USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > Town annual report of the officers of Wakefield Massachusetts : including the vital statistics for the year 1942 > Part 3
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Voted: That the report as read be accepted and adopted.
ARTICLE 34
To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $100.00 to be expended by the Tree Warden for the purpose of acquiring small shade trees of various kinds to be planted in the Town Nursery for future use on the highways of the Town .- Donald White, Chairman, Committee on Shade Trees.
On motion by Howard A. Jones for the Finance Committee:
Voted: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $100. to carry out the purposes of Article 34.
ARTICLE 35
To hear and act on the report of the Committee appointed by vote of the Town Meeting acting under Article 5 of the Special Town Meeting Warrant, August 18, 1941 .- Frank P. Wakefield, Chairman Committee.
Frank P. Wakefield submitted the following report, which he read:
REPORT OF COMMITTEE UNDER ARTICLE 5 OF SPECIAL TOWN MEETING OF AUG. 18, 1941
Under Article 5 of the Warrant for Special Town Meeting of Aug. 18, 1941 voted that the article be referred to a committee of five to be ap- pointed by the Moderator; said committee to consist of one member of the Board of Selectmen, one member of the Park Commissioners, one member of the Planning Board and two citizens.
Said committee shall consider the question of the acceptance of said Article 5, and also what policy the Town should take on future articles of similar nature. The committee shall report at the next Annual Town Meeting.
The Moderator appointed Orrin J. Hale of the Board of Selectmen, John T. Stringer of the Park Commission, Edward M. Bridge of the Plan- ning Board, John J. Round and Frank P. Wakefield, Citizens.
The Committee organized with Frank P. Wakefield, Chairman and John J. Round, Sec'y.
At its first meeting the committee extended to Mr. DeVries an invi- tation to attend its next meeting. He accepted and after a pleasant talk, he informed us that he was withdrawing his offer to give to the Town the land on Pleasant St. as he had decided to build on the same. We un- derstand that this has been done.
This took care of the first duty of the Committee.
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REPORT OF TOWN CLERK
On the matter of policy the Town should adopt in the future in re- gard to similar offers the committee has given careful consideration.
The committee appreciates the worthy purpose of citizens who wish to give land to the Town for Park or other Municipal purposes but feels that the Park System should be developed in a logical manner, rather than a hit or miss system.
1. The Town should not accept small lot size parcels of land unless they fit into a logical Park System.
2. The Town could accept a number of evenly spaced small parcels for neighborhood playgrounds for small children.
3. We should never refuse land around the two lakes.
4. Provision should be made for small local parks and playgrounds in outlying sections of the Town.
5. The Town should seek the gift of rocky hills not suitable for build- · ing, because if built upon it is usually cheap houses that will not carry their share of the tax burden for public services.
6. Swamp land that may be used as public dump.
The Committee wished to ascertain if the Town did not have by Tax Title some of the rocky hills and swamp land; but could not ascertain much about it from the Town officers.
It should be made the duty of some Department to list such property and sufficient funds provided. This work we believe in a short time would more than pay for itself.
In order that there may be a systematic consideration of these recom- mendations the committee is of the opinion that the Town should adopt an amendment to its by-laws covering these matters.
The committee has prepared for consideration of the Town a proposed by-law which will be found in an article in the Warrant for this meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Frank P. Wakefield,
Orrin J. Hale,
John T. Stringer,
Edward M. Bridge,
John J. Round.
On motion by William B. Stantial:
Voted: That the report be accepted.
ARTICLE 36
To see if the Town will amend its By-Laws by adding a new chapter #11A as follows:
When in any Article in a Town Meeting Warrant, it is proposed to offer to the Town any land, or land and buildings, for park or other pur- poses, the Town Planning Board shall consider such a proposal with re- spect to the possibilities, needs and plans for future development of the Town, holding a public hearing thereon, with such notice as it deems rea- sonable, if it determines that such hearing is desirable and after such con-
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
sideration shall report its recommendations to that Town Meeting. Such an Article shall be placed only in the Annual Town Meeting Warrant un- less the Board of Selectmen consider the matter especially urgent; then it may be acted on at a Special Town Meeting .- Frank P. Wakefield and others.
