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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1920 Planning Board Minutes 1920 PLANNING BOARD �':lilliam R. Greeley Christopher S. Fyan Fred S . Piper Edward T . Hartman J. Odin Tilton henry L. "!adsworth LET.ITTG'"C?T PL'JTV ITTC -3012D. January 29 , 1920. here vverd .,.essr 6 . LTreele„ nai ,oelec cinan 'Oster, Town Ung•ineer nu fy. The cuestion of the consolidation of Peirce 's T3ridge and the East Lexington Stations was considered 1n ^oniTmr't1 er «.r7 1-" cuestions o " a new station at Lexington and the abolition o' grade crossings throughout the town. After consideration of the vccious problems involved , it was voted to ask the Secretary to e,rite to the Board o" Selectmen pointing out three principles . 1 . 7o actio,. should be taken rnd if noss3_bl e n_othinp done unti 1 s scientific study hrs been made o ' the :thole situc.tion and, as -'ar =s possible , a coherent system and method or procedure de', eloped so th't as each individual sten 1s trken it may be ef- fective to lards the comprehensive -;thole . 2 . As bearing upon this, the future characteristics of rail{vaservice Pre important . Present evidence indicate. that future service l',:11l co.asi . t olig ter or shorter units and therefore more _frecuent trains . I this is true , more numerous stations are the only logical outcome . There Fro- lel be a station at Lexington, one beteen Lexington and Munroe , the .!lunroe Sta- tion, Peirce 's Bridge Station end East Lexington Station, and later , one between East Lexington cnd 4rlinp.ton Ttelghts . r'onsiderin f' the opportunities for future development of homes, the °resent Peirce ' s Bridme Station and the Fast Lexington Station will take care of these -future developments -uch better tran consolidated station. The aolition of grade crossings as c_fectir_n• railc.a� stations . TT-is is one of the main rensons 'or A scientific study. I the railroad is to be 1 oc ered throurrhou+ any con- �luc;l<'.oie U1�Ud.11(.d , b fit.,( 1Ulab b.IUula !ie lucCteu 1 1-C,al rezere.lee to the new 7-de . This iq a n-rti c'ilarly vital point :.n connection with rho centre e+ration . 'Te t_o not, a1- event 7-noc ihet1'er the road v7ill be lowered or r'lised. The Town should avoid the sit- uation developed in some cit- es \'_fere rail way gtrti or � p located in S hole in the ground and the tr< f"fic facilities are 11 far above it . The Board considered the cuestion of the extension of Locust Avenue and its accei)tance by the -own. It considered ;articular]," t.r_e o. ncti.on of Locust A\ enue an0 el.len Road as irid out by the Town Enp,ineer and voted to recorlrlenc the extension o ' Locust Avenue as laid out by 'Le7mTrn Engineer, and to recom- ?F 2. mend the accentanre o Locust tven•ze to '`.he point ‘There the present grade ends . The 3oard considered the question of' 1ayins water mains in anacceDted streets mnd 141th the t nder- stndina that the qater Board is collecting evidence as to the methods in other towns, the matter was lent in Abeyance :'or `'inure consideration. "2 . H.`.I.R''ST'0T Secretary. TrT- Th -DT 17T- _ . I , , , - , Lexington 21anning Board. March 25, 1923 . 111 Where were present Messrs . ureeley ,, '. adsworth, _ilton and Hartman, with Town engineer Duffey in conference . she board considered the question of the :last I,exington flats and its general feeling was that thra3 lines of action were worthy of consideration. 1 . To take the flats - but anis cannot at the moment be definitely decided upon be- cause of Arlington's contract with an outside concern. 2. To take a certain portion of the land around the flats for a marginal park and boulevard. 3 . To take the land of the suburban Land Co . for park purposes for the com- bined objective of developing the town park system and of protecting the town from a development which will ultimate- ly be far more expensive than the taking for park purposes . After further consideration it was Voted: _o recommend the takint of the entire holdings of the Juburban Lana Co . ana at least X63 feet around Lhe flats to Maple street for a marginal park and boulevard. Voted: That the board recommend the development of no additional street entering the Common from Belfry Hill and that if it is found necessary for the development of the land in the vicinity of Belfry fill to develop a new outlet, tne board recommends that it follow an extension of 2orest street essentially as laid out in tne plan of oauury , 10/4. Votea; o recommend that Highland .avenue be extended to 'addle :itreet at a point near its junction 7oa.d and that the tory.