Town of Brookline

Newsletter
Mission Statement
Membership
Boundaries
Meeting Minutes

Woodland Heath Neighborhood Association

Contacts
Contacts: Marjorie Greville
Chairperson
20 Glenoe Road
02467
617 731 1014
mdgrev@Hotmail.com

Bob Yelton
Clerk
72 Pine Road
02467
617 277 5211
RYBYASSOC@aol.com

MAP DISCLAIMER:

The neighborhood boundaries depicted in this map series are based on information in the Brookline Geographic Information System which was provided by the individual Neighborhood Associations. These boundaries are subject to periodic updates and changes and should not be used for any legal purposes.

MISSION STATEMENT

To deliberate matters of neighborhood interest, and when appropriate communicate ideas and concerns to the town authority. To promote and protect special distinctive quality of the Hammond Road/Woodland Road/Heath Street neighborhood as a residential community within an expanding urban environment. More specifically:
1. To protect open spaces.
2. To be aware and active in future developments
3. To enhance pedestrian safety
4. To be a convenient focal and contact point for the Town of Brookline and to those interested in making changes to the area.

MAP

Detail Map coming soon.

MEMBERSHIP

Information Coming Soon

BOUNDARIES

Click here to open Aerial Boundary Map

Residents of Woodland Road and Heath Street and the fourteen adjoining streets east of Hammond Street and west of the intersection Route 9 and Heath, including the residents along the east side of Hammond Street and the south side of Boylston Street (Rt. 9).

MEETING MINUTES

Woodland Heath Minutes for Oct. 22, 2002
Steering Committee
Woodland-Heath Neighborhood Association

Attendees; Helen Braun, John Firk, John Field, Margie Greville, Carol Stuart, Bob Yelton

Guest: Holly Burnes, Brookline Community Fund

The meeting was called to order. We discussed a number of topics in length.
1. 3 new houses on Woodland Rd. – The land has been cleared and blasting will start either the end of this week or next week. The developer – Nicky Heras was very pleasant on the telephone and gave us his number in case any neighbor has any complaints. He has instructed his crew to keep the site clean and to limit as much as possible any noise, etc. They are building three very expensive spec. Houses, the first along the Woodland Rd. frontage.
2. Warrant Articles – we have submitted two articles for this Nov. Town Meeting. Helen Braun and Bob Yelton have worked hard to guide both of them through the Advisory and selectmen committees.
a. Study Undergrounding Cables (#21) – residents from both Precincts 1 & 8 joined us in presenting this article. We propose a study to look into the feasibility of undergrounding all cables strung from telephone poles. Presently 48% of Brookline streets have underground cables. We want to find out what it would cost and how it would work to have the whole town done. Heath Street is a prime example of how the present telephone poles are unsightly, dangerous, and harmful to our street trees.
b. Design review for any street front fence above 4 feet – Everyone seems to agree that it would protect our town character to review proposed tall fences along the sidewalk. However no one wants to take over the job of reviewing proposals, etc. This article will need strong support to push the planning dept. to set up a design review process.
3. Dane Park grant – Mass Historic has suspended all grant applications for this year. Dane Park had submitted a request for funds to have a thorough topographical survey with the view of developing a path system and maintenance plan for the park. There will be a meeting at the Town Municipal garage on Hammond St. 7:00PM Wed. Nov. 6 to discus future plans.
4. Hammond Street Trees – Sadly this summer a number of our venerable old Red Oaks were cut down on Hammond St. In spite of reassurances by Town Tree Warden Tom Brady to several of our members, the town is not planning to replant Red Oaks. Instead they are suggesting Crimean Linden – a large tree with more open canopy than the Little Leaf Linden. Call Tom Brady or Erin Chute at Town Hall if you would like to discus this choice. The developer of The Hammonds has submitted a landscape plan for that property. We will have to wait and see how it looks.
5. There is a proposed new Zoning By-law amendment that allows attics and porches to be converted into living space without having to go through the previous appeals process. This could become an issue where houses are built very close together. The public hearing was on Oct. 3, but you could still comment on the proposal by calling the Planning Dept.
6. Comprehensive Plan – The task force is still discussing alternatives. Our Rt. 9 commercial space is definitely targeted for denser development. If anyone is interested please come to the public meetings advertised in the Tab.
7. The shooting last week on Rt. 9 apparently started in a confrontation near Pine Manor on Heath St. The assailant was driving an SUV. Hopefully it will not happen again.
8. Historic Chestnut Hill is having a fall festival at the Mary Baker Eddy Estate, 400 Beacon St. Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10 to 3. Everyone welcome.

