USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > Town annual report of Saugus 1953 > Part 4
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PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION
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Scale : (.80'
FAY SPOFFORD 4 THORNDIKE IRGINEERS BOSTON MASS
PLANNING BOARD
Mr. Walter E. Lawrence Town Manager
Saugus, Massachusetts Dear Sir:
Herewith is submitted the annual report of the Planning Board for the year ending December 31, 1953.
Much of the work of the board during the year was de- voted to discussions, field surveys and decisions in relation to zoning changes to make certain areas available for industrial and business purposes.
It is becoming increasingly imperative that more tax revenue be received by the Town to keep pace with the steadily rising costs of operation as a solvent business. One basic method of accomplishing this is to have more business and in- dustry locate in the town, and, to this end, the board devoted
many of its weekly meetings to discussions of the areas avail- able for this type of development.
Many field surveys were made by the members regarding this type of zoning and, after careful deliberation, decisions were made on what particular areas to recommend for rezon- ing. Numerous public hearings were held in reference to the areas chosen, with the result that several rather extensive parcels for business or industry were rezoned by the Town Meeting and approved by the attorney general.
Among areas rezoned for light industry were both sides of the Newburyport turnpike, from Main Street to the Lynn- field line, to a depth of 500 feet; and on the westerly side a fur- ther extension from Main Street southerly to Bufford Street; the easterly side of the Frank P. Bennett Highway, from Felton Circle to the Revere line to a depth of 200 feet; the southerly side of the Boston & Maine Railroad tracks from Central Street to the Lynn line, up to the shores of Shute's Brook; the
THE GREEKS HAD A WORD FOR IT, OR SEVERAL WORDS-"Old men for counsel, young men for war." Happily, the important Saugus Planning Board, who are busily engaged in stamping the image of the community of the next generation, are a blend of both advancing years and youth. And the enthusiasm of 87 year old Albert C. Day, left seated, busily engaged in making a profound point for the elucidation of his colleagues on the Saugus Planning Board is so contagious that, as this picture shows, they are all visibly impressed with his youthful point of view. Shown seated next to octogenarian in years but ever-youthful Mr. Day is Chairman Harvey P. Wasserboehr. Standing, left to right, are Lewis O. Gray, Harvey B. Poole, and Henry Seaver.
27
HIGH
(Pamoved)
5
£4C.
EAST DENVER
easterly side of the Boston & Maine Railroad tracks from Ad- ams Avenue to Denver Street, to a depth of about 200 feet; and also a few smaller parcels in various areas.
Some of the areas rezoned for business included the west- erly side of the Frank P. Bennett Highway, near Felton Circle, to correct a spot zoning condition; the westerly side of Central Street, from Denver Street to Main Street, for the same reason; and a number of smaller changes to again correct spot zoning conditions.
Two Zoning By-Law changes were recommended and ap. proved.
Many meetings were held with individuals requesting re- zoning of property. After receiving applications, public hear- ings were held and surveys made by the board. Our recom- mendations were then given to the Town Meeting and a num . ber were accepted.
Applications were received, public hearings held, plot plans approved, and permission granted for the development of three sub-divisions. Two of these were of some area, one located in North Saugus, and the other in Saugus Center. The third, of smaller size, was for a street extension in Saugus Center. These developments make 20 new homes available as taxable property.
A number of meetings were held with prospective develop- ers and advice and help were given without immediate results. A number of streets were viewed on field trips and many of them were recommended for acceptance. The Betterment Act was favored in most cases.
Under new State subdivision control legislation all lot plans filed with the Land Court must be examined and signed by the Planning Board. This requirement has increased our work considerably, as previously only those plans involving new roads were subject to approval by the board.
The preliminary work done by the board, consisting of discussions, field surveys, and preparation of plans, in connec- tion with the establishment of a new cemetery, bore fruit in an appropriation at the annual Town Meeting of a sum of money for test borings and engineering work at the recommended site.
