HomeMy WebLinkAbout1932-06-06 . FRANK W. PERKINS HEARING
June 6, 1932
8:05 - 9:45 P.M.
a hearing was held in the Selectmen' s Room of the Town Office
Building, Monday evening, June 6th, in response to the petition of
Frank :i. Perkins, Messrs. Emery, Milne , and Scheibe were present.
The secretary was also present .
The Chairman read the petition, notice of hearing which appeared
in a local paper and Section 17 of the Zoning By-Law under which the
hearing was held.
+hen asked for petition signed by 50% of the land owners, Mr .
Perkins stated that he had no such list and asked for postponement.
Pur . Emery stated that if Ir Perkins could get such list in to the
Board within a week, the hearing would be held, as no letter was
10 sent giving him the district within which he should get the signa-
tures of property owners. Mr. Perkins said he would furnish such
list within the given time .
Mr . O 'Connell informed the Board that he represented every-
one present except the petitioner and was ready to voice their
objections, as they were all caposed to the change . He presented
letters from I1:r . Peavy and kr . Carrigan both opposing the change
and stated that Ir. Joy was sick in bed .
4111 Ihe Chairman then asked Ir . Perkins to name the people he
thought would have signed the petition if asked.
hr . Pablo s stated that he had fourteen names on the petition
he had presented to the Board of Appeals and named the following as
being in favor John Russell, Liles and Frederick Jones, Donald
Shea, Frank Hadley, Charlotte Hadley, Justin Shea, Carlotta Brander,
Katherine Jacobs, Henry P. & Eleanor Clark, Delphina Cooke , kary
Busconi and himself. There were seven people he did not interview.
Has reason for wanting his property changed into a business zone
is because his business has expanded so he wanes to make a bigger
place, because he has to leave cars outside now as there isn' t any
room for them inside . He also intends to move his house so it will
front on Oak Street and widen the corner to make more room for
business . He wants to beautify the place . If the buildings were
destroyed by storr or otherwise , he would have no right to rebuild
them so he wants to protect himself . The buildings are just shell
buildings and are very old . One is said to have been there 120
years ago . The Building Inspector looked the place over and said
it was 'n good shape and that there was a lot of room for repairs.
The place is not large enough for the business he is doing. He
stated that if the change is made , it will allow him to build up
a nice spot, improve the very badcorner and move his house back
so he will live on Oak Street . It is very noisy there both day
and night . He stated that if he had someone to appear for him
111 who understood the case , it could be more fully explained. The
Hadley Press is on one corner and is running day and night ; the
r
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Ceamberlaius are running what is known as "Seven Lanterns" and take
in tourists; ivr. Shea owns the old paint shop and deals in second
111 hand automobiles, Mr. Cummings is doing a milk business, Carlotta
Brander is running a hospital; and Katherine Jacobs is keeping a
rooming house . Besides the ones mentioned , there are Harrocd 's
Store , '' ilson 's farm and billboards .
The Chairman asked Ir . Perkins to state the grounds on
which the Board of Appeals refused the petition, and he replied
that he did not know. He did not understand the answer. When
asked if he had such letter with him, he stated that he was
supposed to be represented and all his papers were at that person' s
house . He was asked who he had to represent him and he answered
thet it was kr. Pierre Northrup, but that he would not be present.
Mr. Emery read Section 10 of the Zoning By-Laws and stated
that it was to this P,_r . Perkins referred to when he said that he
could use the buildings now but if they were destroyed, he could
10 not rebuild them, e,.cept after a Board of Appeals Hearing .
1r• Perki.Zs said that when he did have hearings, he had a
lot of opposition on a place that is not fit for anything else .
It is not a fit place to live because the corner is so dangerous.
hen asked why he moved them en the first place, he replied that
he boueht the property two years ago July 15th, when there was
business going on there , and thought he would be able to rebuild.
He is figuring on tatting the corner back 16 feet. His land ex-
tends 170 feet up Oak Street . Oak Street is 19 feet wide from
11 the post to the curb and 30 to 33 feet from wall to wall. The
travelled way is 19 feet at the entrance .
The Cheirnan asked if any else wished to speak in support
of the petition, and as there was no response, he called for those
who opposed .
Ir . O 'Connell stated that he had copied down the names of
the people mentioned by Lr . Perkins as being in favor of the change
and all of them are conducting some kind of a business so would
naturally join with him in case they might be called upon to see
if they were doing legal business . Pvr. Busconi is the owner of
the Coolidge property and is anxious to have the change so that
he may have a filling station. The Sheas are trying to convert
'-he old paint shop into a tank farm with a side track and filling
station and have applied without success. The Hadley Press is
on Oak Street . Catherine Jacobs at the Alderman place and Mr .
Chamberlain conduct an inoffensive business. You would not know
they were doing business from the outside appearance . If a change
is to be made , the whole area should be changed. This is a real
residential section and these people have spent money to beautify
their homes . To change the zoning here and there changes the
character of the whole locality. You would not know the Cottage
Hospital was there because it has a residential appearance . If
the Perkins property is changed, it would discourage Mr. Healey
and Pyr . Bignotti who try to keep their places looking their best .