On motion by Frank P. Wakefield :
Voted Unanimously: That the Town amend its by-laws by adding a new chapter #11A, as follows:
CHAPTER 11A
When in any Article in a Town Meeting Warrant, it is proposed to offer to the Town any land, or land and buildings, for park or other pur- poses, the Town Planning Board shall consider such proposal with respect to the possibilities, needs and plans for future development of the Town, holding a public hearing thereon, with such notice as it deems reasonable, if it determines that such hearing is desirable and after such considera- tion shall report its recommendations to that Town Meeting. Such an Article shall be placed only in the Annual Town Meeting Warrant unless the Board of Selectmen consider the matter especially urgent; then it may be acted on at a Special Town Meeting.
ARTICLE 37
To hear and act upon the report and recommendations of the Special Town Infirmary Committee appointed under Article 5 by the Moderator at the Special Town Meeting of November 17, 1941 .- John T. Stringer, Chairman.
John T. Stringer read the report of the committee which report stated the committee to be firmly convinced that the land now in use is not suitable for further cultivation until reconditioned, and was unani- mously agreed that a plot of similar size should be substituted for the cultivation of vegetables for Welfare purposes.
The report was signed by the Committee: John T. Stringer, chairman; Richard M. Davis, secretary; J. Frank Anderson; Francis J. Smith; and C. B. Dinan.
ARTICLE 38
To see if the Town will vote to set apart, for welfare purposes only, a parcel of land bounded and described as follows, in place of land set apart for welfare purposes by vote of the Adjourned Town Meeting on March 15, 1933, to wit:
Beginning at a spike, which is N32°E, 160.0 feet from a stone bound in front of Town Infirmary in the easterly line of Farm Street; thence S58°E, 200.6 feet to a spike, thence S33° 11'W, 315.6 feet to a tall pipe used as vent for gas tank; thence S33º 11'W, 126.5 feet to a spike; thence S64° 56'E, 207.3 feet to a stake on westerly bank of an existing brook; thence by the westerly bank of said brook in a southwesterly direction 204.7
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REPORT OF TOWN CLERK
feet to a bend in the brook, thence by westerly bank of said brook in a southwesterly direction 232.0 feet to a stone wall; thence by an existing stone wall, in a northwesterly direction 202.0 feet to a county commis- sioners' stone bound that is in the easterly line of Nahant Street; thence by the easterly line. of Nahant Street 180.56 feet; thence by a curve of radius 534.78 feet bearing to the right 149.03 feet; thence 154.94 feet; thence by a curve of 325.31 feet radius bearing to the left 45.04 feet; thence by the easterly line of Farm Street, 206 feet to a stone bound in front of Town Infirmary; thence N32°E 160.0 feet to the point of beginning .- Board of Public Welfare.
Voted: That the Town vote to set apart for Welfare purposes only, a parcel of land at the Town Infirmary as described in Article 38, in place of land set apart for Welfare purposes by vote of the adjourned town meeting of March 15, 1933.
ARTICLE 39
To hear and act upon a report of the Committee appointed under Article 6 of the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting of November 17, 1941, pertaining to the street numbering system of the Town .- Edward M. Bridge, Chairman.
Edward M. Bridge reported for the Committee and read the report, which stated that the present by-law is inadequate in a number of ways, and that the committee has drawn up a preliminary draft of a new by- law which, they believe, corrects the inadequacies of the present by-law, and which will be ready to insert in the warrant for a town meeting in the near future.
The report was signed by Edward M. Bridge, chairman; Gardner Campbell, secretary; Willard P. Lombard; Harry H. Denning; and John I. Preston.
On motion by Selectman Orrin J. Hale:
Voted: That the report be accepted as a report of progress, and the Committee be instructed to present a by-law, as recommended in the re- port, for action at a future town meeting.
ARTICLE 40
To see what sum the Town will appropriate from the proceeds of sales of lots in Forest Glade Cemetery now in the Town Treasury for the care, improvement and embellishment of the cemetery .- Park and Ceme- tery Commissioners.
On motion by Finance Committee:
Voted: That the subject matter of Article 40 be indefinitely postponed.
ARTICLE 41
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $750.00 to be expended by Wakefield Post No. 2106, Veterans of Foreign Wars; Corp. Charles F. Parker Camp No. 39, United Spanish War Veterans; Corp.
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
Harry E. Nelson Post No. 63, American Legion; H. M. Warren Post No. 12, G. A. R .; for the proper observance of Memorial Day, May 30, 1942 .- F. L. Champagne and others.
