Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the town of Norton is hereby authorized to lay out and accept as public ways any of the ways listed in a document on file with the town clerk, in accordance with the following provisions. The planning board for the town of Norton shall hold a public hearing on the issue of laying out and acceptance as public ways the ways so listed. During such hearing, interested persons shall be given an opportunity to be heard. Within twenty-one days after said hearing, the planning board shall submit a communication to the board of selectmen with its recommendations as to which ways in said document should be laid out and accepted as public ways by said town.

The communication from the planning board shall be referred to the board of selectmen or to a special committee appointed by the board of selectmen for the sole purpose of considering the proposal to lay out and accept as public ways the ways so listed. Within forty-five days of such referral, the board of selectmen shall hold a public hearing on said proposal.

At least fourteen days prior to the public hearing to be held by the board of selectmen, said board shall cause written notice of the intention of said town to lay out and accept as public ways and of the intention to hold public hearings thereon to be sent to the owners of land abutting or being a part of the ways so listed. In addition, notice of said intention to lay out and accept as public ways those ways so listed shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in said town once in each of two successive weeks, the first publication to be not less than fourteen days prior to such hearing. Such notice shall also be posted in a conspicuous place in the town hall for a period of not less than fourteen days prior to such hearing. In the case that a special committee is formed, said committee shall report to the board of selectmen, within fourteen days of the public hearing, their recommendations as to which ways so listed ought to be laid out and accepted as public ways by said town.

The board of selectmen may vote to adopt, amend or reject the proposal to lay out and accept as public ways any or all of the ways listed. The ways contained in the final proposal, as adopted, shall be considered laid out and shall be accepted as public ways. The final action of the board of selectmen shall be filed with the town clerk within seven days of said vote.