HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-06-02-DAC-min.pdf DESIGN ADVISORY COMMIT„LEL MEETING June 2, 1987 Rm. G-15
Those present Norma Bogen, Jack Eddison, John Frey, Dick
Morehouse, Don Olson - acting chairman, Walter Pierce,
and Betsy Whitman. Joining us from the Lexington Center
Committee were Mary Hastings and Bob Ossman,
The minutes of the May 20 meeting were amended. See revised
copy.
Don sketched an agenda including design guidelines, signs,
lighting, street furniture.
Mary ,"That image for the center are we trying to project?
Bob 0. CVS side has granite curb, brick sidewalks. Other
side has concrete sidewalk.
Betsy Town Meeting rejected brick.
John Frey explained the original concept of 20 years ago.
Jack On the 1986 warrant was a ..gk,000 amount for brick
sidewalks on the southern side of Mass . Ave. It was
rejected by Town Meeting. There had been no selling job,
It needs preparation and education which we are in a
position to do.
Don Spoke of deterioration of plantings . Needs some re-
placement Tree roots need oxygen.
Bob 0. Mulch might be best solution.
Don Tree roots follow spaces between bricks ; are very
shallow.
Norma Would a seminar for the DPW be in order?
John There has been a lot of publicity on this subject
lately.
Jack : Let us copy articles to distribute.
John Trees in grates very much smaller after 10 years
than trees in 20 ° wide planting area.
Don Replacing shrubs with proper species and some trees
is indicated. It is 20 years later. Let's evaluate
old plan.
Police Booth
Jack Expressed dismay that letter had gone out to ask for
funds . Town fathers (and mothers? ) thought it an outright
gift. Family not paying. Chamber of Commerce distribut-
ing a request for p5, Under these conditions the selectmen
can thank the family but have them understand there are
other priorities ahead. Referred back to LCC . $25,000.
Dick Voted for it on AIDC for downtown Lexington to have a
bit of humor.
Jack If family offered to pay, would have to consider it.
Discussion of location.
Walter If it comes back, EDC has approved it.
More discussion of truthfulness of presentation. Sketchy plan,
verbal presentation. Urged by police and DPW. Discussion of
siting dealing with alignment, nearness to "lost motorist's
parking spot" , the raised Christmas tree planter, etc.
Jack No air conditioning. Need police visible outside.
DAC June 2, 1987 page 2
Benches and Trash }receptacles
Norma Have designs to look at so that a choice may be made .
Don: Overall guidelines .
Walter: 1 ) New master plan. Then choose priorities . 2 ) How
can it be done? a) Inhouse b) consultant
Norma Begin at old plan.
John: Benches are in old plan. Could find it.
Jacks Could it be copied for committee? Use town facilities .
Don Redefine appropriate area to be dealt with. Edison and
Post Office buildings out of alignment. New building of
Lexington Square now to be considered.
Bob 0. Plans to produce a map to use as a base, which would
be available to us . It would be scaled 1" = 40 ' .
Walter Mason and Frey had contract drawings .
Dick Charlie Hagenah has drawings for the burned out build-
ing replacement. They are 100th scale . Question the accur-
acv of a blown-up version. It shows the CB zone and the
periphery.
Don Streets should not be the divisions in delineating areas ;
they should extend to the rear of property lines .
Lighting
It was suggested that we might develop a position in order to
take an advocacy role .
Jack Boston Edison offers specific lights . It might be
prudent to meet with Henry Mann, District Manager of Boston
Edison with someone from the DPW. Some lights near the
Giroux Building were increased for police safety.
Bob 0. "'here are so many different lights . Commonwealth
Ave. has clear fixtures , very decorative. What to do
next Sodium not comfortable if sprayed around.
Norma The LCC will meet with Boston Edison, DPW, and Don
Olson on Thursday, July 9, at noon in the Selectmen's
Meeting Room. All welcome .
John: North side lights owned by Lexington; south side lights
we rent from Boston Edison.
Discussion of foot candles, appropriateness , how many fix-
really under scrutiny.
Don Mentioned success and failure of facade lighting. Bright
soffits of Lexington Square glaring. Light on south comes
from windows, signs ; on north from lanterns and facade .
Lex. Sq. has large, light colorful wood signs Suggested
we all study the center's lighting. If soffit is too bright
what is in window is lost. Some shops have no inside
lighting. Get into private territory.
Bob O. Light on Minuteman staue very intense. It faces a lot
of traffic . Possible location change, lens control.
Don Consider lighti;g around common.
Signs
It was suggested that they were not in original plan. Should
they be in design guidelines.
"(alter HDC has the heaviest traffic of their work in signs .
Brookline has specifics in sign by-law. Will get a copy.
No guidelines in HDC ;would be helpful.
Betsy Can we see a copy of the extent of our sign by-law.
Don Look at other prototypes .
Walter graphic standards .
DAC June 2, 1987 page 3
Graphics
A graphics person needed Bob Bradley did graphics at Clarke.
Is he still involved? Suggested names Frank Lucas and Patricia
Meika.
Don We need to increase our larger group.
Betsy Michael Weinmayr
The "snoopy book" was mentioned. It was felt that a letter
to the "Minuteman" might get some attention
Emery Park was touched upon as part of the whole plan. What
is its role?
Bikeway
Jack DEM and state DPW have been holding it up. They have
appointed Vollmer Associates of New Jersey as consultants
for the 11 miles of bikeway. Vollmer was the low bidder
and producer of earlier report. We should like to have
Vollmer in Lexington to talk with interested parties.
They have done a great deal of recreational planning.
Next DESIGN ADVISORY COMMITTEE P!PEETING Tuesday, June 23, at
8 .00 p.m. in the Town Office Building ^''E -********** 45*******
Don Over the summer do projects in small groups or independent
work. Attention to larger group list,
Dick will bring copies of sign by-law and Arlington by-law
Bob 0. will bring starting pieces of information for base
map (2 or 3 month estimate) .
Don will bring his segment.
Bob 0. will ask Charlie Hagenah for his map.
Dick Someone has series of photos of center.
Jack : Aerial survey passed by 1986 Town Meeting. What hap-
pened to it? Itek may have some.
Don To be accurate needs to be specific elevation.
Bob 0. will ask about aerial map.
Walter will get Brookline 's.
Meeting was adjourned about 10.00.
Respectfully submitted,
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Elizabet, C. Whitman
Clerk pro tem
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