USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lincoln > Town Report on Lincoln 1946-1950 > Part 19
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Meeting, May 22, 1947
Application of Mrs. Ethel Campabasso, for permission to make certain alterations to her house located on Bedford Road in the northerly part of Lincoln - being a matter per- taining to "Area Regulations."
DECISION: After due consideration by the Board it was unanimously voted by the five members present that this Application be granted, subject however to the following condition :
That in the making of the alterations proposed, any new construction made or attached to the present buildings will not come nearer to the highway (Bed- ford Road) than the front line of the present existing building.
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
Meeting, June 19, 1947
Application of Rosella Webb for permission to make cer- tain alterations to her building now used and occupied as a U. S. Post Office, and located on Lincoln Road in South Lin- coln. Said alterations to consist of an addition of five (5) feet to side of said building nearest to the driveway to the residence of said applicant, and an addition of twelve (12) feet to the rear of said Post Office Building.
DECISION: It was unanimously voted by the five members of the Board present, that this application be granted, subject however to the following conditions:
(1) That the present Post Office Building be moved from its present location so that the front line of said build- ing after alterations as proposed are made would be thirty (30) feet from the line of Lincoln Road, and not less than twenty (20) feet from the present existing residence of applicant.
(2) The within variance is granted under the provisions of (h) of Section 14 of the Zoning By-Laws when in the opinion of the Board such variance will tend to improve the status of the neighborhood.
Meeting, August 21, 1947
Application of Mildred E. Bowles for a permit to keep ponies for renting purposes on property located at corner of South Great Pond and Tower Road, in the southerly part of Lincoln.
DECISION: This property is located in a "Single Residence District" and for a considerable period has been used as a "Road-side Stand." Heretofore applications had been made for the keeping and renting of ponies on the property, and on which applications permits were issued for a period of one year as provided by section 21 (a) of the Zoning By-Laws. The last permit applied for was issued after a hearing by the Board on April 6, 1942, and was to expire on April 27, 1943. No renewals of this permit had been applied for, and no per- mit issued since that date.
The Board after due consideration, and by unanimous decision of the five members present voted: "THAT acting
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REPORT OF BOARD OF APPEALS
and governed by said Sections 21 (a) and (d) of the By-Laws, the within application is not one where the enforcement of said By-Laws would involve practical difficulty and unneces- sary hardship to the applicant, and where desirable relief may be granted, and therefore said application is denied.
Meeting, November 20, 1947
Application of Arthur R. Witham for a variance of Section 12 of the Zoning By-Laws as affecting the use of a lot of land located on Beaver Pond Road, in the center of Lincoln. This matter comes before the Board of Appeals, after the refusal of the Building Inspector, for the town, to issue a permit to applicant to erect a garage on a lot shown on a "Subdivision Plan" because the subdivision plan submitted did not comply with Section 12 of the Zoning By-Laws.
DECISION: After hearing held, it was unanimously voted by the five members present that a variance be granted as applied for, provided that all requirements in regard to yards are fulfilled, and it appearing to the Board that a literal en- forcement of the provisions of the By-Laws would involve substantial hardship to the applicant and desirable relief may be granted without substantial detriment to the public good.
Meeting, August 21, 1947
Application of William Wilson and Estate of Emmaline A. Wilson for a variance of the application of the Zoning By- Laws to permit the use of a lot located on Uplands Field Road, said lot containing less than 40,000 square feet, the area re- quired for a one family house in a "Single Residence District."
DECISION: After hearing held, it was unanimously voted by the five members of the Board present, that this applica- tion be approved as prayed for.
It later was discovered that Roderick B. Laird, an owner of property abutting that of applicant, had not received notice of this hearing. Mr. Laird, through his attorney, Mr. John H. Rogers, complained that this hearing was not legal.
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
In view of this protest by Mr. Laird, a subsequent hearing was held on September 18, 1947, at which hearing Mr. George P. Davis, Attorney, appeared for the applicants (Wilsons), and Attorney Rogers appeared for Mr. Laird.
After said hearing, and upon due consideration by the five members of the Board present and voting, it was found that a literal enforcement of the provisions of the By-Laws would involve substantial hardship to the applicant, and a detriment to the public good, and without substantial derogation from the intent and purpose of the By-Laws, and therefore unani- mously grants a variance of the By-Law to allow the erection of a dwelling house and the usual appurtenances on the lot in question so long as it complies with all other requirements of the Zoning By-Laws, except the area required.
