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Engineering and Transportation

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1. Where is your office and what are your hours?

The Municipal Engineering Program is located in the Department of Public Works Operations Center, 100 Western Avenue, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Please note that the Operations Center is located off of the southern section of Western Avenue. The Capital Improvement Program is located adjacent to the Operations Center at 110 Western Avenue.

2. What information do you have?

Historical and current maps, plans, and record drawings are available for viewing. Some sets of documents have been scanned to digital image formats and others are stored as original hardcopy. These documents are useful for a variety of purposes including license and variance applications, utility connection verification, historical analysis, environmental research, defining of property edges, and verifying of ownership information. Maps and plans kept on file at the Engineering Division include:
• Utility Layouts (sanitary sewer, water, and stormwater drainage)
• Street Layouts, Acceptance Plans, and Field Books
• Street and Property Histories (some records)
• Assessor’s Maps (current and historical)
• Aerial Photos
• Construction Contract Drawings (Roadway, Sanitary Sewer, Water and Stormwater
• FEMA Flood Zone Maps
• Historical Maps of Framingham

3. Can I get a map or plot plan of my property?

We may have your plan on file, particularly if it has been filed at the Registry of Deeds. Also if a plan for utility service connections or a building permit plan was submitted to the Engineering Division, we may have a plan on file. The plan may or may not show your house or other features. Copies can be purchased at a nominal fee. The Building Department (508-532-5500) is also an excellent source for these maps.

4. Where do I acquire a deed for my property?

Deed information and documentation can be obtained at the Middlesex South Registry of Deeds in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Most deeds can be viewed and printed, for a small fee, from the: Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds website

5. Where do I find survey information such as street layouts, easement plans, contour information, benchmarks, etc.?

The Department of Public Works Engineering Division maintains most plan records for the Town, with the exception of buildings and on-site sewage disposal systems.

6. Will the Town survey my property?

No. The Town only surveys properties that involve Town projects. However, if the property is on an accepted public way, the Engineering Division can stake the location of the street right-of-way line that abuts that side of the property. The property corners will not be located since that is a private matter. It is recommended that any resident who is investing in property line landscaping or fences, have his/her property staked out by a registered land surveyor. The Engineering Division does provide a list of surveyors that frequently work in Framingham.

7. Where does my property end?

While many people assume that they own up to the pavement edge, the Town owns a strip of land called a Right-of-Way within which the paved roadway lies. The actual boundary offset varies from street to street. If your property abuts an accepted public way, the Engineering Division can stake the location of the street right-of-way line. These stakeout requests can be completed in advance of planned landscaping, fencing, or other private improvements to prevent unauthorized encroachments into the public way (right-of-way).

8. How do I find out the limits of the public way?

The limits of the public way (right-of-way) are determined from the original roadway layout plans or street acceptance plans. These plans are located in the Engineering Division office. The Engineering Division can locate the limits of the public way.

9. Can I plant flowers or put up a fence near the roadway?

Any work within the public Right-of-Way is regulated by the Department of Public Works and must be permitted through the Engineering Division. Unauthorized, non-permitted encroachments within the public Right-of-way are not allowed. Non-permitted encroachments can present safety hazards to the public and increase the costs of public infrastructure maintenance.

10. Do I need to have permission to widen, move or add another driveway on my property?

Yes. Each request for location or relocation of driveway aprons and curb cuts shall be made through an application for a Public Way Access Permit (PWAP). PWAP application forms and requirements are available at the Department of Public Works Engineering Division, Administration Division, and the Town's website. Such application should state the reasons for the driveway and shall be accompanied by a sketch showing the lot sidelines, approximate location of the house, any garage, location of sidewalk, the proposed driveway, and the existing driveway. The width of the proposed and existing driveway and curb cut must be provided. Please note that any proposed work within the public way will also require a Street Opening Permit. PWAP Application

11. What are the property line setback requirements for my property?

The property line building setback requirements are found in the Town of Framingham Zoning Bylaws, Section III Use and Dimensional Regulations, latest edition or contact the Framingham Building Department at 508-532-5500. The Town of Framingham Zoning Bylaw can be accessed online at: Zoning Bylaw

12. Where do I acquire a GIS map?

Town of Framingham Geographic Information System Data can be purchased at the Department of Public Works Engineering Division.

