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Home My WebLink About1972-01-31-CONCOM-min.pdf Al ., TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS a CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES of Commission. meeting:January 31, 1972. The meeting was called to order by the Chairman, Dr. Kessler at 7: 50 p.m. Present were Commission members Mr. Cohen, Mesdames Frick, Pease and Rawls and Mr. Mazerall (ex officio) , associate E'. members Dr. Friedman and Mesdames Nichols and Solomon and visitors Charlotte Sanderson, Shirley Byrne and Joan Crothers. Mr. and Mrs. Henri Vetter were present for the first 10 minutes of the meeting. Because thereAno light and insufficient heat in the was Legion room, the meeting took place in the Bird Room. € Land at "Alderman' s Corner" for the Nunn House. Mr. and Mrs. Vetter explained that they would like the Town to deed to them a ? acre parcel of land, a portion of the land now owned at "Alderman' s Corner" (on Mass. Ave, bordering on the Sickle Brook and the Great Meadow) . This land is the only piece of open land suitable for placement of the Nunn House, which the Vetters would have moved from its present location on land owned by the Scottish Rites Masons at the corner of Marrett Rd. and Mass. Ave. . Vetter! showed a drawing of their proposed acquisition, leaving the Town in possession of back land and two accesses to Mass. Ave. on either side of the proposed house lot. The Vetters' plan showed placement of the house slightly to the rear of where a house formerly existed and a driveway where the former driveway was. Apparently the Vetters' acquisition would be in the form of a land swap - with a portion of the Mimno land adjacent to Bowman Park (which the Vetters said they could purchase) donated to the Town in exchange. The Commission expressed pleasure that the Mimno land on Pleasant Street might become Town-owned, since some years ago, the Commission had attempted to purchase this land. Commission expressed cautious preliminary approval of the Vetters' proposal 4n general , but felt that a less hurried, detailed look at all the facts would be necessary. W.R. Grace Plans for. Facilities on Hayden Ave. Van Boughton, a Lexington resident and Vice-President of the W.R. Grace Co. showed the Commission plans for an office and laboratory com- plex his corporation plans to place upon the 25 acres of land they own along Hayden Avenue. Immediate plans call for a research laboratory building, with eventual plans for an office- laboratory complex of about 300,000 agare feet, to be completed during the next five years. This would be a supplementary facili- ty to that now in Cambridge and would employ about 200 people in 1975-76. The W.R. Grace lies between two streams. The eastern portion was described by Boughton as "flat" Commission members pointed out that the central portion of this is peaty and that there is a hollow area that sometimes hots water. Mrs. Nichols expressed not concern that a parking lot shouldAbe built upon the peaty area. Mr. Boughton said this was in the second stage plans. In any case, the parking lot cannot beplaced within 100 feet of the rear boundary of the property. Mrs. Crothers expressed concern about protection of the unusual plant life of the area. Boughton said that plans called for preservation of many of the fine old Aglf Conservation Commission minutes 1/31/72 Page 2 trees on the property but thatinialler growth, would suffer as in. all building protects of similar scale. Mrs,, Pease asked what kind of chemicals would be used and how they would be disposed of. The chemical research laboratory would be experimenting with packaging materials using small quantities of chemicals and noxious there would be no^waste from processes, according to Boughton. All vent fans would be in a penthouse structure in one location to facilitate air pollution controls, should they become neces- sary. If all internal and external approvals are complete (Board of Appeals hearing will be February 15) , building will begin soon after March 1. It was pointed out that as of March 1, 1972, new air pollution control regulations would be in effect and ad- ditional approval of the proposed facility may be required. Statement in Anpwer to Question Raised at Justice Dowries Cary Lecture. During the question period a Lexington resident attacked the Commission for not wishing to accept land last year for conservation, but instead advocating high density housing on it. The following, was read by Dr. Kassler in answer to the remarks and the Commission. VOTED to put the statement in the Minutes. Meagherville - Facts and Fallacy Facts 1. The land in question varies in contour and nature - some high and dry, some low and wet. 2. The land is all Town-owned now, but many of the titles are cloudy. 3. The Planning Board and the Board of Selectmen and Town Manager could not agree on a proper use, if any, of the high dry land. 4. The Town Counsel was adamantly opposed to the Conserva- tion' s taking control of the land in view of the ques- tionable titles. He questioned the legality of the transfer.. 5. Therefore the position of the Conservation Commission was as follows: a) The Conservation Commission unalterably opposed any building on the low wet land and felt this should/; be left in its natural state forever, whether as Town open land or conservation land. b) The Conservation Commission felt that the fate of high dry land, since it was owned by the Town,was in the hands of Town Meeting. Since the various boards were not in agreement on this land, and since the lekal advisability of transfer to the Commission .w^S highly questionable, the Commission felt a precipitous j !conservation Commission minutes 1/31/72 Page 3 transfer of this land would be unwise. Rather, a reasoned, unemotional assessment of all the facts at a future Town Meeting would give the Town a choice of alternatives that did not seem available at that time. c) The Conservation Commission is happy to have any and all open land left in its natural state. d) The issue of RH housing in this area was a non- issue as far as the Commission was concerned. Naming of Conservation Lands Criteria were reviewed and re- vised to read as follows I. Family name` - historically prominent in the Town, con- trubuting substantially to past welfare of Lexington, limited to a family that owned and/or gave the land. II. Historic Precedent - an area that has long been associated with a particular name III. Named for a particular prominent flora or fauna in- digenous to the land IV. Named for a particular geologic feature. Agreed to omit criteria V. since the Commission would choose a pleasant-sounding name, as a matter of course. Commission discussed the possibility of naming the Steeves- Modoono area and agreed it would be a good idea to inclu de the Vine Brook in ;the name. Other words suggested - park, bog and meadow - did not truly characterize the lands, it was felt. Recreation. Mrs. Solomon reported from last week' s Recreation Committee meeting that an indoor-outdoor swimming pool will be proposed on a school property in 1973. Land Use by Acreage sheets have been prepared by the Planning Director for use by the League of Women Voters in their land- use units this month and will also be available to the Commission. Farm Land ReducedAAssessments will be on ballot November, 1972. Aerial Photos from Soil Study will be ordered by Mrs. Nichols. Mass. Association of Forests and Parks membership renewal of $25 approved. Seven copies of mailings will be requested. Walk of 1971 Article Conservation Lands with DNR representative produced favorable comment. (Messrs. Mazerall and Brown, with Mr. Colum. Executive session was declared at 9 10 p.m. and the meeting bo. ) adjourned at 12 05 p.m. . .Respectfully submitted, Secretary to the Commission