Took a turn with this Model T at MMA meeting. The owner offered to find one for me. Apparently so many were made that there are many around. First time I have been in one. It dropped down a lot when I stepped onto the running board, much to my surprise, as my Altima does not do that. Lots of changes for the better in 100 years.
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Posted in Uncategorized
Just learned that the MMA annual meeting is scheduled around the NFL playoff schedule. Thank you MMA.
The MMA business meeting just passed three resolutions:
First to ask state to properly fund cites and towns.
Second to have the state and federal governments fund capital projects. The list includes roads, clean water, unfunded mandates, and others items.
Third to deal with OPEB and other personnel issues.
Full details are available at MMA website.
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Posted in Uncategorized
Just learned it is Senator Spilka, not Spilki. My bad.
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Sen. Warren to us at MMA: we in the cities and towns have the hardest job, while she has the most aggravating job.
She notes that US spends way less on infrastructure than China, and that is not good long term. She suggests we need to spend on our infrastructure and NIH for medical research.
Major Walsh just said that he hopes to have more time in future to do MMA work., but shared that his first year was like trying “to drink water from two firehouse at once. ”
Spoke to our DEP rep this morning and picked up their application that will provide Medfield several thousand dollars, and talked about getting technical assistance from them to help us to recycle more and save money on trash. I will pass both along to the Solid Waste Committee.
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New State Senate Ways and Means Committee chair, Senator Spilki, presenting. Too early for her to share state budget figures. She has a background on her town school committee, which is helpful for the towns.
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The Massachusetts Municipal Association annual meeting this morning is starting with the Massachusetts Association annual meeting at which we learned about how Arlington uses a visual online budget to make their town finances come to life and hope the Wellesley Police Department is using social media to communicate town information to the residents.
Both are really exciting opportunities and tons that I hope to implement in Medfield.
Need to check out further using GovDelivery.com as a vehicle for us to use.
Driving was poor due to the snow on the way in until I got to Route 9.
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Posted in Uncategorized
Governor Baker calls budget shortfall a challenge, not a catastrophe, and one that will not be solved on the backs of the cites and towns. Lieutenant Governor Polito just finished her remarks.
Nice that both are former town officials.
Posted in Uncategorized
I am attending the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s annual meeting for the next two days, which has the following schedule. I am cheap enough that I just drive home at night and I am not willing to pay go to the dinners. Let me know if there are programs that you think I should make sure to attend, especially for the concurrent workshops:
Friday, January 23, 2015
8 a.m.-5 p.m Conference Registration
9:30-11 a.m.
Hynes, Hall C foyer, 2nd floor
Opening Session
Keynote Speaker: Mike Walsh Hynes, Ballroom B, 3rd floor
11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Municipal Trade Show
Hynes, Hall C & Auditorium
Noon-1 :30 p.m.
WEMO Luncheon (preregistration required)
Speaker: Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito Hynes, Ballroom C, 3rd floor
2-3:30 p.m.
CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS – Friday session
• Emergency Planning for People, Pets and Property
• Executing the Business of Towns Through Board Collaboration: A Case Example
•Going Green: Getting Energy Efficiency Right
•Labor Law Update
• Lessons and Landmines: Navigating Interviews and Internal Investigations
• Roofs, Roads, Runoffs and Regulations: New Standards for Treating Stormwater and Drinking
Water
• Select Developments and Initiatives in Municipal Finance Law and Administration
• Seven Minutes with a Highly Effective Manager
• The CPA: What Makes It Great
•The Value of Creativity: Cultural Assets as Economic Drivers
Hynes, 2nd floor meeting rooms
3:45-5: 15 p.m.
EMERGING ISSUES FORUMS
•Driving Economic Development: What Matters to the Private Sector
•Modernizing Personnel Benefits: Sustainability and Flexibility for Cities and Towns
• Understanding the Opioid Crisis in Our Communities
Hynes, 3rd floor meeting rooms
6-7 p.m.
Opening Reception
Sheraton, Constitution Ballroom foyer, 2nd floor
7-9 p.m.
Banquet Dinner, MMA President’s Address
Special guest: Peter Sagal
(Preregistration required) Sheraton, Grand Ballroom, 2nd floor
Saturday, January 24, 2015
8 a.m.-3:30 p.m Conference Registration
7:30-8:30 a.m.
Member Associations Breakfast
Hynes, Ballroom B, 3rd floor
Hynes, Hall C foyer, 2nd floor
BUSINESS MEETINGS FOR MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS
8:30-10 a.m. • Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association Hynes, room 306
8:30-10 a.m. •Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association Hynes, Ballroom C, 3rd floor
8:30-10 a.m. • Massachusetts Mayors’ Association Hynes, room 300
8:30-10 a.m. • Massachusetts Municipal Management Association Hynes, room 304
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Municipal Trade Show
Hynes, Hall C & Auditorium
I 0: 15-11 :50 a.m. MMA Annual Business Meeting
(incl. President’s Address) Hynes, Ballroom A, 3rd floor
11 :50 a.m.-noon
MMA Board of Directors Meeting: Election of Officers
Hynes, Ballroom A, 3rd floor
noon-I :30 p.m.
MIIA Luncheon and Business Meeting (by reservation only)
Hynes, Ballroom B, 3rd floor
2-3:30 p.m.
CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS – Saturday session
• Best Practices for Interacting With the Mentally Ill
•Everything You Want to Know About STIP
• Financial Trend Monitoring and Revenue Forecasting
• Housing that Fits: Meeting the Needs of Your Community
• Infrastructure Financing Programs: How to Pay for Improvements and Innovation
•How to Be Successful at the Joint Labor-Management Committee
• Municipal and Open Meeting Law Update
•New Rules for Improving Veterans’ Services
• Underwater: Financing New Regulations
•Unfunded Mandates
Hynes, 2nd floor meeting rooms
3:45-5 p.m. Closing Session Speaker:
Michael Beschloss Hynes, Ballroom A, 3rd floor
6-7:15 p.m.
