USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Hamilton > Town of Hamilton Annual Report 1955 > Part 2
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Moved by Mr. John Garland and duly seconded : "That the Town vote to authorize and approve the Board of Assessors to use available funds of 'free cash' in an amount not to exceed the sum of $35,000.00 in determining the tax rate for the year 1955."
Voice Vote. Motion unanimously carried.
Article 17. Moderator: "To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Moderator to appoint a committee of five registered voters of the town for the purpose of investigating and studying the advisability of the fluori- dation of the town water system, such committee to make its report with recommendations at the next annual town meeting, and raise and appro- priate the sum of $100. for the expenses of the committee or take any action thereon or relative thereto.
Moved by Mr. Richard Smith and duly seconded : "That the Town authorize the Moderator to appoint a committee consisting of five register- ed voters of the town for the purpose of investigating and studying the advisability of the fluoridation of the town water system, such committee to make its report with recommendations at the next annual town meeting, and that the sum of $100.00 be raised and appropriated for the expenses of the committee."
Voice Vote. Motion not carried.
Article 18. Moderator: "To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to appoint a committee of five registered voters of the town to study and investigate possible ways and means of improving the electrical service in the town, and to consider among other things the feasibility of a municipal owned electrical generating plant and system of distribution : the feasibility of under ground wires ; methods to prevent dis- ruption of electrical service over unwarranted periods of time, such com- mittee to report its recommendations with necessary drafts or articles to carry out the same at the annual town meeting for 1956, and to raise and appropriate the sum of $500.00 for the expenses of the committee, or take
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any action thereon or relative thereto, as petitioned for by Harold A. Daley and others."
Moved by Mr. Harold A. Daley and duly seconded : "That the Town authorize the Board of Selectmen to appoint a committee consisting of five registered voters of the town to study and investigate possible ways and means of improving the electrical service in the town, and to consider among other things the feasibility of a municipal owned electrical generat- ing plant and system of distribution; the feasibility of underground wires ; methods to prevent disruption of electrical service over unwarranted periods of time, such committee to report its recommendations with necessary drafts or articles to carry out the same at the annual town meeting for 1956, and that the sum of $500.00 be raised and appropriated for the ex- penses of the committee."
Mr. Richard Johnson amended this motion and moved : That this motion be referred to the Planning Board for investigation.
Voice Vote taken on Mr. Johnson's amendment. Motion not carried.
Voice Vote taken on Mr. Daley's motion. Motion not carried.
Article 19. Moderator: "To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Moderator to appoint a committee of five registered voters of the town for the purpose of investigating and studying the feasibility of provding a building for quarters of the fire and police departments, said Committee to report with recommendations at the next annual town meeting, or take any action thereon or relative thereto, as petitioned for by Lawrence Lam- son and others."
Moved by Mr. Lawrence Lamson and duly seconded: "That the Moderator appoint a committee, consisting of the Chief of the Fire De- partment, Chief of Police, one member of the Planning Board, one member of the Board of Selectmen, and one other registered voter to investigate the need of new quarters for the Fire and Police Departments, choose one or more possible sites and type of buildings, and bring in a report and recommendations at the next special or regular town meeting."
Mr. Richard Johnson amended this motion and moved : "That this motion be referred to the Planning Board for investigation."
Voice Vote taken on Mr. Johnson's amendment. Motion not carried.
Voice Vote on Mr. Lamson's motion referred back to the Committee to be appointed by the Moderator. Motion carried.
Seven voters stood to doubt the vote, and the Moderator announced that a standing vote would be taken. The Moderator chose the same tellers as he did for Article 6 to count the votes :
Mr. Richard Smith Mr. Bernard Cullen
Mr. Arthur Knight Mr. Arthur Bennett
Mr. Morley Piper Mr. Thomas Stevenson
The Moderator asked those in favor of the appointment or such com- mittee please stand and remain standing until counted. After the count
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was made the Moderator asked those opposed please stand and remain standing until counted.
After the count of votes was reported to the Moderator by the tellers, the Moderator announced the vote to be :
Yes : 199
No: 56
Moderator then declared the motion carried.