Work on the relocation of Shute's Brook is also proceed- ing, after similar action by the board.
An enlarged aerial map of the entire town has been made; a new zoning map is nearing completion; and a new Zoning By-Law pamphlet is in the discussion stage.
Preliminary surveys have been made with a view to mak- ing certain areas available for multiple dwellings and the pos- sible establishment of "Garden-Type" apartments.
We have, throughout the year, made preliminary surveys of such locations as Pranker's Pond, Baker's Hill, and areas in North Saugus, with a view to future development for the pur- pose best suited to the respective locations.
Work is proceeding on the development of numerous other areas with a view towards bringing the town a more equitable tax income.
We have cooperated and lent aid to the group working on the water civil suit against the city of Lynn, which legal ac- tion was originally sponsored by this board.
In the early part of the year, two of our members, Joseph T. Hess and J. George Bainbridge, resigned due to business pressure and their resignations were reluctantly accepted. Withdrawal of these members brought the size of the board down to five at which number it has been left, as this is more in conformity with the size of Planning Boards in other com- munities.
The resignation of Harvey B. Poole as chairman was re- luctantly accepted at the end of the first three months of this year and the present chairman elected. Mr. Poole still con- tinues as a member, however, and his advice and guidance are still available to the board.
There is so much work for the Planning Board to do that although meetings are held almost weekly throughout the year, the time necessary to accomplish it all always seems in- adequate. We feel, however, that with the continued friendly co- operation of all officials and citizens that our work will bear fruit and the town of Saugus will continue to progress.
We wish to thank you, as Town Manager, for your val- uable suggestions and advice, without which our work would have been less productive.
Saugus Planning Board Receipts and Expenditures of 1953
Receipts
$1,195.00
Expenditures
Maps
CA 45.90
Clerical
427.13
Printing and Advertising
225.94
Stationery ..
16.20
Prints
76.65
Supplies
9.11
Dues
20.00
Dinner at Conference
20.00
Engineering Services
130.00
Respectfully submitted,
HARVEY P. WASSERBOEHR, Chairman
HENRY SEAVER , Clerk
HARVEY B. POOLE
ALBERT C. DAY
LEWIS O. GRAY
28
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
"PLEASE TAKE DOWN THIS LETTER," says Thomas H. Wagner, Jr., Saugus' superintendent of buildings, to his part-time clerk, Mrs. Mildred E. Robinson, Building inspector and enforcing officer of the Zoning By-Law, Superintendent Wagner is also in charge, under the Town Manager, of repairs to all town-owned buildings. Trained as an architect, he brings to the job a wealth of experience in construction and a personality which enables him to accomplish a difficult job efficiently and still make friends, both for himself, and the town. Pleasant Mrs. Robinson on his left, doubles in brass, and with equal quiet efficiency, as clerk of the Board of Health.
Mr. Walter E. Lawrence,
Town Manager, Town Hall,
Saugus, Mass.
Dear Mr. Manager:
This is my second report to the citizens of the town of Saugus. I have now had an opportunity to familiarize myself with conditions affecting the department. I shall, therefore, en- deavor to critically analyze its progress both retrospectively and prospectively.
The departmental functions are threefold: Building inspec- tion service, electrical inspection service, and repair and main- tenance of town buildings. Each function is equally essential to the welfare of the town and must be reported separately.
Building Inspection
Construction in Saugus is approaching again the all-time peak reached in 1948, as indicated in the following charts show- ing trends for the post war years. The average estimated cost of dwellings constructed in 1953 was $9,400, highest in the his- tory of the town.
Actual value of 1953 dwellings range from $10,000 to $25,000, signifying that Saugus is now attracting a better class of developers and home builders.
VALUATION OF BUILDINGS 1945-53 1945 46 4/ 48 49 50 51 52 53
1800 000
1600 000
14 00 000
1200 000
1000 000
800 000
600 000
400000
200 000
VALUATION OF DWELLINGS 1945-53 1945 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53
1400 000
1200 000
1 000 000
800 000
600 000
400 000
200 000
97 300
20
The statistical report follows:
1953
Number
Dwellings
121
$1,140,400.
