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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1926-12-06-STM-MIN 99 See Page 106 for Warrant . e . TOWN MEET I N G . DECEMBER 6 , 1926 The meeting was called to order by the Moderator at 8 : 05 P . M . Art . 2 . Under this article on motion of Theodore A . Custance , it was Voted : That the following amounts be transferred from the General Revenue and Surplus Account to the credit of the following accounts for the year 1926 : Law $ 625 . 00 Assessors 15 . 00 Insurance 1125 . 00 Forest Fires 50 . 00 Interest 1800 . 00 Town Accountant 35 . 00 Highway Construction 1067 . 00 Highway Maintenance 2700 . 00 Other Finance Offices & Accounts 90 . 00 $7507 . 00 Under this article on motion of Frederick L . Emery , it was unanimously , Voted : That the follo i_nI amount be transferred from the General Revenue and Surplus Account to the credit of Vine Brook Drainage Account , the same to be used for preliminary study and engineering plans . $2700 . 00 Art . 1 . On motion of Joseph R . Cotton it was • Voted : That a committee of five be appointed by the Moderator to consider and recommend to the town what action , if any , shall be taken with respect to securing authority for repre - sentative town meetings . Committee appointed . -George E . Briggs , Joseph R . Cotton , Robert L . Ryder , John Ed: . !-Iulliken , and Geroge E . Smith . Art . 1 . Mr . William I . Brown read the following Deport of the Committee on Traffic Signals : Lexington , Mass . September ' 27 , 1926 To the Town of Lexington , Massachusetts . The Committee appointed by the moderator to " Investiate and report the advisability of purchasing the Traffic Signs or Beacons now placed in the Town on trial or the advisability of installing , other traffic signals " respectfully submit the follow- ing report : Investigation shows that the type of Beacons being tried out in Lexington have in other cities and towns operated satis - factorily over a period of years and that they are a factor of safety in preventing accidents and reducing casualties . • Therefore , we recommend that the Town of Lexington purchase the Beacons now held on trial . Respectfully submitted , William I . Brown Rockwell C . Tenney Lester E . Smith . Committee . The report was accepted . _ - ; • Os 100 ')400 CO Art . 1 . William Roger Greeley read the following report for the Committee on the Revision of Building Laws November 24 , 1926 The Committee for Revising the Building Laws has met and recommends the f. olloving changes . Page._ 28 , Section 2 , Foundations . Add at end : - Every building hereafter erected or altered for use as a dwelling shall have a cellar at least 61 l0 " in the clear , except as otherwise provided in this paragraph , with direct egress to the outdoors and a stairway to the first floor . The inspector may however waive the requirements for a cellar , providing a heating ' and sanitary system is provided and proper provision made for dry sills and floors , all to his satisfaction . Page 36 . Add at end of Section 16 : - Dwellings . Section 17 . Every room hereafter erected or altered to be used for habit ti sha 1 ,�aQQve t least one window designed to open one -halfNidal st� teu otafi ea of not less than 7 square squ re feet . Stores . Section 18 . Every building hereafter erected or altered for commercial use shall be divided into sections of not more than two stores each by fire walls of masonry at least 8" thick continuous from the basement floor up to the under side of the roof . Page 39 . Section 3 . Add at end of first sentence : - • Except that sills in dwelling houses under 500 sq . ft . in ground area and under two stories high shall be not less than 24 sq . in . in area . Pa e 58 . Article XV . Water Closets . Fourth line after word requ re " add ; - . But unless special permission is given by the inppector to omit same there shall be in every building hereafter erected or altered for use as a dwelling at least one lavatory and water closet in a separate toilet or bath room, ( Insert ) Respectfully submitted , H . L . 'Wadsworth ' W . R . Greeley W . G . Black C . M . Collins J . F . Tibbetts . -*Insert . Add to Article VII , Section 2 . Supports for girders in basement of any building shall be approved iron coliap , brick , stone or concrete piers . ( Wood post shall not be allowed , ) • It was voted to • accept the above report . 101 Art . 1 . J . Henry Duffy read the following report for the Committee on the sale of the Almshouse Property : Lexington , Mass . , Nov . 13 , 1926 To the Citizens of LexFigton : At the annual town meeting held in March 1926 the following Article was presented in the Warrant : Article 30 : - " To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to sell a portion of the Almshouse Property and contents , or act in anymanner relating thereto . " Under this Article the following vote was passed : " Voted , that this Article be referred to a Committee of seven , including the Chairman of the Selectmen , of the School Committee , of the Planning Board , and of. the Appropriation Committee , and three others to be appointed by the Moderator , this Committee to report not later than the next Annual Meeting . " In pursuance of this vote the following Committee was appointed ; Theodore A . Custance Chairman of Selectmen Frederick L . Emery Chairman of the Planning Board Francis S . Chamberlain Chairman of Appropriation Committee Howard S . 