HomeMy WebLinkAbout1919 Planning Board Minutes 1919
PLANNING BOARD
S. Louis Barbour
Christopher S. Ryan
Howard S. 0 . Nichols
Fred S. Piper
Edward T . Hartman
'Milan R. Greeley
ITINUTES OF THE LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD, MARCH 11 , 1919 .
There were present :Messrs .Nichols , Greeley, I?:;an
and Hartman, ,rich I:Mr.Emery in consultation. The
1110
board organized by electing 'ir .Greeley chairman and
?Ir .Hartman Secretary .
The Locust Ave .Extension was discussed at length
and it was voted to approve the recommendgtion of the
selectmen acting as a board of survey in regard to
re-locating Locust Ave and accepting an extension
thereof.
ADJOURNED TOWN MEETING
March 17, 1919.
Art . 37. On motion of Jay 0 . Richards, it was voted that
the Selectmen be and are hereby authorized to accept from
the Boston and Maine Railroad a deed conveying to the Town
a parcel of land located in front of the railroad station
and commonly known as Depot hark, said land to be used for
Park purposes only, with the condition that should the land
be required for railroad purposes in Lexington, the town
shall deed this land bac'c to the railroad upon payment by
the railroad to the Town of a sum of money equal to what
the Town would have received in taxes if the property had
remained in the possession of the railroad, said sum to be
based on the assessment of the year 1918.
tes of the Lexington Planning Board, April 29 ,1919
There ere ire ,'r.t ::es.rs Greeley, Berborr and
the secretary.
410 Voted: To ask the Chairman to consult ::"r .Blake in re-
gard to The donation of a piece of land to properly
develop the conjunction of Somerset Road, ::lerriam
Street , etc .
There was a lengthy discussion of the question
of building laws for the purpose of protecting the
town from injurious building developments and of pro-
tecting buyers from speculators . This question the
Board agreed to take under ivo consideration.
It was the sense of -he Board that an effort
11 should
be made to work out a scheme for securing the
Gaut Lexington mersh and adjoining lands through an
investment club .
It was the sense o i' tl e Board that it should pre-
pare a general statement in regard to its func`ions, ,
what ground it should cover and the rain fields of its
usefulness . Among the items mentioned were a town map,
developed with special ref rence to topogl aphy, the
development of th'_s topography through street lay-outs ,
etc . , zoning, housing regulations , taxation, town ex-
411 penditures by business-like methods , and one organiza-
tion of public interest in the public development of
• the town. It v, s felt that such local groups as the
Board of `s'rade , the Co-operative Bank, and an invest-
ment com it ' ee or club which should be organized,
ould be of material S rvice .
111 Voted: To r= cor^1,ezid to t_ne town that the road at the
base of Mt .Tabor be named lit .Tabor Road provided the
town of Lincoln will co--operate by giving the same
name to the portion of 'rhe road in Lincoln.
Lexington Ilanning Board, June 21, 1)157 .
Present - Greeley, Ryan, Ilichols , Piper, Hartman .
A letter from the Lincoln Selectmen agreed to the
proposal in regard to the name of the road at the
base o - ; t . Tabor, and it was agreed to present dihe
name to the nexp toad meeting.
Voted - To recommend a curve following Vine Brook,for
st-r pet entering from lassachusetts Ave . into the
Cerucci property, .and to refer it to the board of Survey.
After discussion of the problem of unsatisfactory de-
velopments, nov. under way, it WT.5
Voted , To ask the board of trade, the co-operative
bank, the trust company, the savings bank and the
East Lexington improvement association to meet with
the planning board on June 26 for a discus.-ion of
the -:problem.
PLANNING BOARD MEETING
August 13, 1919
All members were present, together with h':essrs . Richards,
Duffy and Jackson in consultation.
The meeting was called to consider the proper site for
a Town Hall, a bequest for one having been received by the town.
