Town of Norwell annual report 1950-1959, Part 78

Author:
Publication date: 1950
Publisher: The Board
Number of Pages: 1812

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Due to the extreme drought conditions the large circle had many dead spots, and we found it necessary to re-seed. At the same time we refilled all sunken graves.

We hope to continue this program throughout the rest of the cemetery as money becomes available.

We re-tarred the roadways as a continuation of improvement.

Again we wish to say to all legal residents of our Town that any member of the Cemetery Committee will be glad to assist them in selecting a lot therein.

The citizens of the Town lost two valuable members of the Com- mittee through the resignations of Richard H. Brooks and Stewart Bowker, for both of these men put much time and effort into the cemetery so that it could become a place of beauty.

Your Committee wishes to thank you for the privilege of serving you, and for your cooperation in keeping the cemetery a credit to the community.

Respectfully submitted, The Washington Street Cemetery Committee WILLIAM D. JACOBS GEORGE BENNETT WILDER A. GAUDETTE

101

TOWN OF NORWELL

Report of the Inspector of Animals

To the Board of Selectmen:

Gentlemen:

I herewith submit my report as Inspector of Animals for the Town of Norwell for the year 1957.

Quarantine of dogs having bitten persons:

Number of dogs quarantined 33

Number of calls 64

Inspection of barns and listing of animals in Norwell for the

Division of Livestock Disease Control.

Respectfully submitted,

RICHARD E. CUGNASCA, D.V.M. Inspector of Animals.

Report of the Dog Officer

To the Selectmen of the Town of Norwell:

Gentlemen:

I submit my report as dog officer for the year 1957.

Dogs returned

Complaints investigated 15

Stray dogs 19

Dead dogs picked up and buried

Injured dogs taken to veterinarian

Respectfully submitted,

ROBERT L. MOLLA, Dog Officer.

A PROGRESS REPORT ON

THE PRELIMINARY

GENERAL PLAN

NORWELL TOWN MARCH, 1958

PLANNING BOARD

GOALS OF PLANNING FOR NORWELL

The main goals of planning for Norwell are to keep the Town the pleasant place for living that it is today, and to improve its services and facilities to the extent that the citizene want and can afford.

This means preserving the Town's rural character and natural beauty, and providing good schools, recreation, and municipal utilities.

It means also taking in a considerable amount of new de- velopment that is inevitable because of the growth of the ex- pending Boston metropolitan area and the improved highway connections, without sacrificing the main goale.

There follows a more detailed outline of the goals that are guiding Norwell's planning:

1. To keep the feeling of openness, by encouraging groups of good-standard houses on fairly large lots, alternat- ing with views of the rolling countryside and woode.

2. To confine most residential construction to areas plan- ned for growth, which can be most economically provided with schools, water, and municipal services.

3. To discourage residential construction in scattered and inaccessible locations involving excessive coste for

road maintenance, snow removal, and school transporta- tion.

4. To protect and enhance the natural resources of the Town, for their best use for private and public recreation and rural activities.

5. To provide sites for future needed schools, recreation, and other public uses.

6. To develop the minimum of additional miles of main roade necessary to provide for through traffic and circulation within the Town.

7. If it proves practical, to encourage a small amount of non-nuisance industrial development at locatione not detrimental to residence.

8. To preserve sites for commercial uaee at key locatione to best serve the needs and convenience of residente.

9. To increase the taxable resources of the Town, to the ex- tent that this is consistent with the above objectives.

10. To keep down the cost of providing new and needed tax- supported services and facilities.

PROGRESS IN PLANNING FOR NORWELL

For a number of years the Norwell Planning Board has been concerned with the need for a long-range plan for the development of the Town. This kind of careful look into the future is necessary, as a guide to the day-to-day decisione that the Town must make -- on amendments to the zoning, on regulating new subdivisions, on scheduling and raising money for new school construction, water main extensions, and oth- er public works.

The Planning Board has normal and regular responsibili- ties in connection with these day-to-day decisione. Ae an unpaid board, the time ite membera can devote to their duties ie limited to eveninge and week-ende. Nevertheless, in 1955 the Board decided to undertake a series of studies that would build toward preparation of a long-range General Plan.

Working through a number of committees, the Board with a limited amount of advice on procedure from a planning con- sultant collected much of the information on which the plan- ning must be based.

