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70-79 Selectmen’s Meeting November 7, 2016 A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held on Monday, November 7, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room of the Town Office Building. Chairman Barry, Mr. Kelley, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Pato, and Ms. Ciccolo, were present as well as Mr. Valente, Town Manager, and Ms. Siebert, Recording Secretary. Grant of Location Petition for National Grid Ms. Barry recognized Dennis Regan, Permit Representative for National Grid. National Grid seeks permission to install and maintain approximately 19 feet of 2 inch gas main on Byron Avenue from the existing 2 inch gas main at House #15 southerly to House #11 for a new gas service. Mr. Cohen ascertained that the DPW has reviewed and approved the petition for the proposed installation. On motion duly made and seconded, the Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the petition. Noise Bylaw Special Permit Request DPW Director Pinsonneault asked the Board to consider a request to hold a Noise Bylaw Special Permit Public Hearing in order to allow cleanup of the sidewalks in the Center area and along Bedford Street. The requested work time is Mondays and Fridays beginning at 5 a.m. from October 10 to November 26 and includes both sides of Massachusetts Avenue from Meriam St. to Woburn St. The DPW also seeks permission to prepare Bedford St. from the bike path to Mass. Ave. and along Mass. Ave. to Woburn St. for Patriots’ Day activities. The work period requested is Monday through Friday April 9 to April 20, also beginning at 5 a.m. A Special Permit is necessary in both instances because of heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic during regular work hours. If the Board is open to granting a Special Permit, staff will notify abutters and advertise the Public Hearing via legal notice. Mr. Kelley said the Selectmen have recently received a number of noise complaints from Oakland St. residents due to cleanup activity in the Depot Parking Lot. He asked whether the practice of starting in early morning hours is new. Mr. Pinsonneault said this has been the practice for a number of years; he added that the location of the work has been along Mass. Ave., not in the Depot Lot. Using backpack blowers, workers move debris into the street where the street sweeping machine can come by to pick it up. Mr. Pinsonneault said the backpack blower models the DPW is using are noise-reduced but the DPW remains sensitive to resident concerns and will continue to search for quieter-but-still- effective options. Mr. Kelley said that households with young children might be most affected by such early morning noise and that, in any case, 5 a.m. seems too early to start. Ms. Ciccolo said she, too, was surprised by the number of negative comments from residents and agreed with Mr. Kelley that 6 a.m. is early enough for noisy work to begin. She said giving