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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1973-02-12-BOS-min 56 SELECTMEN'S MEETING February 12, 1973 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held in the Selectmen' s Meeting Room, on Monday, February 12, 1973 at 7 30 p.m. Chairman Kenney, Messrs. Bailey, Buse, Brown, and Mrs Riffin; Mr. O'Connell , Town Manager; Mr. Cohen, Town Counsel; Mr McSweeney, Director of Public Works/Engineer- ing; Mrs McCurdy, Executive Clerk, were present. Mr Henry Jenks met with the Board to present to the Town an 1857 1857 Report Report of the Auditors, which had formerly belonged to his deceased wife, Gift to Bessie Town Chairman Kenney and the Board thanked Mr. Jenks for his gift and informed him that the 1857 report will be placed in the Cary Memorial Library exhibit room with an appropriate notation indicating that it is a gift in memory of Bessie Vicery Jenks. Mr. William Hays of the Youth Commission met with the Board to dis- cuss the Youth Booklet to be printed and delivered to citizens with the Youth Town Report Booklet Mr. Hays A bid of $983 has been received from Semline, and a bid of $1 ,095 from Acme Printing Co. We would be inclined to award it to Semline. We have $750 budgeted and request the additional funds in order to have it printed. The Board agreed to take the matter under advisement Mr Hays retired from the meeting. Patriots' Mr. O'Connel discussed the use of Cary Hall by the Rotary Club on Day Pan- Patriots' Day for the pancake breakfast They would like to be assured cake Break- they would be allowed to use it in 1975. fast The Board agreed to discuss it with the Town Celebrations Committee. Mr William Page met with the Board to discuss appointments to the Advisory Committee on Cable Television. His recommendations were ac- CATV cepted by the Board. Comm. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to appoint the following as members of the Advisory Committee on Cable Television Selectman Sanborn C. Brown, William R Page, Mrs Nancy Anschuetz, Mrs. Martha Wood, Robert E. Cain, and John E. Ward. Selectman Brown is to convene the first meeting of the committee. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the Minutes minutes of the Selectmen' s meetings held on December 26, 1972, January 2, 1973, and January 8, 1973. 5 7, Selectmen' s Meeting February 12, 1973 Chairman Kenney read a letter from William A Rae of Frost and Higgins, Burlington, regarding the removal by the Town Tree Department of diseased elm trees on private property. Removal of After discussion of a report from the Director of Public Works, Diseased the Board agreed to inform Mr Rae that the removal of diseased trees Trees from private property by the Tree Department is warranted in order to keep the elm disease from spreading to other private and/or public areas. This policy is consistent with other localities within the Commonwealth and the Town will continue to operate in this manner. Chairman Kenney read a report from the Director of Public Works regarding the request of the Harvard Trust Company for additional Additional lights on Edison Way at the rear of the bank. The report states that Street there are two existing poles and a request could be made to Boston Lights Edison to install lights; the cost to the Town would be $34.20 per year Edison Way Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to instruct the Director of Public Works to order two new street lights from the Boston Edison Company. The Harvard Trust Company is to be so informed. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to meet on Tuesday, Selectmen' s February 20, 1973, because of Washington' s Birthday being celebrated on Meeting Monday. Chairman Kenney read a request from Secretary Davoren for approval of the location at 332 Concord Avenue, Lexington, for the Boston Brass Quintet, Inc. This organization has applied for Certificate of Incor- poration, A report from Chief Corr states that John Schulenburg, has moved to 332 Concord Avenue and rents an apartment there. He is a music Certificate teacher at Boston University and the Conservatory of Music Chief Gorr of lncorp. could find no reason why the Board should not approve the application. A report from the Building Inspector states that this is a resi- dential area and the application is just for a mailing address, the location is as approved Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to sign the form to approve the location at 332 Concord Avenue as a mailing address for the Boston Brass Quintet, Inc Mr McSweeney presented the design layout of Fern Street, Grass- land Street, and Holland Street. He informed the Board that they will be forwarded to the Street Advisory Committee, along with construction plans. The hearings will be held on Thursday, February 15, 1973, in Streets for Cary Hall . The pavement will be recommended at 30 feet, and we feel Town there should be no problem with trees Meeting Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the preliminary design layout of Fern Street, Grassland Street and Holland IlL Street. 58 Selectmen' s Meeting February 12, 1973 111 Chairman Kenney read a report from the Director of Public Works/ Engineering regarding a request to the State Engineers for approval of stop signs on Hayes Avenue, southwestbound at Meriam Street, aad north- eastbound at Meriam Street. This request was voted by the Board on January 22, 1973. The State Engineers had informed us that Hayes Avenue is the major street of this intersection and it is against all policy to put a stop sign on a major street. Mr. McSweeney' s report Stop states that the peak traffic hour is 4 30 to 5 30 p.m , with Hayes Signs Avenue carrying 61 percent of the volume and Meriam Street carrying Hayes Ave. 39 percent and Last week, the Board had tabled a request from the Engineering Meriam St. Department to rescind the vote of January 22, 1973 and submit a new request for stop signs on Meriam Street, northeestbound at Hayes Avenue, and southeastbound at Hayes Avenue Mr. Bailey objected to stop signs on Meriam Street, and the Board agreed not to send the request to the State Engineers Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to rescind the vote of January 22, 1973 to request approval of the State Engineers for stop signs on Hayes Avenue, southwestbound at Meriam Street, and northeastbound at Meriam Street. Mr. Bailey abstained. Mrs Lois Brown, Chairman, and Mr Eric Clarke of the Planning Board met with the Selectmen to discuss wetlands. Mrs. Brown informed the Board that Mr. Clarke is to make- the pre- sentation. Mr Clarke We, are approaching the time when all good land is built upon and the land left over tends to be wetter than the land already built on. If homes were built on these lands, basements would tend to be wet, and other lands have