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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972-01-24-CONCOM-min.pdf Gt4 TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS -------� CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES of Commission meeting January 24, 1972. The Meeting was called to order by the Chairman, Dr. Kassler at 8:00 p.m. Other Commission members present were Mr. Cohen and Mesdames Frick (with the Planning Board for the first hour) , Pease and Rawls and Mr. Brown. Also present were Associate Members Mesdames Solomon and Nichols, Dr Friedman, Mr Smith and League of Women Voters observer Renee Cochin Visitors during the first part of the discussion on the Spaulding and Slye-Mark Moore, apartment proposal were J.T. Boyle, Marketing representative, William Kreutjans, Project Director and C.H. Spaul- ding, principal. Bedford Street Apartment-Condominium Complex Proposal Mr. Kreutjans explained that the proposed project would include 16 units for the elderly and 77 condominiums, with about 30% of the total number ofW. housing units for low or middle income people. Also planned are two tennis courts and a swimming pool to be placed on the triangular plot of land on the other side of the railroad. tracks. An undeveloped portion of the triangular plot (the part toward Brigham Road) would be given to the Town for conservation. According to Mr. Kreutzans 15% of the nearly 9 acres portion would be covered bybuildings and roads (with most of the parking 2.6 under-building) and 20% of the total lanWwould be for conservation. acre: He also pointed out that the housing unit density is about 2/3 of the allowable density in a CM district. The land, described by the developer as "quite uniform" , is 222 to 214 feet in elevation, sloping almost imperceptibly toward the brook behind the Brigham road lots. Mr. Kreutjans said that a test pit had been dug at about 216 level and water was found at about 211 level - five feet down. Mrs. Nichols said that the water table level could come within 2 feet of the surface during a wet weather cycle, though the 5-foot level could be a correct reading in this year, which4is a normal year Citing information in the U. S Department of Agriculture Soil Survey Study, Mrs. Nichols said that this was a "high runoff area" . The developer said that about 1* feet of loam, then gravel and then silty sand were found in the pit. The builder intends to creat a lower area in the mid- dle of the development and to have drainage going both north and south. Conservation Commission members expressed concern over the reduction in conservation area from previous proposals because of the placement of the recreational facilities on the other side of the tracks. The developer said that pool and tennis courts would be necessary for sale of conbminium units. Conservation requested information on elevations within the triangular area and the develo- per agreed to provide this. Minutes of the January 10 . 1972 Commission Meeting were accepted with the following amendments Page 1, Paragraph 4 (Goals, etc) , last line should read, " and agreed to its general circulation. " at 17 1972 Conservation Commission Minutes 1/24/72 Page 2 Page 1, paragraph 5, should read, "Utica Street Land. Dr. Kessler recommended, and the Commission agreed, that Michael Weinmayr should be asked to prepare a preliminary plan for partial recrea- tional use. " Page 1, last paragraph, lines 2 to 4 should read, "a local amateur photographer to walk with him through some of the lands involved, with the possibility of providing views of those areas of Town and the beauty to be found there. " Page 2, line 9, words, "to supervise these plans. " should be inserted at the end. Page 2, paragraph 4, 2nd and 3rd sentences should read, "Dr. Kessler asked Dr. Friedman and Mrs. Solomon to be in charge of this effort. Recommended that the committee. .. " (etc. ) Page 2, paragraph on naming lands, line 1, insert "Mrs. Rawls" . Page 3, paragraph 2, sentence 2 should read, "It was reported that less salt had been used this year, partly due to the warm weather. " Page 3, paragraph 3 following sentence should be added at end, "This "preliminary working map" was referred to many times during the meeting. " Following short paragraph should be omitted. Minutes of the January 17. 