Mr. Laird, through his Attorney, appealed from the decision of the Board to the Superior Court in Equity sitting in Cam- bridge, Middlesex County, on which appeal a hearing has been set for February 4, 1948.
Respectfully submitted,
HARLAND B. NEWTON, Chairman, ANTHONY J. DOHERTY, Clerk, D. EVERETT SHERMAN, JR, JAMES DENORMANDIE, RICHARD S. MERIAM.
147
REPORT OF WORK OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY
CO-OPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS
January 9, 1948.
Report to the Town of Lincoln, Mass.
The year 1948 still called for an all-out food production by farmers, as well as food conservation by homemakers. For this reason, efforts of the Extension Service during the year were largely on these factors, the production and con- servation of food.
Dairy farms in town have taken an active interest in the Selective Breeding Association. The Association was set up to improve the production of dairy cattle. Local dairy- men have also taken an interest in the production of quality roughage, herd health and labor-saving equipment.
Vegetable growers have been assisted through farm visits on their problems in insect and disease control, as well as in marketing.
Mrs. Louis Paddock has served as town homemaking com- mittee member. Meetings of interested townspeople were held in the making of slipcovers and of homemade Christmas gifts.
Mrs. Mary Stuart served as leader of the 4-H Clobhint Club and several girls also belonged to a Lexington 4-H club. Several girls attended Camp Middlesex at Ashby. Mrs. Stuart attended 4-H leaders' camp at the University of Massa- chusetts. One agricultural club was led by Harold Cousins.
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
REPORT OF THE TREE WARDEN
The Tree Warden submits his report for the year 1947.
During the past year we found it necessary to cut the brush and remove dead limbs from trees on our roadsides, especially on the roads where the school buses travel and where it was necessary for public safety. We have forty miles of roads, most of them backed by woodland, which have to be scouted each year to locate where the gypsy moth infestations are. When found as many nests as possible are treated with creo- sote and sprayed with arsenate of lead. By doing the work in this way we can keep the gypsy moth under control and prevent the stripping of our roadside trees. The spraying this year was not as effective as usual, especially in the case of the elm leaf beetle because of the rainy weather through the spraying season.
The elm trees will need special attention this year because of the Dutch Elm disease. The most effective means of prevention is to spray the elms with D.D.T. The bark beetle, the carrier of this disease, is active about twenty weeks each year and it is recommended that the elms be sprayed three times in order to kill the bark beetle and prevent further spread of the disease. We know that D.D.T. will kill these beetles, but there is much to learn about proper mixtures and the best method of applying.
The total expenditures for the year 1947 were $2,972.35 and it is recommended that $3,810.00 be appropriated for the year 1948.
JOHN J. KELLIHER, Tree Warden.
149
PLAYGROUND REPORT
LINCOLN SUMMER PLAYGROUND
During the past summer a great many outdoor activities were enjoyed by the boys and girls participating in the summer playground program.
Tennis instruction was given three times a week by Jim Dudley, playground supervisor. A tennis tournament held in the closing weeks of the summer for boys and girls was exceptionally popular.
Baseball games at home and with playgrounds from other towns were a feature of the program for the older boys. In competition with teams from other towns the boys won six and lost one game.
Softball continues popular with the younger boys and girls due to the shorter throwing distance and the fact that the game can be played with a minimum of equipment.
The adult tennis tournament held in September was, as usual, a very successful closing event of the season.
In our budget request for 1948 we are asking for an addi- tional two hundred dollars to be used in developing a program for children of the three lower primary school grades.
Due to the lack of response to our suggestions contained in the first issue of "The Gazette," we have abandoned for this coming summer the expanded program discussed therein.
ETHAN A. MURPHY, DAVID TODD.
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
REPORT OF BUILDING INSPECTOR
January 10, 1948.
I herewith submit the Annual Report of the Building In- spector of the Town of Lincoln.
Permits Issued
64 Building
86 Electric
38 Plumbing
Total
188
1 Application Refused
Total Fees Collected $250.50
Fees Uncollected 15.50
$266.00
Respectfully submitted,
CYRUS W. MURPHY, Building Inspector.
