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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-10-29-BOS-min 91 SELECTMEN'S MEETING October 29, 1974 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Select- men's Meeting Room, Town Office Building, on Tuesday, October 29, 1974, at 7 30 p m. Chairman Kenney, Messrs Bailey, Busa and Brown, Mrs Battin; Mr O'Connell, Town Manager; Mr Cohen, Town Counsel; Mr McSweeney, Director of Public Works/Engineering; Mrs McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present. Mr Temple Scanlon, Executive Director of the Lexington Housing Authority, Mr George Adler, Architect, and Attorney William Dailey met with the Board. Mr Scanlon Two years ago Town Meeting authorized the Selectmen to convey certain lots to the Housing Authority. We have acquired two houses in the Minuteman Park and we are trying to get two more We have spoken to the Planning Board and Mr Cohen and we ask the Select- men to consider conveying a lot on Philip Road and Lots 55 and 56 on Housing Wood Street There is a problem on Old Wood Street as it was rebuilt Authority by the County Commissioners and relocated We are going to ask the Philip Rd Board of Appeals if we can locate two houses near the front of the lot Wood St as there are problems with the terrain, and we are asking the Selectmen Lots for an Article in the Warrant to convey to us a portion of Old Wood Street. The Board agreed to inform the Board of Appeals that an Article might be inserted in the Warrant to convey a portion of Old Wood Street to the Housing Authority if their approval is received Chairman Kenney What about the Philip Road? Atty Dailey I don't think there is a major problem there Chairman Kenney We are on record as supporting you on scattered sites and carrying out the mandate of the Town Meeting vote Should the conveyance to the Housing Authority have a long term condition that they return to the Town if the Housing Authority doesn't use the lots? Atty Dailey If we did use them, then that right of return would expire? Chairman Kenney Yes I raise the policy question that we have some stipulation if the Housing Authority plans never come to fruition that they revert back to the Town Atty Dailey agreed to check with Town Counsel Cohen regarding the stipulations to be written in the conveyance deed when the matter is settled. Messrs Scanlon, Adler and Dailey retired from the meeting Messrs Paul Riffin and William Spencer, Town Meeting Members Asso- Town ciation, met with the Board to discuss the Town Meeting Forum to be held Meeting on November 21 Major land acquisition and funding were discussed and Forum it was agreed that information will also be given at the Forum on Con- servation and Recreation acquisition of land Messrs Riffin and Spencer retired from the meeting Selectmen's Meeting October 29, 1974 Messrs Edward Elfman, State D P W Project Expeditor; Richard Riccardi, State D P W Assistant Environmental Engineer; George Stuopis, H.W Lochner Inc Project Engineer; Peter Murphy, Central Transportation Planning Staff, and members of the Planning Board met with the Select- men to discuss the feasibility of developing a Hartwell Avenue Connector between Route 128 and Hartwell Avenue and the environmental impact on Hartwell Ave this project Connector Chairman Kenney We had a meeting with Commissioner Campbell on Parking Lot February 3 concerning this connector, and you gentlemen were there; also, members of the Planning Board and Representative Cole At that time, Lochner was to make an environmental study which would include the park- ing lot for the extension of the Red Line The feeling from you was that these elements should be part of the overall plan There was no time given for the start or completion date, but it was concluded that it would take several years The position of the Town of Lexington was that Hartwell Avenue would be considered on its own merits and not get tied up with other plans Mr Elfman I am the expeditor for the Department of Public Works on the Hartwell project At the end, we would hope to set a public hearing I would inform you that we have been working primarily on the environmental impact on a connector, the fringe parking lot, and the area in general I would like to publicly thank Mr McSweeney for get- ting the data and the required plans Our corridor study is pretty much the same as we said the last time Although the corridor alignment appears to be what we showed you a year ago, there was a lot of work done in collecting data Mr Stuopis and Lochner began the work last September Under another contract, we were doing feasibility studies on the parking lot at Route 128 and the B & M was identified as a feasible site Since that time, our project was combined into a single unit and a new contract was given us on the environmental impact on this area Nego- tiations were completed last year but work was not begun until March of this year The Bureau of Planning of Transportation and Development assistance was not provided until August of this year, and the impact was finished in June We were given some specific location controls for a connector from the D P W and the Town, and we were supposed to terminate the connector opposite Hartwell