HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-09-06 Board of Public Works Minutes Board of Public Works Meetirg o[ Se�te-her �, 1983 page 1
m�eting n{ the n,-4 r, n/ �uhIic Wor�s cor"ened in Pm-,m 1�,
� Municipal Buil�ing at 7� 3O P.M. present werp Cha� rnan Wood, Cecrptary
Barker, Board Members Cr�{{in and ||ampsnn and Assistant Cu +pndent
Wi1liam Bergeron.
The Board reviewed the request {rmn Peter A. Chie] n{ 31
Randall Road regarding a block par+y for Ceptember 10, 19O3.
It was moved, seconded and voted 4 O to grant pprmissjon to thi�
residents of Randall Rnad and iisa Lane to hold a hlnck party nn September
10, l983 from 2� O0 P.M. to O� OO P.�. sohfect to the osual st�pulations�
1. No alcohol4c beverages may he sprved in the putlic I'l Ay,
2. Proper police and insurance protection nust be pr:cored,
3. The area must be brnom clean �t the concIosion n{ 4-
even t
event
4. You may make arrangpments to pick up and return the nnden
horses by cnntacting our Highrage, F. John Ctreet,
Reading, Ma. at 944' 1122. You mos+ return th;. wondpn
horses by 4' 00 P.M. on MondPy, Ceptemh=r 1?.
It was moveH, secnndpd pnd vrtpd 4: O to arcept as a pnint o{
` information the letter from the to
Whitman oward, Inc. regarding thp mpeting to he he]d nn Toes4;4y, .
Septemher 13 to discuss the dra{t report of the |�ydrsgenlogir �v�loatinn
o{ the John Street land j.
The Chairman requested Mr. ||ampson attend the �epting and pnppare
a brief synopsfs for the Board.
The Chajrman reported the Celertmen have asked {or a rppt�ng on
| ��N the 22nd of Ceptember regarding the Jnhn Ctreet land.
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Board of Public Works Meeting of September 6, 1903 page 2
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It was moved, seconded and voted 40 to accept as a point o{
information the letter from David M. Ward of Fred C. James & rn. Tnr. for
servicing the Department of Public Works regarding loss prevention and
safety.
The Board next discussed the Draft Town of Peading Scenic Road
Regulations as adopted by the Reading planning Hard.
A general discussion ensued and the Board made a nuph*r of
revisions to the draft to offer as suggestions at the Planning Boards next
meeting on September 14, 19O3.
Mr. Polychrones joined the meeting at 7: 46 P.M.
A copy of then, .'c'.'0100s is appended to these minutes.
Under Old and New Business!
Mr. Griffin requested that an oxygen kit he placed beside the
� First Aid Station behind the main control panel at the Water Treatment
Plant in the event of chlorine dioxide leaks and that routine maintenance
be done on this equipment.
Mr. Barker suggested Mr. Hampson get in touch with the Town Clerk
regarding the Town Meeting Member vacancy in Mr. | ampsons precinct..
Chairman Wood reported to the Board that there are three
alternatives for appointing a new Cuperintendent !
1. Operate with two Assistpnts and raise both salaries;
2. Appoint one of the ppoplp from within:
3. Advertise outside and appoint a Superintendent from
that search.
It was moved, seconded and voted 411 (Mr. Pn]yrhrnneF opposed)
that the Board of public Works request a search for a new Superintendent
from the outside and to form a search committee to find a suitable
replacement and to advertise accordingly.
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Board of Public Works Meeting of Septemher 6, 1903 Page 3
Mr. Polychrones stated he was in favor o; appointing one of thp
people from within. He felt we should not go outside the Department to
appoint a new Superintendent. He felt it would lower the morale of this
Department to advertise outside the Department.
Mr. Griffin stated traditionally, a change A the highest level
allows for opportunity to re-evaluate the entire nperation and define it
within a new character. He would like the oppor+onity to review
objectively all those interested at the risk of overlooking Fossjbly
exceptional candidates, not to exclude our own.
It was moved, seconded and voted 4: 01 (Mr. Polychrones
abstaining) to form a Search Committee of five people to dn a screening o{
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candidates for the Board.
Mr. Griffin stated he would like to see that the rurrent
� -- potential applicants be excluded from the initial screening process.
The meeting adjourned at 11: 00 P.M.
Respectfully submitteQ
tc rp .0 ry
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TOWN OF READING
SCENIC. ROAD REGULATIONS
(DRAFT)
ADOPTED BY
READING PLANNING, BOARD
DATE;
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/ SCENIC.. ROAD REGULATIONS
IMPLEMENTATION
SECTION 1 - AUTHORITY
"Scenic Road" shall mean a road so designated in accordance with N.G.L.
