This is the Sudbury Legacy Site. Please note that content on this site is very outdated (in service from 1998-2009) and many features are inoperable. Please see our Current Site for recent information. Thank You!
Frequently-Asked Questions
The following is a listing of all of the frequently asked questions that we have. If there is a question for which you can't find the answer, either contact the department or write to the webmaster.
- Accounting - Payments to Vendors (1)
- Brochure (2)
- Building Department (1)
- Cable - Local Access (2)
- Cemetery Maintenance - Perpetual Care Fund (9)
- Collector / Treasurer (2)
- Commission on Disability (1)
- Committees - Meetings (2)
- Conservation (6)
- Conservation Office (1)
- Cultural Council (5)
- Dogs (1)
- Election (5)
- Employee - Retiree Benefits (1)
- Excise Tax (11)
- Fees (1)
- Fire Department (3)
- Forms (7)
- Hazardous Waste (2)
- Health - Flu Shot (1)
- Health - Lyme Disease (1)
- Health - Road Kill (1)
- Health Department (1)
- Health- Mosquito Spraying (1)
- Health- Septic System Setbacks (1)
- Health- Title 5 Inspection (1)
- Health- Wild Animals on Property (1)
- Inclusive and Adaptive (3)
- Income Tax (1)
- Information Systems (1)
- Lincoln-Sudbury Credit Union (1)
- Master Plan (1)
- Park and Rec - Class Instruction (1)
- Park and Rec - Staff (1)
- Permits - Building (5)
- Permits - Fire (1)
- Police - 911 (2)
- Police - Information (6)
- Ponds and Waterways Committee (7)
- Pool (3)
- Property Value (4)
- Rail Trail - (1) General (12)
- Rail Trail - (2) Physical Properties (8)
- Rail Trail - (3) Development Process and Costs (23)
- Rail Trail - (4) Environment (7)
- Rail Trail - (5) Other Towns (4)
- Rail Trail - (6) Safety & Quality of Life (8)
- Rail Trail - (7) Uses (7)
- Real Estate Tax (8)
- School (2)
- Senior Center (8)
- Sports - Swimming (2)
- Sports - Youth (1)
- Teen Center (4)
- Town Clerk (4)
- Traffic Safety (6)
- Transfer Station (2)
- Transfer Station / Recycling Center (1)
- Underground Storage Tank (1)
- Veterans (7)
- Walkways (4)
- Youth (1)
- Accounting - Payments to Vendors
- Brochure
- Building Department
- Cable - Local Access
- Cemetery Maintenance - Perpetual Care Fund
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- Where do the funds to maintain the Town’s cemeteries come from?
- What happens to the $412.50 once it is received by the Town?
- How is the $412.50 spent for the maintenance of the cemetery?
- Does relying on the interest earnings provide enough funding for proper maintenance of the Town’s cemeteries?
- What happened in 2009 and 2010? It appears that the cemeteries are only being minimally maintained?
- Who oversees the investment of the Perpetual Care Trust?
- What is the Town doing given this lack of funding for cemetery maintenance?
- Can the funding model for Cemetery maintenance be changed?
- Is there anything families can do to improve the upkeep of the Cemeteries?
- Collector / Treasurer
- Commission on Disability
- Committees - Meetings
- Conservation
- Conservation Office
- Cultural Council
- Dogs
- Election
- Employee - Retiree Benefits
- Excise Tax
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- If I move out of state, do I still owe the bill?
- I sold my car; do I still owe this bill?
- If I move from Sudbury to another municipality in Massachusetts, to which community do I pay my bill?
- If I paid less for my car than the value on the bill, is there an error?
- Once the M.S.R.P. has been established for a vehicle, I am interested in purchasing; how can I determine how much I will have to pay in excise tax?
- Where can I find more information and answers to other questions about Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise taxes?
- What if I don’t own the vehicle for the entire year?
- How is excise tax computed?
- What determines Massachusetts residency?
- What is an excise tax?
- I have turned my vehicle back in to the leasing company, may I apply for the abatement?
- Fees
- Fire Department
- Forms
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- How do I apply for a special permit or a variance from the Board of Appeals?
- How do I obtain a copy of a Death Certificate?
- What is the process for obtaining a Marriage License?
- Where do I apply for a DBA Certificate/Business Certificate?
- How do I obtain a copy of my Marriage Certificate?
