[Adopted ATM 3-6-1963, Art. 92]
[Amended AFTM 11-10-2008, Art. 39]
Whenever, at any corner in a street or intersection
of two or more streets, the Town Engineer and the Chief of Police
jointly determine that the view is obstructed by a hedge, trees, brush,
fence, sign or similar natural growth, structure or object so as to
constitute a hazard to vehicular or pedestrian traffic, they shall
present a report to the Board of Selectmen. The Board of Selectmen
shall give such notice to interested parties, including affected property
owners, as they deem appropriate, and following a public hearing may
thereafter vote to require that the hedge, trees, brush, fence, sign
or similar natural growth, structure or object be trimmed, altered,
removed or moved so that the view shall be unobstructed within an
area known as a “sight triangle” that conforms to the
standards of the 2006 Massachusetts Highway Department Project Development
& Design Guide, Section 3.7.4, as amended from time to time, with
the following exceptions:
A.Â
The distance along the leg of the triangle to the
driver’s eye for the minor street shall be 12 feet back from
the back edge of the sidewalk or 14.4 feet back from the edge of the
major road travel-way with no sidewalk.
B.Â
At no time shall the length of the leg of the triangle
along the major street be less than the safe stopping sight distance
as recommended in Section 3.7.4.1.1 of the Design Guide.
Such view shall be determined at a height of
three (3) feet above the center-line surfaces of the intersection
streets and shall continue to be unobstructed to a height of seven
(7) feet above such surfaces.
The trunks of trees, utility poles, posts of
signs (if such signs are otherwise legal) or signs or other devices
erected by the Town or state for the direction and control of traffic
shall not be considered as obstructions under this article.