Repairs and Alterations
206
97,540.
Garages
34
26,325.
Sheds
13
5,225.
Gasoline Stations
3
83,000.
Greenhouses, Markets and Stores
5
38,000.
Restaurants
3
27,900.
Motels
8
76,700.
Offices
1
200.
Foundations
1
1,600.
Barns
1
6,000.
$1,503,090.
Buildings demolished
7
Total permits issued
404
Ordinances and By-Laws
Basically, our Building Ordinance and Zoning By-law are ef- fective protection against sub-standard housing, unsafe construc- tion, and objectionable usages. Both must be constantly amended and revised to meet changing conditions and community needs.
At my request, the 1953 Town Meeting appointed a com- mittee of five citizens to review our Building Ordinance.
Our code does not require that dual means of egress be pro- vided in rental units and apartments. Saugus has had several tragedies involving loss of life when the victim was cut off from an only escape .
No provisions are made for fire wall divisions in multiple dwelling units or between hazardous usages. Motels and apart- ment buildings can be the scene of flash fires with a resulting loss of life and excessive fire damage.
Modifications to our code should permit new methods of construction when performance is equal to old methods.
Platform framing, which has as an advantage, equalized shrinkage, and a resulting minimization of plaster cracks, could be adopted.
Our Zoning By-law regulates the growth and development of our town, preventing congestion, protecting residential areas, and permitting and promoting desirable business and industry. The Planning Board has effectively kept it up to date by fre- quent revision.
I submit the following suggestions as a result of my contact with and enforcement of the Zoning By-law.
Difficulty in interpretation is often the question. What con- stitutes an accessory to a residential use? Our Zoning By-law is permissive, that is, it stipulates what can be done in an area
and excludes everything else, except accessory uses. Among these in residential districts are garages, tool sheds, outdoor fire places, porches, and the use of rooms for office by resident pro- fessional persons.
There are no provisions for the storage of house trailers, boats, building material, automobiles, furniture and appliance not in use, or for home industries not involving sale from the premises, such as appliance, radio, and television repairing, and the manufacture of small machine parts. All of the above are not permitted by our present by-law, although with proper re- strictions they are not detrimental and could be allowed.
A movement towards decentralization of industry and busi- ness has placed Saugus with its rail lines and highways, in a favorable position to develop these and increase its revenue.
I am constantly approached by persons interested in es- tablishing in Saugus, if they can find a suitable location. To this end, areas zoned for business and industry should be increased as extensively as is consistent with protection to select residential areas.
A WORKMANLIKE JOB IS THE ARTISAN'S DELIGHT, and Building Maintenance Mechanic Ralph DeFronzo, shown building these handsome new bookcases for the Saugus Public Library, is only satisfied when the job is perfect. Delighted library aides are thrilled to note that his skillful work blends in perfectly with the original shelving of a generation ago. This is how the taxpayer saves under the guidance of a skilled Town Manager. Under normal system of town government, this would be a costly contract job, and the finished result would possibly be inferior. Skilled Mechanic DeFronzo does it when not otherwise engaged at a fraction of the cost and turns out a superior product. Mobility of employes is one of the reasons town management is more efficient and less costly to the taxpayers.
30
Saugus has a scarcity of rental units which could be relieved by permitting apartments and multiple dwelling units in certain areas of town. The need for these will become more pronounced as industry develops.
Use of land for agriculture and related purposes is increas- ingly becoming a problem as residential development expands from our centers. It may become necessary to divide our resi- dential category to less and more restrictive districts, extending agricultural and other usages in the former and reducing them in the latter.
Building Repairs and Maintenance
Accomplishments in building repairs and maintenance are measured by and in proportion to the funds allocated for these purposes, assuming that the work is accomplished in the most economical manner in each instance. The following timetable of major repairs to public buildings during post war years effec- tively demonstrates this.