Several sites were appraised and, owing to the need for a prompt
decision in regard to the present site in conjunction with the
Keely Institute lot, it was
VOTED:- That the board is of the opinion that the present
site is inexpedient . The reasons were transmitted to the Selectmen
and are appended hereto .
August 14, 1919.
To the Selectmen of Lexington:
The Planning Board, acting on the request of your board,
has considered the proper site of the proposed town hall and begs
to report that it voted to recommend against the use of the
present site in conjunction with the adjoining lot .
Points in favor of the present site : -
The location is convenient to the center of activities .
Points against the present site :
Not a good setting for a desirable public building or
for one of a memorial nature ,
The location is noisy and dusty,
It is on land too near the business center, therefore
valuable for business purposes,
A desirable form of architecture would not harmonize
with the adjoining buildings, present and probable,
There would be no space for proper setting, for park-
ing automobiles , or for future development .
A building of the nature desired should be located where
it can be seen, and where it will have the possibilities mentioned
under the second heading. The proper setting for prominent pub-
lic buildings is on a park or other open space , or on the axis
of a prominent thoroughfare .
The Planning Board is actively canvassing the possibilities
and will hope , as soon as may be necessary, to be ready to advise
as to the best site for the purpose . The question is one of great
importance to the proper future convenience and development of
the town, and it is with this in mind that the Board will give
it its best attention.
This report is sent at this time because of the necessity
of an early decision on the desirability of the present site .
Respectfully submitted,
FACTORS ITS LOCATION OF TOWN HALL
111
1. General effect on the Town.
4 It will improve the Town most if it is located where it
has the handsomest and most congenial surroundings and
can be seen by both townspeople and visitors. It should
not be used, however, as the means of securing the des-
truction of an existing eye-sore .
2. helation to future development of Town.
(a) Should not be boosted in midst of future business sec-
tion as it can have no assured relation to new business
buildings , withdraws too much valuable property from taxa-
tion, and interrupts the proper growth of the business
centre , :Jew England villages usually have public buildings
grouped in some central location. Lexington has two distinct
villages . The Hall could form a part of a civic centre in
the larger village .
(b ) Should be conspicuous , in order to have the greatest
effect on the general character of the Town ( see 1) .
( c ) Should be convenient . Should be so located as to serve
the townspetbple with the least inconvenience . The town
officers , such as collector, treasurer and clerk shoul
be accessible . The population centre of Lexington is
shifting rapidly toward the 73ast Village so that a loca-
tion near the centre of population would carry the Hall
well out of the Centre Village . This is undesirable , as
it would then be only measurably convenient to either
village . A site somewhere near the main village would
probably be practically as convenient to the ;past Village
and a great deal more convenient to the Centre .
Convenience i. s becoming more and more an elastic
quality as transportation methods improve , and does not
limit the location within narrow bounds, as in moibrless
days .
3. Relation to its immediate neighborhood.
( a) Immediate surroundings should be safeguarded and should
promise if possible congenial development in the nature of a
civic centre, or group of future public buildings.
(b) Should not be a single structure unrelated to its
future neighbors. This is a discredited idea and has given
place to a wider apereciation of the advantages of well-
grouped buildings. Theoretically, at is possible group
commercial and public buildings into one harmonious com-
position, ,ut practically the public is unable or unwill-
ing to con.rol private development .
-2-
In any case , the best result comes from grouping
buildings that are related in purpose . In Lexington
this means grouping with some existing buildings or else
getting land enough to permit, of other new buildings .
( c ) Should dominate the groups of which it is one .
Ai^ong business buildings in a business district it may
be completely eclipsed by taller commercial structures ,
like Carpenters Hall , Philadelphia, or the Watertown,
raltha.m or Stoneham Town Halls.
( d ) Need not be adjacent to town yard for sewer, water
and street departments.
4. Relation to lot.
(a) Should have room for parking motor cars, for second-
ary exits and for ample lawn, ( unless it is decided to
build it directly on the street) .
(b) Should be placed in such a way as to provide for
future grouping with other buildings , or extension of
this building.
