2011-03-14-Battle Green Master Plan FINAL (Approved)

Browse Search

Lexington Battle Green Area Master Plan Approved 3/14/2011 Executive Summary The Battle Green Area is a complex landscape fabric of open space, buildings, graves, monuments, signs, streets, site furnishings, vegetation and archaeological resources shaped by our cultural values over three centuries. It serves as town Common and National Landmark, and as such, responds to the daily lives of Lexingtonians and the singular visits of people from around the world. The goal of this Master Plan is to provide the next important step in comprehensive planning for the Battle Green Area. Based on the recommendations of previous reports and the data compiled from public hearings and citizen surveys, this report offers recommendations for defining the Battle Green Area, unifying its design standards, and providing guidelines for its long -term stewardship. The Plan has been written as a blueprint for guiding changes to the Battle Green Area over the next 5 -10 years. It offers definitive recommendations for change organized by short, medium and long term goals. In other cases, such as parking and traffic control, more study is required in order to make appropriate, informed decisions. In these cases, the plan makes recommendations for additional study, presenting information to inform and guide this additional work. The Selectmen will ultimately be responsible for final decisions presented in this document. First, the Master Plan recommends broadening the definition of the Battle Green to incorporate the other public spaces around the Green itself. The proposed Battle Green Area boundaries encompass the town owned properties and historic sites that surround the Battle Green, including Belfry Hill, Ye Olde Burying Ground, the Buckman Tavern, Lexington Visitor Center and the streets and streetscapes that enframe the Green. The plan recognizes the importance of the Battle Green gateways — those intersections where you catch your first glimpse the Battle Green. Most importantly, this plan seeks to understand the tools and techniques which can enhance the Battle Green as a special, hallowed ground, distinct and unique from all other public open spaces in Lexington. Second, the historic overview includes images and photographs which inform the landscape vocabulary of the Battle Green Area and offer site - specific historic references to inform our choices for design standards. From this historic overview, character - defining features are identified that help us to understand the features which are static (remain unchanged) and variable (could be changed) within the Battle Green Area. Guiding principles define today's cultural values that shape the plan's recommendations. To ensure comprehensive oversight of the Battle Green Area, a Battle Green Area Advisory Committee is proposed whose charge is to facilitate communication and help to inform the Board of Selectmen and the Historic Districts Commission on their decisions related to the Battle Green Area. It is this Advisory Committee that will take the recommendations and action items identified in this report and move them forward, including the continued support of ongoing efforts such as the interpretation and signage program. Past Designs LLC Page 3