Chapter 40, Section 1.SC which stated
Upon recommendation or request of the planning board, conservation
commission, or historical commission of any city or town, such city or
town may designate any road in said city or town, other than a numbered
route or state highway, as a scenic road.
After a road has been designated as a scenic road any repair,
maintenance, reconstruction, or paving work done with respect thereto
shall net involve or include the cutting or removal of trees, or the
tearing down or destruction of stone walls, or portions thereof, except
with the prior written consent of the planning board, or if there is no
planning board, the selectmen of a town, or the city council of a city,
after a public hearing duly advertised twice in a newspaper of general
circulation in the area, as to time, date, place and purpose, the last
publication to occur at least seven days prior to suchhearing; provided,
however, that when a public hearing must he held under the provisions of
this section and under section three of chapter eighty-seven prior to the
cutting or removal of a tree, such hearings shall be consolidated into a
single public hearing before the tree warden and the planning board, or if
there is no planning board, the selectmen of a town, or the city council
of a city, and notice of such consolidated public hearing shall be given
by the tree warden or his deputy as provided in said section three of
chapter eighty-seven.
Designation of a road as a scenic road shall not affect the
eligibility of a city or town to receive construction or reconstruction
aid for such road pursuant to the provisions of chapter ninety.
SECTION 2 - PURPOSE
These regulations are intended to ensure that:
1. ways will be recommended for designation as scenic roads
under the criteria established hereafter; and
2. ways so designated will not be substantially altered without
following proper procedures and taking into account proper
considerations.
3. ways so designted will not be substantially altered by the
decision of any person, organization or agency other than
the planning board.
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SECTION 3 - CRITERIA
In determining which roads should be recommended for designation as
scenic roads, the Planning Board, Conservation Commission or Historical
Commission shall consider whether the road is characterized by any of the
following;
1. bordering trees of exceptional quality, in terms of type, age,
specimen size or spread, density of stand, or related flare;
2. bordering stone walls within the public way more than 50 years
old and/or has historical significance;
3. alteration for the way is being planned or is likely to be
planned in the future; and (recommend
deletion)
4. any other natural or man-made features of aesthetic value
which would be adversely affected by any alteration of the
road.
3.1 - PUBLIC HEARING
Prinr to maki.ng any recommendation or request to Town Meeting
regarding designation of a particular road as a scenic road, the Planning
Board, the Conservation Commission or Historical Commission, as the case
may be, shall conduct a public hearing regarding such proposed
designation. Notice of the public hearing shall be given by the body
conducting the hearing pursuant to the requirements for notice set forth
in Section 5.2 of these regulations.
SECTION 4 - NOTIFICATION OF DESIGNATION OF SCENIC ROAD
Upon the designation at Town Meeting of any road as a scenic road, the
Planning Board shall promptly take the fallowing steps to give effective
notice of such designation:
1. notify all municipal departments that may take action with
respect to such roads;
2. notify the State Department of Public Works;
3. cause a notice or informal article to be published in
a local newspaper stating that the road, or roads, have
been so designated;
4. indicate such designation on all maps currently in use by
municipal departments;
5, notify all utility companies or other such parties which
may undertake work within or on the border of such road;
6. catalog and map all characteristics which were considered
in requesting the road to be scenic and provide sufficient
narrative to describe same; and
' 7. erect and mai.ntain proper signs designating the roadway
area as "seem.,", and signs identifying all safety hazards
therein.
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REGULATIONS
SECTION 5 - DEFINITIONS
5.1 "Cutting or Removal of Trees".
' "Cutting or removal of trees" shall mean the removal of one or more
trees of S" minimum size, trimming of major branches of 4" minimum size,
but not trimming or cutting of dead trees, dead branches, or cutting of
roots.
5.2 "Repair, Maintenance, Reconstruction, or Paving Work."
"Repair, maintenance, reconstruction, or paving work" shall mean any
normal work done in existing areas of the right-of-way that are currently
not paved or that have not been previously excavated, by any person or
agency, public or private and that the work is not of an emergency nature.
Construction of new driveways or alteration of existing driveways is also
included, insofar as it takes place within the right-of-way. Allowed
activities include but are not limited to the following;
1. Repairing a pot hole;
2 Repair work on a water main, service or hydrant;
3. Repair work on a sewer main or service;
4. Repair work on a catch basin, pipe or similar drain structure;
5. Maintenance paving work on existing paved areas;
6. Line painting work;
7. Repair work for damaged poles, gas leaks, etc. ;
B. Sealing a private driveway in the roadway area.
' 5.3 "Road"
"Road" shall mean any right-of-way used or maintained as a public way
as vested under the Board of Public Works under M.G.L. Chapter 118, Dated
March 15, 1921 including the vehicular travelled way plus necessary
appurtenances within the right-of-way such as bridge structures, drainage
systems, retaining walls, traffic control devices, and sidewalks, but not
intersecting streets or driveways. When the boundary of the right-of-way
is in issue so that a question arises as to whether or not certain trees
or stone walls or portions thereof are within or without the way, the
trees or stone walls shall be presumed to be within the way until it is
shown to the contrary as defined under M.G.L. Chapter 118 dated March 15,
1921.