A man was prepared, showing the use of every piece of land in the Town. The acreage in use was calculated, for residence, business, institutions, schools and public build- ings, gravel pits, farming, and so forth.

Studies were made of needs for recreational space and of opportunities for recreational development; of programmed ex- tentions of water linee; of the recent history of the rate of house-building and subdivision, location, lot-size and the like.

The Board early realized, however, that in view of its limited time and experience, further technical assistance would be necessary in interpreting this information, ident :- fying trends, and preparing the General Plan itself. For this purpose the Board asked for and the Town Meeting appro- priated the sum of $2,500 in 1956.

In order to save the Town as much expense as possible, the Board deferred spending the bulk of this money while it carried out ite "do-it-yourself" planning studise. In 1956, the Board learned that Norwell was eligible for financial aid for planning, under a program administered by the Divi- sion of Planning of the State Department of Commerce which makes available Federal funds to match local funde. This would make possible nearly twice as much technical and pro- fessional services as the Town had appropriated money for.

Later in the same year the Planning Board began negoti- ations. It was learned that the price for this extra help was a long delay, while contracte were being worked out with the State agency and between the State and the U.S. Housing and Home Finance Agency. It was not until the middle of fall of 1957 that all contracte were signed and a start could be made.

The Board had selected as ite consultants Adame, Howard and Greeley, a Cambridge firm of wide experience in town and city planning. The consultante have worked closely with the Board, veing all of the material earlier prepared, and be- cause this groundwork had been done it was possible to pro- duce quickly the Preliminary General Plan which is here pre- sented.

NEXT STEPS IN PLANNING

During the next few months the Planning Board hopes to receive commente and criticism on this first draft of a plan. The consultants will also be working, on basic studies of eco- nomic trende.

Early in the summer the plan will be revised to meet whatever changes the Board has then decided on. Then recom- mendations on zoning revision will be developed, and a six- year program of public works expenditures. The final report is expected in the early fall, in time for full community discussion before the Board frames proposals and holde pub- lic hearings on iteme for the next Town Meeting.

A PRELIMINARY GENERAL PLAN FOR NORWELL

The Preliminary General Plan presented on this page has as ita purpose to help to achieve the goals listed on the first page of this leaflet.

The plan is not a proposed zoning map (though it may be used to guide fu- ture changes in zoning). It is, rather, A generalized description of the way Norwell should develop by 1975.

This is not a completely ideal plan. It tries to be practical. It proposes a scheme of development that the Town can achieve and afford, if Norwell decides that this le what it wants. To make the plan come true, the Town must use all the tools it has: the zoning by-law, subdivision controls, and careful spending of limited tax resources on lend purchase and public works, only where and when they will do the most good.

This is not a "final" plan, for Norwell will go on growing and changing long after 1975. That date was chosen, because it is about as far ahead ag we can gee at all clearly. Before then, things will probably happen that we do not forssse; the plan will have to be revised and kept alive.

Long-range planning is not something that a Town does only once. If Norwell wants to keep control of its future, the process of looking ahead must be con- tinuous. The goals of planning, however, are likely to be more permanent.

WHAT KIND OF TOWN?

The Planning Board believes that it speaks for the majority of Norwell citi- zene in saying that Norwell wants to be in the future the same kind of town that it is today -- only better.

The list of goals on the previous page spells this out: a residential com- munity, of open and rural character, with only such nonresidential uses as are needed to serve the citizens. Other commerce and industry should be let in only if and where it will be a tax asset without destroying the character and quality of the Town.

Recent growth, however, is endangering the Town's rural character. There 18 still plenty of empty land, but the new houses are tending to line all the ex- isting roads. If this keeps on, as people go to and from their houses or look out their windows they will not see any "country" -- only suburb. This suggests the need to work out new ways of guiding the development that will occur in the future.

GROWTH - WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE?

Norwell is now made up of all kinds of people: a wide range of income groups; small families and large, living in houses from small to big; "old fam- ilies and "new" families; houses grouped in "village" clusters, and houses 180- lated in the country.

This variety is normal and healthy. Norwell wants to keep it.

Recent growth, since World War II, has been rapid. The Town has been caught up in the surge of metropolitan expansion, which is bound to continue in the years ahead .

