USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Town annual report of Andover 1963-1969 > Part 32
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Vital Statistics
Twenty-seven (27) more births, were record- ed in 1966 over 1965, seventeen (17) fewer deaths and the same number of marriages. The increase in births is a positive indication of in- ternal Town growth and provides strong evidence of a continuing school problem.
Number of Births recorded 329
Males 175
Females 154
Number of deaths recorded
163
Males 78
Females 85
Number of marriages recorded 178
The Clerk's office was able to continue main- tenance of voter registration and vital statistic in- formation on punched cards. Aside from some savings which are being realized, this technique permitted the preparation of planning data for the Town Manager's office as well as the Local Council on Aging.
Fees totaling $14,098.55 were collected by the Town Clerk and turned over to the Town Treasurer and $7,498.50 in hunting and fishing and dog licenses was collected and transmitted to the State and County.
Planning Board
Personnel
1
Expenditures
$14,455
Monthly Cost Per Person
51/2 ¢
The Planning Board, consisting of five un- paid members, appointed for five-year terms, was established under the General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 81A to 81J, which outlines its auth- ority and duties, by requiring that the Board (1) make studies and plans and submit them to the Board of Selectmen, (2) make an annual report, (3) make a master plan and, (4) pass on sub- division plans.
The preparation of a master plan or study plan is a primary function which includes studies of population, circulation, land use, community facilities, open space, recreational, highways and streets, school land, residential, commercial and industrial development and inventory of existing municipal facilities. Using the Master Plan as a guide, subsequent actions of the Board in re- lation to subdivision, street layout, or any other type development are judged and compared ac- cording to its recommendations.
The Board is required to consider and advise on municipal improvements, and report two weeks prior to Selectmen's action on plans for laying out, extending, discontinuing or changing the limits of any way, street, public park or square, any purchase of land for the site of public build- ing, plans for the location, erection or alteration of public buildings. The Board projects land use changes, under the provisions of Chapter 40A, Section 6. It shall report fully to the annual town meeting, giving information regarding the con- dition of the town and any plans or proposals for its development and estimates of the cost thereof, and shall at the same time furnish a copy of its report to the division of planning of the Depart- ment of Commerce. The Board shall elect annually a chairman and clerk from among its own number, and may employ experts and clerical and other assistants.
Personnel
Expenditures
Regular Part-time 1 $15,896
Monthly Cost Per Person
6¢
17
It is probable that nowhere is the problem of meeting the challenge of change more evident or more pressing than in the area of planning. With the growth of the Town the problems faced by the planner increase not only in their numbers but in magnitude, and they increase at an acceler- ating rate.
The planner must try to project for the or- derly development of the Town. His activities touch on every individual and group in the Town : the householder, the businessman, the developer, the conservationist, the professional man, the School Board member, the Town administration. Ten Subdivisions OK'd
The Planning Board in 1966 in its more routine activities held hearings on thirteen sub- division plans involving a total of 314 house lots. Ten plans, covering 191 of these lots were even- tually approved, and three plans with a total of 123 lots were still under discussion at year-end. In addition, sixty-two plans, not involving sub- division control, were considered. These plans in- volved 117 lots. Of the thirteen subdivision plans submitted, it should be noted that ten of them were presented under the Special Development Bylaw which, by the density zoning principle, al- lows the setting aside of green areas. These green areas may be reserved in different ways, but in all cases they mean the preservation for the Town of segments of Nature's "air conditioning." An- dover has pioneered in this special development "cluster" zoning, and the Town's bylaw has served as a model for other communities seeking to ob- tain the benefits of cluster development.
In 1966 the Planning Board went before the Annual Town Meeting with a number of correc- tive amendments to the Town Zoning Bylaws which had been extensively reworded and revised the previous year. Also proposed was the addition of several areas to the Central Business District, of which some were accepted by the Town Meet- ing and others were rejected.
In the course of consideration of new develop- ments, the Planning Board has been watchful for possible violations of the Wetlands (Hatch) Act and has played its role in helping to prevent en- croachments upon the Fish Brook flood plain.