Place; the other one was to interchange at Route 128 In preliminary studies, we also looked at alternates and we are evaluating three interchanges On the Parking Lot, we wanted to create one that would draw away commuters to park near bus or train services This particular one is next to the railroad tracks and is visible from the highway and, if a connector is built, it would be easily accessible If the connector is not built, the parking lot would not be built We would have a 400 to 1,000 car parking lot located on Town-owned land which stays above the elevation of 120 and stays within the limits of wetlands We have devel- oped some hydrolic studies and we have utilized the Maguire reports A study by Wilbur Smith shows the demand might be within 400-500 cars We have not developed detailed plans but in the initial phases we feel it would be from 400 to 600 cars 93 Selectmen's Meeting October 29, 1974 I should tell you that this is only an environmental assessment and, if accepted, we can go into the design stage This particular project would require just an environmental assessment A connector would definitely relieve traffic on Bedford Street The Bedford Street study, being done under TOPICS, would need improvements There are some utility lines that need to be raised because clearance is inadequate There are no homes affected In our studies, we have made some assumptions on water flow improve- ments that may take place in surrounding areas Basically, these are the things we are studying right now and we will have a number of displays for the public meeting showing projected land uses, accidents, etc Chairman Kenney You make a statement that the parking lot would not be constructed without the connector Isn't the demand contingent on what type of improvement and what kind of bus service there is? Mr Stuopis If there is express bus service, it would be helpful but the biggest thing would be train service Mr Elfman I want to stress here that the parking lot is to cut down the number of cars going into Boston and it would help alleviate the strangulation in the core city it is also going to relieve the traffic on Bedford Street. Mr Costello, Planning Board I don't see any access from Route 128 to the parking lot I am not against it but I would like to see particu- 111 lar access to it Mr Stuopis It is almost impossible to allow access from 128 Mr Costello It is a fairly long distance Mr Stuopis Yes Mr Stanley Brown, Planning Board When we last talked, the concen- sus was for the connector and improvements to Bedford Street were to be at the same time Mrs Battin No, we wanted the connector right away Mr Stanley Brown To what extent do you relate it to Bedford Street? Mr Stuopis To make sure that the projects would be compatible Chairman Kenney Our position has been that if we could get the con- nector, we could look at Bedford Street in another light Mr McSweeney They were separate issues and were put together when we went into the Commissioner's meeting Mr Stuopis We would like a public meeting and listen to input and check reactions of people If views are compatible, we have a much better chance to go along with environmental assessments If not favorable, we could still then go to a full environmental statement, which would cause a year or two delay Mr Bailey If the concensus is that the connector is a good scheme as it stands there, what is the next step and time schedule for completion? Mr Stuopis It is difficult on a time schedule because of reviews under environmental laws If the public accepts what we have and the federal government accepts the package as a whole, we could then go with the environmental assessment It could be in final design probably by next summer 94 Selectmen's Meeting October 29, 1974 III Chairman Kenney Good It has been the position of the Town that we have been in favor of the connector and would cooperate with any help on the project. It was agreed that an informational meeting would be held by the En- vironmental Section of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works on November 19, 1974 at 8 00 p m. in Cary Memorial Hall on the feasibility of developing a new Connector roadway between Route 128 and Hartwell Avenue, and a Fringe Parking Facility in the Connector project area Messrs Elfman, Riccardi, Stuopis and Murphy retired from the meeting Upon the recommendation of Mr O'Connell, the Board had no objection Permit to Redbook Magazine taking pictures for the Christmas, 1975 issue, with the understanding that arrangements would have to be made with the Histor- ical Society for permission to take pictures inside their buildings Mr O'Connell informed the Board that Mr Chase, Town Engineer, at- Wastewater tended a public hearing concerning wastewater studies to be made under a Study $2 5-$3 million appropriation. It appears that neither MAPC nor MDC is fully qualified to conduct the study, and MAPC may be selected It would be better from Lexington's viewpoint if it were MDC as we are associated with them now We shall keep abreast of the matter. Slope Ease Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the re- Clarke & quest of Town Counsel to sign Orders of Taking for slope easements on Muzzey Sts Clarke and Muzzey