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OWN OFA EXtNGTON, MASSACHUSETTS=•
CONSERVATION. COMMISSION
MINUTES of Commission. meeting July 31, 1972.
The meeting was called to order by the Vice-Chairman, Mrs. Frick,
at ,8 O3 p,m.., with other Commission members/Mesdames Pease and Lrarson,s6;
$awl's and r7r. Williams present. Also present were Mr. Mazerall
(e*=officio) , and Associate members Dr. Friedman and Mesdames
K�=_ sG4 Nichols and Solomon, as well as administrative assistant Mr Hughes.
Minutes of the July 24, 1972 meeting of the Commission were ap-
proved as amended.
Idylwilde Farm. VOTED to sent letter re Hatch Act hearing (Cape
and Islands Financial Corp. ) of 7/24/72 as drafter to Commissioner
Brownell of DNB.
Great Meadow. Letter from the manager of Pine Meadow Golf Course
opposing golf course on the Great Meadow was read by Mrs. Frick.
Commission will send him a letter of thanks.
PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING NOTICE OF INTENT OF MINUTEMAN REGIONAL
VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMITTEE TO ALTER CER-
TAIN INLAND WETLANDS OFF MARRETT ROAD, WEST OF ROUTE 128, ON THE-
LINCOLN-LEXINGTON
HELINCOLN-LEXINGTON TOWN .LINE.
The hearing was opened at 8 15 p m. by the Vice-Chairman of the
Conservation Commission, Mrs. Angela E. Frick, who read the duly
advertised, posted and written notifications of this hearing,
held in accordance with the provisions of G,L.c. 131, Sec. 40
(Hatch Act) as amended under Chapter 1020, Acts of 1971.
Present at the hearing were the following members of the Con-
servation Commission; Gary Larson, Wendy S. Pease, Margaret
F. Rawls and David G. Williams, as well as Paul Mazerall (ex-
officio) and Associate Members Manfred P. Friedman, Laura F.
Nichols, and Susan S. Solomon. Representing the Applicant
were Erik L. Mollo-Christensen of the Minute Man School Commit-
tee, Alfred C. Cron of the Minuteman Building Committee and Ben-
jamin H. Bugbee, P.E. of H.W.Moore, site engineers. Town of-
ficials present were Robert C. Heustis, Director of Public Health,
and David Hughes, Administrative Assistant: Representing the
Town of Lincoln Conservation Commission were Robert A. Lemire,
Chairman, and J. Q. Adams. Others present included Frank Sandy
and Joan Crothers of the Citizens for Lexington Conservation,
Alan G. Adams and Gordon K. Bugbee of Revere, visitor.
Mrs. Frick read the following letter, addressed to the Secretary
to the Commission. (dated July 22, 1972)
I was informed this week by the Vice-Chairman of the Con-
servation Commission that a request for a Hatch Act hearing
has been filed by my client, Minuteman Regional Vocational
School District, As a member of the Conservation Commission
I shall refrain from taking any part in the consideration
>-• r t r
ervation C.om�nis � ='nutes 7/7 Page. 2
E
of this matter. (I Shall in fact be out of town during
the time when the hearing and deliberations take place. ) ' . ,.
I have also advised my client that I shall not act on the
District' s behalf with respect to the hearing.
I would appreciate it if you would file this letter with 11
your records. IN
Very truly yours,
/s/ Norman P. Cohen
Or
After Mr. Mollo-Christensen introduced the other representatives '6;
of the Applicant, Mr. Bugbee pointed out the principal features ' z
I , on the plan and asked for questions.
Q. What are the watershed areas flowing into the site and the
directions of their flow? What about the drainage under Marrett
Road and levels of inverts to take care of that drainage?
A. Drainage flows in two directions from a line running more or
less east to west through the school. Both systems flow to the
west at first and then divide and flow north and south around the
school, thence south to Hobbs Brook Basin.
There is also drainage under Marrett Road through an existing
culvert not shown on the plans. Also not indicated were levels
of inverts for this drainage Plans showed a 24-inch culvert
under the access road, which Mr. Bugbee indicated would be changed
to 36-inch.
Q. Why was the access road so placed?
A The design of the access is in consonance with National Park
plans for eventual closing of Marrett Road and connection of Massa-
chusetts Avenue to the new Route 2. Access to Mill Street is not be
feasible. During construction there will /one or two temporary
accesses. The planned access, apparently` not all on School property,
was called a secondary access, the primary accessto be built if and
when Mass. Avenue is relocated by the State DPW. Fill obtained on
site will be used to build the access, in so far as is possible.
