USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > Official reports of the town of Wayland 1954-1956 > Part 26
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The excavating, drainage and gravel base has been completed on Winter Street and it is now ready for surfacing.
ALBERT E. POTVIN, Highway Surveyor.
REPORT OF THE WATER COMMISSIONERS
January 10, 1956
New services continued at a high level with 187 installed over the year. The 8-inch main on Concord Road near the Lincoln Town line was lowered and provision made for a mutual aid connection. About one and one-half miles of main were added to the system and seven additional hydrants installed. The new well and pump at the Baldwin Pond well field will be ready for use next summer.
259 million gallons of water were pumped in 1955, the highest ever pumped in one year. Since this was an exceptionally wet year this total reflects an increase in water takers from 1,117 in 1945 to over 2,350 in 1955.
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The new meter installation program was set back this year by a delay in getting new fittings and setting equipment. This work will be accelerated this spring to get back on schedule. By doing this, the town should be completely metered in 1957.
Everyone connected with the Water Department feels a deep sense of personal loss over the death of the former superintendent, John Phylis. No one appreciates as we do, how much the smooth and efficient opera- tion of the Department depended on his knowledge and understanding of its every phase. The wisdom of his guidance is manifest in the way the efficiency of the Water Department has kept pace with the growth of the Town.
Statistics
Renewals
18
Relocations
21
Leaks
15
New Services
187
Hydrants in use
301
Water Pumped
259 MG
FERN A. TAYLOR, Chairman
ALFRED C. DAMON
GEORGE K. LEWIS
REPORT OF THE ANIMAL INSPECTOR
January 3, 1956
I wish to submit my report as Animal Inspector for year 1955.
Inspected
243 Interstate Cattle
465 Native Cows
133 Young Stock
8 Bulls
28 Horses
1 Mule
6 Goats
2 Sheep
Quarantined
26 Dogs
Respectfully submitted,
WARREN F. LAURENCE, Animal Inspector for Wayland.
175
CIVIL DEFENSE ANNUAL REPORT
The year 1955 has been one of considerable activity for the three best organized arms of the Civil Defense organization, namely, the Auxiliary Police force, the Auxiliary Fire force, and the Communications section. Progress has been slow, however, in organizing other branches, such as the warden section and the welfare section.
Regular training meetings for the Auxiliary Police were held through the year with an attendance averaging from 50-60. During January and February, the meetings consisted of a completion of the first-aid refresher course under the guidance of Dr. James P. Burke. Other training courses included speakers and Civil Defense and Police training films. One session was devoted to fire-arms demonstration and instruction by one of the crack shots of the Massachusetts State Police.
During August, the Auxiliary Police were called to active duty by the Chief of Police to assist him in connection with the flood conditions and the force was also activated over the long Halloween week-end. A dozen men helped the Fire Department rolling up hoses and the like at the Wayside Inn fire.
The Communications section was very active. Two portable com- bination radio transmitter-receivers were acquired for the Police Depart- ment and these were utilized to the full over the Halloween week-end, providing two extra two-way radio cars. In addition, two portable combination transmitter-receivers were acquired to operate on the special emergency amateur frequency assigned to the Town and these were used to supplement the Police radios providing an additional two- way patrol car for the Halloween week-end.
The Communications section is rapidly arriving at its goal of completely equipping the main Control Center and the secondary control center in the basement of the Cochituate School with adequate two-way radio communications. Communications on one assigned channel have been established between the main Control Center and the Sector Control Center of the State Civil Defense Agency in Sherbourn. Through this channel will be handled all messages to and from State headquarters. In addition, emergency communications are now established on a different channel within the Town. Supplementing this two-way communication set-up, the main Control Center is provided with monitoring receivers on the local Police and Fire and State Police frequencies. During the coming year, it is expected that the Office of Civil Defense will purchase one additional combination transmitter-receiver for use on the Town frequency. Furthermore, a request is still pending for Federal Matching Funds for the purchase of a base station transmitter-receiver for the Fire Department, including remote control to be located in the Civil Defense Control Center so that direct communications in an emergency may be had with all Fire Department apparatus.