Most of the new families that have come to Norwell have young children. This, indeed, is why they came. Single people, and couples too young or too old to have children of school age, tend to stay in the central part of the metropolitan area.

This is something that will probably continue. Towns like Norwell will be the bedrooms and nureries for Greater Boston. Norwell cannot hope to return to the days when it was a small, independent rural community; it will become more and more a part, and specialized, part, of the metropolis.

For a number of years to come, therefore, Norwell's average family aize will continue to increase, as will the proportion of the total population that is of school age. This posee special problems of schools and recreation.

GROWTH - HOW MANY PEOPLE? HOW SOON?

Pressures for growth in the future will be even greater than in the past. The completion of the Southeast Expressway, with an interchange at Route 123 (Main Street ) in Hanover just beyond the Norwell line, will bring Norwell even closer to Boston and to employment opportunities throughout the region.

It is not possible to predict future population accurately, for a town with so large an undeveloped area as Norwell, which is so small a part of the metro- politan area. It is possible, however, to make a reasonable guess at the prob- able upper and lower limits of future growth.

Judging by what has been happening within Norwell, it is reasonable to ex- pect futurs growth to range between 50 and 75 new houses each year. From 1950 to 1956 the average was 70; the rate has fallen off slightly. The average to 1975 will not be less than 50; it could be higher than 75. Making a reasonable assumption as to family size, this gives a range of 1975 population from 7,500 to 10,000.

SCITUATE

PROSPECT HILL

A FIRE TOWER

NAVAL

N G

HAM

ACCO

ROCK

LAND

HACKETT POND

HANOVER

SHINGLEMIL

WILL

MARSHFIELD

RESIDENCE AV. LOT 3/4 ACRES (MIN. 1/2 ACRE)

PUBLIC BL'O'G'S., CHURCHES, INSTITUTIONS

PUBLIC RECREATION, SCHOOL GROUNDS , PARKS, ETC.

RETAIL BUSINESS

OPEN LANO, AGRICULTURE, WOODS, RESIDENCE ( AV.LOT 5 AC.)

NAVAL RESERVATION

UNBUILOABLE SWAMPS & SLOPES

INOUSTRY

ELEM. SCHOOL

HANOVER CENTER

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

===

POSSIBLE NEW ROAOS

CEMETERY

TOWN OF NORWELL NORWELL TOWN PLANNING BOARD

PEMBROKE

000

1000

5000

PEET

PRELIMINARY GENERAL PLAN PREPARED BY ADAMS, HOWARD, & GREELEY JAN. 1958

RESIDENCE AV. LOT 2 ACRES (MIN. I ACRE )

Judging by what has been happening to this part of the metropolitan area, Norwell has been growing faster than the subregion. Using reasonable forecasts for Greater Boston as a whole and for this part of it, if Norwell's share continues to increase at the same rate its range of 1975 population would be from 9,000 to 16,000.

Under the foreseeable pressure for development, it will probably be impossible to hold the 1975 population below 7,500. Rapid growth, however -- to reach the high 16,000 figure -- would intensify present problems of providing enough schools and of preserving rural character.

As a basis for planning, it is sensible to choose a rate of growth that will be most favorable for Norwell. This Preliminary General Plan aims at a 1975 population of 10,000: construction of about 1, 500 new houses by that time, and a total of about 2,700 families.

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

At present only 840 acres -- 6% of the total land area -- 1s in residential use. Buildable undeveloped land, not counting swamps and stsep slopes, amounts to 8,460 acres.

The preliminary plan proposes that half of the new growth be concentrated in four general areas. Three are al- ready definable concentrations: the small-lot area along Route 3, the area around Norwell Center, and the area at the southern end of Town. The fourth area proposed is around Main and South Streets not far from the interchange with the new Expressway; this will soon become the most accessible part of the whole Town.

The idea is to permit and encourage development around the center of each of these areas on smaller lots, averaging about 3/4 of an acre (still large enough not to require a sewer system). This is to promote economy of both public and private development and service costs, and to maintain the rural qualities of large open space and undisturbed woods and farm land slsewhere.

It is expected that about half of the new houses, how- ever, would be built on larger lots (averaging 2 acres), along existing roads away from these centers, and in new large-lot subdivisions.

