News

Park Commission Notice: north & south sides of Turner’s Pond path temporarily closed

Press release from Milton Board of Park Commissioners

Turner’s Pond Accessibility Project Update

The recently installed 4’ foot wide pathway on the north side of Turner’s Pond will remain closed to the public until further notice.  Our intent was to open this path when the contractor shifted his work to the south path but recent rains necessitate we keep this newly constructed path closed until the turf is better established.

Work has begun on the south side of the pond.  During construction this pathway will also be closed to the public.

The Milton Conservation Commission and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection have both approved this project and provided the Milton Park Department with an Order of Conditions under which to work.

This project has been funded through a Recreational Trails Program Grant through the MA Department of Recreation and Conservation and private donations.

We apologize for any inconvenience this temporary path closure may cause.

Football roundup: Wellesley rolls past Milton

from Wicked Local Milford

Senior quarterback Brendan Brooks connected with junior wide receiver Sam Lawrence on a 15-yard touchdown in the second quarter as Wellesley cruised past Milton 21-6 in a Bay State Conference matchup. (Read full story here.)

Sign ups for Milton Travel Soccer

Spring 2010 Travel Registration

Travel League (BAYS) is for boys and girls born between August 1, 1991 and July 31, 2001 (entered grades 3 – 12 in September 2009). Travel teams compete against teams from surrounding towns affiliated with the Boston Area Youth Soccer organization. U14 and younger teams play on 10 consecutive Saturdays starting April 10, 2010. U16 and U18 teams play on 8 consecutive Sundays starting April 25, 2010.

Youth Development League (YDL) is for boys and girls born between August 1, 2000 and August 31, 2004 (entered grades K – 3 in September 2009). The YDL is a non-travel league focused on fun and skills development. The YDL plays all games in town on Sundays.

See Youth League or FAQ for more information about the Youth or Travel Leagues. Also see Travel Placement Policies concerning team formats and player leveling.

For online registration and more information, please visit their web site here.

Details on Cental Ave street improvements available

The Massachusetts Highway Department will hold a Design Public Hearing to present their plan on “Rehabilitation of Central Ave from Brook to Maple Street. It will be at the  Milton Public Library, Basement Conference Room / 476 Canton Avenue / Milton, MA 02186 on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 @ 7:00 PM.

They are holding the hearing to present information to the public and listen to the publics thoughts, opinions, and feedback. however, they note that there will be no vote. This will occur regardless. They note that, “A secure right of way is necessary for this project. Temporary construction easements may be required. Your municipality is responsible for acquiring all necessary rights in private or public lands. If your property is affected, your rights are fully protected under law.”

From their fact sheet, “The purpose is to rehabilitate the street, reducing the width of the pavement (where excessive) and create an off-road multi-use path for commuting and recreational use. Other features include in-road bicycle accommodation, continuous sidewalks on both sides and enhanced pedestrian crossings of Central Avenue via reduced crossing distances and refuge median islands at key intersections. It will include pavement rehabilitation, sidewalk construction/reconstruction, curbing, drainage modifications, signing/pavement markings, bicycle /pedestrian amenities with Americans with Disabilities Act/Architectural Access Board elements, and landscaping.

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Letter from Senator Joyce re: proposed rehab of Central Ave.

Dear Milton Neighbor,

I want to let you know about a design public hearing that will be held this Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at the Milton Public Library regarding the proposed Rehabilitation of Central Avenue from Brook Road to Maple Street.

I’ve pushed pretty hard to help provide state investment in revitalizing this small business district and adjacent area.  I included $1.7 million in the 2005 Transportation Bond Bill for the Central Avenue area, to provide for the resurfacing of roads, the creation of bicycle paths, and the improvement of drainage.  In the fiscal year 2006 Economic Stimulus bill, I secured $1,000,000 for economic revitalization around the Central Avenue Business District.  Significant additional state funds were used for improvements at Milton Village, and along the adjacent trolley line.  This public investment has helped leverage significant private investment that has enhanced the area.

