Official reports of the town of Wayland 1945-1947, Part 6

Author: Wayland (Mass.)
Publication date: 1945
Publisher: Printed at the Middlesex Freeman Office
Number of Pages: 666


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > Official reports of the town of Wayland 1945-1947 > Part 6


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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$338,934.85


$338,934.85


MABEL T. S. SMALL, Town Accountant


109


REPORT OF TOWN TREASURER


Cash Balance


1945


Jan. 1 Cash Balance Total Receipts


$168,207.15 347,740.81


$515,947.96


Total Payments


314,020.61


Dec. 31 Cash Balance $201.927.35


Serial Notes and Bonds Outstanding


20 High School Notes-31/4%


due Annually 1946-1950 $4,000.00 $20,000.00


12 High School Notes-31/4% due 1951 to 1954 12,000.00


1 Water Main Extension Note of 1931- 1931-4%-due 1946 2,000.00


2,000.00


Due in 1946


$6,000.00


Total Outstanding


$34,000.00


Interest Account


Appropriation


$1,220.00


Water Notes Interest by Vote


120.00


Payments :


Water Main Extension Notes of 1931 $ 120.00


High School Notes


1,170.00


To Trust Funds 25.00


High School Notes, Paying Charge 25.00


$1,340.00 $1,340.00


Insurance Account


Appropriation


$2,850.00


Transfer from Reserve Fund 104.63


Refund 100.00


110


Payments :


Town Buildings


$2,292.60


Automobile Liability


433.51


Automobile Fire and Theft


144.12


Honor Rolls


50.00


Burglary Insurance


84.40


Town Property


10.34


$3,014.97


Balance


39.66


$3,054.63


$3,054.63


Surety Bonds


Appropriation


$400.00


Payments :


Tax Collector


$186.00


Deputy Tax Collector


5.00


Town Clerk


7.50


Water Department Collector


10.00


Assistant Water Department Collector


10.00


Treasurer


128.50


$347.00


Balance


53.00


$400.00


$400.00


Tax Title Expense


Appropriation


$550.00


Payments :


Recordings and Postage


$


2.47


Forms


8.45


Typing and Clerical


8.50


Legal Services


278.46


$297.88


Balance


252.12


$550.00


$550.00


111


Trust Funds-Investments CHARITY FUNDS


Loker Fund :


1 U. S. Series G 212% Reg. 6/56


$1,000.00


1 U. S. Treas. 212% 1967/72


1,000.00


Allen Fund :


1 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 4s 1958


1,000.00


Donation Fund :


U. S. Series G 21/2% Reg. 6/53


1,100.00


Provident Institution for Savings


200.00


Russell Fund :


U. S. Series G 21/2% Reg. 3/54


1,000.00


U. S. Series G 212% Reg. 6/56


1,000.00


U. S. Treas. 212% 1967/72


1,000.00


Provident Institution for Savings


2,251.67


$9,551.67


CEMETERY FUNDS


J. M. Parmenter Fund :


1 N. Y. Central & Hudson River RR. 312 1998


$1.000.00


U. S. Treasury 3s 1946/48


1,000.00


U. S. Series G 212% Reg. 6/53


1,200.00


U. S. Treas. 21/2% 1964-69


1,800.00


$5,000.00


Other Funds :