On motion by Finance Committee:
Voted: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $750 to carry out the purposes of Article 41.
ARTICLE 42
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $50.00 to be expended by Corp. Harry E. Nelson Post No. 63, American Legion, for the proper observance of Armistice Day, November 11, 1942 .- Harold A. McMann and others.
On motion by Finance Committee:
Voted: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $50 to carry out the purposes of Article 42.
ARTICLE 43
To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 for nursing, the same to be expended under the direction of the Selectmen, as salary to the nurse employed by the Wakefield Visiting Nurse Associa- tion, in aid of its nursing work among the people of Wakefield .- Olga C. White and others.
On motion by Finance Committee:
Voted: That the Town raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 to carry out the purposes of Article 43.
ARTICLE 44
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Park and Cemetery Com- missioners to lease to the Quannapowittt Yacht Club, Inc., a portion of land on the shores of Lake Quannapowitt at Church Street Cove for the purpose of said Club to build club and boathouse for use of said Club. Price and length of lease to be agreed to by Park and Cemetery Com- missioners and Board of Trustees of Quannapowitt Yacht Club, Inc .- Herbert Kelloway and others.
On motion by Finance Committee:
Voted: That the subject matter of Article 44 be indefinitely postponed.
ARTICLE 45
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town By-Laws by striking out Section 2, Chapter 3 and inserting in place therefor the following:
"The duties of the Finance Committee shall include consideration of any and all municipal questions for the purpose of making reports and recommendations to the Town and consideration of the Articles in the warrant for town meetings and it shall report at each town meeting esti- mates and recommendations with reasons therefor for the action of the
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REPORT OF TOWN CLERK
Town and all town officers and committees shall upon the request of the Finance Committee furnish it with facts, figures and any other information it may request pertaining to their several departments."-Howard A. Jones and others.
On motion by Finance Committee :
Voted: That the Town By-Laws are hereby amended by striking out Section 2, Chapter 3, and inserting in place therefor the following:
"The duties of the Finance Committee shall include consideration of any and all municipal questions for the purpose of making reports and recommendations to the town and consideration of the articles in the war- rant for town meetings, and it shall report at each town meeting estimates and recommendations with reasons therefor for the action of the town; and all town officers and committees shall, upon the request of the Finance Committee, furnish it with facts, figures, and any other information it may request pertaining to their several departments."
ARTICLE 46
To see if the Town will vote to amend its Zoning By-Laws so that Section 3A entitled "General Residence Districts" be amended to read as follows:
In a general residence district (a) No building or premises shall be erected, altered, or used for any other purpose than
1, Any use permitted in a general residence district; 2, dwelling; 3, club, social or recreational use, except one the chief activity of which is a service customarily carried on as a business; 4, funeral home; 5, physicians' and doctors' offices; 6, accessory use customarily incident to any of the above uses and not detrimental to a residential neighborhood .- John H. Holleran and others.
Edward M. Bridge, chairman of the Planning Board, described the pur- pose of the amendment, stating it to be to allow physicians' and doctors' offices in general residence districts.
Mr. Bridge called the attention of the meeting to what he termed a "typographical error" in Article 46 of the Warrant, which read "any use permitted in a 'general' residence" district. He said he had been advised by the town counsel that it would be legal for the meeting to adopt the amendment using the words "single residence" as intended. Therefore, in behalf of the Planning Board, he recommended the adoption of the amend- ment.
Mr. Bridge stated that a hearing on the subject matter of Article 46 was held on February 27, 1942 and had been advertised in the Wakefield Daily Item on January 27, 1942.
On motion by Edward M. Bridge:
Voted Unanimously: That Section 3A of the Zoning By-Laws of the Town of Wakefield, is hereby amended to read as follows:
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
In a general residence district (a) No building or premises shall be erected, altered, or used for any other purpose than
1, Any use permitted in a single residence district; 2, dwelling; 3, club, social or recreational use, except one the chief activity of which is a service customarily carried on as a business; 4, funeral home; 5, physicians' and doctors' offices; 6, accessory use customarily incident to any of the above uses and not detrimental to a residential neighborhood.
