Report of the city of Somerville 1954, Part 20

Author: Somerville (Mass.)
Publication date: 1954
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 366


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Somerville > Report of the city of Somerville 1954 > Part 20


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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1953


1 Mary Battit, 56a Elm Street


1950


Kdgn.


Marguerite M. Driscoll, 20 Benton Road


1921


Asst.


° Mrs. Winona Neal, 10 Morrison Place


1953


MARTIN W. CARR SCHOOL Atherton Street


4


Helen Hession, 30 Merrill Road, Watertown


1924


6


Daniel N. Macero, 143 College Avenue


1950


5


Margaret M. Brennan, 15 Waldo Street


1917


5


¿Robert A. Leahy, 34r North Street


1953


5


John M. Russell, 11 Cambria Street


1950


4


° Patricia A. McSorley, 66 Lowell Street


1954


3 Alice M. Cumming, 117 School Street


1917


2 Mildred L. Shanahan, 68 Avon Street


1933


2 Mary E. Flanley, 4 Avon Street, Wakefield


1915


1 Eleanor Rose, 158 Summer Street


1942


1 Margaret Morgan, 123 Highland Avenue


1931


Kdgn.


Mabel R. Ingham, 62 Central Street


1912


Asst.


Mrs. Marion J. Mitchell, 10 Daniels Street, Arlington


1950


ENOCH R. MORSE SCHOOL Summer and Craigie Streets


Service


John W. Healey, Principal, 214 Powder House Boulevard


1931


6 Euince F. Lanigan, 161 Lowell Street


1942


6


Agnes C. O'Brien, 16 Prescott Street


1941


5 John P. Joyce, 15 Prospect Hill Avenue


1951


4 Margaret B. O'Hare, 24 Essex Street, Belmont


1949


3 Marjorie M. O'Brien, 22 Hancock Street, Brookline


1949


Grade


Michael B. Dewire, Principal, 600 Washington Street, Brookline


1929


6


Dorothy L. Lundgren, 93 Lowden Avenue 1915


321


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


TEACHERS IN SERVICE, DECEMBER 31, 1954-Continued


Name and Residence


Began


Grade


Service


3 °Patricia Bellini, 61 Atherton Street


1954


2 Mrs. Ruth Kaup, 58 Central Street


1946


2 Ruth G. Harrington, 1 Carver Street


1930


1 Catherine E. Frazer, 95 Heath Street


1946


1


1 H. Jeannette O'Brien, 70 Richfield Road, Arlington


1947


Kdgn. Lucille Moseley, 199 Renfrew Street, Arlington


1942


Asst. °Mrs. Alice A. Sheehan, 33 Beacon Street 1953


GEORGE O. PROCTOR SCHOOL Hudson Street


Joseph S. Hawthorne, Principal, 11 Everett Street Concord


1915


Rem, Read. A. Teresa Diotaiuti, 170 Lowell Street


1942


6


Andrew A. Mountain, Jr., 12 Benton Road 1952


5


Nerio Restani, 24 Miller Street


1951


4 Anne B. Mullin, 33 Allen Street, Arlington


1930


3


° Ann P. Lynch, 73 Boston Street


1954


2


Mary E. McCarthy, 101 Central Street


1926


2


Mrs. Helen F. Martignette, 427 Broadway


1954


1 Mrs. Ethel M. Ziegel, 8 Foskett Street


1934


Kadn. Claire M. O'Brien, 59 Boston Street


1941


GEORGE W. DURELL SCHOOL Beacon and Kent Streets


3


Mary A. Dewire, 48 Central Street


1939


4


Mildred I. O'Meara, 272 Farrington Street, Wollaston


1946


2


°Mrs. Helen F. Crotty, 52 Highland Road


1953


1 Mary A. Driscoll, Cadet, 11 Greene Street


1954


MARK F. BURNS SCHOOL Cherry Street, near Highland Avenue


4


M. Constance MacDonald, 74 Belmont Street


1941


3


V. Maria DelTorto, 275 Highland Avenue 1943


1950


2


Martha Stanton, 754 Broadway


1951


2 Winifred Crowley, Cadet, 410 Medford Street, Somerville


1953


1


Mrs. Margaret K. White, 87 Hudson Street


1952


1


Helen Constant, 44 Mansfield Street


1951


Kdgn. Helen T. Brooks, 4 Spring Hill Terrace


1946


BENJAMIN G. BROWN SCHOOL Willow and Josephine Avenue


6


Gertrude E. Macdonald, 50 Bromfield Road


1926


6 William F. Kelly, 55 Madison Street


1953


5


° Edward G. Murray, 21 Prospect Hill Avenue


1954


4


°Mrs. Margaret Healey, 214 Powder House Boulevard


1940


3 Helen M. Lawrence, 433a Broadway


1923


2 Ruth Kelley, 250 Willow Avenue


1931


1


Andrea Driscoll, 545 Fellsway West, Medford


1944


1 Anne E. Waters, 243 Summer Street


1940


Kdgn.


Elizabeth V. Colbert, 89 Ripley Road, Cohasset


1933


Asst.


Anna M. Burke, 1616 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Suite 3


1946


HERBERT CHOLERTON SCHOOL Highland Avenue and Grove Street


1930


6


Edward L. Smith, Principal, 10 Francis Street Marion Allen, 38 Powder House Boulevard