1 Southern California Edison 3s 1965


$1,000.00


2 Jersey Central Power & Light Co. 31/2s 1965


2,000.00


1 Southern Pacific Oregon Line 41/2s 1977 U. S. Treasury 21/2s 1964-69


1,000.00


200.00


U. S. Treasury 234s 1947


300.00


U. S. Treasury 27gs 1960


1,600.00


U. S. Series G 21/2s Reg. 6/53


700.00


U. S. Series G 21/2s Reg. 3/54


2,000.00


U. S. Series G 21/2s Reg. 2/56


4,000.00


U. S. Series G 21/2s Reg. 11/56


1,000.00


U. S. Series G 212s Reg. 6/57


2,000.00


U. S. Series G 21/2s Reg. 12/57


2,500.00


Provident Institution for Savings


2,125.00


$25,425.00


112


Cemetery Perpetual Care Funds Received in 1945 and included above


Charles M. and George F. Clark Fund


$ 125.00 100.00


LIBRARY FUNDS


J. M. Parmenter Fund


2 Pennsylvania Ry. 41/2s of 6/1/65


$2,000.00


3 Jersey Central Pr. & Lt. Co. 31/2s of 1965 U. S. Treasury Bond 21/2s 1964/69


3,000.00


1,000.00


2 U. S. Series G 212s 6/1/53


2,000.00


1 U. S. Series G 212s 11/1/56


1,000.00


1 U. S. Series G 212s 5/1/57


1,000.00


Grace Campbell Draper Fund


1 U. S. Series G 212s 11/1/56


1,000.00


Ada H. Wellington Fund


U. S. Treasury 27/gs of 1955/60


300.00


U. S. Treasury 234s of 1947


200.00


Cynthia G. Roby Fund


2 Northern Pacific 5s of 7/1/2047


2,000.00


1 U. S. Series G 212s 5/1/57 Provident Institution for Savings


200.00


Harriet Coburn Damon Fund


1 U. S. Series G 21/2s 6/1/56


1,000.00


2 U. S. Treasury 212s 1967 /72 James Draper Fund $500.00


2,000.00


Ella E. Draper Fund $500.00


1 N. Y. Central Ry. 412s of 10/1/2013 Sarah Webster Heard Fund


1,000.00


1 U. S. Series G 21/2s 11/1/56 1,000.00


2,000.00


2 U. S. Treasury 212s 1967/72 Provident Institution for Savings


100.00


James Sumner Draper Fund


1 Chicago, Burlington & Quincy RR. 4s 3/1/1958 1,000.00


1 U. S. Series G 21/2s 11/1/55 1,000.00


1 U. S. Series G 21/2s 12/1/57 500.00


1 U. S. Series G 212s 1/1/58 200.00


Boston Five Cents Savings Bank


1,000.00


Natick Five Cents Savings Bank


1,300.00


Lydia Maria Child Fund


Provident Institution for Savings


100.00


113


1,000.00


Grace Parmenter Fund


$225.00


Isaac C. Damon Fund U. S. Series G 21/2s 11/1/56 1,000.00


Francis Shaw Fund


1 Peoples Gas Light & Coke Co. 5s 9/1/47 1,000.00


3 U. S. Treasury 21/2s 1967/72 3,000.00


1 U. S. Series G 21/2s 6/1/56 1,000.00


$32,900.00


Trust Funds-Reinvestments CHARITY FUNDS


Loker Fund :


$1,000 from Natick Five Cents Savings Bank Reinvestment


1,000 U. S. Treasury 21/2s 1967/72


Russell Fund :


$1,000 Lousville & Nashville 31/2s of 1950 called Reinvestment


1,000 U. S. Treasury 21/2s 1967/72


CEMETERY FUNDS


$2,000 par Chicago & Northwestern Securities Sold $1,392.46 Transfer from Investment Reserve Fund 607.54


Reinvestment


2,000 U. S. Series G 21/2s 5/1/57


$2,000 New York Central 41/2s of 2013 Sold $1,964.43


500 New York Central 41/2s of 2013 Sold 488.75


Transfer from Investment Reserve Fund 46.82


Reinvestment 2,500 U. S. Series G 212s 12/1/57


LIBRARY FUNDS


Roby Fund :


$1,000 New York Central 5s of 2013 Sold $921.24


Transfer from Investment Reserve Fund 78.76


Reinvestment 1,000 U. S. Series G 212s 5/1/57


J. M. Parmenter Fund :


$1,000 New York Central 5s of 2013 Sold $921.25


Transfer from Investment Reserve Fund 78.75


Reinvestment 1,000 U. S. Series G 212s 5/1/57


114


Francis Shaw Fund :


$3,000 Pennsylvania Power & Light Bonds called Reinvestment 3,000 U. S. Treasury 21/2s 1967/72


Harriet C. Damon Fund :


$2,000 from Natick Five Cents Savings Bank Reinvestment 2,000 U. S. Treasury 21/2s 1967/72


Sarah Webster Heard Fund :


$2,000 from Boston Five Cents Savings Bank Reinvestment 2,000 U. S. Treasury 21/2s 1967/72 J. S. Draper Fund :


$200 Boston & Maine 4s 1960 Sold $197.00


500 Boston & Maine 41/2s 1970 Sold 364.38


Transfer from Investment Reserve Fund 138.62


Reinvestment 500 U. S. Series G 21/2s 12/1/57 200 U. S. Series G 21/2s 1/1/58


All Trust Funds are under control of the Trust Funds' Commissioners, with the exception of the Sarah Webster Heard, Lydia Maria Child and James Sumner Draper Library Funds ; these three, by terms of bequests, being under the control of the Library Trustees.