Article 20. Moderator: "To see if the Town will vote to adopt the following Building By-Laws and Wiring By-Laws, or take any action thereon or relative thereto."
Moved by Mr. Bernard Cullen and duly seconded: "That the Town By-Laws be amended by the addition of a Building By-Law and Electrical By-Law as follows :
The proposed By-Laws were read by Mr. Arthur Knight as follows :
PROPOSED BUILDING BY-LAWS
TITLE
This By-Law shall be known and cited as the Building By-Law of the Town of Hamilton as provided under Chapter 143, Section 3, of the Gen- eral Laws.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this By-Law is to provide minimum standards and requirements for safe and stable designs, methods of construction, and uses of materials in buildings and structures hereafter erected, altered, moved, or converted to other uses within the limits of the Town of Hamilton.
The provisions of this By-Law shall be supplementary to any and all state laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts relating to buildings.
SCOPE
New buildings and structures hereafter erected in the Town of Ham- ilton shall conform to all the requirements of this By-Law.
Existing Buildings need not conform to the requirements of this By- Law except that all ordinary masonry construction buildings and all frame buildings hereafter built or altered in which the lower stories or portions thereof are used for business, and the stories above for residence purposes shall have partitions and ceilings separating the business portion from the residence portions covered with metal lath and plaster or other equivalent fire-retardent material.
ARTICLE 1. General Provisions
Section 1. The Board of Selectmen shall, in the month of April, appoint an Inspector of Buildings for the term of one year from the first day of May following, and until another is appointed in his stead; and may by appointment fill any vacancy in said office. He shall be either an architect, builder or civil engineer. He shall receive such salary as may be determined by the Board of Selectmen subject to the provisions of Gen- eral Laws. If the Inspector shall have any interest in the doing of work, or the furnishing of materials for the construction, repair or alteration of any building in this town, or in the making of plans or specifications there-
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for, then the application, shall be referred to the Board of Selectmen, who shall appoint a competent person to act as Inspector in his stead and may fix the compensation to be paid said person.
Section 2. No construction or alteration of a structure, building, or part thereof, shall be commenced until a description of the proposed work, together with plans if required, is filed with the Inspector of Buildings, giving full information as to materials, cost, location, owner, architect and builder, and such other information as may be requested upon blanks pre- pared for the purpose and approved by the Selectmen, and a permit issued by the Building Inspector.
Duties of the Inspector
Section 3. The Inspector shall keep a record of the business of the department, and submit to the Board of Selectmen an annual record of such business and such other reports as the Selectmen may require.
Section 4. The Inspector shall furnish the Board of Assessors with a record of all permits as granted, with data on cards as furnished by the Assessors, and when the building or buildings are completed shall place upon cards their outlines, with dimensions, area covered and cubical con- tents, together with any such data as may be required by said Board of Assessors.
Section 5. After a permit is issued and the work started, the follow- ing inspections, at least, shall be made promptly by the Building Inspector upon notification by the builder or owner that the premises are ready for such inspection.
1. After excavation and before foundations or footings are in stalled.
2. After foundations or footings are in place, but before backfill.
3. Before sheathing, plastering or lathing in whole or part.
4. When all work is completed and building ready for occupancy. The Inspector shall not approve the work until all requirements of this By Law have been complied with.
Section 6. He shall receive applications and issue permits for the erection and alteration of buildings, as hereinafter described and shall keep detailed and sufficient records of such applications and permits.
ARTICLE 2. Permits
Section 1. The owner, lessee or agent of either, or architect, builder or contractor for any building or structure to be demolished or moved shall make written application to the Inspector of such intended demolition or moving and obtain a permit.