► build the street and assess the cost on the abutting properties . 410 Minutes of Planning Board i Meetings of June 3 and 10, 1920 . 110 On June 3 the planning b oar a, the o oari of curved, the town counsel and the town engineer, met in joint meeting wi.th similar of-ricers of the town o-P Arti.nRton to discuss the question of their mutual interests in the Lexington Great Meadow. The objects to be attained, the mutual in- terests of the towns in the attainment of these objects, the legal and other principles underlying the present situ- ation, were discussed at length and the joint body request- ed the planning boards representing the two towns, to- gether with the town counsels , to prepare a tentative plan of the proposed takings and a base for an agreement which would accomplish the purposes in mind. At the meeting June 10 the planning boards and the town counsel from the two towns met and considered the plan itaand base of agreement as apart of this record. At the close A. of the meeting the Arlington Board agreed to give the matter attention as a board amend to consider it with the Arlington authorities which hav ancted in the matter and report back to the Lexington Planning Board. 411 The need for prompt action was mutually recognized, mutual interest of the two towns was re-affirmed, and it was agreed that action should be taken as promptly as conditions would permit . TENTATIIYE AGREEMENTS USED AS A BASE 2Oit DISCUSSION AT ?H JOINT MEETING OF THE ARLINGTON AND LEXINGTON PLATING BOARDS ON JUNE 10, 1920, RE. LlaINGTON "GREAT AT MEADOW". s The Town of Lexington Agrees 1 . That it will proceed to make a taking for park purposes of the land now belonging to the auburban Land Co ., so-called, and of the land constituting the "Great :ieadow" and will go to the Legislature and endeavor to obtain whatever legislation is necessary for this taking. Such taking of the land of the "Great Leadow", however, is to be made subject to the existing easement of the Town of Arlington to use such land as part of a water system or water storage basin, and subject also to the rights un- der an existing lease given by the Town of ,irlington for the re- moval of peat therefrom, but the area to which this water basin privilege shall attach shall be that area shown on plan made for the Lexington Planning Board as "the water basin", and the bal- ance of Arlington's land shown on said plan shall be released from the easement in order that Lexington may lay out at an ap- propriate time a boulevard around the basin. 2 . That upon such taking being consumated and at the termi- nation of the lease (or its abandonment) of the premises above referred to, Lexington shall take charge of the water basin, 411 so-called, of the "GreatIeadow" and as the agent of the Town of Arlington cause the same to beflooded and kept flooded for the purpose of securing to the Town of ,;rlington the same flow of 2 . water for its reservoir and the same rights to such water that they would have if the Meadow were to be flooded by Arlington. 11/ leo guarantee, however, to be given by the z'own of Lexington as to the quality or quantity of water to oe i;uus aelivered. 3. That no taxes shall be levied by the Town of Lexington a .ins+ the 'Poen of .Ar1 irpton on the "(`=rent ':'[ea.tow" rrorerty and no charge made against Arlington for custodianship after Lexington shall have become custodian thereof, as above provid- ed. 4. In the event of Arlington deseir*ing a larger storage capacity in the water basin Lexington agrees to make reasonable excavation, all expense to be paid by Arlington. The Town of Arlington Agrees 1. That it will consent to Lexin;ton making the taking for park purposes of all the land included in the "Great Meadow" subject to its flowage easement for water purposes, such ease- ment, however, to be considered only as attaching to the actual water basin shown on plan made for the Lexington Planning Hoard and not to the surroundingbasin, the title of which is to vest in Lexington absolutely for park purposes and of constructing a boulevard around the basin at an appropriate time. • 2. That it will assist in every appropriate way to obtain the legislation to accomplish this end and that it will confirm by deed the title of Lexington under its taking of the land which Arlington owns in fee in the "Great iieadow" subject to 3. water rights and subject to the lease, as aforesaid, to the land in the water basin. • 3. That upon the taking being completed and Lexington acquir- ing title as aforesaid and upon the expiration of the present lease of the premises, it will consider and appoint Lexington • as the sole and perpetual custodian of the water basin subject to the agreement of the Town of Lexington, however, that it will cause the same to be perpetually flooded so that the Town of Arlington may have the benefit of a water reserve without, how- ever, Lexington mating any guarantee as to the quality and quantity of water so to be delivered. 