There would also be some scattered building in open land, with holdings of 5 acres or more. Most of the land shown in whits on the plan, however, would still be open and rural by 1975.

The total of new land that would be developed to bring the population to 10,000 would be about 1,100 acres, less than 15% of the available buildable empty land.

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The increased population will need added business ser- vices. At present about 35 acres are devoted to Business use, along Route 3 and in Norwell Center.

The plan proposes concentration of business growth in two locations along Route 3, expansion of Norwell Center, and a new neighborhood-service center at South and Main Streets to serve the proposed new "neighborhood" there.

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

An area for light industrial development is tentatively proposed west of the planned Expressway, in a section well insulated from residential areas.

Economic studies still to be undertaken will throw need- ed light on whether industry can be practically encouraged in Norwell. The Town, however, neither needs nor wants ex- tensive industrial development.

SCHOOLS

With a population more than doubled by 1975, Norwell will need a greatly expanded school plant. It is estimated that there will be nearly 1,700 children of slementary school age, 700 in junior high school, and 550 in senior high school,

The plan proposes four sites for elementary schools: the two present sites, one in the Norwell Center area, and one in the southern part of Town.

How many buildinga should be built by 1975 depends on educational decisions on the best school size. The need will be for about 65 classrooms. This could be met by two 21-room buildings (through additions) on the present sites, and eith- er one 21-room building on one of the two new sites, or two 12-room buildings, one on each of the new sites.

Since growth will surely continue after 1975, all four sites will eventually be needed. If the Town should decide on small (12 to 14 room) schools, five sites would be needed by 1975, and still more later. The present recommendation 1s for "campus"-type schools on not more than four sites, each large enough so that expansion can take place without crowding.

The plan also proposes two connected sites for the fu- ture junior and senior high schools, enlarging the present high-school site. The number of pupils expected justifies large sites with expansion-room. This recommendation calle for one "campus"-type junior high school; if the Town de- cided on smaller schools, two junior high-school sites would be needed.

RECREATION

Active recreation space, for organized games and sports, is planned to be provided mostly at the school sites. A few small new playgrounds may be needed near the recent new hous- ing developments where lots are quite small. In other parts of Town, lots are too large to provide neighborhood play- grounds near all houses.

"Natural" recreation space is one of Norwell's great nat- ural resources. If future generations are to enjoy it, land at key looations must be preserved while it is still unspoil- ed.

The plan proposes a number of large natural reservations along North River, in which small areas could be developed for swimming, boating, and picnicking. Also shown is a wild- life preserve on the east shore of Jacob's Pond, with oppor- tunities for scouting and nature study. The plan also sup- ports the proposed State Park at the north of the Town, to be kept as a natural reserve.

At this stage, the planning responsibility is to recom- mend that ample land be set aside to take care of any future recreational needs, leaving to later years decisions on de- tails of program and facility. Natural land and water areas, if once lost to development, can never be recovered.

CIRCULATION

The plan depends principally on the present system of streets and roads. Only a few new streets are shown, to bet- ter connect the various parts of Norwell. It would be hoped that most of these would be constructed as parts of new sub- divisions.

With the building of the Expressway, this and the old Route 3 will taks cars of the north-south travel needs of this general area.

Still to bs studied is the impact on Main Street from the Expressway, and increased travel from Scituate to Boston through Norwell. A two-lane road may not be enough. Alter- natives would be a general widening all through Norwell, or a new highway built to higher standards parallel to Main Street, or some combination of widening and new route.

A PRELIMINARY PLAN - PLEASE COMMENT

This plan has not been adopted by the Planning Board. It is the first draft, prepared by the consultants for review by the Board and the Town. Comments and criticisms will be wel- comed during the next few months, while the Board is consid- ering what changes should be made before going ahead with zon- ing revisions and capital program studies.

Submitted by the NORWELL PLANNING BOARD

February, 1958

C. Herbert Repass, Chairman H. Phillip Causer Ralph H. Coleman Albert Maverick III Frederick C. Truelove, Clerk

Assisted by Adams, Howard & Creeley Planning Consultants

102

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT

THE RECREATION COMMISSION

Second Annual Report

To the Citizens of Norwell:

After months of negotiations with the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities it became apparent in December of 1956 that the Recreation Commission would be able to obtain the use of the land now known as Jacobs' Playfield. For those who are not ac- quainted with this area, it is located near Assinippi, across Main Street from Jacobs Pond and encompasses approximately 16 acres.