Q. What are the safeguards for the sanitary sewer pumping station?
A. Duplex pumps and an emergency generator in the school. A 3,000-
foot sewer line will connect to existing sewer at Marrett and Forbes
Roads.
Q. To what extent is cutting and filling necessary?
A. There will be some filling for part of the building (all in
Lexington) and most of the playing fields (some in Lincoln) , which
are in very boggy areas.
Questions were raised about water table, treatment of existing ponds
and streams, loss of water storage capacity, amount of peat to be
removed and depth of filling and width of access, as well as winter
control for roads and parking lots.
1
"�-^ Cone 'rvationY'Compiee4,e Li � •es` 7/30* Page 3
1 ' A y{j( 4h'. 1 gy p.
Answers were as follows; In May the water table`was .194 to 196 arm»
feet, and the pond east of the school was 196 to 198 feet high 74 -
in June. This pond will remain. An existing brook south of the f-0
school, which carries the southerly drainage flow from the site,
will be channeled in an open ditch between the parking lot and
football field and through a pipe underground between two lower ,
fields.' Wet areas will be retained at either end of the site. 0
There is some peat and swampy area through which the access road
will. be built, which will be filled to 3 to 4 feet above present
ground level. Access pagement will be 26 feet wide, with total ;,,
44.4i;width, including banks, 55 to 60 feet. It is likely, Mr. Bugbee .r, of
w " stated, that the school would be required not to use either salt 1'
or sand because of the watershed area.
Further questions were raised and concerns expressed about pro-
tection of the water table level during construction, levels
of floors of the building (lowest at 198 feet except for swim-
ming pool, which would be lower and held down with a ballast
slab) , size of parking lot? (400 cars and 30 busses) , comment
received from Cambridge, whose reservoir receives major drainage
from the site and surrounding area? (apparently Cambridge had
not yet been contacted. Commission later agreed to do this) .
Control of placement of peat? (some on site; th re will be
control of where it goes.
The Vice-Chairman asked if there were any present wishing to
register in favor or opposition to the application. No reply.
additional
Mr. Bugbee offered to supply/information, if requested.
The hearing was adjourned at 9 15 p.m. Messrs. Mollo-christensen,
Cron, Lemire and J.Q. adams remained for additional discussion
of the hearing.
The following were among the additional questions brought out
in discussion
What compensatory water-holding measures will be taken to
replace what buildings and pavement will remove?
What affect will highway changes in the area have?
Are culverts adequate? Will there be too much runoff? Should
there be grease traps in the catch basins from the parking lots?
Where were test borings taken?
the Commission asked Mr Larson to compile a list of unanswered
questions and to inquire of the Commissioner of Natural Resources
office what the Commission should do, since it does not have
sufficient information upon which to base recommendations. Mr.
Larson was asked to find out about precedents and procedure. Mr
rlilliams agreed to contact Robert Bowyer of Cambridge.
Mr Lemire invited members of the Lexington Conservation Com-
mission and interested citizens to attlend the Hatch Act hearing
in Lincoln Wednesday evening, August 2, at 8 15.
r
-_.._, ,.61 CchServatibn 'Commission i , es 7/31%7 Page 4
'G. Arnold. Haynes VOTED to hold Hatch act hearing at 8 00 p.m.
Monday, August 14, :
Varian Associates VOTED to hold Hatch Act hearing at 9 00 p.m
Monday; August 14.
A
Boston Edisen Co. Mrs. Frick read letters, both dated July 18
and received July 31;
.w 1) from Boston Edison Co. enclosing revised plan for
switching station at the Hartwell Ave. site, for
• < which they claimed DNR tentative approval. s'"Quy,
E 2) Copy of letter from John J. McSweeney to Boston ,,
Edison Co. , raising objections to this revised plan.
Commission agreed to write DNR (whose comments on the March 13
-hearing have not been received) and get in touch with Mr. Mc-
Sweeney about this and to discuss it again next week. It was
reported that this Tophet Swamp area has been under considera-
tion for study by the Engineering Department.
Recreation Committee Mrs Solomon reported that hir. Gallagher
has been reelected Chairman of the Recreation Committee.
Executive Session was declared at 10 30 p.m The meeting was
adjourned at 11 00 p.m. , until 7 30 p.m. Monday, August 7 , 1972.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTTED,
___ ,- (7
Mrs. Erna S. Greene
Secretary to the Commission