HomeMy WebLinkAbout1938-05-27154
BOARD OF APPEALS r ii.T ING
May 27, 1938.
A meeting of the Board of Appeals was held in the
Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, at 8:00 P. M.
Chairman Maddison, and Messrs. Ferguson, Robbins and Kim-
ball were present. The Secretary was also present.
At 8:00 P. M. hearing was declared open upon the
application of Leeland G. and Mildred I. McConchie for
permission to maintain a riding school at 104 North Street,
Lexington. The notice of the hearing was read by the Clerk.
Mr. W. E. Selfridge appeared in favor of the grant-
ing of the petition. He said that he had fitted up the barn
at 104 North Street to be used as a riding school. He said
that he had spent a considerable amount of money changing
the barn from a cow barn to a horse barn, and had leased
one-half of it to two young men for one year. There are
twelve regular stalls and five box stalls, and there is one
room that the man sitays. in'nights. The two young men
have been using the place since February. He said that he
would like to see the petition granted so that he could get
something in return for the money he had spent. Mr. Sel-
fridge said that he did not see..that a riding school would
bother anyone, as it did not bother his family, and he
lives on the premises. There is no odor. He said that he
did not own any of the horses himself. He said that a man
by the name of Stanton, and Albert Howe, who runs Howe s
Watertown Express, would operate the riding school. The
Chairman asked how many horses there were, and he said that
there were fourteen or fifteen saddle horses. Selfridge
said that he had had no fault to find with the way the school
was operating, and said that there were no intoxicated cus-
tomers.
The Chairman asked how old the riding pupils
were, and Selfridge said that they were middle-aged people.
He said that in March they had a boy who had let the horses
out, and once two got out and wandered up the street. They
have let that boy go.
Mr. Kimball asked where the people rode, and Sel-
fridge said that they usually went up North Street into
Burlington, and do most of the riding on the dirt roads in
Burlington.
Mr. John A. Cadario of Arlington said that he rep-
resented all the abounding property owners. He said that _
he had no objections to the granting of the petition, and
thought it was in order. He wished to be recorded as
being in favor.
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The Chairman asked what he meant by "abounding pro-
perty owners.' He said that he and two other persons, Wm.
P. Herlihy and Mary Trepazzo, owned the land immediately abut-
ting this farm. He sold the farm at 104 North Street to
Mr. McConchie.
No one else wished to be heard in favor of the
granting of the petition.
Mr. Nathan B. Bidwell, attorney, stated that he
represented Miss Edith Willard of North Street and that he
was authorized to speak for Harvey C. Wheeler, who owned
property directly across the street from that of the peti-
tioner, Mr. Austin Locke and 11ss Brown. Mr. Locke told
him that his objection was not to odor or to the horses.
He has long been the owner of his land And it is very val-
uable. The house is very attractive. Mr. Locke has had
considerable difficulty on one or more occasions with the
horses going over his land. There is ample evidence to be
presented of the riding of horses through there at 11:00
P. M. and around midnight. On Sunday they have as many as
80 riders a day. Mr. Locke's objections were not serious,
however. Miss Brown simply stated that she had not had
any particular trouble but dreaded what might happen. Mr.
Harvey Wheeler was not in but his secretary informed Mr.
Bidwell that he was very eager to sell his land. Last
Sunday, someone went out to look at the house and had
difficulty with some riders. Mr. Wheeler feels that even
though this riding school is only temporary, it might be
an obstacle in the sale of the house. Be wants to develop
the place and does not feel that he can do so while the
riding school is there.
Mr. Bidwell said that Miss Willard's family had
owned their property for over sixty years. He said the
equipment at the school was not any too good and the fences
to keep the horses in were not good and there has been
trouble in the past. He said that he had been informed by
three persons that when Howe had his school previously, he
had patrons who evidently had been imbibing too much. He
said that this was no reflection on Mr. Howe as that is
apt to happen in any riding school. Miss Willard objected
because it would depreciate the value of her property. He
said that the Town had an unfortunate experience as a
result of what John Dadeaio had done with the Bean farm.
The loam was stripped and it was not and is not a pleasant
situation. The neighbors felt that a great deal of damage
had been done and they did not want any more done. He
said that Mr. Selfridge had spent x$`'200. or $300. on the
barn and he felt that he should have an opportunity to get
as much money back as possible but he thought it unfortunate
that the man did not come in and ask for a permit before he
did the work on the barn. He did not believe it a proper
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thing to conduct this riding school. He thought it was a
question of what was best for the general community. He
did not believe that a riding academy would improve the
probable prospects of developing that section. He did not
believe that it was in keeping with the Planning Boardts
desires for this section. there is a great deal of traffic
on the street and he felt that the horses wou]d increase
the traffic hazard. Miss Willard has had the horses on
her seeded land and that may never happen again but the
fences are not in proper condition to keep the horses in.
The barn is very much run down and unsightly e ven though
it has been improved somewhat. He thought it was a thing
that the town ought not to tolerate. He did not believe
that the discontinuance of the riding school would work a
hardship on Mr. Selfridge.
The Chairman asked if the mere fact that there was
such a use in itself was objectionable to those he repre-
sented. Mr. Bidwell replied in the affirmative and said
that they were very much against it in any form.
Mr. Selfridge said that Bidwell called him and told
him that Mr. Locke was one of the objectors. He went up
to see Locke, who stated that the horses did get in on his
land once but that was al].. He said he enjoyed seeing the
riders go by. The horses almost never go down to the corner
where the traffic is. The last thing Mr. Locke said to him
was that he hoped he would get his permit. He said he would
spend more money if he could get income from the barn. He
said it was very unusual if some riders were out until 11
o'clock for most of them are in at 8:30 or 9:00, unless
there is a moonlight ride. He said that the Willard farm
was the third one away from his property.
Mr. Bidwell said he hoped that Mr. Selfridge did not
think he was quoting Locke on the value of the property
but Mr. Locke did say that he had the horses on his land.
The hearing was declared closed at 8:32 P. M.
At 8:32 P. M. hearing was declared open on the appli-
cation of Howard Munroe for permission to maintain a golf
school and range on Lowell Street. The notice of the hear-
ing was read by the Clerk.
Mr. Leonard Collins of Arlington stated that he was
one of the men that would run the golf driving range. He
presented two blue prints, one made by the Boston Edison
Company and the other for Howard Munroe. He said that they
desired to operate in the section running from a point
100 feet from the corner of Woburn Street a distance of
approximately 300 yards into Mr. Munroe's property. The
balls would be hit away from Lowell Street. They expected
to put in three poles with three lights on each pole. The
width of the range would not exceed 200 feet. They would
not enter into any other business but would confine it to
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the golf school and driving range.
Mr. Kimball asked what they expected to have for cover
and Collins said that Mr. Munroe said they could use the clam
house. The Chairman asked how late they planned to keep open.
Collins said that they would start putting the lights out
about 11:45 P. M. and have them all out at twelve anyway.
He said that perhaps 60 of the business was done in the eve-
ning. He pointed out the location of the proposed tees and
the Chairman to1'41 him that the Board had already granted
a permit for a filling station on that lot.
The Chairman said that the Board would have to have a
print showing the location of the gasoline station before it
could make a decision. They retired.
No one else appeared in favor or in opposition.
It was decided to take no action on either petition
until the next meeting of the Board.
The records of the meeting held May 13th were declared
approved.
The meeting adjourned at 9:05 P. M.
A true record, Attest:
Cle k.
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