- How do I obtain a copy of a Birth Certificate?
- How do I apply for an appointment to a Town Committee?
- Hazardous Waste
- Health - Flu Shot
- Health - Lyme Disease
- Health - Road Kill
- Health Department
- Health- Mosquito Spraying
- Health- Septic System Setbacks
- Health- Title 5 Inspection
- Health- Wild Animals on Property
- Inclusive and Adaptive
- Income Tax
- Information Systems
- Lincoln-Sudbury Credit Union
- Master Plan
- Park and Rec - Class Instruction
- Park and Rec - Staff
- Permits - Building
- Permits - Fire
- Police - 911
- Police - Information
- Ponds and Waterways Committee
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- What are some ways to have an eco-friendly lawn?
- I am having flooding problems on my property due to beaver activity in the area. What can I do?
- I have a pond (or stream) on my property and would like to remove some trees and shrubs along the edge. Are there any restrictions I should be aware of?
- A pond near me is covered by green scum in the summer. What causes this and should I be worried about it?
- What is the strange-looking orange machine I saw on the Sudbury River?
- How can I get my soil tested and why is this a good idea?
- What are the names of the 9 watersheds in Sudbury?
- Pool
- Property Value
- Rail Trail - (1) General
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- 01 - What is a rail trail?
- 02 - Which old railroad in Sudbury is the focus of current attention?
- 03 - Why is the Town of Sudbury considering construction of a rail trail?
- 07 - What is the RTCAC?
- 08 - Who are the members of the RTCAC?
- 09 - What are Sudbury’s concerns about a rail trail?
- 12 - How will residents have input to the approval and design of the trail?
- 13 - How can I be kept informed about the rail trail?
- 04 - What is the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail?
- 05 - Who was Bruce Freeman?
- 10 - What Town of Sudbury organizations are involved in investigating a rail trail?
- 11 - What other organizations, not connected with Town government, are involved in planning for a rail trail?
- Rail Trail - (2) Physical Properties
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- 01 - Who currently owns the rail bed?
- 02 - How long is the rail bed in Sudbury?
- 04 - What is the width of the railroad right of way?
- 07 - Has construction started on the rail trail south of Route 20?
- 8 - What is the status of the informal walking path that currently exists along some section of the rail bed?
- 03 - Is it feasible to construct a rail trail on the old rail bed?
- 05 - What kind of surface will be on the trail?
- 06 - Will the trail be plowed in the winter?
- Rail Trail - (3) Development Process and Costs
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- 01 - What are the usual steps in the process of building a rail trail?
- 02 - How much would designing and constructing a rail trail in Sudbury cost?
- 03 - If the rail trail were partially funded from the federal transportation act, what fraction of the costs would be borne by Sudbury?
- 04 - Where would dollars for the Town’s portion of the rail trail come from?
- 05 - How much money has the Town of Sudbury spent in studying the rail trail?
- 06 - How can we justify spending money on a rail trail with the continuing pressure on the Town’s finances?
- 07 - What are Sudbury’s options for funding the design and construction of a rail trail?
- 08 - How much control would the Town of Sudbury have over the design and construction process?
- 09 - Who makes the decisions on how the rail trail is designed, financed and constructed?
- 10 - What must be done if trail conversion is done with state and federal funds?
- 11 - What if the trail conversion is done entirely with Sudbury funds?
- 12 - What are the land acquisition costs for the railroad right of way?
- 13 - What agreements with the Executive Office of Transportation EOT would be required to convert the state-owned section to a rail trail?
- 14 - Do the rails have any value?
- 15 - Who would pay for the costs of a future major trail improvement, especially resurfacing?
- 16 - What would it cost to maintain a rail trail?
- 17 - Who would pay for the maintenance of the trail?
- 18 - Who would pay for policing of the rail trail?
- 19 - With the backlog of needed road and bridge repairs, how can the state consider spending state and federal funds on a rail trail?
- 20 - What is the Massachusetts Statewide Bicycle Transportation Plan?
- 21 - Is the Bruce Freeman Rail trail mentioned in the Plan?
- 22 - Is the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Sudbury section described as a Primary Route in the Plan?
- 23 - Is the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Sudbury section described as a Secondary Route in the Plan?
- Rail Trail - (4) Environment
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- 05 - Will the Town of Sudbury’s wetlands bylaw apply to the rail trail?