The Planning Board continued to use the ser- vices of Adams, Howard, and Oppermann, of Cambridge, as its planning consultants. In addi- tion, use was made of the landscape architectural firm of Olmsted Associates, of Brookline. The ma- jor project undertaken by the Board with these consultants was the Town Hall site study. The re- sult of this study was the recommendation and the preparation of site utilization sketches for the Lally property in Elm Square as the preferred Town Hall site. As indicated in previous reports,
the Town Meeting rejected this proposal.
The Board also received referrals by the Board of Selectmen for certain capital projects, including the Southeast Andover Elementary School site. The Board concurred in the Select- men's selection of the so-called Bancroft Road site. Work is continuing on a capped sewer pro- posal and a sanitary sewer improvement pro- gram sent to the Board by the Board of Selectmen. Reports will be made on these matters sometime in 1967.
Attention was also given by the Panning Board to revisions of the Zoning Bylaw, particu- larly with regard to clarifying certain portions and the imposition of penalties for bylaw viola- tions. These recommendations will be presented to the 1967 Annual Town Meeting.
In looking to the future, the Planning Board feels that 1967 should see a reconsideration and reworking of the Town's Capital Improvement Program. In order to advise the newly organized S P A C E Committee on an orderly program for school construction, the Board must review the Town's needs and formulate its answer from con- sideration of the whole picture.
RECTILINEAR
94 LOTS 12,000FT. OF STREETS AND UTILITIES
CURVILINEAR
94 LOTS 11,600 FT. OF STREETS AND UTILITIES
Sì
CLUSTER
94 LOTS 6,000 FT. OF STREETS AND UTILITIES
CMVRPD
The Central Merrimack Valley Regional Planning District is a voluntary association of cities and towns formed under the provisions of Chapter 40B of the General Statutes. The Dis- trict is directed by the law to make careful stu- dies of the resources, possibilities and needs of the
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area, and based on these studies, to prepare a comprehensive plan of the District and make recommendations for the physical, social and eco- nomic improvement of the District. Included with- in the scope of these plans and recommendations should be such things as highways, bridges, parks, recreation areas, public places, sites or public buildings, land use areas, zoning districts, water- ways, rail and bus routes, water and sewer facili- ties and other public utilities.
The District is also directed to assist the local planning boards in the application of Dis- trict plans and recommendations to their com- munities.
In furthering these purposes, the District maintains an office and staff at 477 Essex Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts (telephone: 686-0361).
Comprehensive studies have been made of the Lawrence sub-region and a comprehensive plan and program recommended for that area. The District is currently embarked on studies of the Haverhill sub-region for the purpose of preparing a comprehensive plan for that area. When com- pleted, the Haverhill sub-region proposals will be combined with a revision of the Lawrence sub- region proposals so as to provide a unified com- prehensive plan for the District.
Andover is represented on the District Com- mission by a member of the Town Planning Board.
Commission Membership Expanded
The highlight of 1966 was the welcoming of the City of Haverhill and the Town of Merrimac into membership on the Central Merrimack Valley Regional Palnning District Commission in the fall. At the same time the area of jurisdiction of the District was expanded to include the Towns of Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland and West Newbury as well as the new member communi- ties. The District is now responsible for an area covering 196.66 square miles and including 196,060 people, of which 69 per cent of the area and 93 per cent of the population are represented on the Commission.
The major staff activity of the District dur- ing the year was directed toward assisting the City of Lawrence and the Towns of Andover, Methuen and North Andover in an attempt to move ahead the creation of a Greater Lawrence Sanitary District. The staff worked closely with the Merrimack River Pollution Abatement Study Committee in the preparation of suggested legis- lation to authorize such a District. By year's end, tentative agreement between the communities
had been reached on all matters except represen- tation on the governing board. Efforts to resolve this stumbling block were suspended until clari- fication of the Massachusetts Clean Waters Act of 1966 could be obtained.
District Office Moved
In organizational matters, the District Office was moved to Room 415 of the Blakeley Building, 477 Essex Street, Lawrence, Mass. although the telephone number remains 686-0361. The appoint- ment of alternate members by the Cities of Law- rence and Haverhill and the Towns of Andover and Merrimac provided the personnel to establish a sub-committee structure within the Commis- sion.
The officers of the District elected in April were: Chairman, Arthur Neumark, Andover; Vice-Chairman, John R. Leone, Methuen; Trea- surer, Jean B. Ippolito, Lawrence; Secretary, James M. Bannan, North Andover.