5.4 "Trees".
"Trees shall include a tree whose trunk has a diameter of eight inches
or more as measured 42 inches above ground level".
5.5 "Alteration"
5.6 "Public Way"
5.7 "Exceptional Duality"
' 5.8 "Major Branches"
5.9 "Man-made Features of Aesthetic Value"
5.10 "Work"
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SECTIDN 6 - PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING PERMITS
6. 1 Filing - Any person, including landowners along said "scenic
way", organization, public agency or utility company contemplating the
cutting or removal of trees, the tearing down or destruction of stone
walls, or portions thereof, or any other feature designated as scenic in
accordance with Section 3.2 above, in connection with any repair,
maintenance, construction, reconstruction or paving work that is currently
not paved or that has not been previously excavated, shall first obtain
the written consent of the Planning Board by filing a request for such
work with the Planning Board, including the following information:
a. the text of a proposed legal notice identifying the location
of the proposed action in terms enabling readers to locate it
with reasonable. clarity without need for additional plans or
references, and describing in reasonable detail the proposed
changes to trees and/or stone walls;
b. a statement of the purpose, or purposes, for the changes
proposed;
c. a list of owners of properties located in whole or in part
within one hundred (100) feet of the proposed action;
d. except in the case of town agencies, a deposit sufficient
to cover the cost of advertising and notification; and
e. any further explanatory material as may be required by the
Planning Board.
' f. A permit will not be required in cases of emergency and/or
conditions that would endanger human life and/or health.
6.2 Notice.
The Planning Board shall, as required by statute, give notice of a
Public Hearing regarding the proposed action by advertising twice in a
newspaper of general circulation in the Town. This notice shall contain a
statement as to the date, time, place and purpose of the hearing with a
reasonable description of the action proposed by the applicant. Copies of
this notice shall also be delivered or mailed first class postage pre-paid
to the Offices of the Board of Selectmen, the Conservation Commission, the
Historical Commission and the Board of Public Works, and the owners of
property within one hundred (100) feet of the proposed action.
6.3 Timing of Notice and Hearing.
The first publication of the notice shall be made as soon as
feasible after the Planning Board receives the request from the (The
applicant, and shall in all rases be made at least fourteen (14) timing of
days before the hearing. The last p0licatien shall occur, as the notice
required by statute, at least seven days prior to the hearing. will takes
The Planning Board shall hold a public hearing within thirty (30) too
days of the date upon which a properly filed request is received. long).
The date and time of the public hearing shall be set outside of
normal weekday work hours (8:00 a.m. - 5: 00 p.m., Monday through
Friday) so as to encourage maximum participation.
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6.3.1 Considerations
The Planning Beard's decision on any application fnr proposed action
affecting scenic roads shall be based on consideration of the following:
I. The degree to which the proposed action would adversely affect
the scenic and aesthetic values upon which the scenic road
designation was originally based;
2. The necessity for the proposed action in terms of public
safety, welfare or convenience;
3. Compensatory actions proposed, such as replacement of trees, nr
walls;
4. Availability of reasonable alternatives to the proposed action
which could reduce or eliminate anticipated damage to trees or
stone walls;
S. Whether the proposed action would compromise or harm other
environmental or historical values;
6. Whether the proposed action would adversely affect the preser-
vation of natural resources; and
7. Consistency of the proposed action with previously adopted Town
plans and policies.
6.4 Timing of Decision.
Within twenty-one (21) days after the public hearing (Could create
the Planning Board shall render a written decision on the problems with
request. time delays).
6.S Performance Guarantee
Before endorsement of its approval on a plan, the Planning Hoard may
require that the proposed work to be done, be secured by a bond sufficient
in form and amount in the opinion of the Planning Board to ensure
satisfactory performance of the proposed work within the right-of-way,
except inthe case of Town agenc.i.es.
6.6 Tree Warden
Whenever feasible, planning board hearings shall be held in
conjunction with those held by the tree warden acting under M.G.L. Chapter
87 (shade tree law). The consent of the planning board to a proposed
action shall not be regarded as inferring consent by the tree warden, or
vice versa. The planning board derision shall contain a condition that no
work should be done until all applicable provisions of the Public Shade
Tree Law, M.G.L. Chapter 87, have been complied with.
SECTION 7 - ENFORCEMENT
The Planning Board is responsible for the enforcement of these rules
and regulations. Whoever vinlates any provision of these regulations
shall be liable to a fine of not more than one hundred (8100) dollars for
each citation for any violation, except in the case of Town agencies.
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