151
SPECIAL REPORT OF PLANNING BOARD
SPECIAL REPORT BY THE PLANNING BOARD ON THE HOUSING OF HIGHWAY EQUIPMENT
On January 26, 1947, the Selectmen notified the Planning Board that Mr. Sumner Smith proposed to sell the barn which he has rented to the Town for many years for storage of the Highway Department equipment and that he had given the Town the first opportunity to purchase it. The Selectmen asked the Planning Board to study the situation and make a report with recommendations prior to the Annual Town Meet- ing on March 3, 1947. The report was submitted on Feb- ruary 27, 1947. Due to the short time within which the re- port had to be prepared, it was considered and designated as preliminary. At the Annual Town Meeting on March 3, 1947, the following vote was passed :
"Voted: That the matter of Studying the advisability of purchasing the Town barn so called or purchasing land and erecting a building thereon to house highway and other equipment be referred to the Planning Committee, with instructions to report at the next Town Meeting and that the sum of $1,000.00 be appropriated for their use."
The Planning Board studies during the past year have been supplemented by frequent consultations with O'Sullivan & Murphy, Architects, who were retained to advise us on the present building and make preliminary plans for a possible new building; by an examination of the present building by Cleverdon, Varney & Pike, Consulting Engineers, who were employed to advise us on the structural condition of the present building; by a report on the present building from Prof. Charles H. Blake of Lincoln, who most generously offered his services; by frequent discussions with Mr. Thomas Coan, who has advised us on Highway Department requirements; by experienced and helpful advice from Mr. Robert D. Donald- son ; and by correspondence and consultations with all Town Departments which might have equipment to house in the future.
The property now being used for housing highway equip- ment is located at the end of Lewis Street beyond Doherty's Garage and diagonally across the tracks from the railroad
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
station. The area of the land is about one-third acre. The structure itself is of indefinite age, at least 75 years old, of wood construction with a slate roof, and has been used by the Town for storage of highway equipment for the past twenty- six years. The whole building measures approximately 45 feet by 125 feet. The westerly end (45 x 25) is used for two apartments, leaving an area of about 4,500 sq. ft. (45 x 100) for use of the Highway Department. The land and building are assessed for $8,000, and the Town has been paying rent of $780 a year, which includes the ground floor apartment on the westerly end occupied by the caretaker as part of his pay.
At present the Highway Department requires space for storage of its five pieces of motor equipment plus about 1,000 sq. ft. for storage of plows, salt, and other property which must be kept under cover. The present building provides a tool room. There should also be locker and toilet facilities and adequate heat, the heat provided this year being ad- mittedly partial and temporary. The Department estimates that it will need two additional pieces of motor equipment within the next five years or so. Its requirements beyond that cannot be estimated with any certainty.
The future requirements of other departments are indefinite, although the School Department has advised us that housing of school busses in Town-owned buildings should be included in our study.
The Planning Board is of the opinion that purchase of the present structure for storage of highway equipment is not in the best interests of the Town, regardless of whether it is con- templated that it would be used for only a few years as im- plied by Cleverdon, Varney & Pike, or repaired for more or less permanent use as assumed by O'Sullivan & Murphy. Our reasons for this opinion are:
1. There is a real fire hazard.
2. There is inadequate space to care for the additional equipment which is believed to be required in the near future.
3. The yard is too small for efficient operation.
4. There is no room for expansion of either the building or yard.
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SPECIAL REPORT OF PLANNING BOARD
5. Maintenance will be high, regardless of the repairs that are made.
6. Access is poor. Lewis Street is only a 20-foot right of way, often blocked by snow and traffic.
We recommend purchase of land and construction of a new building for housing the Highway Department equipment. The land selected is about four acres owned by the Estate of Owen Martin, located just south of the present Town Barn and consisting of a strip 300 feet wide, extending 500 feet along the Boston & Maine Railroad right of way, with a 60- foot strip connecting this plot with Codman Road. The building recommended would have a concrete floor, concrete block walls, a tar and gravel roof on a steel roof deck supported by light steel roof trusses. It would have an unobstructed area of 5,460 sq. ft. (65 x 84) with a clear height of 14 feet. Details of the structure are shown in the accompanying plan by O'Sullivan & Murphy. The reasons for this recommenda- tion are:
1. Lower long-range cost (see tables following).
2. There is easy access by Codman Road to main roads of the Town.
3. The land is presently unused, is not particularly suit- able for residential purposes, and is in the district zoned for industry.