Presentation oflnnovation, Municipal Website and Town Report Awards; President’s Reception
Sheraton, Constitution Ballroom, 2nd floor
7: 15-9: 15 p.m.
Annual Banquet (preregistration required)
Entertainment: Under the Streetlamp
Sheraton, Grand Ballroom, 2nd floor
LCB Senior Living, LLC of Norwood purchased land behind the Peak House in December and is proposing the construction of a 72 unit assisted living facility on the site. LCB has reportedly also purchased a home on Main Street to provide access. Assisted living facilities are a use permitted on the residential zoned land if the ZBA grants a special permit.
Mike Sullivan reports that LCB met with town officials last week about its proposal. See LCB’s other similar facilities built by LCB at its website, www.lcbseniorliving.com.
LCB reported that none of the units will be affordable, as the economics of including affordable units would require the facility to be many times larger. That means the proposed facility would add 72 units to our housing stock, as each bed counts as a separate unit, and to reach our 10% affordable housing threshold we would need another 8 affordable units. Per a presentation to selectmen Tuesday evening, we currently need another 136 affordable units to reach our 10% threshold if one includes the 92 units at The Parc that is now in construction. Those 72 units LCB proposes would require another 8 to make us need 144 more to get to 10%.
Below are the Medfield zoning bylaws involved, and that list the findings the ZBA must make for it to grant a special permit. The ZBA clearly has lots of discretion on this issue, neither to allow or deny any application, so the evidence presented at the hearings will probably be the determinative factor.
This is another example of how our town’s zoning decisions, as reflected in the bylaws we adopt at town meeting, allow different, non-residential uses to be sited next to homes in residential areas.
USES:
5.4.4.10 Hospice or nursing homes, convalescent and assisted living facilities and medical and dental offices – SP
SPECIAL PERMITS:
14.10.5 After the public hearing required by Section 14.10.3 has been concluded, the Board of Appeals may grant a special permit if it concludes that a special permit is warranted by the application and the evidence produced at the public hearing and if it makes the following specific findings of fact:
a) The proposed use will not result in a public hazard due to substantially increased vehicular traffic or parking in the neighborhood. In deciding this, the Board shall find affirmatively that
the road’s structure, surroundings and configuration are such as will support the added traffic safely.
b) The proposed use will not have any adverse effect upon property values in the neighborhood.
c) The proposed use is architecturally and aesthetically consistent with the other structures in the neighborhood.
d) The proposed use will not create any hazard to public safety or health in the neighborhood.
e) The proposed use will not create any danger of pollution to public or
private water facilities.
f) The methods of drainage at the proposed site are adequate.
g) If public sewerage is not provided, plans for on-site sewage disposal systems are adequate and have been approved by the Board of Health.
h) That no excessive noise, light or odor shall be emitted.
i) That no nuisance shall be created.
j) There is an adequate supply of potable water approved by the Board of Health or the Water and Sewer Board.
Posted in Buildings, Development, Downtown, Permitting, Zoning
The Town Bylaw and Charter Review Committee has proposed one new bylaw for the Cemetery Commission and one bylaw change relating to noise for the annual town meeting warrant. The former would give the Cemetery Commission the authority to enforce its existing no dogs regulation. The latter would prohibit commercial noise generation from 9PM to 7AM, with home owners exempted. The proposed language is below. –
Insert new Bylaw Chapter:
CHAPTER 115
CEMETERY AREAS
ARTICLE I Use of Cemetery Land and Facilities
The Cemetery Commission is hereby authorized to promulgate written rules and regulations for the proper conduct of persons while on Town cemetery land and facilities under its control. Said Rules and regulations, once promulgated, shall be filed with the Town Clerk and posted in a conspicuous place in or at each Town cemetery facility under the Commission’s control to which the general public has access.
Any person who engages in conduct prohibited by said rules and regulations and not otherwise prohibited by Massachusetts General Laws or these Bylaws shall be subject to a fine of $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offence, $300 for the third offense and $300 fir each subsequent offense. In addition, repeated violations may result in suspension or termination of access privileges. The Cemetery Commission or its designee and the Medfield Police Department shall each have the authority to enforce the provisions of this Bylaw.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
Chapter 180-NOISE
Strike the following sections:
Renumber the following sections:
Renumber: §180-4 to §180-3 Renumber: §180-6 to §180-4
Add the proposed following new language:
ARTICLE IV Prohibited Operations and Activities
Except in the case of an emergency, the following commercial uses and activities, which are determined to generate or involve excessive and/or unreasonable noise, shall be prohibited between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., unless otherwise authorized by rules or regulations adopted by the Board of Selectmen.
(i) Snow removal; and
(ii) Individual property owners personally performing regular maintenance on their residential property.
ARTICLE V Enforcement and Penalties
(i) $50 for the first offense;
(ii) $ 100 for the second offense;
(iii) $ 150 for the third offense; and
(iv) $ 150 for each subsequent offense.
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Posted in Charter & Bylaw Review, Town Meeting
Medfield Select Board member
I started this blog to share the interesting and useful information that I saw while doing my job as a Medfield select board member. I thought that my fellow Medfield residents would also find that information interesting and useful as well. This blog is my effort to assist in creating a system to push the information out from the Town House to residents. Let me know if you have any thoughts on how it can be done better.
For information on my other job as an attorney (personal injury, civil litigation, estate planning and administration, and real estate), please feel free to contact me at 617-969-1500 or Osler.Peterson@OslerPeterson.com.
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