Funds Income


1945


Charity Funds Income


Jan. 1 Balance


$234.13


Income


243.98


Distributed


$212.13


Accrued Interest Charge


6.90


To Reserve for Investments


12.20


Dec. 31 Balance


246.88


$478.11


$478.11


Library Funds Income


Jan. 1 Balance


$ 208.83


Income


1,089.62


Payments


$1,198.88


115


1945


To Reserve for Investments 54.48


Dec. 31 Balance


45.09


$1,298.45


$1,298.45


Cemetery Funds Income


Jan.


1 Balance


$869.93


Income


690.30


Payments


$371.50


To Reserve for Investments


34.51


Dec. 31 Balance


1,154.22


$1,560.23


$1,560.23


Parmenter Cemetery Fund Income


Jan.


1 Balance


$258.88


Income


140.00


Payments


$ 5.00


To Reserve for Investments


7.00


Dec. 31 Balance


386.88


$398.88


$398.88


RESERVE FUND FOR INVESTMENTS


1945


Jan. 1


Balance


$2,846.35


Interest Credited


36.03


5% of yearly income from


Charity Funds


12.20


Library Funds


54.48


Cemetery Funds


34.51


Parmenter Cemetery Funds


7.00


Premiums Credited


Russell Charity Fund


20.00


Shaw Library Fund


195.00


Transfers to


Cemetery Funds


$654.36


Library Funds-Roby


78.76


Library Funds-Parmenter 78.75


Library Funds-J. S. Draper


138.62


Charity Funds-Russell


8.75


Dec. 31 Balance-Warren Institution


for Savngs 2,246.33


$3,205.57


$3,205.57


116


Tax Titles TAKEN IN 1941 FOR 1939 TAXES


1945


Jan. 1 Balance 1945 Taxes Added Paid in 1945


$120.69 6.14


$79.26


Dec. 31 Balance


47.57


$126.83


$126.83


TAKEN IN 1942 FOR 1940 TAXES


Jan. 1 Balance


$606.10


1945 Taxes Added


110.52


T. T. Charged back to Collector $ 3.65


Interest and Costs on above charged off 6.18


Paid in 1945 184.73


Charged to Excess and Defi-


ciency Acct. Foreclosure of four properties ; bidder failed to pay 131.78


Foreclosure of five properties received at sale 85.95


Charged Excess and Deficiency 211.08


Dec. 31 Balance 93.25


$716.62 $716.62


TAKEN IN 1943 FOR 1941 TAXES


Jan. 1 Balance


1945 Taxes Added


Partial Payments 1945 Paid in 1945


$138.39


287.70


Dec. 31 Balance


491.64


$917.73


$917.73


TAKEN IN 1944 FOR 1942 TAXES


Jan. 1 Balance 1945 Taxes Added Partial Payments 1945


$301.63


104.38


$ 47.38


Dec. 31 Balance


358.63


$406.01


$406.01


117


$753.49 164.24


TAKEN IN 1945 FOR 1943 TAXES


1943 Taxes


$ 39.88


1944 Taxes


42.05


1945 Taxes


44.52


Interest to Date of Taking


5.24


26.75


Costs-5 Tax Titles Recording


5.00


Dec. 31 Balance


$163.44


$163.44


$163.44


Number of Tax Titles and Amount Outstanding 12/31/45


Number


Taxes


Valuation


1941


1


$ 47.57


$ 200.00


1942


2


93.25


450.00


1943


7


491.64


4,250.00


1944


7


358.63


3,400.00


1945


5


163.44


1,450.00


22


$1,154.53


$9,750.00


The Town now holds through foreclosure of Tax Titles, 48 pieces of property; the assessed value being $9,035.00.


