HomeMy WebLinkAbout1937-09-14BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING '
Sept. 14, 1937.
At 8:10 P. M. hearing was declared open before the Board
of Appeals and the Board of Selectmen upon petition of Jennie
M. Partridge for permission to maintain two underground tanks
for the storage of gasoline in the capacity* of 1000 gallons
each on the premises at 400 Waltham Street,
Chairman Maddison and Mr. Robbins and Associate Member
John A. Lyons were present as members of the Board of Appeals;
also Mir. Ferguson, being a member of both Boards.
Notice of the hearing before the Selectmen was read by
Chairman Ferguson, and notice of the hearing before the Board
of Appeals was read by Mr. Robbins.
Several persons were present at the hearing, including
Mr. R. L. Ryder, counsel for the petitioner. Mr. Ryder said
that he filed the application for Mrs. Partridge.. The property
is leased to the Morris Motors, represented by Mr. Morris
Bloomberg, who has been in business for himself at this location '
for a little less than two years. In'October, 1935, the Board
of Appeals granted a permit for a service station and show room
at this location and it has been operated as such since that
time.' It has been determined that the sale of gasoline and oil
is going to be necessary if Mir. Bloomberg is going to succeed
and do more than pay his rent. Mr. Ryder said that he thought
that probably the Jenney Mfg. Co. and the Standard Oil Co.,
would be represented to op;ose the petition. Mir. Ryder said
that if the Board was going to give a man the privilege of
conducting a garage and service station, he should be given
the right to sell gasoline. He has tried to operate without
it and finds that it is a grett handicap to his business. The
gasoline and oil he would sell would be to his own customers
and people who come to have work done on their automobiles.
Ryder did not think it would harm the business of the other
two gasoline companies. He thought it was only proper that
Mr. Bloomberg should have the privilege of selling gasoline
and said that it would enable him to make a better thing of
what he started out to do.
Chairman Maddison stated that the permit from the Board of
Appeals stated specifically that there shDuld not be any sale
of gasoline. Mr. Ryder replied that he was not at the hearing
and did not know that but he thought that the business required
it and he did not see why the permit was not granted before. I
Chairman Maddison asked where Mr. Bloomberg planned to
place the pumps and Mr. Ryder presented a plan showing the
proposed location.
No other persons wished to be heard in favor.
Nlr. John F. Rogers of 23 Haskell Street, the lessee of
the Standard Oil Co. property stated that he had been in
charge of that station since 1pril but had worked at the
station for three or four years. He said that he objected
to the granting of the petition because there was not enough
business at the corner for another station. Mr. Rogers
said that there was a pump in -back of Mr. Bloomberg's garage
which Mr. Partridge used and he said that Bloomberg used it
and if he merely wanted the privilege of selling gasoline to
take care of his own business, the pump in the rear would
take care of that. He said that there were two stations at
the corner now and he thought that they had and would take
care of the business ably. He said that when Marrett Road
was Route 2, there was a great deal of traffic going through
but that the traffic had decreased greatly since the construction
of the Concord Turnpike. Most of the traffic now is along
Route 128, and if Bloomberg was granted this permit, his
pumps would be on Route 128.
Charles McDonald of 14 Grapevine Avenue said that he had
worked with It1r. Rogers as an attendant at the station and
' that they were not very busy. There are ten pumps on the
corner now. He said he believed that at the present time
Ptiorris Motors is selling oil buthe did not know about gasoline.
Mr. Robert H. Eldridge of 495 Waltham Street said that
he could not see how Mrs. Partridge would make anything by
having this permit granted. He did not believe that the
property was in A. 1 shape now and said that from a pedestrian's
standpoint, the sidewalk was not very good. There are trees
in front of the garage and the street is rather narrow and
he thought that gasoline pumps would increase the danger to
children going to the stores at the corner. He thought that
the two stations now established were sufficient and he said
that they were kept in good condition.
Lirs. Robert He Eldridge of 495 aaltham Street said that if
the pumps were put in there, the cars would have to be on the
sidewalk, so-called, because the building was close to the
street. She thought that this would be very doingerous.
Chairman Maddison stated that there would be twelve feet
between the property line and the pumps.
Mrs. Eldridge stated that she wished to be recorded in
opposition.
Mr. Ryder said that the gasoline pump Rogers mentioned
was easily fifty feet'from the property in question and had
nothing to do with it. That pump -is connected with the store
that faces on Marrett Road and Mr. -Bloomberg does not use it.
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He said that there was just one tree and that was on the
exact division line between the Socony station and this
property and he thought that it was dying now. The pro-
perty has a frontage of approximately 100 feet and the
pumps would be located twelve feet from the line, the same
distance back as those of the Standard Oil Co;
Mr. Rogers said that he wished the Board to know that
the Morris Notors had been given permission by the owner
to use the pump in the rear and that company had had gasoline
delivered to the pump.
No other persons wished to speak in opposition and the
hearing was declared closed at 8:30 P. 11.
16r. Lyons moved that .the Board of Appeals reserve its
decision until the next meeting which will be held on Sept.
24th, 1937. hSr. Robbins seconded the motion, and it was so
voted.
A true record, Attest:
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