McManus, bounded and described as follows :
"Easterly by Rich Valley Road, westerly by property now or formerly of Charles B. and Ellen A. Enstrom" to have a depth of 300 feet from said State Road.
(2) To change from residential to a business zone that portion of the land on the northerly side of State Road East owned by James H. Lee, bounded and described as follows :
"Easterly by roadway of Peter Bianchi, westerly along State Road to land of Charles Wheelock and northerly a dis- tance of 300 feet."
(3) To change from a residential to a business zone that portion of the land on the southerly side of State Road East owned by Frederick A Mix, F. Edwin Davis and James H. Lee, bounded and described as follows :
"Easterly by property now or formerly of Arthur E. French, westerly by Pine Brook Road" and to have a depth of 300 feet from said State Road.
(4) To change from a residential to a business zone that portion of the land on the southerly side of State Road East owned by Lililan E. Benson and by John J. Cassidy, bounded and described as follows :
"Easterly by Pine Brook Road, westerly by land now or formerly of Eugene and Annie L. White and of Mary Frances White" and to have a depth of 300 feet from said State Road, or do or act.
This article requests a change from a residential to a business zone of the property on both sides of State Road East just east of the so-called "dead man's curve." The change was petitioned for by the owners
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of the property affected. Prior to the Town Meeting, the Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the matter and will make a report to the Town at the Town Meeting.
The Finance Committee is prepared to endorse such action as the Planning Board may recommend to the Town as a result of the hearing and its study of the matter.
Article 25. To see if the Town will vote to amend the zoning ordinance as follows :
(1) To extend the present business zone on the north side of State Road East, at its junction with Plain Road, in a wester- ly direction along said State Road to the easterly boundary line of land now or formerly owned by Charles P. and Julia F. Stuart, and by Frank and Georgiana L. Eldred, said extension to have a depth of 300 feet from said State Road.
(2) To change from a residential to a business zone that portion of the land on the southerly side of State Road East and Old Connecticut Path owned by Helen L. Clifford, bounded and described as follows :
"Easterly by the Wayland-Weston town line, westerly by land of Mainstone Farm Trust" and to have a depth of 300 feet from said highways, or do or act.
This article requests a change from a residential to a business section of land located on both sides of State Road East just west of the Wayland-Weston line. The property covered under (1) is already zoned for business in accordance with a vote of the Town at the time of the original adoption of the by- laws. Prior to the Town Meeting, the Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the matter and will make a report to the Town Meeting.
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