I’m easily amused. I found the wording of this item on this week’s Wellesley Select Board’s agenda funny, in a wordsmithy sort of way: “Discuss and Vote Order of Taking for Granite Street.”
But we won’t take Wellesley’s Granite Street for granted, nor ignore the fact that searching on Google for “take for granite” accounts for 59,200 results vs 31 million-plus for “take for granted.” In the Wellesley Select Board case, “Taking for Granite…” is correct.
We snapped a photo this morning of a Granite Street sign, in the College Heights area off of Linden Street and Weston Road, in honor of Granite’s Street’s big night at the Select Board.
Granite Street actually had its really big night recently at Special Town Meeting, where Article 13 sailed through.
As the Advisory Committee explains, here’s what that article is about:
Granite Street is approximately 700 feet long and lies between Crown Ridge Road to the east and Sunset Road to the west. Granite Street is also intersected by Summit Road. All are accepted ways except for Sunset Road. Granite Street abuts the boundary lines of fourteen parcels, six of which are corner lots.
At least 75% of the property owners on Granite Street petitioned the BOS in 2016 to have their street, which is a private way, accepted as a public way. The acceptance of Granite Street as a public way was included in the Warrant for the 2018 Annual Town Meeting, and Town Meeting approved both the acceptance of Granite Street as a public way and the expenditure of $195,000 to bring Granite Street into compliance with the Town’s standards for shared public ways. Betterments to the road include: widening the road; relocation of several utility poles; and reconstruction of a stone wall that is within two to three feet of the existing roadway.
The Town now seeks to complete the process begun in 2018 by formally transferring the title in the land covered by the Granite Street to the Town through eminent domain. The Board of Selectmen has advised that there will be no monetary impact to the Town as a result of this taking
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We have lived in this neighborhood for almost 50 yea a we’re always puzzled by Granite’s private road status and terrible potholes. Finally, the road is passable and part of the Wellesley community. So glad the town moved on this before the gates went up at either end. Lol. Thanks for the story.