[MassHistPres] notification of abutters

[Chris Skelly]

Here are some compiled responses from previous masshistpres posters.  I
also added in the ones that were just posted.  Chris.
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ACTON
The Acton HDC notifies abutters in the same manner--directly adjoining,
or across the street.   This minimal amount of notification was chosen
in order to minimize the work load for the commissioners, as there is no
staff assistance for the commission.  While the Planning Board and other
town bodies send notices to a wider range of abutters, they require the
applicants to do it.  When the Acton commission was formed in the early
1990s, we were strongly urged to put as small a burden on applicants as
possible--hence the policy of having the commission itself send out the
notices.

BROOKLINE
In regard to the notification question, our process is automatic.  We
call up a GIS map and highlight surrounding properties that are abutters
and abutters of abutters.  The results are tied into the assessor's
records.

CAMBRIDGE
We use the same notification standard as zoning:  Property owner,
owners of abutting properties and those directly across the street,
abutters to abutters that occur within 300 feet of subject property.
Sometimes I'll add in a few extras if they look to be materially
affected and didn't make the above cut.  As with Brookline, we have a
computer mapping program that will make the labels for selected
properties, tied to the Assessor's database. We've had several versions
of this program in the last 6 years or so. But it is a huge timesaver
over the old way of doing it by hand.

NEWTON
Newton uses a GIS database which is tied to our assessor's records and
sounds a lot like Brookline's system.  We also notify direct abutters
and those across the street from the property, and will occasionally
widen the circle if the property has an unusual situation 
- for example, we had one district property next to a pond which was
substantially surrounded by small, undeveloped lots which were owned by
a trust company. It only had one or two direct abutters, but most of the
area was concerned for the property and in the end we came up with a
separate list for notification.  The GIS abutters program is a great
tool which makes the process very fast and easy - the only thing to be
aware of is that there can be a delay between the sale of the property
and when the new owner information goes into the system.  This delay can
be a few months so occasionally the notice goes to the previous owner -
its something that we try to double check but don't always catch. 

SALEM
We send notices to abutters, abutters to abutters, owners across the
street and their abutters.

SOMERVILLE
We notify all direct abutters including those directly across streets
and on a diagonal.  We have one building with approximately 30 condo
owners.  They all get notified if an abutting property is affected. 

WAYLAND
Our district is so small that for educational purposes we send notice of
all cases to all residents = 20 addresses.  However, in the past I have
sent to abutters - contiguous properties and across the street so that I
count anyone whose property would be contiguous if the street were not
there.  

WESTPORT
Westport notifies all owners within 300 feet of a property.  The
historic district is tightly packed for the most part so neighbors are
very  close.  The "historic district" neighborhood association notifies
its members of public hearings two weeks before the Commission meeting
and of the  agenda of the meeting.  Notice is placed at the post office
(there is no mail delivery so everyone has to come to the post office)
and at Town  Hall.  The Commission has a special bulletin board.  The
Planning  Board also gets notice.  Applicants supply the names and
addresses (from the assessor's list) but the clerk (volunteer) has to
check them - so it does  not make it easier.


-----Original Message-----
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of Nancy Dole
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 8:00 PM
To: masshistoric mail list
Subject: [MassHistPres] notification of abutters

Hello everyone. The West Tisbury HDC is updating guidelines, application
forms, certificate forms. Presently we send a notice of a public hearing
on an application to the  directly adjoining abutters only, or owners
who would be adjoining abutters if there were no public way between
themselves and the applicant.

One of our members thinks we should notify a wider range of abutters...
we are wondering what other districts do, and why. 

FYI we also put a notice in the newspaper, and post it in Town Hall, and
inform the ZBA, Planning Board, Building Inspector, and Town Clerk.

Thank you for your help in this matter, and thank you to all the people
who replied to my request for information on how to soften the look of
proposed black asphalt walking roadside paths in the district.

Nancy Dole, West Tisbury HDC Secretary
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