Section 2. The Inspector of Buildings shall issue or deny a permit within fifteen days of the receipt of the application for the permit properly filled out. The permit is for immediate use upon a building or structure to be begun at once and pushed forward to completion within a reasonable time. The permit is void after ninety days unless the work, which it allows, is begun and may become void if at any time during construction the work is halted for a period sixty days. The permit shall be kept upon the work and shall be shown, upon request to the Inspector of Buildings, any Select-
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THIRD SPECIAL REPORT of the HAMILTON SCHOOL BUILDING NEEDS COMMITTEE
The Special Town Meeting called at the request of the School Building Needs Cormittee and scheduled for December 14, 1955 was postponed for lack of a quorum until January 4, 1956. At this meeting the Hamilton School Committee recommended that the Town purchase the new two-roon unit which had been added to the Manasseh Cutler School. The School Committee had used the building since September 1955 and found it to be entirely satisfactory. The Town acted on this recommendation and appropriated the sun of $45,000 in full payment for the unit.
At this same special meeting the School Building Needs Committee was authorized to serve as a School Building Committee for the purpose of causing specifications, plans and estimates to be prepared for the construction of an additional two-roon unit to be added to the Manasseh Cutler School. This action was in accordance with suggestions which had been made by the Building Needs Committee in its Second Special Report.
Since the Special January Town Meeting, the School Building Needs Con- mittee has devoted its efforts to a study of the next steps in the overall plan to meet the educational needs of the children of the town. It now seems quite clear that after the second new unit is added to the Manasseh Cutler School and thereby making it an 18 classroom building, that no further additions should be made to this plant. The school population continues to grow and additional classrooms are a certain necessity. The present school buildings can only take care of all pupils until September 1957.
Preliminary estimates by the Building Needs Committee would indicate that there is a strong possibility that a new school containing a minimum of 12 classrooms will be needed in order to take care of known future enrollment at the elementary level. This new school should be available for use by September,1957. If additional and exhaustive investigations substantiate this conclusion the Building Needs Committee feels that it should investigate possible locations and suggest alternative sites for a new school. The Com- mittee would also make tentative studies of school buildings, with a view to making defensible recommendations to the Town in the very near future.
Based upon its previous study and recognizing the need for continued investigations the Building Needs Committee recommends that its work continue to the point where specific suggestions can be made to the town at a regular or special town meeting. The rate at which our school population is growing makes it imperative that recommendations be brought to the town as quickly as possible so that concrete steps can be taken to meet the need for additional classrooms in the public schools.
HAMILTON SCHOOL BUILDING NEEDS COMMITTEE Allan MacCurrach, Chairman Frederick Caldwell Douglas A. Chandler George C. Cutler Henry J. Gourdeau Grace B. Larson John F. Neary Morley L. Piper
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man, or their Agent. Any building operation shall be carried on in con- formity with the description of the work for which permit is issued. If changes are made, a new application shall be filed and approved before they are begun.
Section 3. Same as Section 2 Article 1.
ARTICLE 3. Exemptions
Section 1. Subject to compliance with the structural requirements of this By-Law, Articles No. 4 through No. 12, ordinary repairs of build- ings on structures may be made without a permit from the Inspector, but such repairs shall not be construed to include the cutting away of any stone or brick wall, or any portion thereof, the removal or cutting of any beam or support, or the removal, change or closing of any staircase, or any altera- tion made for the purpose of converting into a dwelling a building of struc- ture constructed or previously used for a different purpose.
Section 2. The following shall be excepted from the provisions of this Building By-Law.
1. Buildings owned or occupied by the United States or by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
2. Bridges, quays and wharves.
3. Buildings less than seven feet in height, and eight feet in length and breadth measured to the extremes in all diameters pro- vided that the location of such conform with the Zoning By-Law.
4. Temporary structures erected for storage or offices during construction operations provided such structures shall be removed at the completion of such operations.
5. Farm buildings not used for human occupancy situated not less than fifty feet from any other building.
6. Ordinary repairs and alterations of buildings but not includ- ing change in structural members of supports, means of egress or any- thing which would violate any provision of the Building Law.
7. In case of buildings or structures of special or unusual char- acter to the construction of which those Building Laws do not particu- larly apply, the Inspector shall refer the question of approval of plans and specifications and the issuance of a permit to the Board of Appeals for determination.
8. Immediate emergency repairs.
ARTICLE 4. Garages
Section 1. All garages located beneath, or having a common wall with a dwelling, shall be covered with 3/4" cement plaster or equal on all walls and ceilings. Any doorway leading from such a garage into a dwelling shall be equipped with a self-closing door, frame and door on garage side to be metal covered.
