1934-01-19 - Laserfiche WebLink

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house could be put back but there is a drop on the other side.. Mr. Longbottom stated that he was the largest tax payer in that section and he would like to see this young couple live in this house. As he understood it, this place has been used as a storage garage and printing place, and he felt that the Building should be allowed to be altered to a dwelling as it would be less objectionable than the previous uses. Mr. Harold Needham stated that he sold the lot to Mr. Ross. He stated that the building in its present condition is a detriment to the neighborhood. He resided nearest to the piece of property and he thought it would improve the whole neighborhood if the place was fixed up and painted. Mr. 5_ocum, Jr. of Blossom Street felt it wasn't necessary to have a forty foot street as some State highways are not wider than that and he felt it would be a tremendous expense. Mr. Curlys Slocum stated that it was the intention of this young married couple with a couple of chi_dren to make a.home here as the conditions are favorable in Lexington. He was not a near neighbor but he can look from his windows on t, the view and he often walks from his place through Fern Street, and he felt that this was an ideal location for the house. The outside appearance is not objectionable as it has been maintained in fairly good condition, and the alterations could easily be made for a home. The place had been used as a printing plant and he assumed they would have a right to use it for the same purpose again, and it seemed to him that by allowing him to establish a home that would be an improvement. In regard to the use of Fern Street as a highway, he had been on the street all hours of the night and did not find many machines travelling and even in the active part of the day he did not believe there would be more than one car every fifteen minutes. His sympathy was with the young couple that wanted to establish a home and felt they should be allowed to do so, although he was aware fhat he was not a close neighbor and perhaps did not have any right to say as much as he did. Philip A. Hendrick appeared as counsel for the abuttors and neighbors on the street. He offered first to the Board petition signed by twenty- three persons who are either residents or property owners or both on Fern Street, in which they respectfully ask that this application be not granted. He called attention tothe fact that Cdr. Maddison had a letter from Mr. Harrod, copy of which he had in his possession. Just so that we can get on some common ground he stated that he wanted to say a few words on the project generally. In the case of 1vorcross v Board of Appeals of the City of Boston, 255 buss. page 185 the Court laid down certain principles to govern Board of Appeals. Hs thought it was the first case of its kind. The power to authorize variances is designed to be seriously used an only under certain circumstances. The power is er<nted for specific instances peculiar in their nature. The purpose of zoning is for 1