ARTICLE 47
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning By-Law by striking out Section 5 (a) as previously enacted and adding after Section 5 a new Section 5 (a), in the following form:
Section 5a. Area and Frontage Regulation:
Subject to the provisions hereinafter contained in this Section there shall be provided for each dwelling house, club or other building permit- ted by this By-Law, constructed after the adoption of this Section, in sin- gle residence districts, a lot containing not less than 8,000 square feet with a frontage of not less than 80 feet on any street or private way, and in general residence districts a lot containing not less than 6,000 square feet with a frontage of not less than 60 feet on any street or private way. After the adoption of this Section no dwelling house, club house, or other per- mitted building shall be erected or placed on a lot containing less than the areas or having less frontage than that herein prescribed. However, nothing contained in this section shall prevent the construction or placing of any building on any lot in either of said districts containing a smaller area or less frontage, provided such lot on the effective date hereof does not adjoin other land of the same owner available for use in connection with said lot.
No lot on which a dwelling house, club house or other permitted build- ing is situated, whether heretofore or hereafter placed shall be reduced in area, if such lot is smaller than is hereby prescribed, or if by such re- duction, it would be made smaller than is hereby prescribed, except in either case by taking by eminent domain or by a conveyance for a public purpose.
The Board of Appeals may make special exceptions to the provisions of this section, either upon appeal or upon the written request of the owner of a parcel of land by authorizing the Building Inspector to grant a permit for the erection or placing of a dwelling house or other permitted building upon any lot containing less area than is hereby prescribed, sub- ject to such limitations of time and other conditions as it may impose when after a public hearing it shall find that -
(1) adjoining areas have previously been generally developed by the constructions of houses on lots generally smaller than is prescribed by this section and the standard of the neighborhood so established does not reasonably require a subdivision of the applicant's land into lots as large as is hereby prescribed; or
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REPORT OF TOWN CLERK
(2) lots as large as is hereby prescribed would not be readily salable or economically or advantageously used for building purposes because of the proximity of the land to through ways bearing heavy traffic or to a railroad or because of other physical conditions or characteristics affecting it but not affecting generally the zoning district in which the land lies.
The Planning Board, on request of the Board of Appeals shall, and when it deems it advisable may, without such a request, make a report to the Board of Appeals with recommendations on the question of granting any application for special exceptions hereunder.
Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to alter the re- quirements of the other sections of this By-Law .- Planning Board, Charles W. Morrill, Secretary.
Chairman Edward M. Bridge of the Planning Board stated that a hearing on Article 47 was held by his board on February 27, 1942, and that the hearing was advertised in the Wakefield Daily Item on January 27, 1942, and that the Planning Board recommended the adoption of the amendment.
On motion by Edward M. Bridge:
Voted Unanimously: That the Zoning By-Laws of the Town of Wake- field are hereby amended by striking out Section 5 (a) and adding after Section 5 a new Section 5 (a), as described in Article 47.
ARTICLE 48
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning By-Law by striking out clause (d) of Section 6 of said By-Law as amended and substituting therefor the following new clause (d) :
(d) The removal of loam, sand, stone or gravel from land in Single or General Residence Districts for sale, for building purposes, for improve- ment of other land, or for any commercial purpose, other than in connec- tion with the erection of a building upon the parcel of land from which such material is removed, shall be deemed a non-conforming use. Such use shall be permitted, as a variance, only under and by virtue of a special permit issued by the Board of Appeals. No such permit shall be granted by the Board of Appeals which, in its judgment, would adversely affect the health, safety, convenience and welfare of the neighborhood and/or of the Town. Said Board may grant such permits under such conditions as it may deem necessary for the protection of the health, safety, convenience and welfare of the neighborhood and/or of the Town .- Planning Board, Charles W. Morrill, Secretary.
Edward M. Bridge, chairman of the Planning Board, stated that a hearing on the subject matter of Article 48 was held on February 27, 1942, and that the hearing was advertised in the Wakefield Daily Item on Janu- ary 27, 1942, and that the Planning Board recommended the adoption of the amendment.
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
On motion by Edward M. Bridge:
Voted Unanimously: That the Zoning By-Laws of the Town of Wake- field are hereby amended by striking out clause (d) of Section 6 and sub- stituting therefor a new clause (d) as described in Article 48.
ARTICLE 49
To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning By-Law by striking out Section 10 and substituting therefor the following Section 10.
Section 10 Amendments
Amendments to be made in accordance with the Statutes.
