HomeMy WebLinkAbout1929-08-08 32t
SPECIAL SELECTMEN'S MEETING
AUGUST 8, 1929.
Meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held
at the Selectmen's Office, Town Office Building
at 7:30 P.M. Messrs. Burnham, Custance, B1akt
and Shannon were present. The Town Engineer, Supt.
of Public Works and the Clerk were also present.
At 7:30 P.M. hearing was declared open on the
Highway, notice of the Board of Selectmen to lay out a street
Mass . Ave. from Massachusetts Avenue along Vine Brook to Vine
to Vine Brook Brook Road. Mr. T. A. Custance conducted the hearing
Road. and read the notice of the intention of the Board
to lay out this highway 100 ' in width.
Mr. Custance read a letter from Mr. Robert L.
Ryder in which he stated that he was in favor of
the proposition of laying out the street.
Mr. F. L. Emery, Chairman of the Planning Board,
stated that the study in the two plans as presented
constituted a part of the Planning Board study of
the entire area in this section, and that the
Planning Board were- in favor of this layout.
He stated that the Town Engineer carried his work
out further than this layout and carried the street
out to its meeting place with the junction of
Waltham Street and to a point almost opposite
the road which runs northwesterly towards Vine
Brook and the Playground.
He stated that it was proposed to change the
entrance of the drive so as to meet the extension
of what is proposed to lay out this evening; that
this is part of the general scheme of roadways ,
and the Planning Board hoped that the Town will
build in connection with the scheme of drainage
which has been worked out by Metcalf & Eddy for the
last year or to, plans of which are filed in the
Town Offices.
Mr. H. J. Trevor Prirg, 20 Vine Brook Road
stated that the people present at the meeting were
all interested in having the street extended across
Vine Brook Road to meet with Waltham Street, and
that they felt that the construction of this
street should not be done unless the entire project
was carried out. They felt that the drainage
should be all constructed and the streets laid
down by the Planning Board previous to any layout
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being made; that the residences would not be
improved if a street were put there without having
it constructed through to Waltham Street and it
would depreciate their property.
Mr. Pring was informed by Mr. Custance that this
was a part of the intended layout, but that the Board
felt that at this time they should secure this
property on this end of the layout so that no farther
building could be done upon the same and make the
project more expensive to the Town.
Mr. Emery again explained that the street
would be a double barrel highway with a provision
for traffic going each way with either an open brook
in between or a closed culvert with a grass plot
in between the two highways. This street will
continue along in the general direction toward
the State road to near Grapevine Corner and thence
down to Belmont to the Metropolitan Park District
and there will follow the parkway; the other will
go through the park up over Robinson 's Hill and from
thereto Bedford Street, thereby diverting traffic.
He stated that owing to the lack of Engineering
services, the Planning Board did not have any definite
plan of this layout, but this is the general layout
proposed.
He stated that Mr. Ryder had been urging that
streets be laid out on his property for some time,
but that the streets had not been laid out owing to
lack of Engineering services . He felt that this
probable layout should be made by the Town now,
inasmuch as the development belonging to Mr. C. W.
Ryder is coming along fast as his Engineers are now
making studies of the layout of streets.
Mr. Pring stated that he understood that Mr. Ryder
had given an option to Mr. Viano for one year to
purchase the property along side of the garage, and
he wanted to know what affect this layout would have
on this project.
Mr. Bring was informed that the Town was not
aware that an option was given upon this property,
however, adjustments would have to be made with the
owners .
Mr. Custance informed Mr. Pring that there may
be damages as well as betterments in this taking.
Mr. Pring stated that that was the way the
residents looked at the proposition*
Mr. William Crawford, 5 Wallis Court, stated
that the taking would take all of his back yard and
it would damage him considerably as he would not
have room for a garage.
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Mr. Eugene J. Viano stated that he was in
favor of the taking but there were certain phases
thatwould
interfere with his business, and he
would like to get some idea. as to how long
they would have to wait before the construction
of the street was started, and if the Town
should take the property and hold it without
putting in a highway if it would interfere with
his business, and if the Town should make the
taking and not do any construction work there for
a couple of years it would be an interference.
Mr. Custance informed him that the construction
of the drainage would have to be done previous to
the construction of the street, but he could not
inform him just when this would be done.
Celia Tracy, 3 Wallis Court stated that she
would not have room for a garage. She would not
object to the taking if arrangements could be
made so that she could have a garage.
Mrs . Bertha M. Baker, 1656 Massachusetts
Avenue, asked how long it would be before she
would have to give up her property. She was having
a tenant move into the house the first of September,
so that she desired to have this information.