The meeting was then turned over to Holly Burnes. The Brookline Community Fund wants to establish an environmental endowment that would be available exclusively for environmental grants. We discussed various ways we might be able to help in this effort. We all agreed an environmental fund would be good for Brookline.

Respectfully submitted, Margie Greville

Woodland Heath Minutes for 3/11/2002

Attendees: Dick Hawkins, Helen Braun, John Kirk, Carol Stuart, Bob Yelton, and Margie Greville
The meeting was called to order. Discussion followed on:
· Treasurer’s report: Dick has received an expense of $121.80 for our Dec. newsletter. He will report at next meeting our current account and any eminent dues solicitations.
· Bob Yelton agreed to update our Brookline web page to include a map and membership information.
· Bob Yelton also agreed to work on a rough draft for our Warrant Article about eliminating or limiting new overhead cables townwide.
· Helen Braun has announced she will be running for Town Meeting. She needs people to help with handouts at the Fire Station on polling day, May 7.
· Mr. Fireman committed to plant at least 4 significant White Pine trees on the new landscaped edge to Woodland Road along his property line in exchange for permission to take down the existing old street trees. We have contacted Tom Brady for the Town of Brookline who is responsible for monitoring the planting. We hope it will happen this spring.
· The Friends of Dane Park are working with Erin Chute, Director of Parks and Open Space for Brookline to submit a grant application by May 15. The grant contains a town matching funds requirement. The Friends will be contacting local residents to contribute to help make the grant possible.
· We voted to join the Brookline Neighborhood Alliance. Helen Braun and Bob Yelton agreed to be our delegates to the meetings.
· We were all pleased to see the Park Place development start construction of the stonewall along Hammond St.
Our next meeting will be Thursday, May 2 @ 7:30 PM.
The meeting was adjourned. Thank everyone for coming.
Respectfully submitted,
Marjorie Greville

Minutes for Jan. 29, 2002
Woodland Heath Neighborhood Assoc. Steering Committee Meeting

Attendees: Dan Burnes, Helen Braun, Trevor Fairbrother, Dick Hawkins, John Kirk, Susan Rome, Carol & Ralph Stewart, Bob Yelton, Margie Greville.

A. Guest: Jon Abrams, Vice-President for Development and Alumnae Relations
Pine Manor College

Jon Abrams attended our meeting and brought us up to date on the following:
1. Pine Manor enrollment is up to 423 with a goal of 550. This is a considerable improvement over our last information when the number was closer to 350. They are increasing class size and have an optimistic outlook. They are still renting two dormitories to Newbury College, and using 15 themselves. Approximately 72% of PMC students are residential.
2. The 6 new tennis courts are 80% completed with a target date of June 1, 2002. Jon was unsure of the projected usage, but confirmed there was an agreement with the previous abutting property owner to limit hours of play and lighting. He will get back to us on exact hours.
3. The college presently owns 60 acres and has no current plans for either property sales or further development. They also have little interest in a conservation easement on the open space along Heath Street.
4. The W-H Assoc. asked if a neighborhood picnic would be possible on the Heath St. frontage. Jon will research the various requirements and get back to us.

The meeting was very friendly and open and we were all impressed with Jon’s professionalism and approachability. He expressed a desire for open communication with which we concur.

B. South Brookline Forum – we received the preliminary report and look forward to the Comprehensive Plan. We were pleased with the emphasis on safe pedestrian access along all our roads, and concern for increasing and improving open space.

C. We discussed the CPA (Community Preservation Act) information session at the high school last Wed. 1/23. Helen and Margie attended and reported on the presentation. There is an information packet with the financial details for anyone interested.

D. Newsletter mailing: the final number is 204 households. We have had a good response, particularly to Bob Yelton’s evocative pictures of the new cables along Heath St. Unfortunately this seems to be a Catch 22 situation where a variety of State and Federal laws complicate the ability of any town to restrict access to telephone poles. We need more information, but it is asserted by the Town that practically anyone can string up anything under the protection of ‘equal access’. Anyone interested please help us to control this unfortunately all too common problem.
The treasurer urged us to submit expenses.

E. The Waterworks Site: we discussed the recent Tab article and hope someone will be able to cover the meeting Jan. 30 at 7:30 at the Brighton Marine Health Center.

F. Bob and Marjorie have been invited to the Brookline Neighborhood Alliance meeting on Jan. 30. We will attend and advise re joining.

G. Susan Rome brought up the issue of snow removal. It is the responsibility of all residents to clear the pathway in front of their property after a snowfall. The Town only has one sidewalk snow plow, which is used for main foot traffic routes between schools and transportation stops.

Respectfully submitted,
Margie Greville
2/6/02

NEXT MEETING