Amendments to this By-Law may be made from time to time in the manner provided in the Statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts then in force and applicable .- Planning Board, Charles W. Morrill, Sec- retary.
Chairman Edward M. Bridge of the Planning Board stated that a hearing on the subject matter of Article 49 was held on February 27, 1942 and that the hearing was advertised in the Wakefield Daily Item on Janu- ary 27, 1942, and that the Planning Board recommended the adoption of the amendment.
On motion by Edward M. Bridge:
Voted Unanimously: That the Zoning By-Laws of the Town of Wake- field are hereby amended by striking out Section 10 and substituting therefor a new section 10, as described in Article 49.
ARTICLE 50
To see if the Town will vote to return to the Town Treasury the sum of $30,000.00, being part of the balance of the Operating Fund of the Municipal Light Department as of December 31, 1941, and to authorize the Assessors to use the same in computing the tax rate for 1942; also to see if the Town will authorize the Municipal Light Department to transfer the sum of $8,184.70 from its Operating Fund to a Reserve Fund to be used for the purpose of purchasing equipment, labor, materials and supplies that may be needed for the defense and protection of the Municipal Light De- partment, this latter sum being the remainder of the balance of its Oper- ating Fund as of December 31, 1941 .- Municipal Light Commissioners.
On motion by Finance Committee:
Voted: That the sum of $30,000, being part of the balance of the Operating Fund of the Municipal Light Department as of December 31, 1941, be returned to the Town Treasury, and the Assessors be hereby auth- orized to use the same in computing the tax rate for 1942, and authorize the Municipal Light Department to transfer from its Operating Fund, $8,184.70 to a Reserve Fund to be used for the purpose of purchasing equipment, labor, materials and supplies that may be needed for' the de-
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REPORT OF TOWN CLERK
fense and protection of the Municipal Light Department, this latter sum being the remainder of the balance in its Operating Fund as of December 31, 1941.
On motion by Harry Marshall:
Voted: That Article 1 be taken from the table.
ARTICLE 1
On motion by Harry Marshall:
Voted: That the report of Town officers, as published, be accepted.
ARTICLE 51
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Assessors to use such free cash as may be in the Treasury or any part thereof, in comput- ing the tax rate for the current year .- Charles C. Cox, Town Accountant.
On motion by Finance Committee:
Voted: That the Board of Assessors be authorized to use the sum of $30,000 Free Cash, now in the Treasury, in computing the tax rate for 1942.
On motion by Charles C. Cox:
Voted: That this annual meeting be now dissolved:
Meeting dissolved at 10.03 P. M.
Attendance 180.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING-MARCH 16, 1942
The special Town Meeting, called for March 9, 1942 and which was recessed until the articles of the Annual Meeting (which was held on the same date) were disposed of, was called to order by Moderator Thomas G. O'Connell at 10.04 P. M., the amendment of Selectman Robert H. Adams, that $20,000 be invested in Government Defense Bonds instead of $10,000 as provided by motion by the Finance Committee, being in order.
The vote on the amendment was in the negative.
The original motion-that of the Finance Committee to invest $10,000 in Government Defense Bonds-was then voted in the affirmative.
Frank P. Wakefield asked unanimous consent to present a motion that the Finance Committee be extended the thanks of the Town for their efficient service.
There being no objection, Theodore Eaton offered an amendment that it be a rising vote, and it was so voted.
On motion by Harry Marshall:
Voted: That this meeting be now dissolved.
Meeting dissolved at 10.15 P. M. Attendance 180.
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TOWN OF WAKEFIELD
COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT
April 7, 1942
The Moderator appointed the following committee under Article 1 of the Special Town Meeting of March 9, 1942:
Robert H. Adams, Patrick Tenney, Marcus Beebe, William C. Dill, Edward M. Bridge, William B. Stantial, John T. Stringer, Harry Marshall, Maurice F. Walsh, Gardner E. Campbell, Warren E. Phinney, William T. Curley, William Blanchard, Herman G. Dresser, and Peter Myhre.
FINANCE COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
April 7, 1942
The Moderator announced the appointment of five members of the Finance Committee, as follows:
Harry Marshall, Frank E. McIntire, Frederick W. Bliss, V. Richard Fazio, and Joseph M. Curley.
March 30, 1942
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