[MassHistPres] Names of Streets

[Tucker, Jonathan]

Dear Betty:

 

New public ways are initially created through the subdivision approval
process (preliminary and definitive) which is overseen by your planning
board. Street names are usually proposed by the applicant and approved
or changed by the planning board as part of that process.  An applicant
can propose any name they want, but the planning board absolutely has
the authority to accept or change that name.  So your historical
commission should be talking to your planning board, and possibly asking
to be consulted before street names are approved.

 

If the approved way is to become a public way (some remain private
ways), the applicant usually makes that request, usually of the select
board, which will have jurisdiction over the way once it becomes public.
The select board reviews the layout of the way(s), consults with the
planning board and town engineer, and makes a recommendation to your
town meeting about whether or not it should accept ownership of the way
on behalf of the town.  And town meeting either accepts or rejects the
new street as a town way.

 

Jonathan Tucker

Planning Director

Amherst Planning Department

4 Boltwood Avenue, Town Hall

Amherst, MA  01002

(413) 259-3040

tuckerj at amherstma.gov    

 

 

 

From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of
Dcolebslade at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 3:18 PM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: [MassHistPres] Names of Streets

 

We are interested in learning if there are policies in towns around
Massachusetts as to naming new streets which are public ways and
accepted by the town.  Do towns (say through the Planning Board) have a
list of acceptable names or do the applicants have to submit a name for
approval? Or can the applicant name streets as they like?   The purpose
of these questions is to find out if it would be possible for the
relevant town body to suggest or require that names representing more
relevant aspects of the history of the town be chosen.

 

Betty Slade

Westport

 

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