1954 through 1952
1945-1947-No major accomplishments recorded.
1948-Four schools painted.
Boilers repaired. Stoker installed at Library. Repairs to fire alarms. Centre School-new toilet facilities.
1949-Purchased new truck. Ballard School and library interior painted. Floors at Armitage refinished. One room at Ballard relighted.
1950-Lighting completed at Ballard School.
1951-Ballard School renovation. Lynnhurst School, High School exterior and cafeteria, and Sweetser auditorium painted.
High School yard hot-topped. Roby School first floor lighted.
1952-Armitage renovation. Oaklandvale hot air heating system replaced. North Saugus relighted and new urinals. Junior High School re-roofed. High School library relighted. High School corridor da-do installed. Town Hall heating system modernized.
1953
ARMITAGE SCHOOL-Replaced water service. BALLARD SCHOOL-Roof repaired.
CENTRE SCHOOL-Repairs to roof, coal bin, closet ceiling, heating radiators and storage closet.
CLIFTONDALE SCHOOL-Complete new fluorescent lighting and rewiring installed.
CLIFTONDALE SCHOOL-Boys' toilet facilities completely re- newed and relocated. Outside brick work repointed.
Outside trim and woodwork painted.
Dental Clinic walls painted and new floor.
Flagpole installed. Ceiling repaired-Opportunity classroom. Repairs to stairway and installation of new closets.
EMERSON SCHOOL-Outside and teachers' room painted. Interior plaster repaired.
FELTON SCHOOL-New heating plant installed.
Stairs to boys' basement replaced-other stairways re- paired, and boiler base installed.
LYNNHURST SCHOOL-Relighted with modern fluorescent fix- tures. Repairs to hardware.
NORTH SAUGUS-New boys' toilet facilities. Repairs to boiler, including new covering.
OAKLANDVALE-Complete modern lighting installation. Hall walls and toilet rooms painted.
MODERNISTIC LIGHTING FOR MODERN AMERICA helps Junior and "Sis" to learn their lessons and reduces optical care in later years. Mrs. Viola G. Wilson, teacher at the Oaklandvale School, beams her thanks, as Building Superintendent Thomas H. Wagner, turns on the switch for the first time to illuminate the classroom in the manner Town Manager Walter E. Lawrence believes your children and those of your neighbors should learn their lessons.
31
ROBY SCHOOL-Provisions have been made for a new base- ment Cafeteria by the erection of several fireproof parti- tions and doorways.
The entire first floor corridor ceiling has been replastered. Repairs to windows, floors and doors.
Exterior brick and stone repointing.
Stock closet.
SWEETSER SCHOOL-Painting of the exterior trim, metal and woodwork, interior stairways, and basement cafeteria.
Two new floors installed and repairs to all floors.
All classroom doorways repaired and damaged plaster around them repaired and painted.
New boys' toilet facilities installed.
New concrete floor in cafeteria area.
A new forced warm air ventilation system installed in the cafeteria, and the existing boiler converted to auto- matic oil firing.
Exterior brick and stone work has been repointed and repaired.
New fluorescent lighting installed for basement cafeteria. HIGH SCHOOL-Second floor corridor covered with new ply- wood dado.
Repairs to band rooms. Repairs to doors and windows.
TOWN HALL-Modern ladies' and men's public rest rooms in- stalled in the front of the Town Hall basement, and new stairway and fireproof partitions erected in connec- tion with the installation.
The Town Hall steeple has been restored, the front of the building painted, and all gutters and downspouts cleaned and repaired (SPECIAL ARTICLE $3500). Auditorium lighting and repairs to the wiring.
Restoration of draperies.
Public address system.
Painting of auditorium walls.
Refinishing of auditorium floors.
Alterations to clerk's vault, treasurer's and Accountant's offices.
Painting Welfare Department Office.
Cabinets-Manager's office and Building Department.
VETERANS' MEMORIAL SCHOOL-Wood fence for protec- tion of lawns. Chain link fence.
