The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

Burn, baby, burn in Wellesley

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Once again, with the blessing of the Wellesley Fire Department and the Massachusetts Board of Fire Prevention, I collected a couple of helpers and set a corner of my yard afire. Without the almost pagan ritual of our annual burn, I just don’t know what I would do with that pile of thorny rose vines, tree branches, my old Palm Sunday palms, the Christmas tree, hedge clippings, and other woody debris that I’ve collected throughout the year. There’s the RDF yard waste area, of course, but I always seem to collect more yard waste on a weekly basis than I can cram into my car next to the recycling and the trash.

It’s easy to get an Open Air Burning Permit in Wellesley. You just have to follow a few common-sense rules. The Wellesley Fire Department requires that a garden hose be available at the site of the burning. Nobody wants to see the peony beds go up in flames accidentally, or worse yet, the woods.

 

Items allowed for burning are brush, cane, driftwood and forestry debris. No hay, leaves or stumps may be burned. The burn must be at a location greater than 75 feet from any dwelling. This rule is probably the most challenging for Wellesley residents, given the close proximity of homes to one another in many neighborhoods.

 

Permission to burn must be obtained each day that you wish to burn. Weather conditions are taken into consideration when determining if burning will be allowed each day, and burn hours are between 10am and 4pm.

 

That’s all there is to it. You sign your agreement to the rules, which must be done at the Wellesley fire station at 457 Worcester St., and you’re given a number. On the day you want to burn, you call the Fire Department, identify yourself by your permit number, and you will receive permission, or not. The OK is not a given. There are a few weather particulars that can stand in your way. If the cloud cover is too low, you’ll get a no. If it’s windy, it’s a big no. If it’s been dry lately, that’s another no. I really cut it close this year, doing my burn on the last possible day.

 

When the conditions are right, and the labor is willing, there’s nothing to match a good old-fashioned backyard burn. Here are my helpers, keeping in constant attendance, per regulations. They’ve just thrown on the Christmas tree. Once you’ve seen a Christmas tree go up in flames in your backyard, you’ll wonder why you ever had that potential fireball in your home.

 

If I tend my burn properly, I’m not left with a pile of ash to dispose of. It’s a matter of spreading the debris out with an iron rake as I go. Photo credit (accusation?), Bob Brown.

 

That’s that. The grass seed has been set out and in another month, God willin and the river don’t rise, this unsightly patch will be green again.

 

We aren’t the only pyromaniacs in town. According to a fire department representative, this year 37 households in town applied for a permit and 47 requests to burn were granted. 

 

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Researchers seek Wellesley residents willing to dedicate their yards to science

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Woods Hole Research Center

 

The following is from the Woods Hole Research Center (thanks to the Grow Green Wellesley campaign for letting us know about it).

Dear Current Wellesley Resident,

We are researchers from the Woods Hole Research Center who are interested in understanding how people manage their yards and lawns in the Boston metropolitan area. This research is part of a larger project that involves universities and cities across the United States. Specifically, we are exploring how homeowner yard management affects the wildlife and plants living in the yard.

We would like to include your yard in our study. Our sampling would entail surveying the vegetation, soils, bugs, and birds in your yard, for which we would need access to your front and back yard. Here is more information about our project and the type of sampling we will do. Be assured that the study information will be kept confidential, and no information will be released that can be linked to you.

Thank you very much for your time, and we hope you are interested in participating in this research. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or email our project manager, Margot McKlveen at 508-444-1543, or [email protected]

Sincerely,

Christopher Neill, Senior Scientist
Woods Hole Research Center
[email protected]

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Last leg of MassDOT repair work schedule for Route 9 in Wellesley

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MassDOTThis from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT):

MassDOT’s work-related activities will continue on its $7 million project to repair and improve Route 9 throughout the town of Wellesley.

This significant construction project will consist of resurfacing operations, roadway repairs and related work and is expected to be completed this fall.

Construction operations will occur at night during off-peak hours in order to minimize the impact on the traveling public and ensure crews and personnel are able to make improvements to this regionally important roadway. MassDOT operations for the next month is expected to be as follows:

May 14 through June 16

  • Sunday through Thursday, 8:00 p.m. through 5:30 a.m.:  Operations will consist of milling, paving operations, and adjusting casting. This work will begin on Route 9 eastbound at the Natick town line and continue eastbound towards Cliff Road.
  • No work will occur between Cliff Road and Oakland Street, and crews will then continue working on Route 9 eastbound between Oakland Street and the intersection of Route 9 and Interstate 95.
  • Operations then will shift to Route 9 westbound from the intersection of Route 9 and Interstate 95 towards Oakland Street, and then from Cliff Road to the Natick town line.

Lane closures during these overnight hours will be necessary in order to allow crews and contractors to safely and effectively conduct operations including milling, paving, and casting.

Drivers should consider alternate routes during these overnight hours in order to minimize travel disruptions. Those traveling through these areas should be mindful of potential traffic impacts and should devote their full attention to driving through these active construction zones.

All scheduled work is weather dependent and subject to change without notice.

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Wellesley police searching for driver who hit WMS student

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wellesley policeFrom the Wellesley Police:

The Wellesley Police Department is seeking the assistance of the public in identifying a vehicle and operator reportedly involved in a pedestrian crash at the intersection of Calvin Rd. and Kingsbury St. on Tuesday May 2 at approximately 7:35am.

A Wellesley Middle School student was attempting to cross Calvin Rd. from north to south, at the intersection of Kingsbury St. on Tuesday morning. The student and a friend were walking their bicycles when they entered the Calvin Rd. crosswalk as they headed to school for the day. A white Sports Utility Vehicle turned left onto Calvin Rd. from Kingsbury St. north and failed to stop for them in the crosswalk. The white SUV struck the front tire of the student’s bicycle, knocking the student to the ground. The white SUV did not stop after making contact with the bike and continued on Calvin Rd.

Several Wellesley Police Officers responded to investigate the crash and the Wellesley Fire Department and Cataldo Medics responded to provide medical aid. Fortunately, the student did not suffer any injuries beyond some wet clothing as a result of being knocked to the ground.

The only description provided was a white SUV. If anyone witnessed this crash or can provide any information they believe would be helpful in identifying this vehicle please contact Off. James Amalfi p:781.235.1212 x.7212 email: [email protected] and reference Crash Number 17-244-AC.

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