been changed for construc- Wetlands tion. The Town has to spend money for drainage It is very important Planning to try to protect wetlands because of inadequate construction. One of Board the major efforts has been the purchase of conservation land, and the other way is subdivision control at the Planning Board level , and to maintain the water conditions under control . The Hatch Act has put more teeth into filling land, and we would be able to say that this land had been found beforehand to be wet, and anyone wanting to build on it would have to go in for a Hatch Act hearing or to the Board of Appeals. A person would always be subject to the Hatch Act if he is in the delineated area It is an important advance to tighten up a loose situation that is developing in the Town We talked of this to the Board of Appeals and the Act would put the matter of jurisprudence in the hands of the Board of Appeals, to be settled by them. We used a photogrammetric consultant and 56 maps; he went through them to determine where the wetlands would be, where bodies of water existed, etc He chase a suitable contour in a particular area which would be 59 N Selectmen's Meeting February 12, 1973 wetland, some 120, 130 or 140 feet. He tried to do it so that no one would find a hardship in the wetlands so designated. Housing already in there is exempt from the conditions of the Act. Chairman Kenney How about any further development? Mr. Clarke There are a number of instances that a few homes are divided by wetland boundary. We are considering an amendment before Town Meeting. The contour lines as shown on the map can be determined on the land by regular surveying techniques. Chairman Kenney If it passes and anyone wishes to subdivide, he has the option of going before the Board of Appeals. Some of the holders of parcels feel the land would be devaluated if it goes through. Mr. Clarke I would point out that we do not really provide a hardship on such people. The only thing he can't do is fill it. If he needs to put a building on it, he is already subject to the Hatch Act If he wants to put accessory buildings on it, we are working on an amendment. Chairman Kenney Under these conditions, the owners' chances go away down. This is a serious thing for Town Meeting to consider. Mr. Clarke The Conservation Commission doesn't take that lightly. I think we are working toward the same end. Mrs. Brown The mechanics are important. At the suggestion of the Conservation Commission, we are revising the map. We are making an on- site inspection to see if that is justified Some kind of hydrological expertise is needed. The Board of Appeals will need advice and that advice will be provided by the Planning Board; the Conservation Commis- sion will need advice. An Advisor would be advising both boards so that they are not working at cross purposes. It is our opinion that it is the need of the Town to define its wetlands Chairman Kenney Do you feel it would devaluate the land? Mrs. Brown I don't know, it is not something I can advise on. There are all kinds of things that go into the price of land. Chairman Kenney I don't think the Town should hurt people. Mrs. Brown Any kind of zoning affects the value of land; this is philosophical. Mr. Busa I can't understand the Planning Board The proposition presented can bring the value down to zero. I have looked at the map and have seen quite a few parcels that have been owned over 100 years. They are now using it as farmland and at the present time it can be used for construction under the Hatch Act. A vote of Town Meeting can bring the value down to zero. A line was drawn unbeknownst to the people. Someone should have gone there and said that people have walked it to determine where the line is going to be Mr. Bailey Were all the owners notified of the public hearing on February 22? Mrs. Brown Not individually. Chairman Kenney There was an advertisement in the paper. The Planning Board retired from the meeting. I 60 Selectmen' s Meeting February 12, 1973 Mr. McSweeney, Mr. Whitman - Permanent Building Committee, Mr Maclnnes - School Department, Police Chief Corr, Mr Scouler - Permanent Building Committee, met with the Board to discuss the Clarke Junior High School traffic problem. Mr Whitman said that there are problems because students are crossing without a crossing guard and there are traffic problems at Brookside Avenue. Mr McSweeney First, we start out with inadequate access. As Traffic far as traffic and children crossing, I have observed no problem if Clarke the children cross where there is a guard. Jr High Mr. Maclnnes: The guard is not there when the Junior High child- ren want to cross but only there for the Franklin School children. Chief Corr We knew we had a traffic problem before we started. The basic assumption is that youngsters cross where they are supposed to, but they cross where they feel they want to. We have an officer in front of Muzzey and 2 or 3 cross where they should and the other 20 don't. I agree we ought to put a sidewalk on the other side of Brookside Avenue. There is a traffic problem to a degree due to turning movement. There is a speed limit sign for 40 m.p.h. and it doesn't reduce to 30 until Brookside Avenue; we could move that back. Even if the Board votes to extend the hours for the crossing guard, I don't feel I have the manpower to do it. Mr Whitman One of the major problems is parents turning in traffic; also, kids crossing at Brookside Avenue and a significant thing would be to alleviate that particular problem Mr Maclnnes We could send a memo to the P.T.A but I am not sure we would have 100 percent agreement. Mr O'Connell Can you get the parents not to drive into Brook- side Avenue and turn around? Mr. McSweeney We suggested that they drop them off at Franklin where the crossing guard is. Mr O'Connell We should expect some cooperation from parents. That seems to be the basic traffic complication. Mr McSweeney That point is well taken but I can't see any future in it; it is worth trying and you are only talking about the morning If we can reduce the speed, we can control it at the intersection and improve the movement at Waltham Street. Chairman Kenney We can move the traffic sign, fix the intersection as soon as possible, improve the sight problem by cutting the shrubbery, and approach Town Meeting with a sidewalk proposal We will table the matter of the crossing guard until next week. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go into Executive Executive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliberating or voting on matters Session which, if made public, might adversely affect the public security, the reputation of a person or the financial interests of the Town. 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 12 15 p.m. A true record, Attest �ze:e6�cti�� Executive Clerk, Selectmen