The Auxiliary Fire force has undergone regular training and now numbers 14 men. These men are now well qualified. With one-half Federal funds, the Town has equipped the Fire Department with 20 sets of protective clothing, including coats, helmets, and gloves, so that these men when called to duty can work under as safe conditions as possible and will not ruin their own clothing. The Auxiliary firemen have helped the regulars on serious fires and have been available to
176
supplement the call men in manning the station. during periods when the fire alarm circuits or telephone service were interrupted due to weather conditions.
The rescue truck ordered through the Federal Government has not as yet been delivered to the Town, but delivery is expected during 1956. This truck is badly needed and efforts are being made by the State Civil Defense Agency to expedite delivery.
The shooting program of the Auxiliary Police has been greatly expanded. Sixty men are engaged in the program and 25 of them now shoot on regular teams competing in the New England Police Revolver League. Some of the men who started early in the year, having never fired a gun, are now crack shots. The Town is paying the major cost of ammunition as cheap life insurance for Police officers and also as rendering support to the one activity which does most to keep the Auxiliary Police force together.
During the year the State Civil Defense Agency has made a great deal of progress in its disaster planning and as a result, has placed a great burden on local Civil Defense organizations to attempt to carry out the program. For the year 1956, the Wayland Office of Civil Defense is being reorganized, involving the appointment of Norman E. Taylor, Town Accountant, as Deputy Director in charge of all day-to-day activi- ties and the files which will be located in the Town Hall, thus relieving the Director of a great burden of paper work. Present State planning envisages evacuation of the Greater Boston area in the event of threatened attack with nuclear weapons. The Town of Wayland is not in the compulsory evacuation zone, but all families in the Town are urged to plan to evacuate unless they have adequate shelter areas in their homes. The alert signal will be three minutes of blasts on the fire alarm, signaling optional evacuation and activating the Civil Defense organization. If you hear the fire whistle blow a series of blasts for three minutes, it means take your family westward in your car or else plan to take shelter in your house. If the fire alarm blows for three minutes again in the same way, this will be the Red Alert, meaning take cover. Warnings will also be broadcast on the radio over the CONELRAD system, 640 or 1240 on your AM radio dial.
Respectfully submitted,
December 31, 1955
W. R. HULBERT, Director.
177
REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE
December 31, 1955
Drunkenness
25
Driving under the influence
16
Driving so as to endanger
17
Driving without a license
6
Driving without a license in their possession
2
Driving without a registration in their possession
3
Operating after suspension
6
Failing to stop at stop sign
8
Passing a red light
4
Failure to keep to the right
5
Driving an unregistered car
2
Failure to slow at an intersection
2
Failure to dim lights
2
Failure to use care in turning.
2
Failure to stay in marked lane
1
Using car without authority
1
Driving car without insurance
3
Following too close
1
Noisy muffler
1
No sticker
1
Failure to stay in a marked lane
1
Refusing to obey a police officer
4
Giving false name
1
Larceny of automobile
1
Larceny
3
Trespassing on property
1
Threats
1
Illegitimacy
1 2
Manslaughter
1
Non-support
3
Assault and Battery
2
Assault and Battery with a dangerous weapon
1
Fugitive from justice
1
Disturbing the peace
3
Larceny by fraudulent check
1
Leaving the scene of an accident
5
This list includes arrests made by the State Police.
This list does not include juvenile arrests.
The Wayland Police served during 1955: One Hundred and Seventy- Seven Summonses, Ten Subpoenas, Summonses to show cause Nine, Three Summonses to Children, One to a Parent and Six Warrants.
The total number of accidents reported for the year was 187. Fatal 3, Property Damage 120, Personal Injuries 44, Pedestrian 5, Bicycle 5. There were a lot of other accidents not reported.
178
180
Speeding
39
Vagrancy
Those persons committing minor traffic violations were given warnings; others guilty of more serious commissions or omissions were either prosecuted or referred to the Registry of Motor Vehicles for disposition.
A review of existing Town records indicates that for the first time a murder was committed in our normally peaceful habitat.
An Article in the annual Town Warrant requests approval to aug- ment the Wayland Police Department as follows :-
a. Three additional full-time policemen
b. One additional cruiser with a two-way radio.