0 . Nichols Chairman of School Committee Edward H . Mara Arthur W . Maddi s on J . Henry Duffy The Committee has carefully considered the matter in hand and presents the following report : The Almshouse property is located in the Concord Hill section so - called , at the junction of Hill and Cedar Streets and comprises about 22 acres of land with the buildings thereon . The buildings consist of a frame house and barn together with various sheds and out buildings , all in need of considerable repair . The house formerly used principally as an Almshouse is now temporarily occupied by a family requiring the Town ' s assistance . The number of inmates at the house had decreased to such an extent in 1925 that the Selectmen found it unwise and uneconomical to maintain the house strictly for almshouse purposes with the necessary matron , equipment , etc . , and since that time persons have been very satisfactorily cared for by an arrangement with other municipalities . The barns , sheds , etc . , are utilized for stabling 8 horses , and storing wagons and other equipment for the highway department . We understand that about one third of the hay required for the horses is raised upon the place . In this connection we are informed that until such time as the town can secure a suitable site for establishing a much needed central location to accommodate the various divisions of the Public Works Department , these buildings or equivalent room else - where are needed to house such equipment as is now located there . Such , . then , is the general use to which the property is now being put by the town . Situated about a mile from the Hancock School and central play- ground , and about a mile and a quarter from the Parker School at North Lexington , the property embraces a fairly uniform tract , well cleared , with a frontage of about 1400 feet on Uedar Street and bout 900 feet on Hill Street , with good high building land abutting these streets and sloping gently to an area of level meadow land with a brook running through the same . This low rrea comprises perhaps one fourth of the entire tract . The property presents an unusual natural amphitheater commanding a delightful view of the hills and mountains of '7estnrn Massachusetts , and because of its size and general character offers unique future opportunities for municipal use such as school , playground and other purposes . The general area of high. ground is well adapted for school or other general building locations , while the love ground in the centrEt1 102 04 0 portion suggests a very practical means to provide , at small _? CC expense , a proper location for football , baseball and other sports . This area could also , with comparatively small expense , be flooded for skating , etc . , in winter . The Committee feels that the question of pr. ovidIng open areas for playground is becoming increasingly important and particularly so in view of the large use of automobiles . Children naturally gravitate to some extent to the street for play , and parents view with considerable apprehension the possibility of accidents where such a situation obtains . The danger of automobile traffic upon the activities of children is becoming a vital factor in determining the location for school and playground areas . The property under consideration is , in our judgment , ideally sit - uated in this respect , being off the main arteries of travel . The land in the general vicinity of the Almshouse is largely high ground , and while relatively undeveloped to any considerable extent at present offers splendid opportunities for future resi - dential development . The School Committee informs us that the school population in this district does not warrant the construction of a school in this vicinity at this time , but with the natural growth of the town there is every indication that a school may be necessary to accommodate this general area , and that this particular location might in the future be very readily adapted for such use . The Committee has carefully considered the income which • might accrue by selling the property and the ultimate revenue which also might be derived from taxes if and when the plot shall have been developed with residences , etc . The character and repair of the buildings is such that the chief value of the property lies undoubtedly in the land . Assessed valuations of undeveloped tracts in this general vicinity run upwards to 300 . 00 per acre . Up to the present , so far as this Committee has learned , no offers have been made to the town for the premises which would appear to indicate that there is no general demand at this time for developing a tract of this size . In conclusion your Committee recommends that the property be held by the Town for the present , for the following reasons : • 1st . - The tract possesses unusual merit for future town uses particularly that of school and playground . 2nd . - Its present use represents a net saving to the town and will continue so until accommodations are found elsewhere , particularly for the Highway Department . 3rd . - The increment of value in the property will appreciate as other contiguous properties develop and influence its value . Because of this aspect , and in view of a lack of demand , a sale at this time does not , in the opinion . of the Committee , appear justified . Respectfully submitted , J . Henry Duffy , Chairman Frederick L . Emery , Francis Chamberlain Theodore A . Custance Edward H . Mara Arthur N . Maddison Howard S . 0 . Nichols • It was voted to accept the above report . 103 Art . 3 , On motion of Theodore A . Uustance it was unanimously Voted that the Town accept the gift of premises at 516 Massachusetts Avenue conveyed to the Town by Frederick H . Rindge under date of. April 29 , 1885 . Art . 