4. There is adequate area for future housing of other Town equipment.
5. The building provides space for the proposed additional Highway Department equipment.
6. The building is fire resistant. (Fire insurance may cover the cost of equipment, but will not take care of the hardships and fire losses to citizens of the Town that might result from snow-clogged streets following destruction of highway equipment.)
7. More efficient use of space is assured.
8. Better working conditions are assured.
9. It offers the only opportunity for complete solution of the Highway Department housing problem.
Each member of the Planning Board heartily concurs in the opinions expressed above.
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
Attention is directed to the reports and cost analysis ap- pended hereto.
Respectfully submitted,
LAWRENCE B. ANDERSON, WILLIAM DEFORD, HAYWARD PEIRCE, EVELETH R. TODD, JOHN O. WILSON.
REPORT OF CLEVERDON, VARNEY & PIKE
The full report on the physical condition of the building known as the Town Barn by Cleverdon, Varney & Pike, Con- sulting Engineers, contains a lengthy, detailed description of the Town Barn in regard to materials used, methods of erec- tion, and the defects and weaknesses to be corrected in order to assure a building structurally safe for the use of the High- way Department. Copies of this report in its entirety are on file at the Selectmen's Office and with the Planning Board and are open to inspection by the public. In substance the con- clusions are that it would require an expenditure of from $12,000 to $14,000 in addition to the cost of the land and building amounting to another $12,000, to provide a structure which would be reasonably satisfactory for at most a ten- year period. Their recommendations and conclusions follow :
Recommendations
Taking into consideration the age of this building, its type of construction, its faults in construction, Its present condi- tion, and the occupancy for which it is to be used, it is our opinion that with whatever repairs, strengthening or altera- tions which may be done within a reasonable cost, the efficient life of this building would not be more than ten years unless a large yearly budget is provided for maintenance.
In order to place this building in a minimum safe structural condition, and to efficiently adapt it to the use of storage and garage occupancy for the Highway Department equipment, the following is recommended:
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SPECIAL REPORT OF PLANNING BOARD
1. Install-96 -4" diameter Lally columns or 12" x 12" masonry piers in the basement under the 8" x 12" girders with concrete footings 2'-0" x 1'-4" x 2'-0" in place of wood posts.
2. Provide new 8" x 12" girder in end northeast bay.
3. Remove present miscellaneous floor plank and provide new 11/8" plank secured to joists. On plank lay 3-ply felt and pitch waterproofing, on which lay a 3" con- crete slab (of 250 pounds per square inch concrete) re- inforced with a 6" x 6" mesh with No. 6 x No. 6 wire. Concrete surface shall be wood trowel floated and pitch to drains.
4. Provide drains in floor and piping to take drainage to dry wells.
5. Remove all present interior miscellaneous partitions.
6. Reinforce lintel over 14'-0'' exterior door.
7. Reinforce frames so that they may be made statistically determinate, and reinforce joints and splice.
8. Reinforce purlins so that they will be structurally safe.
9. Provide new electric lighting system.
It is further recommended that this building be provided with a heating system so that it will not be necessary to house mobile equipment in closed in stalls. Also, as this is a wooden building, a sprinkler system would be an economical safeguard against a fire loss.
It is estimated that the cost of items 1 to 9 would be be- tween $8,000 and $10,000.
An estimated cost for heating this building would be $3,600 to $4,000.
The estimated cost of a sprinkler system is $750 to $1,000.
Conclusions
In considering the age of this building, the cost of placing it in condition, and its hopeful life expectancy of ten years, it does not appear economically sound to make repairs and alterations for its use as a storage space and garage for the Highway Department equipment.
A new masonry fire resistant building of five thousand square feet, designed to efficiently serve the purpose for equip-
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
ment storage and servicing; would not cost over $45,000.00, and its maintenance be less than for the building which has been discussed.
Respectfully submitted, CLEVERDON, VARNEY & PIKE, By HERBERT H. CLEVERDON.
REPORT OF CHARLES H. BLAKE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CAMBRIDGE 39, MASS.
Department of Biology
April 14, 1947.