1911


6 Margaret McLeod, 20 Grove Street


1923


1948


6 Perry Yanow, 44 Chamberlain Avenue, Revere


John W. Healey, Principal, 214 Powder House Boulevard


1931


4


*Mrs. Gertrude T. MacNamara, 383 Broadway


2 M. Virginia Jennings, Cadet, 119 Yorktown Street


1953


John W. Healey, Principal, 214 Powder House Boulevard


1931


3 Estelle Brennan, 38 Arborway, Jamaica Plain


William J. Crotty, Acting Principal, 52 Highland Road


322


ANNUAL REPORTS


TEACHERS IN SERVICE, DECEMBER 31, 1954-Continued


Name and Residence


Began Service


Grade


5 ° Ernest Bennett, 92 Elm Street


1953


5 Anne M. Doherty, 49 Electric Avenue


1932


5 Raymond I. Rigney, 35 Nathaniel Road, Winchester


1949


5 *George H. Ellison, Cadet, 48 Stone Avenue


1954


Kdgn. Mrs. Margaret Grady, 34 Highland Avenue


1947


(WILLIAM H.) HODGKINS SCHOOL Holland Street


Edward L. Smith, Principal, 10 Francis Street


1930


4


Stella G. Bucknam, 7 Stowecroft Road, Arlington


1917


6


Helen B. Busher, 33 Bromfield Street 1943


6 John J. Madden, Cadet, 64 Vinal Avenue


1953


5


Carolyn E. Crockett, 38 Day Street


1923


5 Helen M. Merry, 119 College Avenue


1936


3


Gertrude O. Kohler, 24a Jackson Road


1931


3


Isabelle G. Porter, 36 College Avenue


1928


2


Mary M. Diskin, 33 Lexington Avenue


1938


2 Abbie M. Brown, 154 Morrison Avenue


1923


1


Doris F. Tomlinson, 9 Watson Street


1947


1


Helen B. Hesson, 64 Horne Road, Belmont


1930


1


Theresa M. Andrews, 225 Tremont Street


1952


Louise Gartland, 7 Craigie Circle, Cambridge


1926


Kdgn. Asst. Corinne A. Dillon, 57 Bromfield Road


1950


S. NEWTON CUTLER SCHOOL Powder House Boulevard near Raymond Avenue


6


Mary A. Ahern, 62 Curtis Street


1928


6


Mrs. Minnie E. Lougee, 75 Moorland Road, Scituate


1922


6 Gladys R. Clark, Lowell Road, Concord


1926


5


Alice A. Libbey, 36 College Avenue


1919


5


Eugene J. Hayes, 581 Fellswey West, Medford


1951


5


Eugenia Carver, 119 College Avenue


1922


4


Evelyn J. Bucknam, 7 Stowecroft Road, Arlington


1943


4


Mildred H. Lunt, 119 College Avenue


1926


4


Eliza I. Patterson, 59 Ossipee Road


1919


3


Mrs. Mary D. Manning, 15 Teele Avenue


1945


3


Eileen M. Dewire, 80 Kirkland Street, Cambridge


1950


3


E. Mildred Milner, 119 College Avenue


1920


3


° Alice W. Sullivan, 151 Beacon Street


1954


2 Alice J. McNally, 52 Vinal Avenue


1942


2


Pauline Emery, 36 College Avenue


1925


2


Nora F. Keniry, 6 Bailey Street


1941


2


Rose Santosuosso, Cadet, 63 Main Street


1953


1


Mrs. Nancy G. Higgins, 34 North Street


1950


1


*Muriel P. King, 148 Powder House Blvd.


