HomeMy WebLinkAbout1927-12-13 111
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REGULAR MEETING, DECEMBER 13, 1927.
A regular meeting of the
Board of Selectmen was held at the
Selectmen's Office at 7.4$ P.M. Messrs. Custance, Ballard, Burnham,
Robertson, and Chamberlain were present. The Clerk and the Supt.
of Public Winks were also present.
The Board voted to notify the Chief of Police to carry out their
order issued to the owners of dogs to restrain the dogs for a period
of 90 days from December 15, 1927. In this connection Mr. Chamberlain
was also--to write up a notice informing dog owners that immunized
dogs are not eliminated in this restraining order, and this notice
to be inserted in the local newspaper.
The State Aid pay roll was signed by the Board in the amount
of $32.00.
Hearing was declared open at 8.30 P.M. upon the application of
the Jenney Mfg. Company for permission to install an additional gaso-
line tank with a capacity of 2,000 gallons at the corner of Waltham
and Middle Streets. Mr. Fleming represented the Jenney Mfg. Co.
and stated that they had had a demand for Ethyl gas, and for this
reason they desired to install the additional tank.
Mrs. Ida H. B. Capper came before the Board to object to any
gasoline permit being granted for additional tanks . She felt that
she should be given the first opportunity to sink tanks at that
corner, and also that the Jenney Mfg. Co. should be requested to set
back their tanks on a similar basis with the request that had been
made to her, and that they should deed to the Town 3500 feet of land.
Mr. Ballard explained that he would be glad to go over thematter
with Mrs. Capper if she so desired and endeavor to arrive at some
definite plan which he hoped could have been worked out when the sug-
gestion was previously made to her. We felt that possibly all four
corners of the junction could be laid out in a similar way and make
a decided improvement to the corner.
It was decided to lay the application of the Jenney Mfg. Co.
on the table for one week, and to meet with Mrs. Capper on Tuesday
nest at 8 P.M.
Plan was presented to the Board showing the suggestions made by
the Board of Trade for diagonal parking on the side of the street
opposite the Town Hall extending from Waltham Street to Clarke Street
and diagonal parking in front of Depot Square. The plan also showed
the suggestions of the Supt. of Public Works that the bus stops be
changed moving the present stop in front of the Trani Fruit Shop
back in front of the Town Hall and eliminating the one at Depot Park
and the one just above Meriam Street, and making one stop in front
of Ronzano Barber Shop. Mr. Ballard felt that the bus stop in front
of the Trani Fruit Shop should not be changed, but that the suggestion
of eliminating the other two was a good one. The Supt. was therefor
to consult with the Middlesex & Boston St. Rwy. Co. in regard to making
the changes.
The Board also decided to refer this plan _to the Traffic Committee
with the statement that they approved of diagonal parking only in front
of Depot Park.
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The Chairman reported a letter received from the State De-
ll
of Public Works in which after some effort, he secured their
cooperation in plowing Route 4 from the North Lexington R. R. Station
to the Lexington-Bedford Line for the removal of snow at the expense
of the State.
Albert A. Ross and James H. Russell were appointed as Special
Police Officers of the town, they being vice-Commander and Commander
of the American Legion respectively.
Applications were received for the acceptance of the following
streets: Prospect Hill Road, Moreland Avenue to Williams Avenue,
and Simonds Road.
The Board decided to request the Town Engineer to prepare esti-
mates of the cost of these streets for acceptance.
Discussion was held in regard to the verbal request of the Plan-
ning Board as to whether the Selectmen approve the distance of 100
ft. between buildings on Mass. Avenue. The Board felt that Mr. Cham-
berlain should take this matter up with the Planning Board and have
them give the_Board in writing their recommendations as to the build-
ing line.
Mr. John Nolen of Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass., who is an
eminent town and city planner, came before the Board to discuss
matters relating to town planning. The Chairman outlined the facts
I of the situation in the town to Mr. Nolan explaining to him that there
was being made a study of the drainage situation in connection with
the lowering of Vine Brook. He felt that some study might be made of
the town generally before the drainage work was started, if the town
votes to do this work.
Mr. Nolan explained teat his associate, Mr. Foster, in 1922 came
before the Board of Planning and discussed matters of town planning in
Lexington. He had a letter with him which showed several remmmmenda-
tions made at that time together with the cost of making a plan for
the town. Mr. Nolen presented to the Board several plans which had
been worked out by his firm in cities and towns. He had made plans
at Clearwater, Florida; San Diego, Calif; Walpole, Mass. ; Pennsylvania;
Cohasset; North Adams; and Haverill, and in fact since 1905 they have
made pie s:foraforty-two cities and towns. He stated that towne lan-
ning should bring money to a town inasmuch as it provides facilities.