Streets for the construction of sidewalks The Board discussed the request from Mr Roger Bejian concerning the sewer betterment assessment on his property at 17 Kimball Road. Mr McSweeney explained that, while Mr. Bejian does have sewer and water service to his home, these services must be considered as illegal Bejian Sewer in that the Town has no "white card" permit application for them. A Betterment possible explanation may lie in the fact that this home was erroneously Kimball Rd. known as 17 Hickory Street for a while, and that permits may have been issued for 17 Hickory Street and services installed at 17 Kimball Road As there is, in fact, a real 17 Hickory Street, the contractor doing the work must have known that he was using one permit for two homes He, however, chose not to inform the Town Secondly, Mr Bejian's home was not a part of the Hickory Street sub- division, as he believes. Our plans show that twenty feet of his ninety foot frontage lies within the subdivision, and in no way does the Depart- ment of Public Works/Engineering consider his lot as being part of the overall subdivision A developer did build a home on the lot and sold it as being free of encumbrances, when, in fact, it was illegally serviced to Town utilities This only came to light through Mr Bejian's letter Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to deny Mr. Bejian's request for an abatement of a sewer betterment assessment on the property at 17 Kimball Road in the amount of $571 21 1 95 Selectmen's Meeting October 29, 1974 I III Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the J/O Pole request of the New England Telephone Company and the Boston Edison Lowell St. Company for joint ownership of a pole on Lowell Street, approximately Fairlawn 535 feet southerly from Fairlawn Avenue Avenue Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Manfredi request from the Board of Assessors for abatement of the sewer better- Sewer ment assessment and interest for this year in the amount of $54 15 and Assessment suspend the outstanding sewer betterment balance of $402 49 on Lot 35, Valleyfield Assessors' Map 24, Valleyfield Street, owned by the Manfredi family Street Chairman Kenney requested that the Board sign an amendment to the Traffic Rules and Orders concerning "Tow-away Zone" prohibited Traffic parking in Lexington Rules Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to amend the Tow-away Traffic Rules and Orders of Lexington, adopted by the Board of Se- Zones lectmen November 13, 1967, as follows By adding to Article 11 (Authority and duties of Police and the Board of Selectmen) , Section 7 (Towing of vehicles unlawfully parked or standing) , Paragraph 4, a new sub-paragraph J, to read (J) in a restricted area where parking is prohibited by posted signs Chairman Kenney read a letter from Mr Gaynor Rutherford, Trustee of Public Trusts, stating that the Trustees agree to comply with the Trustees of Board's request for expenditures from various trust funds for power Public tools and equipment used on cemetery trees, reloam and reseed a ceme- Trusts tery, protection of the Minuteman Statue, etc Payment will be made by the Trustees upon receipt of vouchers covering items or projects The Board discussed the possibility of requesting the Trustees Trust Fund for funds to pay for the color television set for Vynebrooke Village Vynebrooke Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to request the Village Trustees of Public Trusts for an expenditure of $498 00 from the ap- propriate trust fund to pay for the color television set for Vynebrooke Village Chairman Kenney read a letter from Attorney F W K. Smith regarding the purchase of the cannon rock lot at the intersection of Washington Cannon Rock and Warren Streets by means of a trust fund Lot Chairman Kenney There appears to be some historic validity to do this, but I am not sure Mr O'Connell It is listed in the Capital budget and the Select- men can decide whether or not you want to do it It was agreed to defer consideration of this matter until the dis- cussion of Capital budget items I 96 Selectmen's Meeting October 29, 1974 Mr Kenney informed the Board that Lowell Street residents have re- Burlington quested that trees be planted on Town-owned land at the Burlington Arcade Arcade - Shopping Center Also, we should have the Engineering Department look at Guard Rail & the problem of extending a guard rail there Trees Mr McSweeney We have included the money for the guard rail in the upcoming budget I don't believe the developer is responsible for this, and we have to do it sooner because of the safety factor We will also consider the possibility of planting trees in that area Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Execu- Executive tive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating or voting on Session matters which, if made public, might adversely affect the public security, the financial interests of the Town, or the reputation of a person After discussion of matters of financial interest to the Town, it was voted to go out of Executive Session Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to adjourn at 10 00 p m. A true record, Attest -))-) D1c C� Executive Clerk, Selectmen 111