About two weeks ago I was able to look over the Town Barn. I find that it appears to be completely free of insect infestation, but the girders supporting the main floor are be- ginning to be attacked by rot where they bear on the founda- tion, and the various props which have been inserted under the main floor are showing damage due to rot at the lower ends and almost in proportion to the length of time they have been in service. This means that ultimately there will be a continuing necessity to replace the props or to install steel substitutes, and I think it might not be many years before similar replacement of the wooden girders would be advisable. That the building is in as good a condition as it is may, I think, be assigned to two causes: (1) good quality of material in the original construction and (2) the impregnation of the soil under it by salt.
Yours very truly, CHARLES H. BLAKE.
REPORT OF O'SULLIVAN AND MURPHY ON PRESENT TOWN BARN BUILDING
January 13, 1948.
Gentlemen:
We have examined the existing structure known as the Town Barn, located at the end of Lewis Street, in the Town of Lincoln.
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SPECIAL REPORT OF PLANNING BOARD
This examination was made with the thought always in mind as to what the Town of Lincoln would have to do to this structure if it were acquired by the Town, for use by the Highway Department.
In the following we will state just what work should be done to put this structure into a sound and workable condi- tion, compatible with the accepted safety standard for the required use extending twenty years or more.
The present structure is in fair condition and is probably safe for its present limited use. The stone foundation walls are in good condition, the first floor frame and its internal supports are fairly sound at the moment, having been shored and propped from time to time. At present the structure is so overstressed that any higher loading might have serious effects. This floor should be removed and replaced with a steel and concrete floor properly designed to carry all loads and including a floor drainage system.
The roof frame is in fair shape but should be pulled back and strengthened for it seems proper that this· roof frame should carry a new hung semi-fireproof ceiling of some sort. There is absolutely no interior fire protection now and this ceiling would also assist in reducing the heating losses.
There are miscellaneous gutters, exterior finish, etc., to be repaired and some to be replaced.
The present lighting system is in a very hazardous condi- tion and should be removed immediately. A new and ade- quate light and power system would have to be provided.
There are at present no toilet facilities or floor drainage system. Such systems should be installed.
The present improvised heating system will not be ade- quate and a proper heating system consisting of an oil fired steam boiler and unit heaters should be installed.
Certain other work such as new doors, etc., as shown on the proposed layout would be included.
The following are itemized estimates of the above mentioned work obtained from a reliable Boston general contractor:
Floor frame $15,500
New boiler room and stairs in basement 900
New hung semi-fireproof ceiling 3,500
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TOWN OF LINCOLN
Reinforcing roof trusses $1,900
Side wall fire protection 2,000
Remove front shed and install new overhead doors and painting front wall 2,800
Repair and replace gutters and conductors
750
Strengthening west end of south wall now out of plumb. 650
$28,000
Above prices include FOA and all other insurance charges and contrac- tor's overhead and profit.
Heating.
$3,386
Plumbing
1,500
Electric
900
$5,786
$28,000
5,786
$33,786
Architects and Engineers Fees
3,000
$36,786
REPORT OF O'SULLIVAN AND MURPHY ON PROPOSED NEW HIGHWAY BUILDING
Description of Building
Fire resisting building, concrete floor, concrete block walls, tar and gravel roofing on steel decking supported on large span steel joists. Foor space of 5,460 sq. ft. is free of columns.
The following are itemized estimates of the above des- cribed building as obtained from a reliable Boston general contractor:
General Contract
$27,000
Heating
3,885
Plumbing 1,675
Electric
1,700
Sewage Disposal
500
Allowance for new roadwork, water and power service and cost to buy land 7,600
Architect - Engineering fees 2,000
$43,760
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SPECIAL REPORT OF PLANNING BOARD
COMPARATIVE COSTS FOR ALTERATIONS TO EXISTING TOWN BARN AND PROPOSED NEW HIGHWAY BUILDING By O'Sullivan and Murphy
New Building
Existing Town Barn
General Contractor
A. H. Drisko
$27,000
$28,000
Heating
The Downey Co.
3,885
3,386
Plumbing
The Downey Co.
1,675
1,500
Electric
M. B. Foster Co.
1,100
900
$33,660
$33,786
Architects Fee
2,000
3,000
$35,660
$36,786
Allowance for sewage disposal
500
500
Cost to buy present building and land
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