Mr. Custance informed her that the Board
would endeavor to treat her fairly on the matter.
The Board discussed the matters presented to
them at the hearing and voted to pass the following
order of the layout of this proposed highway from
Massachusetts Avenue to Vine Brook Road.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Middlesex, as Lexington, Mass ., Aug. 8, 1929
Town of Lexington, Selectmen's Room.
At a meeting of the Board of Selectmen of the
Town of Lexington, after having given written not is e
of the intention of said Board, as required by law,
to lay out as a town way Proposed Street Running
from Massachusetts Avenue along Vine Brook to Vine
Brook Road, all as hereinafter more fully appears, and
after public hearing thereon held on the 8th day of
August, 1929 and no objections having been made;
Now upon consideration of the matter, it is
ORDERED: that the Board of Selectmen is of
the opinion that public necessity and convenience
require that said Proposed Street Running from
Massachusetts Avenue along Vine Brook to Vine Brook
Road be laid out and established as a public town way,
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and the same hereby is laid out and established
as a public town way respectively as follows :
The northerly line of Proposed Street
Running from Massachusetts Avenue along Vine Brook
to Vine Brook Road begins at a point in the westerly
line of Massachusetts Avenue, said point being
southerly of a stone bound marking the northerly terminus
of a curve of 1008.11 feet radius in said westerly line
of Massachusetts Avenue and distant 52.02 feet from
said stone bound, thence bearing to the right with
a curve of 32.97 feet radius distant 48.68 feet to a
point of tangency thence southwesterly distant 297.08
feet to a point of curvature, thence bearing to the
right with a curve of 27.08 feet radius distant 45.30
feet to a point in the easterly line of Vine Brook
Road, said point being northerly and distant 43.35
feet from a stone bound marking the northerly terminus
of a curve of 479.70 feet radius in said easterly line
of Vine Brook Road.
The southerly line of Proposed Street Running
from Massachusetts Avenue along Vine Brook to Vine
Brook Road begins at a point in the westerly line of
Massachusetts Avenue, said point being northerly of
a stone bound marking the southerly terminus of a
curve of 1008.11 feet radius in said westerly line
of Massachusetts Avenue and distant 8.00 feet from
said stone bound, thence bearing to the left with a
curve of 33.25 feet radius distant 50.06 feet to a point
of tangency thence southwesterly distant 312.27 feet
to a point of curvature, thence bearing to the left
with a curve of 37.99 feet radius distant 50.78
feet to a point in the easterly line of Vine Brook Road,
said point being southerly and distant 55.56 feet from
the southerly terminus of a curve of 479.70 feet radius
in said easterly line of Vine Brook Road.
The above described lines are parallel with and
distant 100.00 feet from each other with the exception
of the curved intersections at Massachusetts Avenue
and Vine Brook Road.
The above description is intended to conform to
the plan of said street entitled, "Plan of Proposed
Street, Lexington, Hol '. Scale 1 inch - 40 feet, Vert.
Scale 1 inch - 6 feet, July 23, 1929, John T. Cosgrove,
Town Engineer," which plan is on file in the Town
Clerk's Office in said Lexington and a copy of which
will be recorded with Middlesex South District Deeds
with a copy of this order.
And said Board having considered the question
of damages sustained by the owners of lands across
and through which said ways have been laid out and
established as aforesaid, hereby determines G'
that no damages are sustained and no daLnages
are awarded, and said Board hereby declares
that all acts done herein are done under the
provisions of law authorizing the assessment of
betterments.
Albert H. Burnham Board
Clarence Shannon of
Theodore A. Custance Selectmen.
Hallie C. Blake
Hearing was declared open upon the notice
Proposed High- of the Board to have a second informal hearing on
way from Lowell the location of a street running from Lowell
Street to Bed- Street, widening and relocating East Street to
ford Street. near the junction of Adams Street and East
Street, then across private lands to North Hancock
Street and across private lands to Bedford Street,
joining Bedford Street above the' Railroad crossing.
Mrs. Robert Brown of 92 Hancock Street, stated
that she opposed the location of the street cutting
across as this was proposed, especially as it was
not very far from being parallel for sane distance
with Massachusetts Avenue and that it came out onto
a very busy highway, namely Bedford Street and also
that it would increase the traffic onto Bedford
Street. As there was a school house within one
quarter of a mile from the Railroad crossing,
she did not believe that it was the right thing
to do., especially when the school house was a
primary school. She felt that the road should be
taken north of the Burlington Road then cut across
property farther up and that this property was
not nearly as valuable as the property where it
is now proposed to locate the street . In this way
the traffic would be taken away from the residential
district.