1972 Commission Meeting were approved with the following amendments Page 1, paragraph 4, should read, Hatch Act Implement"$tion. Dr. Kessler talked with both the Town Manager and the Chairman of the .Board of Selectmen and was assured full cooperation by all concerned Town departments on administra- tion of the Hatch Act. Page 1, paragraph 5, should receive a heading, "Filling AlongB$nk of Vine Brookp " Last sentence of this paragraph should reed, "The contractor will remove the loam. . . " etc. Page 1, paragraph 5, last sentence should read, "Affirmed that Dr. Friedman and Mrs. Solomon should be Co.Chairmen, and that this Committee will work under the direction of the Commission. " Page 1, Paragraph 2, line 2, word before end of parenthesis Wiliness" . Page 2, paragraph 5, last line should read, "be submitted to him before distribution." Page 2, paragraph 8, following the word, "requested" the words "from the Commission" should be inserted. Page 2, last paragraph, lines 3 and 4 should read, "from the Plan- ning Board. Among problems foreseen were the removal of peat. . . " etc. Page 3, sentence beginning on line 1 should read, "Located within the Shawsheen River ,Watershed (see DNR 2/12/72 letter) , the terrain was described as mucky. " Page 3, paragraph 3, lines 1Jshould read,and 1' "Commission suggested a 100-150 foot set-back from all water courses. Also mentioned was the possibility that.. . " etc. Page 3, paragraph 2 line 2, the word is "topography" . Walk of Proposed Mobil Station Area took place last week with Dr. Kessler and Mrs. Pease. They showed pictures of the nearby 8-foot high filling for the motel, under which a large drain leading to a small lake lies. Mrs. Scigliano will walk the area next week. It was also suggested that the Commission ask Mrs. Wheaton to talk with the Commission on this. The Planning Board has asked the Commission to give its opinion of the proposal. Question arose about the timing of the opinion in view of the Commission' s role in administration of the Hatch Act. Agreed that a general statement of opposition to filling in the Tophet Swamp area, citing � ., , Conservation Commission Minutes 1/24/72 Page 3 the Commission's proposal for an easement in this area, which had to be withdrawn because of high cost of this commercially-zoned land. The Department of Natural Resources letter of February 12, 1971, should also be mentioned, as well as specific potential causes of trouble ■ large area of blacktopping, possibility of leakage and runoff of petroleum products and inadequacy of the present culvert underneath Bedbord Street. VOTED that Dr. Kessler should draft a letter for final approval at next week' s meeting. Naming Conservation Lands . The following criteria were proposed by Dr. Kessler, as amended by Mr. Smith: I. Family name 1. Prominent in Town in the past 2. Hopefully prominent in a benevolent mannet- to Town - contributed substantially to past welfare of Lexington. 3. Limited to a family that owned or gave the land. II Historic Precedent - the area has long been associated with a particular name. III. Named for a particular prominent flora or fauna indigenous to the land IV. Named for a particular geologic feature. V. Name should be pleasant sounding. Agreed that these should be farther refined at the next meeting. Meets in Februart. Agreed to meet February 7, 14, 22 and 28, and that Mr. O' Conn.411 should be invited to come to the meeting of February 22 (a Tuesday) . Other dates of note: Planning Board hearings February 3 10 and 17, Candidates' Night February 29 and Election Dat March 6. Environmental Concei'n Committee. Notice of formation of Committee will appear in the Minute Man Thursday and first meeting will take place as soon as possible after Town Meeting. Recommended that the initial meeting be with the Commission on a Monday night. Mrs. Rawls will talk about the Committee at the forthcoming Garden Club Study Group meetings, Applications. Commission has received "Letter of Consent" to pur- chase Ballou, Titelbaum & Cooke from HUD. Also from HUD was a new additional form to fill out. Mr. Brown will take care of it: WR Grace Proposed ByildinRplans were reviewed catully by Mesdames Frick and Nichols with topographical and soil maps. They reported from the session with the Planning Board earlier in the evening that the builder shows an awareness of the wetlands. Mr. Boughton of W.R. Grace said he would like to talk with the Commission and Mrs. Frick will invite him to come next week. It was suggested he be asked about granting an easement along the brook, toward which future expansion plans of the firm seem headed. Questions were also raised about air pollutants from chemical experiments in the laboratory. N Conservation Commission Minutes 1/24/72 Page 4 New England River Basins Commissions Report was received by the Commission, Mr. Brown reported. Mass. Division of Fish and Game has written requesting that a census of ducks wintering in Lexington be taken. Mr. Brown will be in charge of this effort. Mass. Association of Forests and Parks membership bill for $25. authorized to be paid. Recommended that they be asked to send the Commission seven copies of their mailings. Executive Session was declared at 9 55 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 11:45 p.m. , until Monday evening January 31., at 7:45 p.m. Respectfully ©submitted, Mrs. Erna S. Greene Secretary to the Commission * Addendum to Minutes of Commission meeting of January 3, 1972 New Conservation Chairman, Dr Howard Kassler, was elected unanimously , along with new Vice Chairman, Mrs. Angela E. Frick, following announce- ment and acceptance of resignation of Stanley A Brown as Chairman of the Commission.