FRANK G. MacKENNA,


Town Treasurer.


118


REPORT OF THE TAX COLLECTOR


Outstanding


TAXES OF 1942


Personal


1/1/45


Balance


$100.44


Collections


$100.44


$100.44


Real Estate


1/1/45


Balance


$384.86


Collections


$384.86


$384.86


Water Liens


1/1/45


Balance


$72.50


Adjustment


2.00


$74.50


Collections


$74.50


$74.50


Excise


1/1/45


Balance


$21.69


Collections


$21.69


$21.69


TAXES OF 1943


Personal


1/1/45


Balance


$209.70


Collections


$115.50


Abatement


1.38


116.88


$ 92.82


Real Estate


1/1/45


Balance


$4,090.67


Tax Titles disclaimed Refund


.68


5.50


$4,096.85


119


Outstanding


Collections


$3,790.22


Tax Title credits 39.88


Abatements 266.75


$4,096.85


Moth


1/1/45


Balance


$12.00


Collections


$12.00


$12.00


Street Betterment Pineridge Road


1/1/45


Balance


$6.67


Collections


$6.67


$6.67


Street Betterment Castle Gate South


1/1/45


Balance


$5.20


Collections


$5.20


$5.20


Excise


1/1/45


Balance


$30.90


Collections


$30.90


$30.90


TAXES OF 1944


Personal


1/1/45


Balance


$842.69


Collections


$535.74


Abatement


5.80


541.54


301.15


Real Estate


1/1/45


Balance


$19,727.08


Refunds


48.00


Tax Title disclaimed


.73


$19,775.81


Collections


$17,537.84


Abatements 121.80


Tax Title Credits 42.05


17,701.69


2,074.12


Moth 1/1/45 Balance


$12.00


120


Outstanding


Collections


$6.00 6.00


Abatement


$12.00


Poll 1/1/45 Balance Adjustment


$34.00


4.00


$38.00


Collections


$24.00


Abatements


8.00


32.00


6.00


Street Betterment Pineridge Road


1/1/45


Balance


$56.61


Collections


$56.61


$56.61


Street Betterment Lake Road


1/1/45


Balance


$21.20


Collections


$21.20


$21.20


Street Betterment Lakeview Road


1/1/45


Balance


$46.65


Special Warrant


63.00


$109.65


Collections


$100.76


100.76


8.89


Water Liens


1/1/45


Balance


$68.00


Collections


$68.00


$68.00


Excise


1/1/45


Balance


$191.41


Adjusting Commitment


.06


Commitment 1/19/45


4.00


$195.47


Collections


$142.98


142.98


52.49


121


Outstanding


TAXES OF 1945


Personal


5/18/45 Commitment Refunds


$15,647.96 46.05


$15,694.01


Collections


$14,768.97


Abatements


142.00


14,910.97


783.04


Real Estate


5/18/45 Commitment


$162.209.48


12/17/45 .6


73.68


Refunds


791.43


$163,074.59


Collections


$141,522.98


Abatements


1,742.24


Tax Title Credits 429.80


143,695.02


19,379.57


Moth


5/18/45


Commitment


$457.00


Collections


$429.00


Abatements


10.00


439.00


18.00


Poll


2/19/45


Commitment


$2,332.00


4/9/45


150.00


6/25/45


8.00


12/10/45


..


2.00


12/17/45


66


2.00


$2,940.00


Collections


$1,672.00


Abatements


748.00


2,420.00


74.00


Street Betterment Lakeview Road 5/18/45 Commitment


$103.34


122


Refund


Outstanding 27.18


$130.52


Collections


$100.06


100.06


30.46


Street Betterment Pineridge Road 5/18/45 Commitment Collections $47.19


$131.60


47.19


84.41


Street Betterment Nob Hill 5/18/45 Commitment Collections $86.21


$86.21


$86.21


Street Betterment Lake Road


5/18/45 Commitment Collections $96.53


$114.13


96.53


17.60


Excise


2/23/45


Commitment


$1,226.05


2/28/45


456.27


4/9/45


1,037.04


8/13/45


1,142.64


9/10/45


121.68


10/15/45 ..