1931


1


° Mrs. Sarah Talbot, 15 Teele Avenue Mildred M. Lougee, Gingerbread Hill, Marblehead


1928


1


Barbara Lee, 916 Broadway


1951


1


Eleanor E. Waldron, 135 Powder House Boulevard xAdeline Shinshiro, 69 Garfield Street, Cambridge


1919


Kdgn.


Catherine M. Hagan, 351 Washington Street


1943


Kdgn.


Katherine R. Austin, 34 Ware Street


1945


Asst.


Mrs. Mary E. Marquis, 576 Essex Street, Lynn


1950


Asst.


Mrs. Ada Mawhinney, 25 Walnut Street


1951


Asst.


Mrs. Alice B. Burkhart, 901 Broadway


1947


MARTHA PERRY LOWE SCHOOL Morrison Avenue near Grove Street


John W. Healey, Principal, 214 Powder House Boulevard 4


1931


Marion A. Cannon, 6 Cherry Street, Lexington


1928


4


Mrs. Katherine D. Millen, 108 Powder House Boulevard


1920


3 Clare A. Stanton, 754 Broadway


1945


3 Ruth Brooks, 441 Lowell Street, Lexington


1943


1954


1


1


Edward L. Smith, Principal, 10 Francis Street


1930


323


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


TEACHERS IN SERVICE, DECEMBER 31, 1954-Continued


Name and Residence


Began® Service-


2 Elizabeth M. Sliney, 19 Garden Street, Cambridge


1925


2 ° Mrs. Grace I. O'Brien, 35 Conwell Avenue 1953


1 Selena G. Wilson, 30 Hall Avenue 1922


1 Helen J. Dervan, 46 Bates Avenue, Winthrop


1928


EVENING SCHOOL PRINCIPAL Thomas J. D. Horne, 357 Williams Street, Stoneham


CADETS


Term Expires September 1, 1955


Winifred Crowley, A.B. 410 Medford Street


Patricia Daly, B.S.Ed.


18 Maine Avenue


M. Virginia Jennings


545 Fellsway West, Medford


John J. Madden


64 Vinal Avenue


John A. McDonald


9 Lovell Street


Patricia A. Owens, B.S.Ed.


36 Ash Avenue


Rose Santosuosso


63 Main Street


Mary A. Driscoll


September 1, 1956


11 Greene Street


*George H. Ellison


48 Stone Avenue


SUPERVISORS AND SPECIAL TEACHERS SUPERVISOR OF ELEMENTARY GRADES


William J. Crotty, 52 Highland Road 1926


MUSIC


Paul O. Kelley, Director, 585 Broadway


1946


12-7 Arthur J. Bizier, 143 Park Drive, Boston 1953


6-1 Arthur F. Sullivan, 219 Beacon Street 1934


ART


Mrs. Elsie M. Guthrie, Director, 50 Bromfield Road


1919


PENMANSHIP


6-1 Ruth L. Whitehouse, Supervisor, 123 Highland Avenue


1915


SEWING


6-5 Mary Rhilinger, 48 Prince Street, Jamaica Plain 1926


6-5 Pia M. Fortini, 274 Willow Avenue 1930


6-5 Cornelia Dalaklis, 52 Linwood Street 1948


MANUAL ARTS


Melvin T. Carver, Supervisor, 247 Winthrop Street, Winthrop


1936


ATHLETICS


Charles A. Dickerman, Director, 68 Nichols Road, Cohasset 1925


324


ANNUAL REPORTS


TEACHERS IN SERVICE, DECEMBER 31, 1954-Continued Name and Residence PHYSICAL INSTRUCTION