Mr. Edward A. Robbins, 90 Hancock Street,
read a message in which he opposed the location and
felt that a highway should be brought across
property in a more northerly direction. He felt
that a proposed layout in a northerly direction
would not cost nearly as much as this location.
The Town Engineer showed the plan of this
highway which differed somewhat from the original
inasmuch as the layout of the road did not cut off
Mr. Charles Jones ► property at 87 Hancock Street.
Mr. John H. Milliken, Burlington Street,
stated that he was interested in developing his
land and that he would be glad to have this road
run back of his property. He would be interested
to see the road run up across Simonds Road and out
by the Smith Bell Farm; then it would avoiR an
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entrance to Bedford Street near the Parker School.
Mrs. Charles Jones, 87 Hancock Street, asked
why the Board wanted to take this private property
when there was so much undeveloped farm land
available.
Mr. Charles Jones asked why the Board was
so keen about laying a street across the Dix property,
inasmuch as he thought this was assisting a development .
He was informed that the Board found that it
would be better to go thtough this land than to go
through North Hancock Street.
Mr. William E. Doran stated that he did not see
why the street was not continued as a continuation
of Lowell Street to take traffic away from Lexington
Centre, into Burlington and Billerica.
Mr. Norman Hooper, 37 Bertwell Road, stated
that he felt it would be better to get the State
and County interested in continuing Lowell. Street
through to Burlington and Billerica and the traffic
would be brought out at Loomis ' corner. It seemed
tO him that this would be a more direct route . He
felt that Bedford Street was the most thiday travelled
street in the Town and that running a road as planned,
would only add to the traffic and that sending the
traffic off through Lowell Street would accomplish
what, the State Department have as their objective.
He did not believe the Town of Lexington would derive
any benefit from this route planned inasmuch as
it would be necessary again, in the future, to
divert the traffic off through Lowell Street.
Mr. Charles Ryan stated that he owned a piece
of land at the corner of Grant and East Streets.
He felt that Mr. Hooper had the right idea in
stating that the traffic should be taken off through
Lowell Street, inasmuch as he felt that it was a
more direct route, and that it was better to develop
the Lowell turnpike through to Billerica. He stated
that he came to the country to have a quiet place
to live in, and if he was going to have additional
automobile traffic, he did not want to own the land.
Mr. William Fiske, East Street, agreed with
Mr. Hooper and Mr. Ryan in regard to diverting
traffic onto the Lowell turnpike.
Questions were asked by Mr. Doran and Mr. Hooper
in regard to the cost of building this highway. It
was brought out that the cost of laying out Lowell
Street to a width of 60' would probably cost about
one-half that of laying out this highway proposed.
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Mr. Frederick L. Emery made statements in
favor of tr a project of laying out this highway
inasmuch as he felt that a great deal of study
had been given to it and although in the future
it will be necessary to use Lowell Street to
divert traffic, the Planning Board still believes
that a street of this kind should be built to
relieve the traffic in the Center of the Town.
He was interested in the suggestion made that the
Street might go over Burlington Street and Grove
Street coming out on Bedford Street somewhere
near Summer Street. He felt that the meeting
did not progress very far however, since the
last meeting. He felt that additional engineering
services should be had so that the project could
be more completely shown by the plans . He stated
that he agreed with Mr. Hooper in regard to his
suggestion about diverting traffic over Lowell
Street, but he thought that this plan was more
in the future; that the immediate necessity was
to provide a plane for the traffic to be diverted
from the Center of the Town.
Mr. Charles Nichols , 94 Hancock Street,
suggested that inasmuch as it appeared to be
indefinite about whether or not Lowell Street
was to be constructed through to Billerica, `j''
that it would be well to make an investigation
to find out definitely what could be done.
Mr. Hooper asked what the duty of the Planning
•Board was in regard to the laying out of developments.
This was in connection with the development
mentioned by Mr. Milliken.
He was informed by Mr. Emery that the Planning
Board simply laid out the main highways and the
developer was then requested to build the development
to that layout .
The hearing closed at 9:30 P.M.
After the hearing Mr. Emery desired to hav8 -a
talk with the Board in regard to additional 9"
Engineering services. After considerable discussion
as to the services of the Department, Mr. Blake
suggested that an article be inserted in the
Warrant asking for additional appropriation
covering the cost of engineering services. The
suggestion was made that a man who had about 15 years
experience in engineering could be hired and any
of the problems to be studied could be referred
to him and that additional services be acquired
so that two crews could be working at all times to
get the information for the topographical plan.
The Engineer was requested to get figures as
to what was being paid now for services in his "
Department and what would be necessary for an ar1iclq.
in the Warrant to pay for services of men of this type.
A true record, t e,
Clerks