Section 2. If the garage be placed nearer to the building than ten feet, the wall nearer to the principal building must be of fire proof material, and the ceiling built of fire-resisting material. If the garage is to be placed in the basement of the dwelling, or attached to it on either side, or built within five feet of it, then all sides shall be of fireproof material and the ceiling as well.
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ARTICLE 5. Foundations
Every building shall have a continuous solid masonry foundation, to be built of stone, poured concrete in forms, precase concrete blocks, brick or other approved material, extending from a point at least three and one- half feet below grade, or from ledge, to the under side of the sill at the first floor level. If the land is on one or more sides slopes away to less than one foot above the cellar or basement floor level than the sill may also follow the contour of the land. This exception will not apply where there is no cellar or basement.
For buildings other than accessory buildings of one story in height, the thickness of the foundation walls will be as follows:
a. Stone walls, not less than sixteen inches thick.
b. Poured concrete of a mix equal to that prescribed by the American Standard Association building codes for masonry to be at 10" thick in the forms increasing in thickness according to height, size and use of building.
c. Pre-cast concrete blocks, well seasoned, twelve inches wide to grade, and subject to the same requirements as of poured concrete.
d. All masonry walls except stone walls shall start from a footing of concrete re-inforced, if necessary, when required by the Building Inspector. Such footings shall be at least ten inches thick and four inches wider on each side than the wall itself.
e. No masonry wall shall be built to a height greater than ten feet without reinforcements or permanent bracing.
f. Carrying timbers shall be supported as to length and size at least equal to the National Lumber Manufacturer's Association tables.
The above requirements shall not be applied to piazzas, porches, or similar projections of not more than one story in height or of more than 100 square feet of floor area. Garages and other small buildings are also exempted.
Under no circumstances, however, will the use of wood resting on or imbedded in the ground be allowed to be used for supports under any sill, girder, partition shoe or other timber sustaining weight.
ARTICLE 6. Firestopping
Section 1. All buildings, alterations or additions thereto, hereafter erected, shall be fire-stopped at all floor levels, to prevent the spread of fire and to cut off drafts.
Section 2. Firestopping shall be done by two-inch stock, nominal measure, and must be placed between floor joists at the sill inside the studs between floor joists resting on a girder, girt, partition cap or any other supporting timber, full and complete in height up to the under side of the lining floor. On top of the lining floor stock of two inches in thickness full width of the studs shall be laid flatways between the studs.
Section 3. Stairs shall be firestopped at each end and in the middle of each run.
Section 4. Chimneys are to be firestopped at each floor with metal strips.
Section 5. Firestopping shall be provided to form an effectual hori- zontal fire barrier between stories and roof spaces. The stopping shall con-
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sist of pieces of wood, not less than two inches thick, fitted tightly, cement mortar, or brick filling. Fire stopping shall not be concealed from view until opportunity has been given to the Building Inspector to approve it. (Masonry materials may be used in place of wood.)
ARTICLE 7. Fire Protection of Woodwork
Section 1. Woodwork shall be kept at least one inch from the out- side brick work of chimneys and in no case shall nails be driven into the masonry of a chimney for the support of woodwork. Chimneys built on the outside of a structure need not comply with the above-mentioned one inch rule. Smoke pipes from furnaces and heaters shall be kept at least eighteen inches away from any woodwork, unless woodwork is protected.
Registers, connected with hot air furnaces, shall be set in non-com- bustible borders at least two inches wide.
Steam pipes shall be kept at least one inch from all woodwork or shall be protected by an incombustible ring or tube, or rest on iron supports.
Section 2. Wood and other combustible floors under stoves or similar appliances without legs shall be protected by one inch of asbestos or four inches of masonry, extending not less than four inches beyond the limits of the said appliance.
Section 3. No heating boiler, furnace, laundry stove, or similar ap- pliance shall be placed within one and one-half feet of any partition, or ceiling of wood or wood lath and plaster, or within three feet of such parti- tion or ceiling unless guarded by sheet metal loosely attached to provide an air space behind.