The people there do not object to 1r. Perkins doing repair work
but t._ey do not want a filling station. He also stated that the
Board of Selectmen had voted to insert an article in the Town
Jar/ ant dealing with the ivid•�ning of Oak Street . The Town intends
to widen it without damaging any personal property . The widening
of that corner is not as much desired as the safety of pedestrians
and persons approaching the hill. The plan showing what the Town
intends to do is ir_ the Engineer ' s Office . A greater pert of the
land needed to widen this street will come from the opposite side
of the street . E:e stated thatapproximately 90% of the people were
opposed to the change , and that those who were in favor were carry-
ing on busi_lesses of their own and would want the change to protect
their selves. He said he was representing the following people: iressr•s .
Cahill , Cumr.•in_ s, Joy, . arrigan, Bignotti , Healey, Peavey, Dolan,
Cronin and Clare . He stated also that all those he had talked with
were opposed and ,open the Board will take its usual attitude and
refuse the petition.
. kr. Frank Bignotti stated that he was hr. Perkin' s next door
neighbor end opposed the change very much. Fe said he failed to
see chat r . Perkins intended to do. He thinks it is a crime to
let a place go the way this one has been allowed to. It is a fire
hazard. de does not object to him doing business but thinks his
N,iew is e filling station later on. The Board of Selectmen granted
him permission to use the building as a garage under the non-con-
formiiF., use of the Zoning Law, and the purpose was a welding shop
vhich relates to a blacernith shop but not an auto repair shop.
Thinks .r. Perkils has a perfect right to ma'.e a living but he should
keep the place clean. Old cars are dumped in the back yard, and he
found that Mr. Perkins started to spill oil on his lawn and stopped
it . The chimney blew off and is lying on the roof. Fe said that
he is tr-,Ing to keep his own piece looking clean. He served two
yee] 3 o the Planning Boar;? in Somerville and thinks '-he Town should
be cai t.,ous in changing the toning. He thinks that IvLr. Perkins '
giving- the _p.reel of land is a camouflage , and would like to see a
plan of '- .ctly what idr . Perkins intends to do because he feels
th t the c Lige is being ^_pplied for so that he may move his house
back and later put in a gasoline station. kr. Perkins has been
violating the law et the Bean property in North Le -ington. He
stated also that he hoped the Boers would see to it that everybody
Is ten care of aid that their property is not deteriorated .
The Chairman then asked foe new objections .
r. Standbridge , 465 .,iA.;.9 . Ave . , stated that he was not a
prouerty ()wee] hut a tenant in I„rs . Cumi•ii.ags ' house and while not
having any personal feeling to,vard Ir. Perkins , does not want to
endanger his two children who hare to go up that way. He also
thinks that a filling station would make one more hazard .
Mr . Emery asked how many approved the petition and there
es one vote . `Ie elso aeked how many opposed the petition and
there were ten votes .
:,r . Perkins stated that he would like to say a few things
about his next door neighbor who stated that he kept a jun'- yard .
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He said he had toiled in several cars from the street and as there
was no room for them inside , he has to keep them in the back yard
III because he is using parts f7om them. The place is not a fire
hazard because he is inspec es every so often by the Fire Depart-
ment. He tried an experiment on the chimney and it broke , but it
was taken down as soon as the snow and ice cleared off. HHe took
the top off the chimney but it has not been rebuilt except to rut
spike in coneret - slab. Th- se se buildings hf : ' e - ' ler:. 'o 1^C
_ c f 11 ' h. oeol,le oppo ling the (.',7U ige •c'1ew this before they
m-o' d h r The pro;'er•t:f can never be used for anything else and
a 'z & s'cis. protection for the buildings . He moults to beautify
the place by planting shrubs . The eypanse of his business is not
gasoline but is 1 -pairing.
he Chairman it struoteri P.r . Perkins to supply the Planning
Boarr' Within the reek and not later than a week from date of
he,r inr , a dupllc.ate petition signed by the owners of 50% in value
of the property from. 470 1 r7 669 Lass . „:venue inclusive , and Oak
10 Ctrec:t to and including the prop_ rty of iv_r . Nichols and corresponding
property opposite .
Lr . Milne asked if the peoile present would oppose if permission
were ,iven a.r. Perkins to alter and repair his building; without
c nangir.g the zoning.
Lr . O 'Ccnnell stated that If that is the intention of Yr.
Perkins, i„ is not nece sary to core before the Planning Board
but should be handled by the Board of appeals . These buildings
4111 can be kept in repair.
'Jr . BIgnotti asked what rc•str•ictions the Town would put on
R,r. Perkins and things he should file a plan showing his proposed
impr•o -,rents .
Lir . Standbrirlge stated that he did not think the people
would oppose the renova.+ iori o' the buildings unless he got in
a r•u.;h e pan'ed 21sce .
she Chairman informed Mr. Perkins that if said list of
pr•o .•rty ownyrs ‘, as not furnished within the ne 't week, the
petition would be automatically thrown out and that only after
the above-mentioned list is received can the Planning Board con-
sider the merits of the hearing.
ihe hearing was declared closed at 9: 45 P. M.
Respectfully submitted,
Clerk