[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Norwell. Formerly designated Art. X. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Subdivision Rules and Regulations — See Ch. 302.
Regulations adopted by Permanent Drainage Committee — See Ch. 308.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
All new ways shall be laid out in conformance with the rules and regulations of the Planning Board, unless shown on a plan approved by the Planning Board, or unless such layout was made prior to June 1, 1949, and is so certified in writing by the Select Board.
A. 
No private way shall be accepted unless and until the Planning Board shall have certified in writing to the Select Board that such way is well built and so constructed that it is at least equal to the average construction of existing highways of the Town, with the proper grades in relation to abutting land and connecting streets, and that it conforms with the Planning Board's rules and regulations, provided, however, this subsection shall not apply to the ways laid out subject to any provisions of law relating to the assessments of betterments.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
B. 
No private way shall be accepted for the purpose of construction or alterations, or any way laid out or altered by the Select Board until all claims for damage have been estimated.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
C. 
No private way shall be accepted unless drainage as may be required shall be installed as directed by the Drainage Committee.
D. 
Each petition for the layout of a street or way for acceptance at any Town Meeting shall be presented to the Select Board at least three months before such meeting, and the Select Board, the Planning Board, the Drainage Committee, the Board of Health, the Water Commissioners and the Highway Surveyor shall attach thereto an affidavit stating that the road is or is not satisfactory in width and so constructed as to be acceptable.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
The Select Board shall determine and designate numbers of the buildings on such streets or portions of streets as they think best and no person shall neglect to affix to any building owned by him the street number designated to him by said Board, nor shall any person affix or suffer to remain on any building owned by him a street number other than the one designated by said Board.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
Prior to the location of any sidewalk a detailed street layout establishing blacktop and abutters' property lines shall be developed for cost estimate and bidding purposes and an abutters' hearing shall be held prior to the final location of any sidewalk. The specifications for such a project shall have the approval of the Highway Surveyor, Tree Warden, and Select Board, collectively responsible for the required construction, maintenance, operational conditions and contract negotiations.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
No person, other than a public officer or Town agent, servant or employee in the performance of his duties, shall place any obstruction to travel on any public way without the consent of the Select Board; provided, however, that this section shall not be construed to prohibit reasonable emergency action to warn travelers of any obviously dangerous condition observed in the public way, provided the condition and action taken are reported by the person taking such action as soon as reasonably may be to the Select Board, the Norwell Police Department or the Highway Surveyor. No person shall leave any rubbish or refuse, or any noxious, dangerous, offensive or unsightly object or matter on or in any public way or common lands of the Town.
Every person operating or having charge of a vehicle in any public way shall operate it as may be directed by any Norwell police officer in performance of his legal duties.
The Highway Surveyor may for the purposes of removing or plowing snow, or removing ice, from any public way remove or cause to be removed, to some convenient place, including any public garage, any vehicle which interferes with the removal or plowing of such snow, or the removal of such ice. In the event that such vehicle is so removed, the owner of such vehicle shall be liable for the cost of such removal and for the storage charges, if any, resulting therefrom, but shall not, notwithstanding any other provisions of these bylaws, be otherwise liable to any fine, penalty or other charges solely by reason of the fact that such vehicle was interfering with such plowing or removal.
No person shall pipe or otherwise deposit in or upon any public street or public place any water or other substance which may freeze and thereby create a hazardous condition.
A. 
No person, including public officers and employees, shall place or deposit salt or similar contaminating substances in excess of a moderate and well-controlled amount upon any street, public parking area or road or highway under the jurisdiction of the Town of Norwell at any season of the year.
B. 
The use of de-icing salt on private parking areas where parking for more than 10 motor vehicles is provided is hereby banned. The use of de-icing salt by the Town is hereby restricted to an absolute minimum, but in no case will the total amount of salt used by the Town exceed 1,200 tons in a twelve-month period, unless approved by the Select Board as necessary for public safety. The use of de-icing salts upon the public sidewalks within the Town of Norwell is hereby banned.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
A. 
No person shall park or place any motor vehicle or trailer or other obstruction in or upon the westerly side of the public way of Bridge Street in the area lying between Main Street and the North River.
B. 
No person shall park or place any motor vehicle or trailer in or upon the area of Town-owned land known as Bridge Street Town Landing unless such motor vehicle or trailer shall exhibit evidence of a permit issued by the Town of Norwell. Such permits shall be issued only to the residents of the Town of Norwell.
C. 
Pursuant to Subsections A and B above, the Select Board shall make regulations for the occupancy of said public way and Town-owned land for the parking of motor vehicles, trailers, and other vehicles and obstructions, as shall provide for the public safety and convenience. Such regulations may provide among other things for the issuance of permits and the use of stickers evidencing the issuance of such permit and may provide for a schedule of increasing fines for first and subsequent offenses, such fines not to exceed the sum of $50 for any one offense, and may further provide that vehicles shall be towed at the owner's expense. Such rules and regulations shall be adopted after public hearing pursuant to notice by publication not less than 14 days prior to such hearing.
[Amended 5-8-2021 ATM by Art. 11]
Upon the following streets or ways, traffic shall move only in the direction indicated below, provided that official traffic signs are erected at each exit at each one-way street:
A. 
The roadway beginning at the Norwell Library entrance at South Street shall be one-way in the direction of the playing fields and around the high school.
No board, department, or officer of the Town is authorized to engage in widening or other alteration of any Town road which will substantially change the character of the Town road or to expend monies therefor without first having obtained approval for such work by a Regular or Special Town Meeting at which a majority has voted for approval of specific plans and specifications. The intent of this provision is not to impair the regular maintenance of any Town road.
[Added 5-8-2006 ATM, Art. 8]
A. 
The use of engine brakes, so called, shall be prohibited on all streets in the Town of Norwell. Engine ("Jake") braking is allowed in emergency situations and to avoid injury, or an accident, and the truck driver may use that claim as an affirmative defense if ticketed for violating the Town bylaw.
B. 
Violations of this section shall be enforced by the Norwell Police Department by the issuance of a civil citation with a fine not to exceed $300 per violation and shall be disposed of as a noncriminal disposition under MGL c. 40, § 21D.
[Added 5-7-2018 ATM, Art. 30]
A. 
Any applicant seeking to open, occupy, use, obstruct, and/or close a portion of a public way within the Town of Norwell shall apply for a street opening permit on a form prescribed by the Town Administrator.
B. 
Except in cases of emergencies or special situations, no street opening shall occur on a moratorium road, defined as a road that has been repaved and/or reconstructed within the previous five years. In such emergencies or special situations, a special permit issued by the Town Administrator and the Highway Surveyor is required, as well as payment of associated fees as amended from time to time.