Your earnest consideration of the above article is sincerely recommended. Approval of the article assures complete and comprehensive police protection and guidance at all times.
My thanks are again extended to the many people who, singularly and cooperatively have aided me during 1955. To mention but a few may I thank: The Honorable Board of Selectmen; my capable patrol- men, officers Burke and Pelletier; the Auxiliary Police; the Special police; the Wayland Lumber Co. for the timely safety calendars they purchase annually; Chief Shea of the Natick Police Department and his staff for the two-way radio coverage which they have afforded us; and you, the residents of Wayland, for your continued efforts and under- standing.
Be assured that your constructive criticism is always welcomed. Detailed study will be given it. By mutually aiding each other the Wayland Police Department and the Town will continue to grow and prosper.
Respectfully submitted,
ERNEST H. DAMON, Chief of Police.
179
REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD FOR THE YEAR 1955
The Planning Board has been active during the last year with the long range planning problems facing a growing community as well as with performing its numerous other duties. Meetings have continued to be held regularly on Monday evenings at 8:00 P. M. in the Town Hall, but numerous special meetings and field trips have also been necessary. Members of the Planning Board have also served individually as ex-officio committee members on the School Building Committee, School Site Committee, Town Office Building Committee, and the several special committees covering land for recreational purposes; recreational facilities, and Dudley Pond water level control.
The activities of the Board in the several categories of its major activities are summarized below under appropriate headings:
Subdivisions:
During 1955 ten subdivisions were approved by which three miles of new roads and 186 new lots were laid out. This rate of development, while high, is considerably lower than the peak of 251 new lots reached in 1953. It is, however, convincing demonstration of the continuing pressure for building facing the Town.
A decreasing rate of development of new building lots during coming years can be foreseen with the disappearing of large tracts of land in the area zoned for a minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet. Of the new lots laid in subdivisions approved in 1955, 103 of them were in the 20,000 square foot zone, 56 in the 40,000 square foot zone and 22 in the 60,000 square foot zone.
The subdivisions approved in 1955 are as follows:
Original Owner
House Lots Laid Out
1 Parker, Maiden Lane 15
2 Gage, Pleasant Street 4
3 Irving, School Street 69
4 Damon (relocation), Daymon Farm -20
(lots lost to toll Highway)
5 Wayland Real Estate Co., High Rock Rd. 9
6 Henderson, Clay Pit Hill Road 22
7 Melville Loker, Melville Rd. 40
8 Wayland Real Estate Co., Woodridge Rd. 23
9 Rupert MacLaurin, County Corners Rd. 5
Improvement of Existing Town Roads
The development of subdivisions on land served by unimproved existing Town roads has presented the Town with the responsibility of improving these roads to provide adequate access. The Planning Board has undertaken preliminary engineering work on these improvement projects and contemplates continuing efforts along this line for several years to come. Town roads requiring early work include Loker Street, Claypit Hill Road, and Moore Road.
The Board is also mindful of the necessity of eventual improvement of other unimproved Town roads, for which funds for engineering will one day be needed. Until then, owners of land served by such roads
180
who present plans dividing the land into new lots are being requested to lay out the lots so as to permit eventual widening and straightening of the roads. The Board is pleased to report that owners of such land are generally entirely cooperative with this aim.
Business Zoning
The study of encouraging the development of new areas to serve as neighborhood business districts, and the modernizing of the zoning regulations pertaining to such areas, have been actively continued.
The Board is very pleased to have had the benefit of the assistance of Mr. James L. Harris as Planning Consultant. With his assistance the Board has prepared for presentation at the 1956 Annual Town Meeting a zoning report aimed at bringing the neighborhood business zoning pattern up-to-date and better serving the present needs of the Town.
1955, Summary of Projects Completed
In addition to the major items dealt with by the Planning Board, numerous other matters have received its time and attention.
The Street Numbering List has been completed and published, and a copy is available at the Town Hall for anyone desiring one.
A Master Development Plan of a possible future street arrangement for the large open area west of Moore Road and Glezen Lane has been prepared in conjunction with a study of a subdivision of part of this area off of Moore Road.