5 . We of lot .
Building might easily need to cover an area 125 feet
wide and 175 feet deep . The Arlington Town Hall is
larger than this, and Braintree slightly smaller.
Tewksbury, wi thv59 ,000, is covering 90 x 120. A good
lawn in front would require that the front of the build-
ing be at least 50 feet from the street line . The present
Hall is 25 feet . Minimum parking space, or at least a
fair passage in rear of building, would make probable
required depth -- 50 - 175 - 25 -250 ft. 1,1idth need
not be greatly in excess of building if neighboring
property is safeguarded.
See diagrams of lots and schedule of
dimensions of Town Halls.
Ivo site appears ideal, and therefore the procedure
must be to weigh advantages and disadvantages.
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(1 ) Location should be conspicuous and where it will add , 9, 2 ri',, o ,; o
beauty of town for visitors as well as for tow-nspeo4e. ¢' '��•" s
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(Q) Should not be in such relation to surroundings that tj wb Wio --.; 0
nearby present or future buildings can injure it. gi
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(3 ) Should be convenient for voters taking train in •O t's.J
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(4 ) Should be cor er ie.'. ;, for t.:•ansaetio i of daily � . ",:d .;ak.a i P
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(6 ) Should be convenient to as 1ai•ge a number of people ::'17)..,) O`W ") h-+ 0a
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as possible on foot. o O 0 u p6o ,F+• u.
7 ) Should have room for f .tu.r. e civic centre of well- b3-r W.1t-0 �d W 0
grouped iublic buildings. P O x 0 0 00 ;
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(8) Shouir: not be ci ovvded up close to street like present ,� J .:!� 1r�, o '
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(9 ) It should not be so located as to withdraw large ; Y1
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(i�} Should not be f_ o: . ,.,���. �:� East a,..,�roa.c,h ;,j � o � 0�
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(11 ) Should not be close to both steam and electric c) 0 o
roads at noisy points. pa0Ho,10
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(12 a Should not be in a style foreign to Lexington, but P i� o 2 0 0 0 0
shoal., ? , amid c. r" ' cN o 0 p ,o t) O
be Colonial �. lu N.-.rr. �.n,.�in�,. f•.�vora.ble to t �a�,, s�°le, s�.�.��-s 9 rte.
moi",'.) Snould not injure airy existing or future function t -�
or feature of the t �-, p ^� o
town.. s 9 9 o ` .
Ems. E
The board met on August 18 and 29 and on September 16
with a joint--committee to consider the site for the
proposed town hail .
Meeting of October 10, 119 .
Present: Greeley, Ryan, Piper, Hartman.
The board considered the question of the proper de-
velopment and protection of the 3,ast Lexington flats
and agreed to definitely ascertain the attitude of the
town of Arlington, which owns the property. As soon
as possible the board agreed to have the matter brought
before the voters for action.
voted: To advise that the town obey the law in regard
to guide posts, R. L. , Chap. 52, Sections 1, 2 and 3.
Voted: That it is the sense of the borrd that the
interests cilf the town and the work of the board would
be advanced by the promotion of a town newspaper .
LEXIP,GTOI PLA.i:17cc BC =:D ::EETI I. O
November 6 , 1919 .
'Phare were nresnt Messrs . Greeley, Nichols, end
the Secretary, with Engineer Duffey in coni erence .
On October 31st, the Planning Board met with
citizens of the Town and Manrger Pollock of the Boston
and Maine Railroad , regarding the situation at the
LexinMtor_ Station. After conference with Mr. Pollock and
President Hudson of the Road , it was found it would not
be expedient to take any action which would lead to a
considerable expenditure of the road to prevent people
from entering from Merriam Street , v, ere the accidents
usually occur .
The euestionE of the Locust Avenue extension and
the East Lexington .:'lets, were discussed and it was
agreed to take the matter or the Locust Avenue extension
up at the next meeting, with details to be supplied by
the Town Engineer .