For instance, he explained that the automobile is a great invention and
can be used to great advantage, but inasmuch as Boston does not provide
facilities for parking cars, persons have to abandon the automobile
before they can reach Boston, and therefor its advantages are lost. He
explained that the city of Niagara Fall, N.Y. has lost a tremendous
income from visitors owing to the fact that the city has never been laid
out properly and is very unattractive, and persons who come there to
visit the falls, which are extremely beautiful, will not remain there,
but go to Buffalo. If this town had been properly planned, persons
would have availed themselves of the opportunity to stay there. He
explained that in town planning a great deal more open space is
necessary than is thought for when a town is built in a haphazard manner.
To a certain amount of space which planners have built on a scale for
building upon a certain amoutncf open space is required, and as a town
grows and population is added to, the open space should also be added
to. They have extablished a standard for schools and 25 acres of space
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is called for upon which to build a High School.
He stated that he had a visltor,fhe Chief Engineer of the
Planning Division of Osaka, Japan, who is studying the conditions
of Planning in this country. Re stated that they did not have
many automobiles in Japan, and he wanted to know what wtudy had
been made of the traffic problem here. Mr. Nolen informed him that he
wished that some study would be made of the traffic problem here.
He stated that a new condition is being brought about by the numerous
airplanes, and he felt that rather than establish air drone here and
there without any particular reference to the situation that a
definite study should be made and stations established in accor-
dance with some definite ruling.
He stated that he noted that the Town had adopted a Zoning Law
and he felt that this was very helpful, but the spirit of the Zoning
Law is a prohibitive measure and not a measure of what you can
establishing plan to do. As stated that the of building lines is
of tremendous value, and farsightedness in the extablishing the
width of streets would save towns and cities thousands of dollars
as can be seen by the changes necessary in the City of Boston.
He stated an example of constructive planning was made in Boston
in the Commonwealth Avenue section.
Mr. Nolen highly recommended an aerial survey of the townw
which has proven most accurate and would be of great benefit to
the town officers in the execution of their work. He recommended
the Faichild Comapny of New York for air planning work. He stated
also that the air plans would greatly assist him if he made a study
of town planning in Lexington. Many accomplishments have been
made in this work in Walpole. 111
There are two forms of preparation for this work, one is a
comprehensive plan for the town, and the other a consulting ser-
vice.
It was left to the Board to think over the matter and decide
what they wish to do and in the meantime he would send a question-
aire to be filled out by the Board.
The Board discussed the Mass. Avenue widening along the Common
and the laying of the curbing on the Common side. It was decided
that at the next meeting the Engineers have a plan prepared show-
ing the Bedford street side of the Common and its relation with
the Mass. Ave side upon which a granolithic sidewalk is laid,
leaving a four foot grass border similar to Mass. Avenue side and
showing gravel walk and the present location of trees and re-
],ocation of same. The suggestion that a 250 c. p. light be
placed at the corner of Medford Street and Elm Avenue was made,
and it was also suggested that a warning sign be placed on Bedford
Street just previous to its intersection with Elm Avenue. The
suggestion was also made that one steel pole could be placed
instead of the flood light and that could be turned at an angle
to show light upon the Capt. Parker Statue.
Bids were received on the temporary loan of $100,000.
Atlantic National l Bank 3.30
Solomon Bros. & Hutzler 3.32 lSre.$2.
Old Colony Corp. 3.31 " 1.5D
First National Bank of Boston 3.344
Bank of Commerce & Trust 3.315
Lexington Trust Co. 3.27
Grafton Company 3.31
17`7
The bid was awarded to the Lexington Trust Company.
The Board discussed the problem of Vine Brook drainage with
a view of coming to some understanding of what the opinion of the
Board is before consulting with the Planning Board. Mr. Ballard
offered several suggestions which he handed to the Board in writing.
Profile plan of Grant Street and the McClintock & Woodfall
plan of Vine Brook were also viewed. In this connection Mr. Ballard
felt that some definite procedure should be arrived at, that is,
whether the Board felt that part of the project should be done, or
whether they thought the low part of the town should be drained and
Mr. Ryder should conttibute to the proposition.
It.was decided that before any further action be taken that the
Town Engineer make a sketch plan showing profile of Grant Street in
connection with the location of Vine Brook.
The meeting adjourned at 12.20 A. M.
A true record, Attest:
(-°J --eda-eLft)
Clerk.
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