Began Service


John St. Angelo, Director, 109 Highland Avenue 1928


ATYPICAL


Edward M. McCarty, Supervisor, 48 Upland Road Winifred M. Ford, Educational Tester, 83 Pearson Road 1927


1939


#Dorothy M. Leighton, 148 Lovell Road, Watertown


1936


Mrs. Muriel H. Albanese, 7 Avon Street 1949


1953


°Mrs. Dorothy Merrifield, 84 Bay State Avenue "Mrs. Margaret E. Sullivan, 391 Broadway James Keefe, 108 Webster Street, Arlington


1936


Wilson E. Whittaker, 135 Walnut Street


1949


Elena Alberghini, 18 White Street, Arlington


1943


Susanne Lombardi, 8 Mount Pleasant Street


1946


Donald Jones, 12 Brown Street, Maynard Katherine E. Dooley, 18 Bagnel Street, Allston


1950


Ruth Buttery, 416r Washington Street


1946


°Mrs. Louise Gordinier, 3 Union Street


1953


: :


SIGHT SAVING


Alice M. Hayes, 181 Central Street : 1913


LIP READING


Marion C. Moran, 42 Montrose Street 1929


THRIFT


E. Bella Weisman, 78 Gibbs Street, Brookline 1921


Eva Palmer, Assistant, 24 Austin Street 1930


FIELD MUSIC


Bart E. Grady, Jr., 123 Highland Avenue


1945


AMERICANIZATION


Mary A. Whitney, Supervisor, 10 Dow Street


1916


PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED


Mrs. Blanche G. Crowell, 145 Highland Avenue 1928


Mrs. Madeleine Scammell, 216 Pleasant Street, Arlington 1951


AUDIOMETER


Helen A. Moran, 315 Alewife Brook Parkway


1919


SUPERINTENDENT AND SECRETARY


Everett W. Ireland, 18 Day Street


ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT


Leo C. Donahue, 108 Summer Street


1938


1948


325


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


TEACHERS IN SERVICE, DECEMBER 31, 1954-Continued


Name and Residence


Service Began


CLERKS


Marion E. Marshall, 62 Highland Avenue Regina Truelson, 23 Blackrock Road, Melrose


Frances C. Geaton, 29 Aldrich Street


William E. Hogan, 12 Richardson Road, Newton Julia DiMaggio, 53 Main Street


Claire F. McAnneny, 33 Pearson Road


Eileen M. Mahoney, 14 Madison Street


Elizabeth E. Cassidy, 50a Powder House Boulevard


SUPERVISOR OF SCHOOL CAFETERIAS


° Dorothea G. Shanney, 33 Highland Road Mrs. Mary McNamara, Clerk, 8 Bowers Avenue


SUPERVISOR OF ATTENDANCE James G. Hourihan, 225 Powder House Boulevard


VISITING TEACHER Estelle M. Walsh, 25 Adams Street, Arlington


CUSTODIAN SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS Leo J. Callahan, 9 Spring Hill Terrace