Highway Development Study Plans of Route 20 and Route 27 have been prepared, and new efforts have been made to encourage the construction of the proposed Route 20 by-pass. In this connection, the Planning Board is urging early construction of the By-Pass and hopes further to see the eventual construction of a highway along the west side of the Sudbury River north from Route 20 over which Route 27 can be directed without passing through Wayland Center.
Flood Problems
The Planning Board has been very much concerned with the prob- lems arising from flooding of the Sudbury River, but sees little the Town alone can do to alleviate that condition. Work with State and Federal agencies is anticipated for the future.
The creation of a Flood Plain zone is being actively studied with the aim of controlling further building in areas where flooding may occur. The Board is fortunate in having been able to obtain aerial photographs of the Sudbury Valley taken on August 23, at the peak of the flood. These are being used to lay out the flood plain carto- graphically to serve as the definition of the flood plain. When this work has been completed, further recommendations will be presented.
The Board regrets the resignation of Mary N. Baldwin from its membership, but is fortunate in having Bruce F. Kingsbury working in Mrs. Baldwin's stead.
FREDERICK G. PERRY, JR., Chairman KATHARINE HODGES GEORGE F. BOWERS, JR. L. WILLIAM BERTELSEN EDWARD F. THORBURN BRUCE F. KINGSBURY
181
BOARD OF APPEALS ANNUAL REPORT - 1955
Since this is the first report of the Board, it will include a brief description of the functions of the Board, as well as material normally included in an annual report.
The jurisdiction of the Board includes the following:
1. Appeals from the denial of a building permit which the appli- cant thinks should have been granted.
2. Applications for permission to do things which the town zoning law allows only under permit from the Board, such as removal of loam or gravel, roadside stands, carpenter's shops, two-family use of existing dwellings. The zoning law also authorizes the Board to relax back yard, side yard and lot size requirements in certain limited situations.
3. Applications to vary from the letter of the town zoning law (variances). The law of Massachusetts empowers the Board to grant variances where "owing to conditions especially affecting such parcel but not affecting generally the zoning district in which it is located, a literal enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance or by-law would involve substantial hardship to the appellant, and where desirable relief may be granted without substantial detriment to the public good and without substantially derogating from the intent and purpose of such ordinance or by-law, but not otherwise."
4. Approval of particular uses of land in limited commercial districts.
5. Approval of site plans for new use and construction in the business, commercial, manufacturing and industrial districts, covering such matters as access driveways, parking facilities, etc.
6. Applications for building permits notwithstanding non-compli- ance with the subdivision law, as authorized by Massachusetts law in certain limited circumstances.
The Board has no authority to enforce the zoning by-law or any other town law. However, our duties do make us familiar with the prob- lem of enforcement of the zoning law. The number of cases coming before the Board has tripled since 1951. About a third of the 75 cases we heard in 1955 resulted in decisions which will require some supervision and checking for compliance with the various requirements which we have found it necessary to impose as a condition of our approval. For instance, in connection with gravel permits the following matters must be followed up: filing of bond, trucking by prescribed route, spillage of material on streets, hours of work, gravel to be removed and order of removal, completion within time limit, clean up after removal (includ- ing proper grading, removal of stumps and boulders, and coverage with loam). Conditions involved in other cases include planting of trees and shrubs, provision for off-street parking, number of occupants or employees, etc. Many cases have to be watched for years and each year increases the number of cases requiring periodic inspection or occasional attention. Many permits, notably two-family permits, are granted only for a limited time and may require reconversion or removal of a building at some future time. Then, as the town grows, the problem of detecting and stopping violations where no application for a permit or variance
182
has been made becomes more difficult. Violations of this sort include removal of loam or gravel, two-family use, and storage of trucks and business equipment in residence districts. A serious problem results from the placing of houses, by mistake, in the wrong locations and violat- ing the sideline or set back provisions. This all means, in our opinion, that the town should employ the building and zoning inspector for additional hours of work so that he will have time to properly supervise and follow-up zoning permits and police violations of the zoning law. It will also be necessary for him to maintain an adequate system of records.