90.73


12/3/45


63.74


12/31/45


45.61


Refunds


2.15


$4,185.01


Collections


$3,865.92


Abatements 25.05


3,890.97


294.94


12/31/45 Total Taxes Outstanding $23,217.49


Respectfully submitted, THEODORE H. HARRINGTON, Tax Collector.


123


ASSESSORS' REPORT For the Year Ending December 31, 1945


Real Estate Assessed January 1, 1944


$5,246,970.00


Personal Property Assessed January 1, 1944


500,130.00


Real Estate Owned by Commonwealth 45,588.50


$5,792,688.50


Real Estate Assessed January 1, 1945


Land Exclusive of Buildings $1,637,620.00


Buildings Exclusive of Land


3,646,075.00 45,588.50


State Owned Land


$5,329,283.50


Personal Estate Assessed January 1, 1945


Stock in Trade


$ 24,950.00


Machinery


294,588.00


Live Stock 57,230.00


All Other Tangible Personal Property 132,937.00


509,705.00


Total Property Assessed January 1, 1945


$5,838,988.50


Total Property Assessed January 1, 1944 5,792,688.50


Increase


$ 46,300.00


Number of Polls Assessed 1,241


Number of Live Stock Asessed : Horses 48


Number of Neat Cattle :


Cows


329


Young Stock


84


Bulls 8


Swine


636


Fowl


6,255


124


All Other :


Mules


1


Turkeys


50


Mink


200


Ponies


6


Goats


29


286


Number of Acres of Land Assessed


8,214


Number of Dwellings Assessed


1,318


December Assessment


Real Estate


Personal Estate Additional Polls


$2,400.00 None 6


Motor Vehicles :


Number


Value $124,900.00


Tax $4,213.76


1944


1,212


135,280.00


4,692.07


Increase


70


Decrease


$10,380.00


$478.31


Exempt from Taxes :


United States Government


Post Office-Equipment


$ 400.00


Commonwealth


15,000.00


Widows


15,900.00


Veterans-Previous Wars


7,000.00


Veterans-World War II


(Temporary Exemption)


23,500.00


$61,800.00


Town-Personal and Real :


Schools


$194,500.00


Parks


25,800.00


Fire Department


21,300.00


Police Department


300.00


Water Department


365,000.00


Sealer of Weights and Measures


500.00


Moth Department


2,000.00


Town Hall and Equipment


43,500.00


Highway Department


39,045.00


Library and Books


57,000.00


Cemeteries


3,500.00


125


1945 1,282


Church Property


145,300.00


Parsonages 11,025.00


Hannah Williams Playground


2,200.00


Wayland and Cochituate Legion Building Association, Inc. 15,500.00


Cochituate Civic Center Building- Land 2,500.00


Pequod Lodge, I.O.O.F .- Equipment 200.00


Wayland Junior Town House, Inc. 3,900.00


Dorchester House, Inc .- Land 600.00


$933,670.00


Tax Levy of 1945


Appropriation for Town Purposes $285,110.00 6.00


Deficit on Overlay of Previous Years


Overlay for 1945


4,652.23


$289,768.23


State Tax


$6,256.00


State Park Tax


179.40


$6,435.40


County Tax


$7,773.10


Tuberculosis


1,330.68


9,103.78


15,539.18


To be Raised


$305,307.41


Estimated Receipts and Available Funds:


Income Tax


$18,282.48


Corporaton Tax


8,372.37


Gasoline Tax


7,639.26


Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise


4,000.00


Licenses


4,100.00 20.00


Fines


Grants and Gifts


5,000.00


Special Assessments-Moth and Betterments


1,500.00


General Government


230.00


Highways


70.00


Old Age Assistance


18,050.00


Old Age Tax ( Meals)


839.68


Soldiers' Benefits


790.00


School.