13. Do you have copies of zoning maps?

Town of Framingham Zoning Maps, Street Maps, and Precinct Maps can be purchased at the Department of Public Works Engineering Division. Zoning Maps and the full Town of Framingham Zoning Bylaw are available at the Planning Board Office and the Office of the Town Clerk, Town Hall (Memorial Building), 150 Concord Street. The Town of Framingham Zoning Bylaw can also be accessed online at: Zoning Bylaw

14. Does the Town have copies of the flood insurance maps developed for Framingham?

Yes. The Town’s Engineering Division has copies of FEMA flood insurance maps. However, the flood insurance rate maps (FIRMs) can also be viewed and printed, for a small fee, from FEMA’s website. The Conservation Commission and the Building Department also have copies of the flood insurance maps. FEMA Website

15. What is an easement?

An easement is a non-possessing interest held by one person in land of another whereby the first person is accorded partial use of such land for a specific purpose. An easement restricts but does not abridge the rights of the fee owner to the use and enjoyment of his land. Easements are typically used for, but not limited to, the following purposes: utility, electric, drain, sewer, water, footpath, etc.

16. Will the town locate my utility services for me?

Yes. The Department of Public Works Water, Sewer and Highway Divisions will locate the following utilities; water, sewer and storm drainage. Others are responsible for locating the electric, gas, telephone and cable TV utilities.

17. How do you decide to pave a road?

A comprehensive database is connected to a detailed pavement management system. The overall condition of any street is calculated and ranked in comparison with all other streets in Town. Based upon the potential benefit gained from repairs and the available funding, a repair program is scheduled each year. Minor repairs (potholes, etc.) are handled through the Highway Division (508-532-6030).

18. Can I get a lower speed limit on my street?

In order for a speed limit to be changed, a speed study must be performed. Speed studies take into account geometry of the roadway, physical characteristics of the area, and the speed of which the majority of the vehicles currently travel. In many cases, a study concludes that the speed limit should be raised.

19. Can I get stop signs erected to slow traffic?

Certain conditions must be met in order for a Stop sign to be erected. These conditions, or warrants, are set forth in the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The MUTCD is a national code for traffic signage/regulation. Slowing or discouraging traffic is not a warrant for posting stop signs.

20. Does the Town allow residents/businesses to connect a private stormwater drain to the Town’s stormwater drainage system?

Private connections to the public stormwater drainage system are discouraged. However, if sufficient justification of hardship or safety are presented, an engineer-stamped drawing is provided meeting drainage connection requirements, and after the Engineering Division has checked the area to be certain that the Town system has the capacity to handle the drainage discharge, residents may be permitted to connect a private drain to the Town stormwater drainage system.

21. What do I do if I have a drainage problem from the roadway onto my property?

Call either the Engineering Division or the Highway Department (508-532-6030). Someone from the Highway Department will come to look at the property, and if it is determined to be a problem caused by the roadway, the Highway Department will fix the problem or work with the Engineering Division to find an engineering solution.

22. Who is responsible for cleaning out the drainage ditches (channels) on my property?

The property owner is responsible for keeping all open water channels on their property clear of debris. It is good neighborliness to clean out drainage channels on your property so that your upstream neighbors are not flooded. Please do not dump any vegetative waste or pet waste into the drainage channels. Instead, bag your yard waste and take it to the Town’s Leaf Dump. The Town is responsible for cleaning culverts under roadways.

23. Can I dump bagged pet waste or any other waste into storm drains?

No. Please do NOT dump any waste into the storm system drains. This includes bagged pet waste, grass clippings, used oil or other liquids, or anything except clean water. You can easily identify storm drains, also called catch basins. They have open, gridded covers, also called grates. The grates can be square, circular, D-shaped, or rectangular. The grid can be single-direction grids or two-direction grids (like waffles). Catch basins do not drain to the sanitary sewer system. Instead they flow to open streams, wetlands, ponds, lakes, and rivers. Dispose of bagged pet waste in the trash or flush un-bagged pet waste down the toilet. If you are near a wooded area, you may bury un-bagged pet waste to a depth of at least 5 inches but away from play areas or any open water; bring a small spade along for this purpose. Please help us keep our Town clean and beautiful.