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Citizen group retains attorney in opposition to Shalom development

Among the people who rose to address the board during the citizen speak portion of  the 11/12 Planning Board meeting was Andrew Upton of DiNicola, Sobel, and Upton. Mr. Upton was retained by Neighbors Against Commercial Development, a group of local residents who oppose the redevelopment proposal of the Temple Shalom site. The proposal, which is being put forth by Coffman Realty, consists of a pharmacy, a new, smaller temple, and a third stand-alone retail structure.

Mr. Upton voiced concerns with regard to the transparency of the process, traffic congestion issues, the economic process, and “inclusionary claims”.  He had been retained 48 hours previous but did note that the developer was “supported by an army of consultants” and that there was a disparity in the bargaining power of the respective groups. Prior to being told to “wrap it up” by Peter Jackson, the Chairman, Mr. Upton asked that the board not take a vote on the overlay at this time.

Mr. Upton was not the only citizen speaker asked to “wrap it up.” At the commencement of Citizen Speak, Mr. Jackson instructed speakers to limit their comments to 1 minute and restricted the speakers to those who had not spoken at the previous meeting.

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Shots fired at three people in car parked on Milton street

from Wicked Local Milton

Shots were fired at three people in a parked car on Belvoir Street late Thursday night.

The shots came from a semi-automatic handgun fired by an occupant of a white SUV that fled the scene.  None of the shots hit anyone, Milton Police Chief Richard Wells Jr. said early this morning. Wells said police received multiple phone calls reporting the shots at 10:30 p.m. Thursday. “When the first officers got there, they saw a car fleeing,” Wells said. (Read the full story here.)

THEATER REVIEW: Milton Players establish true identity of ‘Earnest’

from Wicked Local Milton

You may be familiar with the adage “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” It’s a line from a poem by Sir Walter Scott, but it also applies to Oscar Wilde’s late 19th-century comedy “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

In the story, Jack/Ernest Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, two British aristocrats, are many things, but earnest is not one of them. You see, they both often lie about who they are and what their real names are. But that doesn’t always work out, and when people get caught behaving badly, it can be rather funny.(Read the full story here.)

In Norwell affordable housing is forum agenda

A story ran in today’s Globe regarding efforts being made by Norwell’s Community Preservation Committee to proactively manage the development of affordable housing.  Put another way – it is a way to cope with the threat of 40B housing.

The topic of 40B housing has percolated with regard to two Milton issues; the Temple Shalom redevelopment and the Governor Stoughton Land Trust. The committee appointed to review the Stoughton property has rejected any 40B housing option.  The prospect of 40B housing on the Temple Shalom site has been mentioned as a possible result should the Planning Board vote down an overlay that would permit commercial development.

In short, MGL 40B allows a developer to bypass local zoning regulations and planning boards if 10% of a town’s housing inventory is not  affordable as determined by the state (You can find the text of the law here).  The result is typically a dense housing development that enables the developer to maximize the value of the property. Dense housing can potentially impact abutting property values, put a strain on town services, etc.

But Massachusetts has an issue with affordable housing. Namely, there is none. Massachusetts ranks 49th  out of 50 states (see FAQ from Massachusetts Affordable Housing Education Initiative). MGL 40B which passed by 1 vote was the legislature’s attempt to address the issue here in Massachusetts. It has been controversial from the beginning.

from The Boston Globe

Affordable housing is forum agenda: CPA panel’s aim is to head off 40B projects

The Norwell Community Preservation Committee will meet today with two affordable-housing agencies to look at housing options for Norwell, a move that Town Planner Todd Thomas believes is long overdue.

“Norwell is in a deep hole when it comes to affordable housing, and if we don’t do it on our own, with some modicum of control, we’re going to continue being targets for 40Bs,’’ Thomas said. (Read the full story here.)

Milton’s Earthly Possessions, the puzzle pieces fit together

from The Boston Globe

The return of Sandy Miller’s Thingies just goes to show you can’t keep a good puzzle down.

Thingies, Miller’s collection of eclectic puzzle designs from the 1960s, has returned in the form of new wooden puzzles designed by Miller and manufactured by Liberty Puzzles of Boulder, Colo. (Read the full story here.)