[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Norwell.
Formerly designated Art. X. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[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.
The names of new ways shall be approved by the Planning 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.