4 . Under this article Edwin B . Worthen offered the following motion : h V t that the Selectmen be and re herebyem ori zed, for oc c1i silos d o �n ar �i` asst th r . �a w��,i,, ts �h P s� c�4�.s'E�t� �n � Lmeal t o n same being the property which was deeded to the Town by Frederick H . Rindge , under date of April 29 , 1885 . Frederick L . Emery moved an amendment to this motion as follows : " and that in any event such authorization be conditioned upon the fixing of the same restrictions thereon as are now in force upon the other lots bordering the common , so far as applicable " . A second amendment was offered by Mr . Nichols as follows : " and the proceeds of such sale shall be kept in tact subject to the vote of the citizens in Town Meeting . " Town Counsel , Sydney H . Wrightington , asked the advice of the Moderator as to whether the votes and amendments offered under this article would be legal . The Moderator ruled that the scope of the article was not broad enough to cover disposal of the property and ruled the votes illegal . Art . 5 . Under this article on motion of Frednrick L . Emery it was unanimously , ' ' • Voted : That the majority of the Selectmen be and they are authorized and directed in the name of and on behalf of the Town to execute a release and waiver of damages resulting from the • establishment of a building line on the northeasterly side of Mass - achusetts Avenue from the northwesterly line of the town lot to Woburn Street and thence along the northeasterly side of Woburn Street to Fletcher Avenue which instrument is presented to this meeting and that the Treasurer be and he hereby is authorized and directed to countersign the same and affix the seal of the Town thereto . Art . 6 . Under this article on motion . of Frederick L . Emery , it was unanimously , Voted : That the Town establish Building Lines on Mass - achusetts Avenue from the northwesterly line of the Town hall lot to Woburn Street and thence along the northeasterly side of said Woburn Street to Fletcher Avenue , as laid out by the Board of Selectmen November 23 , 1926 , and shown on a certain plan on file in the Town Clerk ' s. Office , entitled , " Plan showing Proposed Building Line on Massachusetts Avenue , Lexington , from Woburn Street to Meriam Street , September 3 , 1926 . Scale 1 inch 40 feet , Clarence B . French , Town Engineer . " See Page 129 for building line order . Art . 7 . On motion of Howard S : O . Nichols , It was unanimously , Voted : That the School Committee be authorized to construct smoke screens to protect the present st irways of the Hancock School Building , substantially in accord wit2'i/ 1�ns presented , and that for the purpose of this construction , the sum of $220000 be appro - priated and transferred from the General Revenue and Surplus Account . Art . 8 . On motion of Theodore A . Custance , it was unanimously , 104 )51 O 00 Voted : That the sum of $360 . be transferred. from General Revenue and Surplus Account to pay the damages allowed by the County Commissioners in the decree for the widening of North Hancock Street dated October 9 , 1923 . Art . 9 . On motion of Theodore A . Custance it was unanimously , Voted : That the Selectmen be instructed to furnish snow plow service in the following unaccepted streets : Balfour Street : Harbell Street : manning Street : Laconia Street : Bertwell Road : Dexter Road : Harding Road : Simonds Rood : Dee Road : Gleason Road and Fuller Road . Ar. t . 10 . On motion of Theodore A . Custance it was unanimously , Voted : That the Board of Selectmen be authorized to furnish snow p3. ow service in unaccepted streets wherever they deem necessary . Art . 11 . On motion of. Theodore A . Custance it was Voted : That the Selectmen be instructed to Install street lights in the following unaccepted streets : Harding Road Outlook Drive Harbell Street Dee Road Downing Road "'ebb Street Simonds Road Prospect Hill Road Kendall Road Gleason Road 'rjachusett Drive Farmcrest Avenue Bertwell Road Fair Oaks Drive Hill Top Avenue Dexter Road Balfour Street "'anis Court Greenwood Street Manning Street . /alt . 12 . Under this article William R . S . Eaton offered the 111 following motion : Voted : That the Board of Selectmen be instructed to install thirty five 1000 candle power street lights on Massachusetts Avenue between "roburn and Meriam Streets to replace the present street lights of 125 candle power . After discussion of this article a rising vote was taken , 42 voting in the affirmative and 56 in the negative . The motion was lost . Art . 13 . Under this article Frederick L . Emery offered the following motion : That the Town amend the Zoning By-Law and Zoning Map adopted March 17 , 1924 , by creating a new business district comprising the following lot of land : situated at the Easterly corner . of the juncti. nm of Massachusetts Avenue and Marrett Street , said lot is owned by Catherine F . Herbert and is bounded as follows : Beginning at a County bound on said Massachusetts Avenue and running Southerly on a curve to a County Bound on said Marrett Street about fifty ( 50 ) feet thence along said Marrett Street south - easterly one hundred ( 100 ) feet thence turning and running North - easterly one hundred ( 100 ) feet to a point thence turning and run- ning Northwesterly about seventy ( 70 ) feet to said Massachusetts • avenue thence turning and running about seventy-five ( 75 ) feet along said Massachusetts Avenue to point begun at , be said measurements more or less , or act in any manner relating thereto . Mr . Emery stated that the Planning Board were not In favor of creating this business district . A rising vote was taken 7 voting in the affirmative and 64 in the negative . The motion was declared lost . • - :� 105 Art . 14 . On motion of Theodore H . Custance , it was , Voted , That the Town reimburse William H . Andrews the sum of $ 257 . 51 and William F . Moran, the sum of $7100 for water pipe laid in Highland Avenue in 1919 and 1921 and that said sums be paid from the Water Construction account . The meeting dissolved at 9 : 52 P . M . A true record , Attest ; 410...L.t..<A6:4‘10.01-2.-ec Town Clerk . • • .asa,