MATRON SCHOOL COMMITTEE ROOMS


Mrs. Margaret M. Manning, 22 Berkeley Street


326


ANNUAL REPORTS


SCHOOL CUSTODIANS, DECEMBER, 1954


School


Name


Residence


High


George A. Sullivan


High


John Mullaney


High


Robert Siggens


High


Leonard C. Mallette


27 Rogers Ave.


High


Andrew J. Curran


52 Montrose St.


High


Joseph Galbo


81 Grant St.


High


Joseph L. Kearns


80 Fremont St.


High, Central Heating Plant


Thomas Burns


248 Summer St.


High, Central Heating Plant


High, Central


Heating Plant


Michael P. Harrington


John P. Driscoll


John J. Ronayne


37 Albion St.


Prescott


William J. Hickey


9 Aberdeen Rd.


Hanscom


Richard T. Sullivan


66 Gordon St.


Bennett


Edwin C. Lamkin


17 Grand View Ave.


Baxter


Harold F. Killam


5 Henry Ave.


Knapp


Leo Antoncecchi


30 Warwick St.


Perry


George Kelley


10 Nevada Ave.


Southern Jr. High


Michael J. Reilly


Southern Jr. High


William G. Hitch


393 Somerville Ave.


Southern Jr. High


Frank J. Boyle


36 Greenville St.


Glines


Elmer V. Santarlasci


229 School St.


Vocational


Francis Gormley


253 Broadway


Vocational


John F. Fonseca


43 Garrison Ave.


Vocational


Harold MacCorkle


113 Heath St. 7 Avon St.


Northeastern Jr. High


Fred Secard


139 Walnut St.


Northeastern Jr. High


Hugh F. McQuade


18 Arcadia Pk.


Northeastern Jr. High


John F. O'Connell


40 Concord Ave.


Northeastern Jr. High


Thomas Conley


14 Cedar St.


Forster


Forster Annex


Arthur F. Law


71 Park St.


Bingham


Walter W. Kennedy


508 Broadway


Carr


Joseph F. Kelley


86 Rogers Ave.


Morse


Stanley Pabian


3 Franklin Street


Proctor


Durell


Joseph Binari


47 Lowell St.


Burns


Anthony Liberatore


40 Curtis St., Reading


Brown


William Anderson


36 Rhode Island Ave.


Cholerton


Emilio P. Buccelli


16 Grant St.


Hodgkins


Cornelius Collins


49 Woods Ave.


Western Jr. High


Carl Marcotti


5 Derby St.


27 Pearson Rd.


33 Vernon St.


13 Cameron Ave.


Cutler


Thurston W. Buchan


22 Richdale Ave.


Cutler


Antonio Severino


53 Sunset Rd.


Lowe


Thomas Copithorne


23 Gordon St.


Cummings


John Kiley


122 Heath St.


Edgerly


John P. Lawn


38 Magnus Ave.


SCHOOL MATRONS


School


Name


Mrs. Margaret E. Burke Mrs. Marie Mahoney


Residence


High High


Dominick Benedetto


8 Parker Pl.


7 Lee St. 44 Montrose St.


High, Central Heating


Prescott


Grimmons


Austin Albanese


Frank Regan


74 Avon St.


Thomas J. Driscoll


20 Lincoln Parkway


Western Jr. High


Edward Buckley


George E. Babin


Western Jr. High


Western Jr. High


Harry Dangora


52 Thurston St.


275 Medford St. 11 Stone Ave. 126 Albion St.


102 Perkins St. 12 Dickinson St.


327


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO BUILDING ZONE ORDINANCE


The Honorable William J. Donovan Mayor of Somerville City Hall Somerville, Massachusetts


Dear Mayor Donovan:


We are pleased to transmit herewith a report outlining. proposed amendments to the Zoning Ordinance of Somerville. The preparation of this report has been a major part of our activity this year. Extensive background studies concerning conditions and trends in the City and Metropolitan area have been made, and these have been related to studies, reports, and experience in other communities. This project was initiated. following a request by the Board of Aldermen, which bore out the opinion of this Board that the twenty-five year old ordi- nance needed a thorough re-study.


The Board has come to the conclusion that much of the: present ordinance and map is still valid, although many details need revision. The report, however, proposes new elements of flexibility to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.


In releasing this report, the Board also wishes to set forth the program which, after consultation with representatives of the Board of Aldermen, it has established for the near future. As rapidly as possible, a draft of the text will be made available. for public distribution. Open meetings will then be held in various parts of the City, so that opportunity for citizen partici- pation will exist. After a review of the comments in relation to the basic purposes of the amendment, this Board will hold a public hearing. Following that hearing, a final report with the proposed amendment will be prepared for submission to the Board of Aldermen, who, in their turn, are required to hold a public hearing, prior to the adoption of the proposal.