A table of statistics is included below because we feel that the town is entitled to a full report. These statistics offer a measure of the kind of situations which are brought to us but afford no clue as to whether we have been too strict or too liberal in our decisions. Judgment as to that can be determined only by considering each individual case in detail, including the conditions included in our decision. For instance, most of the cases under gravel/loam involve material removed in building driveways and roads or small ridges interfering with drainage, etc. Only one true gravel pit permit was issued in 1955. The lot size/frontage variances which were granted involve mostly minor discrepancies and rearrangements of lot lines on recorded plans with no increase in the number of lots. The business use variances granted were the addition of an interior decorator's office in a real estate office, a portrait photographer's office in a home, and a beauty shop in a home, location and other factors being significant in all three cases. All of our decisions are on file with the Town Clerk. The cases listed under "no decision" include those in which the application was withdrawn, no permit or variance was necessary, or information has been requested and not furnished. It also includes three cases which were commenced in 1955 but on which hearings had not been held at the time of this report.
The Board is aware of the importance to applicants of prompt decisions and is doing everything in its power to accommodate them. Hearings are held as soon as possible after the list of abutters has been checked at the Town Hall. However, there is inevitably a spread of about three weeks because seven days notice must be given, the TOWN CRIER is published only every two weeks, and they must have copy eight days before publication. Except where it is necessary to view the locations we almost invariably make our decision the night of the hear- ing. The difficulty is that our decision must be written and must be approved by all three members of the Board as written. It takes time to write a decision properly, type it, send copies to the Board, and receive their approval (or suggestions for revision of the wording of conditions, restrictions, etc.). Notice to all interested parties must be mailed the same day as the decision since there is a right of appeal to the courts. There are also cases which require on the spot inspection by the Board and those which are difficult to decide and require much thought and consultation on the part of the Board.
A table of statistics covering the last two years is presented below :
No. of cases Granted Denied No decision
1954-1955 1954-1955 1954-1955 1954-1955
Type of Case
Lot size/frontage
21
32
14
22
7
4
0
6
Placing of buildings
12
17
10
13
0
1
2
3
Gravel/loam permits
13
9
9
8
3
1
1
0
183
Two-family
1
5
1
4
0
0
0
1
Business use
1
5
1
3
0
0
0
2
Nursery/day camp
3
2
3
2
0
0
0
0
Enlarge non-conforming use
1
2
1
0
0
2
0
0
Roadside stands
3
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
Miscellaneous
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
Limited commercial use Site Plans
2
1
2
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
60
76
43
53
13
8
3
12
Attention is directed to the explanation of these statistics contained in the report.
ROGER E. ELA, Chairman, GEORGE G. BOGREN, DUNBAR HOLMES, Board of Appeals.
REPORT OF THE ROAD COMMISSIONERS
During 1955 the operations of the Highway Department for the second year in a row were seriously interfered with by most unusual storms and high water.
In accordance with the Highway Equipment Replacement Program the following purchases were made during the year:
A 412 ton International dump truck replaced a 1949 truck of similar capacity.
The 1941 pickup truck was traded for a new Chevrolet pickup.
A power operated catch basin cleaner was installed on one of the trucks and gives promise of saving many man hours each month in keeping the town's rapidly expanding storm drainage system functioning.
A new small tractor for ploughing snow on sidewalks and other light work was ordered but not delivered before the end of the year. The old tractor, a 1940 model with little resale value, will be retained to be used as a standby, for snow removal in heavy storms, and for summer utility work.
The Commissioners would like to call attention once again to the increasingly urgent need for an addition to the present garage. The expanding work and responsibilities of the department require more space under shelter.
GUSTAF M. BLOMGREN, RONALD S. CAMPBELL, GEORGE I. EMERY, Road Commissioners.
184
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WELFARE
The year 1955 has been a difficult year administratively because of the fact that we lost the services of Edith Thayer by retirement. She had been the only social worker in our employ since the organiza- tion of the Board with a full time agent and a social worker both qualified under civil service, as is required in order that we may duly participate in the reimbursement from the Federal and State author- ities. It was with great regret that we lost the trained services of one who knew about all of our cases and who had served us so faithfully and well. Unfortunately, the State has not been able to give us any replacement, and we have not succeeded in making any temporary arrangements which are satisfactory to the Civil Service Commission, although we hope that in the near future something may be accomplished that is satisfactory to all.
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