1,100.00


126


Libraries Cemeteries


200.00


710.00


Interest on Taxes and Assessments


1,700.00


1,399.56


In Lieu of Taxes Available Funds


50,964.62


124,967.97


To be Levied on Polls and Property


$180,339.44


Assessed on Polls


$ 2,482.00


Assessed on Personal Property


15,647.94


Assessed on Real Estate


162,209.44


Gain on Fractional Divisions


.06


$180,339.44


Betterments :


Tax


Interest


Total


Nob Hill


$ 74.31


$ 11.90


$ 86.21


Lake Road


96.47


17.66


114.13


Pine Ridge Road


100.45


31.15


131.60


Lakeview Road


78.90


24.44


103.34


435.28


Moth Tax


457.00


Committed to Collector


$181,231.72


Rate on Property :


$30.70


Rate on Motor Vehicles :


35.60


For Abatements see Collector's Report.


Note: It is to be noted that the tax on State owned land is reflected in estimated receipts-"In Lieu of Taxes."


For work on the Town Maps, see the joint report of the Planning Board and the Board of Assessors.


DANIEL BRACKETT, WILLARD C. HUNTING, CHARLES M. MATHEWS,


Board of Assessors.


127


JOINT REPORT OF ASSESSORS and PLANNING BOARD ON ASSESSORS' MAPS


Nineteen forty-five has brought within sight of completion the map of the town which has been for several years in prepar- ation under the direction of the Assessors and the Planning Board. All the areas in the central and west part of the town not previously mapped, have been surveyed.


The only area still remaining unfinished is the thickly settled portion in Cochituate. This has been purposely left to the last because of the detailed and difficult work connected with plotting the many individual lots and buildings in this vicinity. It has already been found that there are numerous cases where the supposed existing lines are not correct and it is clear that completion of the work here is going to take the most careful attention. Our engineer is confident, however, that it can be completed during the year 1946, though the expense here will be very much greater in proportion to the size of the territory than has been the case in the more thinly settled portions of the town.


Our Boards believe that the town should make sufficient money available to complete the job this year, before building gets into full swing and also before the town's income is needed for such projects as the new municipal building in Cochituate, for school enlargements, and for other capital expenditures that may be just ahead. This map is an investment that will be of continuing value for half a century at least.


The work has now been carried far enough so that the first map of the town ever prepared, showing accurately all bounda- ries, roads, and natural features, will be offered to the Annual Meeting for acceptance by the citizens as the official map of the town. Certain changes in road names are proposed. Most of them are intended to do away with the duplication of identical or similar names on more than one road. For instance, several roads contain the word "lake", and this fact might be very con- fusing in case of reporting a fire by telephone.


128


The two boards wish to express their continued apprecia- tion of the work of Mr. Brooks, our engineer, and his helpers. Their job has been so well done as to attract the attention of Weston and several other towns, which are copying Wayland's methods in preparing similar maps for themselves.


To put on record the actual work accomplished, it should be stated that the following sections have been completed during 1945: Nos. 13, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 41.


DANIEL BRACKETT, HOWARD S. RUSSELL,


CHARLES M. MATHEWS, ALLAN R. FINLAY, WILLARD C. HUNTING. CHESTER H. HOBBS, FRANK S. TARR, FREDERICK S. WHITESIDE, CARL EMERY.


129


REPORT OF THE WAYLAND PLANNING BOARD For the Year 1945


Unprecedented Developments Ahead


With the end of the war and the release of materials for construction, the Planning Board believes that the Town of Wayland is facing an era of unprecedented development. Our people have been accustomed to think of Wayland as a country town, with the pleasing features of small numbers, neighborli- ness, natural beauty, and plenty of space. Yet as a result of the westward march of population in the Boston area, these very features that we enjoy have caused many people, looking for just such an environment, to cast longing eyes at Wayland. Hence, continuing growth of the town is inevitable. What the townspeople can do is to try to guide this growth so as to retain the village atmosphere and the charm of the ponds, river, woods, farms, and natural features, while fitting into the environment the new neighbors who hope to join us.


Preparation Through the War Years


All through the years of the War, your Planning Board has been looking ahead and actively preparing for the period that the town is now entering. One important advance has been the preparation of the Assessors' Maps under the joint care of the Assessors and of this Board. The adoption by the town of the new sections of the Planning Law has helped.