The Board wishes to point out that its staff is ready to answer questions and receive suggestions from interested per- sons, and welcomes the opportunity for discussion with civic groups at their own meetings.


Respectfully submitted, HARRY P. BURDEN, Chairman SOMERVILLE PLANNING BOARD


328


ANNUAL REPORTS


SOMERVILLE PLANNING BOARD


HARRY P. BURDEN, Chairman


JOHN J. MOLLOY, Clerk


LAWRENCE CAPODILUPO


ROBERT D. DONAHUE


* FREDERICK J. RYAN EARL W. LANDRY


STAFF


ALAN McCLENNEN, Planning Director ROBERT MAYERSON, Junior Planner İMARY W. VISE, Junior Planner FREREDICK J. LUND, Planning Assistant-Draftsman MARY A. FORD, Secretary


* Term expired, June 15, 1954


Resigned


FOREWORD


The problem which Somerville faces in relation to zoning is comparable to that of many cities which adopted zoning in the 1920-1930 period. Two major changes, only barely recognized in 1925, have profoundly changed urban patterns.


In 1925, the cities or areas such as Somerville which lie just outside the "downtown" part of metropolitan districts were growing rapidly. (See "Planning Progress in Somerville.") The feeling of the time was that urban population would in- crease more or less steadily. Accordingly, every main street was visualized as a prospective shopping row or an apartment house district.


Actually, the population of Somerville has decreased since 1930 and a further decrease to 90,000 by 1970 has been estimated in State Department of Commerce studies.


A parallel and joint change, perhaps better considered as the cause of the other change, was the popularization of the automobile. When people were relieved of their absolute de- pendence upon the public transit systems, the main artery was no longer more convenient as a place to live, and the shopping center could replace the corner store, or ribbon business area.


Today, therefore, we find ourselves living with a 1925 ordinance restricting our use of land to patterns no longer pop- ular or economic. In the following pages, we have set forth our recommendations which we believe will produce an atmos- phere wherein new building and new investment will be at- tractive, and yet the benefits of the old may be retained.


329


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


I.


THE TEXT FORM


Changes in the laws under which zoning is carried out, and the interim character of the original text, make it desirable to add to the wording of the ordinance. The Original Zoning Enabling Act, Chapter 601 of the Statutes of 1920, was the basis upon which the Somerville Building Zone ordinance was founded. Twelve years of practice, however, showed a need for revision, and in 1933, a revised law was passed, which, among other things, described a bit more thoroughly the pur- poses of zoning. It was again revised in 1954. It is believed that the addition of a set of purposes taken from the statute will lead to a clearer understanding of the purposes of zoning, and will assist in a good administration.


The presently available version of the Ordinance was printed in 1936. It incorporates the original text, some amendments to the wording, and some amendments to the map by description. The placement of the various sections makes it difficult to follow. It would appear desirable to place all sections relating to building permits, certificates of occupancy, appeals and amendment in one part.


The section on the Board of Appeal needs a substantial revision. Alterations to the form of the section are recom- mended to clarify the exact spheres within which the Board operates. These would follow the statutory provisions and thereby distinguish between the interpretation of uncertain provisions and correction of errors, the granting of special ex- ceptions where the ordinance requires a decision, and the allowance of variance for hardship as related to a specific lot. The special exceptions on which the Board might be allowed to rule would be designed to make a more flexible ordinance, without allowing excessive change as a matter of right.


A completely new section on Amendment would relieve the person desiring an amendment from referring to the General Laws for guidance.


The interest of the Planning Board in the ordinance, as an element in the planning process, was clarified in the 1954 amendment by requiring that the Board be informed promptly of all appeals and decisions on appeals. We recommend also that the Planning Board, in addition to its statute responsibility to hold hearings on petitions, be specifically authorized to initiate amendments.


330


ANNUAL REPORTS RESIDENTIAL AREAS


11.


The description of uses in the various residential districts was well related to what existed at the time the Ordinance was passed. By and large, the areas devoted to two, three, and multi-family uses are reasonably established.