The Recreation Commission, anticipating the acquisition of this land, placed Article No. 24 in the Warrant of the Annual Town Meet- ing of March 1957. Article No. 24 requested $2,500.00 to start develop- ment of the Jacobs' Playfield. Voters at the Town Meeting did not pass this article so it appeared that the planned development would have to be postponed for some time.

On April 24, 1957 the Commission entered into a 15-year lease with the Society at the rental fee of $1.00 per year with an option for renewal. The Commission felt at that time that despite the Town's action in March that one of its most important functions was to ob- tain land whenever possible at low cost for future development.

To the surprise of the Commission, shortly after signing the lease, a volunteer group requested permission to develop a portion of the overall plan at Jacobs' Playfield. The proposition was to build a junior-size baseball field at their own expense.

The Commission gladly agreed and work began on June 2, 1957 on this project. A stone wall was removed and the rough grading was completed before the drought made further work inadvisable. The re- placing of the loam and final grading will be completed this Spring. The seeding will probably be left to the Fall.

With that job well under way the Commission turned to another problem. A committee appointed previous to the founding of the Commission called the Recreation Planning Committee, had suggested that certain lots in the Jacobs Lake Sub-division be set aside for a play lot for small children. At the request of some of the residents, the Commission asked permission from the Selectmen to make use of certain lots on Prouty Avenue which the Town owned. Unfortunately just prior to our request, one of the lots was sold. However, the Com- mission was given permission to use lots 50, 51 and 52 on Prouty Avenue.

103

TOWN OF NORWELL

In order to make the best use of this land it was felt advisable to erect playground equipment. Therefore, Article No. 12 was placed in the Warrant of a Special Town Meeting held on October 14, 1957, requesting $800.00 for this purpose. This article was approved by the Town.

Bids were requested for a swing, slide, and basketball back-stop. The following companies quoted for the above:

1. Milton Bradley $545.46

2. M. E. O'Brien 500.00

3. J. L. Hammett 440.30

The bid of J. L. Hammett was accepted. Subsequently quotations were requested from several local contractors for grading, erection of the purchased equipment, building a sand box, and supplying sand to

fill the box. No bids were received. Therefore the Commission di- vided the work into two sections and accepted the following bids:

For erecting the purchased equipment and

building a sand box :-

Arthur Axon $235.00

For grading and supplying the required sand :-

Joseph Pilalas $40.00

Work has been started on this project and, weather permitting, will be completed by the Annual Town Meeting.

Investigations are still being carried on to find available land that would be suitable for recreational purposes. The Commission feels there is a particular need in the Norwell Homes area, however, the search is not being confined to just this area, but is actually Town- wide.

One more word about the Commission itself. The year began with William G. Vinal as Chairman. However, he was forced to re- sign as Chairman due to pressure of work on other Town Committees. He did remain on the Commission as a member. Joseph Creedon then stepped into the niche left by Mr. Vinal. Mr. Creedon proved to be a very able Chairman and it was under his direction that most of the work in this report was accomplished. Unfortunately for the Com- mission, late in the Fall of 1957 Mr. Creedon was forced to resign al-

104

ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT

together because his business made it necessary for him to move to the Springfield, Mass. area. A new Chairman was elected but the open position on the Commission had not been filled when this report was written.

The Recreation Commission work this year will consist of com- pleting the projects already started and to try to improve the recre- ational facilities to the extent that seems advisable and that is consis- tent with the budget requirements of the Town of Norwell.

Respectfully submitted,

JAMES T. KING, Chairman MARY OSBORN KNAPP, Secretary WILLIAM G. VINAL JAMES ROBERTSON JOSEPH S. CREEDON

Report of the South Shore Mosquito Control Project

To the Citizens of Norwell:

Submitted herewith is the report of the South Shore Mosquito Control Project of its activities in the Town of Norwell for the year ending December 31, 1957.

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Town of Norwell annual report 1950-1959, Part 78

Author: Publication date: 1950 Publisher: The Board Number of Pages: 1812

Author:
Publication date: 1950
Publisher: The Board
Number of Pages: 1812