- 06 - How much clearing would be required to construct the trail?
- 07 - How will disruption to wildlife along the trail be minimized?
- 02 - What happens if contamination is found on the old rail bed?
- 01 - How will environmental damage be avoided?
- 04 - What will happen to the old ties?
- 03 - What will be the impact of the rail trail on the Town of Sudbury’s wells?
- Rail Trail - (5) Other Towns
- Rail Trail - (6) Safety & Quality of Life
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- 01 - How can the effects of a rail trail in Sudbury be estimated?
- 02 - What kinds of rail-trail studies exist?
- 03 - What rail trails are near Sudbury?
- 04 - How would the security of abutters and of trail users be maintained?
- 05 - Would motorized vehicles, especially motorcycles and snowmobiles, be allowed on the trail?
- 06 - Would there be a curfew for the trail?
- 07 - What is the Town’s liability for accidents occurring on the trail?
- 08 - How will the safety of trail users and motorists be maintained where the trail intersects a roadway?
- Rail Trail - (7) Uses
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- 02 - Would the trail be used for “transportation” in addition to “recreation”?
- 04 - Will equestrians be allowed to use the trail?
- 06 - Will there be restroom facilities on the trail?
- 01 - Who will use the rail trail?
- 07 - Will Sudbury’s rail trail become heavily used like the Minuteman Bikeway in Cambridge, Arlington, Lexington and Bedford?
- 03 - Will many users come from out of town?
- 05 - Where will users park?
- Real Estate Tax
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- When making a tax payment, who do I make the check out to?
- Why isn't my name shown as the record owner on my tax bill?
- How can my mortgage company get my bill?
- When are tax bills due?
- When are tax bills issued?
- How can I find out if my mortgage company has paid my tax bill?
- Should all four quarterly tax payments be in equal amounts?
- When is the deadline for filing for an abatement?
- School
- Senior Center
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- I'm not 60 yet. Can I use the Senior Center?
- What types of programs and classes are at the Senior Center?
- I need help understanding my health insurance and Medicare regulations. Is there someone at the Senior Center to assist me?
- Can people get lunch at the Senior Center?
- How do I contact the Senior Center?
- Is there a van service that can help me get around in Sudbury?
- The Senior Center mails the newsletter out free. How does that work?
- I'd like to join the Senior Center's e-mail distribution list. What do I do?
- Sports - Swimming
- Sports - Youth
- Teen Center
- Town Clerk
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- Who are the Sudbury's elected Town Officials?
- I am new to Massachusetts. Where can I learn about residency requirements, vehicle registration and other general information regarding this state?
- Who are the Federal, State and County Officials representing Sudbury?
- What is a Business Certificate and Who Must File?
- Traffic Safety
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- What is the procedure for requesting a change to the speed limit on a particular road?
- What is the procedure for requesting the installation of traffic lights, street signs and/or crosswalks in town?
- Who do I contact if I have concerns about traffic issues related to development projects, i.e. trucks blocking streets or parking in inappropriate areas; noisy vehicles causing congestion on smaller roads; or trucks traveling at high speeds?
- What is the procedure for requesting traffic enforcement in a particular area?
- What department should I contact if there are any obstructed views at intersections due to overgrown vegetation?
- What department should I contact if a tree has fallen or if there are broken tree limbs on a street blocking passage?
- Transfer Station
- Transfer Station / Recycling Center
- Underground Storage Tank
- Veterans
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- What is the Federal and State definition of a "Veteran"?
- Which veterans are eligible for services under Massachusetts General Laws?
- What Local/State Services and Benefits are available to eligible veterans?
- What are the Federal Benefits coordinated by the Veterans' Services Office?
- What are the contact numbers and websites for the Veterans' Administration and the Massachusetts State Department of Veterans' Services?
- What are the veteran benefits available to women veterans?
- Where would Veterans obtain Service records?
- Walkways
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- What is the procedure for having a new walkway constructed in my neighborhood?
- My neighborhood wants a walkway installed on our street, but an easement will be necessary to accommodate a walkway on my property. What is an easement and what are my rights as a property owner?
- Who should I contact if I notice a safety issue with an existing walkway in town (ex: overgrown vegetation, pot holes, cracks, low-hanging tree branches)?
- How does the town ensure that walkways are fully accessible for persons with disabilities?
- Youth
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