This page was updated April, 2026.
Happy birthday, Wellesley!
Happy 145th birthday to Wellesley! This major milestone celebrates the Town’s incorporation on April 6, 1881, as a new municipality of the Commonwealth.
This successful act was the result of one hundred ten years of previous attempts to separate from the Town of Needham.
The new Town was named in honor of the Welles family, and Isabella Pratt Welles, the wife of Town benefactor Horatio Hollis (H.H. ) Hunnewell.
Hunnewell was a prominent community leader who donated the land and grounds on which to build the new seat of government, Wellesley Town Hall.
At 2026 Annual Town Meeting, a resolution recognizing this momentous event was read into the Official Proceedings by member Salvatore (Tory) DeFazio, III who also acknowledged the generous and dedicated volunteers, elected officials, and staff members who continue to work for good government and enhance our Town every day.
Vandalism on the Crosstown Trail
March 20, 2026–The Town is receiving reports of alterations to the Crosstown Trail along Washington Street, specifically the construction of pathways and jumps on Town-owned land. This is illegal, dangerous, and severely damages these protected environmental areas. Repairing this damage is costly and impacts all taxpayers. If you know individuals who are involved in these alterations, please work with them to dismantle these paths and jumps. If this is not done, the Town will need to take more severe action. For questions or to report additional concerns, please contact Wellesley Executive Director Meghan Jop.
Traffic ticket scam
March 19, 2026–The Wellesley Police Department and the Parking Clerk are warning the public about a traffic ticket scam circulating in our area.
People have reported receiving fraudulent messages and texts with a “Notice of Hearing – Traffic Violation” document attached. While these messages may look official, with case numbers, court details, and QR codes, they are NOT legitimate.
Scammers are using these messages to pressure people into making payments or sharing personal information. In many cases, the fake messages include urgent language demanding immediate attention.
DO NOT scan any QR codes or submit any payment information in response to an unsolicited notice.
DO verify any citations directly with the Wellesley Police Department by calling 781-235-1212.
You may also verify parking citations by contacting the Town of Wellesley Parking Clerk, or contacting Plymouth County Parking – this is the company that manages the Town of Wellesley parking tickets.
If you are a victim of this scam:
- Contact your bank or credit card company immediately
- Monitor all bank accounts for suspicious activity
- Reporting the incident to the Wellesley Police Department
- Consider filing a report with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
Pond dredging projects
March, 2026–The Town of Wellesley is currently accepting bids for the dredging of Reeds and Duck Ponds. Benefits of the project include:
- Improving the ecological vitality of the Pond.
- Increasing the water depths throughout the main body of the pond.
- Removing nutrient-loaded sediments, resulting in improved overall water-quality conditions.
- Increasing the carrying capacity of the pond; and
- Increasing the retention time of stormwater, thereby allowing further settlement and reducing potential downstream sedimentation impacts
Bid openings will occur this week. More information is available here.
Wellesley’s Animal Control Regulation updates OK’d by the State
Feb. 6, 2026–The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office has approved updates to Wellesley’s Animal Control Regulations regarding animal kennels.
The changes were voted on by 2025 Special Town Meeting and add the provisions of “Ollie’s Law,” which was signed by Governor Maura Healey in 2024.
Ollie’s Law requires minimum standards and oversight for pet kennels and boarding facilities and requires that kennels, boarding facilities, and groomers only accept animals with current licenses. The law is intended to ensure that all animals receive quality care and stay safe.
Like other Wellesley Animal Control Regulations, these bylaw changes are enforced by the Animal Control Officer, who is a member of the Wellesley Police Department.
Copies of the updated bylaw are posted online, at the Town Clerk’s Office, and at the Wellesley Police Department.
RDF to get new Administration Building
Jan. 16, 2026–Construction has started on a new administration building for the Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF). This new building will replace the current facility where mechanical systems are failing, roofing is deteriorating, rooms are too small, there is limited office and storage space, and the area is not ADA accessible.
Design plans for the new 3,300 sq. foot space include more office and public space, training and muster rooms, adequate storage, LED lighting, and solar power capability. The new building will be located near the RDF visitor parking making it easier for the public to access services.
Construction is expected to finish in spring 2027.
The RDF will be open and operating as usual throughout the building period.
Town of Wellesley gets a new mini-bus
Annual parking permits now online
Jan. 2026–The Town of Wellesley issues annual parking permits to residents, employees of Wellesley businesses, and commuters who park in all-day municipal lots.
Applications for these permits are now online; apply now for 2026. Permits are issued via the OpenGov platform, which the Town uses for all online permitting.
Parking permits are valid in all six Town of Wellesley all-day parking lots:
- Tailby Lot (103 Linden Street) – Wellesley Square commuter rail station
- Wellesley Hills Lot (341 Washington Street) – Wellesley Hills commuter rail station
- Wellesley Farms Lot (70 Croton Street) – Wellesley Farms commuter rail station
- Weston Road Lot (625 Washington Street)
- Cameron Lot (20 Cameron Street, non-metered spaces)
- Eaton Court Lot (24 Eaton Court)
Explore the lots and locations on the Parking Lots & Rates webpage on the Town website.
The annual permit fee is $480.00 for Wellesley residents, students, or business employees and $1,080.00 for non-residents. As permits are linked to vehicle registration information, placards are no longer issued.
Please note: Purchasing an annual parking pass does not guarantee you a space in the lot of your preference.
Refund Policy
Permit refunds are prorated based on full months remaining in the permit year and begin once the permit is canceled with the Town.
Refund rates are $40.00 per full month for residents and $90.00 per full month for non-residents.
Questions? Please contact the Wellesley Parking Clerk.
Wellesley Recognized for Superior Credit Quality
May 13, 2025–Moody’s Ratings once again recognized the Town of Wellesley for its outstanding financial position.
In an announcement on Monday, May 9, Moody’s assigned the Town a MIG 1 rating for its expected $7.5 million General Obligation Bond, a designation that denotes superior credit quality.
Moody’s Investors Service, a municipal credit rating agency, also affirmed the Town’s “Aaa” long-term debt rating, the highest rating attainable.
The agency cited the Town’s very affluent tax base, institutional presence, and strong fiscal management with stable operations as positive credit factors.
Proceeds from the sale of the bond will be used to finalize financing for the new Hardy Elementary School, which opened in September 2024.