4. xhat the Town of Arlington will make no claim against Lexington for land or other damages under the taking by the Town of Lexington, as aforesaid, in any manner whatever . adPPLE>E lARY QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED 1 . The exact boundary of the water basin and area. It was considered that this would be probably necessary as a basis of the agreement between the two towns . 2. The question of the repairian rights involved in the matter . 0 PLANNING BOARD MEETING December 10,1920. Messrs. Greeley, Tilton and Wadsworth present. Communication read from Mr. Fred Emery asking if any plan had been devised relative to the bridge development and road building now going on near Vialtham Street . Mr . `Pilton reported that a plan had been made and was in Mr. Luffy's hands and that he had so notified Mr. Emery. The Board at this time adjourned to attend a meeting of the Selectmen relative to the layout of the streets on plan of the "Home Guardian Company" land. The Planning Board recommended at this hearing that the streets on this plan be brought to grade before being approved. The Chairman reported that the Boston & Maine authorities had stated that they would rebuild the Lexington Station and plan on spending about c13,000 thereon. PLANNING BOARD REPORT FOR 1920 During the year 1920 the Board has been occupied with numerous questions, including the following: 1. Repair of station, future disposition of railroad lands, safeguarding entrance from is:erriam Street, etc . The Board, acting with the Selectmen, has succeeded in getting the President of the railroad to order the repair of the present station, with the addition of important features . Estimates are under way. A plan contemplating the abolition of the lerriam Street grade crossing has been outlined. 2. Land developments. The Board co-operated with the Board of ,Jurvey in conferences with the Town of Arlington to settle the future use of the Great Meadows, and later on con- ferred with the Town Engineer and the State Department of High- ways. The resulting plan was partially carried out by a vote of the town taking for park purposes certain lands bordering the Great :endow. In North Lexington developments, two in number, have been visited with the Town Engineer . In the case of the "Lex- ington Park" land, the Selectmen of Bedford were called in con- ference . Your Planning Board assisted in the preparation of a elan, which is now under discussion. The Kendall Farm Development is at this writing await- ing the result of public hearings . A plan has been prepared by the Town Engineer, including all the surrounding territory bounded by Bedford, North Hancock, and Burlington Streets . The Planning Board has advised in favor of the local control of as much of the undeveloped areas as is possible . In all cases of land development by outside parties who are not interested in the town, the Board of Survey Act gives the Town power, under penalty of witholding public service (water, sewerage , street maintenance , etc . ) from such land, to approve or disapprove layouts submitted by the owners. The town has insisted that such layouts shall show proposed streets ( 1) conforming to the natural topography, so as to give easy grades, proper drainage , etc . , and (2) at such distances apart as to allow proper depths for house lots for the type of resident likely to buy in the locality under consideration. 3. The Board has taken up the question of a legislative act to require the Land Court to obtain the approval by local boards of survey or planning boards of land sub-divisions, be- fore such sub-division shall be recorded by the said. court. -2- While the Board can continue to be of use in connection with details of administration and. current problems , its true function is in the field of the general future development of the community. Respectfully submitted, Tzf'M. ROGER GREELEY, Chairman EDWARD T . HAR TMA N, CHRISTOPHER S. RYAN, FRED S. PIPER, J. ODIN TILTON, HENRY L. WAD SWOR T H.