Section 4. No heating boiler or furnace shall be placed upon wooden floor construction.
Section 5. No stove or kitchen range shall be placed closer than twelve inches to any woodwork or wood lath and plaster partition; nor closer than twenty-four inches, unless guarded with sheet metal, held off one inch from said partition, and allowing a ventilating air space, unless the appliance is approved for contrary installation by the Underwriters' Laboratories.
ing thereunder.
Section 6. All gas, gasoline, or other open flame appliances shall be placed on non-combustible stands at least six inches above any combustible support, unless the burners are at least five inches above the base, with metal guard plates below the burners.
No such device shall be used in a room where gasoline or other volatile inflammable liquid is handled, and no such liquid shall be stored in any room where such device is installed.
Section 7. Gas connections to stoves or heating devices shall be by rigid metal pipes.
ARTICLE 8. Party Walls
No opening or doorway shall be cut through a party or partition wall of any building without a permit from the Building Inspector, and when required by the Building Inspector, every such doorway shall be protected by standard self-closing fire doors with approved resistive frame and hardware.
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ARTICLE 9. Chimneys
Section 1. No tile or metal chimneys shall be allowed. All masonry chimneys shall rest on a concrete footing six inches thick and except those with solid brick walls eight inches thick, shall be lined throughout with vitreous flue lining, not less than 8" x 12" (inside dimensions), and shall be topped at least 4 feet above the highest point of contact with the roof or 2 feet above the ridge pole.
No chimney shall be supported on wood. No wood closer than 1" to any chimney. Space between chimneys and floor joists to be firestopped. Except in the case of chimneys built on the outside structures, no wood closer than 1" to any chimney. Spaces between chimney and floor joists are to be firestopped.
Section 2. Every smoke pipe hole into a chimney shall be provided with a metal thimble. Masonry walls at the back and sides of every fire- place shall be at least 8" thick, if of brick and 12" thick if of stone. All fireplaces, shall have dampers. Hearths shall be at least 16" in front of the fireplace openings, and at least 8" wider than the fireplace opening. Wood centers under fireplace hearth arches shall be removed before finish- ing thereunder. No woodwork shall be within 5" of any smoke pipe.
ARTICLE 10. Roofs
Section 1. No part of any roof shall be constructed in such a man- ner as to discharge snow, ice or other material upon a public street or side- walk.
Section 2. Any roof hereafter constructed in the Town of Hamilton, shall be covered with a fire-resistive material such as metal, tile, slat, asbes- tos shingles, or surfaced asphalt shingles. If asphalt shingles are used, they shall weigh not less than 210 pounds per hundred square feet laid or 64 pounds per hundred square feet of material not laid.
Section 3. The roofs of all public buildings hereafter erected or con- structed, and the roof of any existing public buildings hereafter recovered shall be covered and roofed with a non-combustible or fire-retarding mate- rial mentioned above.
Section 4. When twenty-five per cent or more of a roof covering is hereafter replaced, the new covering shall be one of the fire-resistive mate- rials mentioned above.
ARTICLE 11. Materials
Minimum requirements of materials shall be equal to those prescribed by National Lumber Manufacturer's Association tables, and in any event shall be equal to the following :
Sills 4" x 6"
Girders 6" x 8" or steel "I" Beams.
Floor Joists 2" x 8" to 14' span-16" on center.
Floor Joists 2" x 10" to a 18' span-16" on center.
Studs outside walls and carrying partitions 2" x 4"-16" on center. Collar ties 2" x 6".
Rafters 2" x 6" 14 feet in length or under-16" on center.
Rafters 2" x 8" 14 feet or longer-16" on center or any other floor
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design which would carry a 50 lbs. minimum live load per square foot, residential; 75 lbs. minimum live load per square foot commercial.
ARTICLE 12. Exhaust Fans
Exhaust fans, which are built into a structure, shall be properly ex- hausted to the outside. Such fans shall be of any approved type and the installation shall be to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector.
ARTICLE 13. Descriptions Not Specified
Section. 1. All buildings hereafter erected with a specification not provided for in this Building By-Law, shall be constructed in a manner that shall be satisfactory to the Building Inspector.
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