A letter to the Board from rr.ncis H . f-7olmes was
reed and it was
TOTED - To refer the letter to 2r . E. Taylor,
:'ire Commissioner , end to notify the writer.
VOTED - To ask the Secretary to c.rite to the
Arlington Board of Public ':'dorks in regard
to their sentiments concerning the East
Lexington Plats , and our desire in the
matter, and to state that we would be
glad to confer with the Beard to see ,:hat
may be done .
VCT7,D - To establish the following sub-committees
of the Planning tsoara.
On street names - Dr. Wiper
Cr. zoning - Hartman
Cn building laws - Hartman
Revision of Ton departments - Barbour
On Town newspaper - Nichols
On cooperation with Park Department-Greeley
- 2 -
410
VOTED - To write a letter to the Selectmen
asking whether the purchase of the
Keeley Institute property by citizens
of the Town was made with the under-
stpnding that the site was favored ac
a location for the new Town Hall, and
whether the action of the Planning
3oard in thiconnection was made known
to the purchasers .
Engineer Duffey cal] ed attention to the fact that
it was possible to get around the ;Board of purvey act
by going to the Land Jourt and getting approval for a
specific layout . :1r. Duffey said that the subdivision
of the interior areas is a Land Court function. this
seems to point to a con 'lict of ailthority.
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62241
Report of the Lexington Planning Board
for 1919 .
IIPThe Planning Board feels very much gratified because of
the acceptance by the Town of the plans for the development
of the new cemetery which it had a part in "ormulating. In-
dications are that this cemetery will mark an era in cemetery
developrneut .
The detail work of the year consists of a number of small
items . Among them are the Following:-
The board called to the attention of the town clerk the
fact that the important chapter dealing with apartments and
other tenements was omitted from the last edition of the build-
ing law. This chapter prevented the construction of a cheap
apartment house in the center of. the Town. Yet through fail-
ure to publish it the Town misleads builders and makes itself
liable . The entire law should be forthwith published.
It assisted in laying out lines dor future street develop-
ment in the vicinity of Vine Brook Road from LIassachusetts
Avenue to Waltham Street .
The board made a careful study of the proposed site for
a new town hall and reported as a board against the present
site and to the same affect when acting as a part of the joint
committee on the question.
The Town referred to the board the question of the name
for the road et the base of I;It . Tabor and after advising with
the selectmen of Lincoln the board recommended the name "Mt . Tabor
Road" .
110 It presented to the board of survey a scheme for replanning
the junction of Merriam Street , _:franklin Road and Somerset Road.
It called a meeting of bankers and explained the need of con-
structive co-operation in housing development to supplement the
effect of the building law, which is negative in its nature and
cannot secure positive results .
It conferred with the general manager of the Boston and Maine
Railroad on improvements at the railway station, and submitted
lilans which t:o man? er approved, c„ti, iAr.l- to +110 nprrovsol o i Yeo
railroad administration.
It recommended to the selectmen that the main ways of the
Town be properly marked with guide posts in accordance with the law.
The board has been at work on the problem of the East Lexing-
ton marsh, but the matter develops slowly because of the reorgan-
ization of the state boards . The interests of the metropolitan
district and of the town would be advanced by flooding the marsh
and by surrounding it with a driveway so that the breeding of
mosquitoes might be stopped, and the water area and park development
added to the amenities of the town .
The board has considered the question of its functions and,
in close agreement with the opinions manifested at the annual meet-
ing of the _'ederation of Planning Boards on December 12th, it feels
that any problem affecting the future development of the town should
receive its careful attention. The history of the boards in the
4 .
state shows that it is a rapidly growing custom to refer matters
110 to the boards for study. The recommendations in such instances
receive acceptance or rejection in proportion to the efficiency
with which the work is done . This probably offers the best avenue
of activity at the present time and your board is at all times glad
to co-operate along these lines in any way it can.
Respectfully submitted ,
Dec . 26, 1919 .