Another step has been careful study by the Board of regu- lations to govern the subdivision of property. After several years' consideration, a body of rules has recently been adopted under which a developer can know precisely what stipulation he must conform to in preparing his plans. These rules are de- signed to protect the town and also people who may buy lots against poorly designed layouts and streets lacking proper width, or not adapted to the ground level. At the same time they are intended to give encouragement to a developer who has the real interest of prospective buyers at heart.


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Joint Meetings with Other Boards


One more advance made this year has been the holding of joint meetings with several of the other town boards to outline our common problems, and to plan together for the new things that lie ahead. If our various boards work closely together, it will be possible for the town to avoid some of the costly mis- takes that were made in the careless cutting up of property here 30 or 40 years ago. Proper development makes for: less expense to the town ; greater satisfaction to the people who buy dwelling sites; and opportunity for town officials to give their attention to matters important for the future rather than having to spend time and energy correcting mistakes of the past made through lack of forethought.


Examples of Cooperation


We discussed with the Water Commissioners the service problems that will arise with the development of the Shaw Estate and other properties.


Through cooperation with the Highway Commissioners and the Highway Surveyor, the Board has prepared surveys of roads in the order of which the Highway Department has in mind to build them. We also considered with them the proper grades and drainage of prospective new roads. We were able to work with the Park Commission on the weed problem at Dudley Pond, and to secure the assistance of the State Department of Con- servation in handling it.


Dudley Pond Survey


For many years we have been carrying out a gradual pro- gram of elminating dangerous traffic hazards. One road char- acterized by extreme danger is Lake Shore Drive around the westerly and northerly ends of Dudley Pond. The road has nver been accepted by the town but is heavily used by residents and visitors in that area. It is extremely narrow with blind cor- ners. The first thing necessary in considering improvement was a survey of the territory. Beginning at the Bathing Beach, we have carried this survey along the west shore as far as funds would permit. It is our intention to continue the work, having in mind not merely grades and safety but eventual provision for a suitable highway entirely around the pond, connecting up roads previously in use where possible. Such a circuit road would make all this area more accessible to the fire department and to water supply, and would unquestionably have a helpful effect on property values in this whole development. It was a pleasure


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to have the interest of representatives of the Dudley Pond Improvement Association in this problem. Our plan is to make a careful study in the coming year of the entire section on the northerly and westerly side, out to Old Connecticut Path.


We also intend to consider what can be done at the inter- section of Commonwealth Road with Main Street in Cochituate Village, where serious accidents are too frequent.


Proposed Zone Amendment


A group of citizens appeared before the board, suggesting a change in the zoning by-law to increase lot sizes for new buildings lots from 15,000 to 20,000 feet in the medium size area, and from 20,000 to 40,000 feet in the rest of the town, with increases in lot frontage requirements also. The proposal leaves the 10,000 foot area untouched. An article in the town warrant has been presented by this group and the board will make a recommendation to the annual meeting after a hearing.


Zoning By-Laws


It is now twelve years since the town adopted its zoning by-law, and nearly seven years since the last revision which set up minimum lot sizes. Meantime the town has grown, condi- tions have changed and experience has shown the desirability of certain amendments.


Your Planning Board intends actively to review the pro- visions of the by-law during the next year in detail. It will welcome the suggestions and advice of all citizens and organ- izations in the town in the task of fitting our zoning regulations to present day conditions.


State Road Bypass


Few things are of more importance to the town than the building of the proposed State Road bypass of Wayland Center. This matter has been continuously in our thoughts during the year. Joining with the Board of Selectmen, this board has pressed upon the Highway Commission a proposal to have the bypass built so that the crossing of Cochituate Road will be just south of the South Cemetery, instead of going north of the Cemetery where residential property would be destroyed, as was the State's original proposal. We have also insisted that pro- vision be made for entrance from each road to the other with divided grades where the highways are to cross. We believe that the final plan will follow our views in both these respects, and that this action will benefit the whole town.


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Riverview Terrace Progress


The Board's program in cooperation with the Selectmen and other officials for acquiring recreational land of low value in the Riverview Terrace area has proceeded successfully. Additional lots have come into possession of the town through gifts or tax title. A sub-committee is continuously working on this project, with excellent prospects for public benefit to this whole neighborhood at small expense. No additional appropria- tion is asked for this purpose for next year. We gratefully acknowledge the gift of several lots by William J. Smith.




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