A major difficulty has been dealing with the desire of owners to convert single and two-family dwellings to three- family units. The number of cases of this type which have come before the Board of Appeal has totaled 300 over the past twenty-seven years and has been spread generally over the Residence A Districts. Many more such conversions seem to have occurred without official action. The Board of Appeals approved a substantial number of cases on the basis of hardship until 1946, when a special law was passed by the legislature to encourage the provision of additional housing. Many structures in Somerville are extremely well adapted to conversion, since they had very extensive third floor areas. It has resulted, however, in a substantial and unplanned change, with popula- tion changes occurring without added community facilities and parking areas being planned for. It is recommended that the Ordinance include limitations based on existing lot area pat- terns and dwellings so as to avoid overuse of this appeal technique.


To encourage new building and the replacement of obso- lete structures, it is recommended that the City include exceptions to the present two and three family construction umitation by authorizing limited apartment construction in Residence A and B areas. Also, the old uneconomic five-story limitation should be abandoned ir favor of a more flexible process allowing up to ten-story construction. In none of these cases should the bulk of building be allowed to exceed present attainable amounts. For example, a common dwelling type in a Residence B district is a 6-family, 3-story attached structure. Such a building, if built to the limits of the present restrictions, might have 6750 square feet of floor area on a lot of 5325 square feet, or 1.26 sq. feet of floor area for each square foot of lot. By allowing some such ratio of floor area to lot area to prevail, but allowing greater heights than now authorized, the light, air, and view for each dwelling unit would be substan- tially increased, and yet more yard space for play and parking would be available. Also, this would allow so-called garden apartments which, due to more efficient planning, would result in better provisions for recreation and parking.


33


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


PARKING FOR RESIDENCE


Another problem which can and must be partially overcome by revisions in the ordinance is that of parking. While the "'one side of the street" parking procedure at least organizes the situation and simplifies the plowing and sweeping work, the end objective should be to get the cars off the street. Three separate possibilities present themselves.


The first step would be to clarify the provisions relative to parking in residence areas. At the moment, it is not clear what the rights and duties of landowners are in relation to parking cars outdoors. Open air parking should be definitely allowed in the same manner and amount as garage parking, and at least one car space for every two families should be required with new construction.


There is a second method which would provide a frame- work whereby a landowner could petition the Board of Appeal for permission to rent parking space for private passenger cars. This could be restricted so that such parking areas would be adequately surfaced, landscaped, and fenced in a way that would fit into the residential community. The appeal procedure would give the abutters an opportunity to express themselves and any special restraints required of the landowner by the Board of Appeals can be set forth in exact terms for the specific case.


The third proposal is directed at aiding in the solution of parking problems in both business and residential areas as well as contributing toward the segregation of business and resi- dential areas. It is recommended that public parking of private passenger cars be allowed on any land contiguous with and up to 100 feet from a district zoned for business. Private enter- prise would thus be given the opportunity to solve its own parking problem, and at the same time could provide service to the adjacent residence area. By this means, the constant efforts to expand the business districts for parking, with the concurrent risk, which nearby residents wisely object to, that the area will ultimately be built on for business purposes, would be eliminated.


IV. PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES


One of the more difficult problems in Somerville is how to make sound use of many of the large dwellings which are left over from as far back as the last century. Many of these are


332


ANNUAL REPORTS


still structurally sound, and have many years of wear left in them. They are, however, obsolete in design and so must be changed if the most is to be made of their economic value. In certain locations, numerous properties have been acquired by professional men for residence and office use. Some are even used as office buildings by non-residents. This is authorized subject to limitations in the ordinance today, but the procedure should be clarified. We have done this.


Recent trends in the professions, particularly medical and dental, include the establishment of clinics where several specialists consolidate their activities under one roof. In most cases, these would not comply with the ordinance today, and should not be allowed in residence districts. While this type of operation is not seriously annoying to residence areas, it may well produce more traffic and parking than is desirable. We propose the allowance of such activities on a special permit basis, subject to requirements as to parking to prevent annoy- ance to the neighborhood.




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