STACKPOLE'S FIELD-Repairs to bleachers. The bleachers and fence painted.
Repairs to roof and ceiling of visitors dressing rooms.
POLICE AND FIRE STATIONS-Building sanitary waste con- nected to the town sewerage lines. Repairs to return lines on boilers.
A drinking fountain has been installed in the Police Sta- tion.
PUBLIC WORKS GARAGE-Outside painted.
MONUMENT LIGHTING-
CENTRE SCHOOL-Interior painted.
BALLARD SCHOOL-Yard hot-topped.
VETERANS' MEMORIAL SCHOOL-Shades installed.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS-During the year 153 minor repairs were
made to public buildings in addition to the above recorded. Funds allocated over this period are depicted in the follow- ing graph.
SCHOOL REPAIR EXPENDITURES
70 000
60 000
50 000
40 000
30 000
20 000
10 000
1945 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54
The dashed line indicates what should have been spent, based on an accepted standard of seven per cent of the value of the buildings and subtracting custodians' salaries.
Saugus has a capital plant, with respect to school and public buildings, with a value of $1,603,770. These buildings are com- munity property, and the community has vested in the Building Department, the responsibility to protect its assets from undue depreciation, or disrepair, and to improve them in accordance with today's standards.
You will note in the foregoing chart that there is a wide dis- crepancy between the amount that should have been spent and the amount actually spent up to 1950. We are all familiar enough with the nature of repair work to know that it is more costly when delayed. We are, therefore, faced not only with the burden of "catching up", but also of the additional cost of making de- layed repairs and alterations, all at a time when we are under- taking a school expansion program.
My responsibility resolves itself to maintain and modernize our buildings, requesting and spending the least amount of money consistent with the financial ability of the town and al- ways seeking the preservation of its assets.
Emphasis in School Department reports over the past 10
32
years, was placed on the following needs: Improved lighting.
Improved playyards. Replacement of obsolete heating equipment.
Improvement of sanitary facilities.
Progress in each instance and future plans are analyzed as follows:
1. LIGHTING-Although the urgent need for modern lighting was reported annually by the Superintendent of Schools and by a School Investigating Committee of 30 years ago, there was no recorded remedial accomplishment until 1949 when one room at the Ballard School was relighted. The follow- ing chart indicates the number of classrooms relighted since 1949 and our goal of 82 classrooms.
CLASSROOM LIGHTING
80
70
classrooms with
60
Inadequate Light
50
40
30
20
10
1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954
In each instance the light level has been raised from an aver- age of 15 foot-candles to 35 foot-candles, the minimum recog- nized by the "Illuminating Engineering Society" for classroom lighting. New services and incidental rewiring have been neces- sary for each school relighted. Installations have been under the supervision of Mark E. Randell, town electrician and wiring inspector.
2. PLAY YARDS at the North Saugus and High Schools were partially surfaced in 1951, and at the Ballard School in 1953, with the ground work completed, and funds appropriated to resurface the Lynnhurst School in the spring of 1954. The school yard resurfacing, performed by our Public Works De- partment, was due to the successful efforts of the Parent- Teachers Association groups to have funds allocated for this purpose.
We recognize that yard surfacing improves the outward ap- pearances of our school and lessens the danger of children hurt-
ing themselves from falls, but the demand for inside work and for the preservation of the buildings has been so great that it has been necessary to postpone efforts in this direction for a year or two.
Initiation of a program of annually resurfacing one school yard should begin in 1954 and will, in a period of 10 years, relieve this situation.
3. HEATING PLANTS. With the conversion of the Ballard School heating system to a modern forced hot air system in 1951, the last of the costly, small, hard coal burning furnaces was eliminated.
We are now faced with the approaching obsolescence of our older steam boilers, all of which, except for recent installations at the Felton and Armitage Schools, are over 30 years of age. The life expectancy of a boiler averages from 30 to 40 years and with good care, they may last 50 to 60 years.
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