In technical matters, the District assisted in the negotiations which led to the preparation of a Preliminary Overall Economic Development Program for the Lawrence-Haverhill Labor Area by the Lowell Technological Institute Research Foundation. This report was needed to make the Cities of Lawrence and Haverhill and the Towns of Andover, Georgetown, Groveland, Merrimac, Methuen, North Andover, West Newbury, Newton, N.H., Plaistow, N.H. and Salem, N.H. eligible to receive federal aid under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965.
At the close of the year the District complet- ed its activities under the federally aided Urban Planning Assistance Program P-43 with the sub- mission of documents summarizing activities and studies concerning Land Use, Administrative Or- ganization and Assistance to Local Groups. Route 495 and 28 Report Prepared
A special report on potential development problems near the intersection of Routes 495 and 28 was prepared and submitted to the Andover and Lawrence Planning Boards for their consid- eration. An effort to bring interested groups in Lawrence and Andover together to discuss a much needed access road from Route 93 to the center of Lawrence proved only partially successful.
At the close of the year, the District review- ed and commented on the application of the Town of North Andover for a federal water facility grant, finding it in conformance with the Re- gional Plan. Additional activities were underway at years end to improve the status of all the com- munities in the District with respect to their el- igibility to receive water and sewer grants un- der the federal programs by bringing up-to-date the Region's comprehensive plan.
The year also saw the first State Audit of
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the Commission in its six years of existence. All funds were properly accounted for and recom- mendations were received to improve the District's records and budgetary practices. Of major inter- est was the identification of an accumulation of $4,077 in overpayments made by the members in prior years which the Commission voted to refund as a credit on 1967 assessments.
The District opened the year with a surplus of $12,344.19 and received $11,505.45 during the year. Expenditures for the year are estimated at $17,953.29 leaving an estimated surplus of $5,896.35 of which $4,077 represents the refund for overpayment in prior years.
Municipal Buildings
Personnel
Full-time 1
Part-time 1
( Ballardvale)
$17,502
Expenditures Monthly Cost Per Person
7¢
Maintenance of the Town Hall continued in 1966 to present problems. The limitations of space for general Town governmental operations in ad- dition to the intensive use by the general public made even routine maintenance difficult. Plans were developed by the Town Manager for the re- arranging of Town offices to permit more effi- cient use of existing space as well as to make cer-
tain offices, particularly the Town Collector and Assessor, more accessible and convenient to the public. These moves are conditioned on the avail- ability of funds. Investigation was made of the feasibility and economics of moving the Welfare Department out of the Town Hall to rented space in the downtown business area. This would mean more and more comfortable facilities adequate for this seriously cramped operation. The present of- fices would become avialable to the Police Depart- ment. These plans are also contingent upon the allocation of funds in 1967.
Emergency replacement of the heating sys- tem in the Ballardvale Community Center requir- ed a transfer of $2,500.00 by the Finance Com- mittee from the Reserve Fund. Steps were taken to relieve a chronic stoppage in the building's sink drains. Further repairs to the building will be required including replacement of a fire escape door on the second floor, repairs to the fire escape, rennovation of kitchen facilities and replacement of inadequate wiring and electrical services. The building was used extensively during the year by community organizations. The Ballardvale Com- munity Association undertook extensive main- tenance of the meeting hall. The facilities of the building represent a most suitable and usable Town assset. The Ballardvale Branch of the Me- morial Hall Library continued to function in the building during the year.
Excellant maintenance of the building's grounds was done by the Park crew of the High- way Department. With the moving of the Veteran's Memorial tablet to the landscaped grounds, memorial services were conducted on Veteran's and Memorial Days.
THE TYER RUBBER WAREHOUSE 1966
THE SHORTEN PROPERTY
NERAL/ PARK ST. G
IPAIRS
INEE
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OLD GARAGE
NEW GARAGE
جديد
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Building Commission
Although the Town Manager, under the terms of the Town Charter, is responsible for supervising the construction of all public build- ings, it has been customary for the Manager to appoint a Building Committee to assist him in the discharge of this important duty. In effect, a Building Committee works on behalf of the Town Manager with its decisions being either recommendations or merely subject to confirm- ation by the Town Manager. In addition to the new Andover High School Building Committee, there is in existance the Southeast Andover Elem- entary School Building Committee which will function actively in 1967. Its role in 1966 was limited to providing assistance to the Town Man- ager in the selection of a building architect.
CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY
This is the most important topic of this re- port.
After many frustrations and delay, const- ruction of the new high school began in April on the largest project ever undertaken by the Town of Andover. Final approval of plans and construc- tion allowances was obtained in February, and
bids were put out to all interested contractors.
Bids were opened in late February and dis- covered to be above the previously voted funds and estimates. Several meetings were held in an ef- fort to reduce the costs below budget figures, but these were not successful. As a result, it was ne- cessary to ask a Special Town Meeting for an ad- ditional $700,000 in order to cover the bids.
Reasons for the needed funds were: higher construction costs during the period of delay ; ad- ditional costs made necessary by considerable changes resulting from the elimination of the auditorium in the original plans; and an over- sight by this Committee as to the cost of furnish- ings and interior equipment for the building. The Special Town Meeting approved the extra funds ; bids were accepted ; contracts signed ; and, finally construction got underway.
Cornerstone laying ceremonies were held on April 30, 1966, One of the unique features of this event was the preparation of a "time capsule" to be sealed in the new structure. It will contain var- ious items which will reflect something of pre- sent-day Andover to our future generations. TARGET DATE 9-1-67
Progress appears to be granting us our ori- ginal date of occupancy, September 1, 1967. The need is great, and it is our sincere hope that no unexpected delays will strike us to prevent the planned entrance into this building. This prospect makes the forty-three meetings held during the year well worth the time and effort spent.
NEW SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL AS SEEN BY ARCHITECT AND AS SEEN BY DECEMBER, 1966
A
MUNICIPAL BUILDING SCORECARD
Building
Site Acquired
Plans Prepared
Cost
Funds Appropriated Remarks
Town Hall
No
No
$ 550,000
Yes, 1965
Police Station
No
No
150,000
Yes, 1965
Central Fire Station
No
No
600,000
No
Senior High School
Yes
Yes
4,610,000
Yes
Construction planned, 1967. Construction planned, 1967. To be submitted to Annual Town Meeting, 1967. Under construction; Com- pletion target date, Septem- ber, 1967.
Highway Garage
Yes
Yes
125,000
Yes, 1965
Completed, 1966.
Library Addition
Yes
Yes
340,000
Yes, 1965
West Andover Fire Station
Yes
Yes
125,000
Yes
Completed, 1966. Completed, 1966.
Southeast Elementary School
Yes
No
1,500,000
No
Architest retained; Planning underway; Submit to Special Town Meeting, 1967; Start Construction, 1967; Com- pletion, 1968.
West Andover School
Yes
No
1,500,000
No
( Est. )
Educational specifications complete, 1966; Planning funds applied for; Submit for approval Annual Town Meeting, 1968; Start con- struction, 1968; Comple-
Junior High School Renovation
Yes
No
Unknown
No
Senior High School Addition and
Yes
No
Unknown
No
Auditorium
West School Addition
Yes
No
Unknown
tion, 1969. Educational specifications complete, 1966; Architect planning funds to be re- quested Annual Town Meet- ing, 1967; Funds appropri- ated Regular Town Meet- ing, 1968; Completion, 1970.
Planning funds to be re- quested of Federal govern- ment; Funds to be requested 1969-1970; Completion, 1970-1971.
No School Committee has not decided on addition; Edu- cational specifications not prepared.
( Est. )
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Conservation Commission
Expenditures Monthly Cost Per Person
$1,071
$.004
Organized under the statutes of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts, this seven member un- paid Commission is appointed by the Town Man- ager. Its primary function is to encourage appro- priate conservation measures throughout the Town and subject to the limitation of funds pro- vided by the Town Meeting to acquire land for conservation purposes. Funds appropriated for land acquisitions may not be used for any other purpose. Conservation land also may not be used for any other purpose.
