Wellesley Petition Seeks to Slow Teardown of Buildings

Wellesley, MA – A petition has emerged on the Wellesley Historical Commission's website hoping to curb the number of homes being torn down in Wellesley.

Addressed to the Board of Selectman, Planning Board and Natural Resources Commission, the petition alleges that "empirically, developers are tearing down Wellesley’s homes at a faster rate than anywhere in Metro Boston."

According to a Wellesley Townsman story published in April, 95 demolition permits were issued in Wellesley in 2015 and the town averaged 73 per year from 2012 to 2015.

>>>Petition to Protect Wellesley's Character and Promote Smart, Sustainable Growth

The Townsman reported that Wellesley has a demolition delay bylaw, much like its surrounding communities, that has been used 24 times since its implementation in 2006.

The Historical Commission's petition argues that the historical merit of many of the town's neighborhoods are vital to Wellesley's character and points to the negative environmental consequences of demolition, such as clear-cutting and re-grading lots, loss of canopy, destabilization of surrounding properties due to rock blasting and water runoff issues.

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