Fund Established
The voters at the 1966 Annual Town Meeting established a Conservation Fund. By this action, the townspeople have shown their concern for the preservation of selected open areas in Andover, a concern reflecting the growing international awareness of the problems inherent in an expand- ing human population with relation to its natural environment. Retention of the open semi-rural character of the Town has always been a major objective of planning Andover's growth. Zoning requirements alone are not enough to guarantee this, and the 1965 Comprehensive Plan recom- mends "direct action by the Town to keep develop- ment away from locations containing natural re- sources which should be preserved, and from loca- tions which act as gateways to the Town."
With these thoughts in mind, the Conserva- tion Commission will propose, and if the Town sees fit, undertake a large-scale program of re- creational and open space land acquisition, with the aid of whatever technical and financial assist- ance is available from State and Federal sources. First Land Acquired
This year is a milestone in the history of con- servation in Andover. The purchase of the 18- acre Davideit property in the floodplain of Fish Brook, specifically authorized by vote of the October 1966 Special Town Meeting, is the first acquisition of land by the Town of Andover purely for conservation purposes.
In many other respects, 1966 has been a year of increasing activity by your Conservation Com- mission. The Commission has contracted with the
Federal government for a soil survey for the less-developed half of the Town, to be completed in 1967. It has requested a Resource Inventory, also to be done by the Soil Conservation Service, of the entire town, with particular emphasis on recreational, open space, and fish and wildlife needs. Completion of such a survey would amount to a detailing of the Comprehensive Plan in these respects, and would provide specific recommenda- tions for recreational projects such as swimming areas, parks, playgrounds, and the like.
At the same time as the Commission concerns itself with comprehensive long range community- wide planning, it is moving ahead with all possi- ble speed to realize some of the open space objec- tives already adopted to the Town. It is working to acquire for the Town all of the land bordering Pomps Pond and all of the undeveloped portion of the floodplain of the Shawsheen River between Ballardvale and Central Street not already owned by A.V.I.S. It has also undertaken to coordinate efforts to improve Pomps as a community swim- ming area, and has been a party to numerous con- ferences with the Recreation Director, the Water Superintendent, the Town Manager, the Town Engineer, and others in attempts to solve the pro- blems of Pomps.
Hatch Act Supported
The Commission has appeared during 1966 at several hearings held by the Selectmen under the so-called Hatch Act, which extended state con- trol, with local advice, over the filling and dredg- ing of swamps and inland waterways, rendering its opinion as to the conservation interests of the Town. It has conferred with the Planning Board regarding disposition of "green areas" in subdi- visions, and other matters of mutual nterest.
On the State level, the Conversation Com- mission has been active in supporting legislative measures furthering the cause of conservation and in opposing those it felt were contrary to the pub- lic interest in conservation matters. It was pre- presented by Mrs. Kellogg at the Annual Meeting of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions in October, at which both can- didates for Governor were speakers, and at which Governor Volpe made "Self-help" fund awards to several communities.
The Commission accepted with great regret and deep appreciation of his devoted service, the resignation of Heinrich Rohrbach as Chairman. In November, Mr. Joseph Monan was elected to succeed him.
The League of Women Voters continued its
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active support and interest, with observers in regular attendance at Conservation Commission Meetings.
Avis Active
In connection with conservation activities in the Town, attention should be called to the work of Andover Village Improvement Society. AVIS owns six major reservation - Bakers Meadow, Deer Jump, High Plain, Indian Ridge, Shawsheen River and Vale - all open to the public. To make these reservations more accessible signs have now been placed at the entrances, trails have been cut in some, and, at Deer Jump, parking facilities have been improved. Citizens in increasing num- bers have enjoyed walking in these reservations, and Boy Scout Troops have used them for camp- ing and have assisted in trail maintenance and in cleaning up debris. St. Augustine's Boy Scout Troop 75 has been particularly helpful in this connection.
At the request of participating organizations AVIS Board member Charles W. Smith acted as general chairman of the Town's May "Paint-Up, Clean-Up, Fix-up" drive. In November, AVIS pre- sented a program on the Merrimack River and its pollution at a public meeting. Myron Knudson, of the Federal Water Pollution Control Administra- tion, presented a series of color slides illustrating the many factors contributing to the present severe pollution of the river, and Charles Parthum of the engineering firm of Camp, Dresser and Mc- Kee, discussed solutions and their cost. The ex- pert knowledge of these two men and their fac- tual presentations provided an excellent source of information to the citizen-taxpayer concerned about this major problem.
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