Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1964-08-10-LCC-min.pdf TO PRESERVE THE LEXINGTON GREAT MEADOWS MEMORANDUM OF THE MEETING OF AUGUST 10, 1964 This meeting was called under the sponsorship of the Conservation Commission, to discuss what action interested Lexington citizens should propose and pursue in order to preserve permanently the Lexington Great Meadows and to increase its usefulness to the Town or area. Present were Mr. & Mrs. Sanborn Brown, Stephen Ells, William Roger Greeley, Mrs. Ruth Morey, William Page, William Richie, Aiden Ripley, Francis Smith, Harold Stevens, and Jules Sussman, who acted as moderator. This memorandum summarizes known background information, identifies tasks and suggests a course of action. The next meeting of the Special Committee will be on Thursday17241 September, 1964, in the Town Accountantrs Office, at 8:30 p.m. At that time, progress in the tasks, comments on these notes, and further action will be discussed. If anyone cannot be present , it is requested that he call Jules Sussman at VO 2-2641. GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF THE GREAT MEADOWS The Great Meadows, approximately 175 acres in eastern Lexing- ton, provides an interesting study on a small scale of a typical post-glacial geologic setting. At the time of glaciation, the area was underlain by a batic igneous rock known as diorite. Many boulders of the same rock are present in the local soils which were left by the melt-waters of the glacier when the ice receded for the last time some 25,000 years ago. As the ice melted away from the area now occupied by the Meadows, it did so over an area where the bedrock topography con- sisted of a rather shallow basin surrounded by contrasting ridges and hills. It was only natural that the sediments left by the glacier should accumulate in this basin. These sediments vary from fine clayey sand to boulders more than ten feet in largest dimension. A seismic survey indicates that the glacial till ranges from zero to 32 feet in depth, the bedrock below the till being mostly 20 to 30 feet below the surface of the Great Meadows. On top of the glacial till is a layer of brown peat of varying thickness. Field observa- tions show that the flat area of the Meadows is covered with a layer of muck and mud about one foot deep. The top soil on the surrounding higher land is of sufficient depth to cultivate. M M During the last quarter of the 19th century the Town of Arlington purchased about 175 acres of land, comprising the Great Meadows proper, for use as an additional water stordso area. The reservoir constructed for this purpose (Note: is this thA "l&i. " which people speak of? ) was ultimately abandoned,and Munroe Brook, which previously had flowed from the north through the Meadows, was diverted to flow into the present Arlington reservoir. Also, Mill Brook, which had previously flowed from the south into the Meadows was channelized through the southerly portion of the Meadows and past said Arlington reservoir. Today the Arlington reservoir is only used in emergencies but not for drinking water purposes. It is understood that the old Arlington reservoir water is used by G.O. Anderson & Sons at a reduced rate, and also for watering the Town Hall grounds, the high school lawn, and the Warren Pierce playground. There are 10 hydrants on this line for emergency use. The Great Meadows area is surrounded mostly by residential subdivisions, some old, some new, and is in the center of an area of rapidly developing population. Other bounds include Maple Street, part of a minor state highway, and the westerly boundary is a suburban branch railroad line. Public access is limited, inconvenient, and unmarked. Arlington has posted signs which purport to exclude the public. Periodic fires, presumably set by children, are a nuisance, and an expense to the Town of Lexington, Plant material within the project area is largely that found in three distinct groupings. The first is that of a very large modified bog--modified during the past few years by a series of drainage ditches dug and now cleaned annually by a county mosquito control agency. The second grouping is that of open fields. The third, the oak woods. The kettle-hole just southwesterly of Bartlett Avenue represents a small but very interesting pond association. The Great Meadows teem with wildlife. In addition to rabbits, muskrats and other smaller rodents, there are amphibia, turtles and non-poisonous snakes. Pheasants, ducks and other wild- fowl are numerous. There is an abundance of birds, especially during the migratory seasons. Additional materials are available as follows : ( 1 ) A topographical model of the Great Meadows made by William Page of Lexington, now on display in the Lexington Planning Board offices. (2 ) The July 1903 edition of the"Boston Mass. U.S,G.S. Quadrangle Sheet"showing survey conditions of 1898-1900 when the Great Meadows site was flooded and used as a reservoir. (3 ) A plan proposed by William Roger Greeley which was the basis cf the vote by the Lexington Town Meeting in the 1930 's, This plan has yet not been rediscovered. (TASK) - 3 - (4 ) A comprehensive recreation and conservation plan for the Town of Lexington prepared by Samuel P. Snow, previous Lexington Planning Director, which received rave notices from the Planning Consultant of the Department of Natural Resources. Despite repeated efforts, no copy of this plan has been located. (TASK) (5 ) Various maps held by Lexington town offices showing boundaries, former owners, extent of flooding, etc. These include the January, 1900 Adams Plan showing former owners (Tag No. 690 in the Town Engineer 's Office ) and the 1914 Ahearn Plan (Tag No. 727 ). (6 ) As yet no contemporary photograph or sketch showing the Great Meadows when the lake existed has been discovered. (TASK) I t Arlrnc+ t,. ( 'A ss ) ,A vf�c,•"a July 7, 1960 1 le...'.')4:t,el 4�': S i 4 G ‘ ; .;21 i..t i., .e` .1`. 1:a .t:,� i lit /+ 1 As a result of the discus- of the Town, at this time, in I sions at the Selectmen's the water from Monroe and t Meeting of May 31st. relating Fessenden Brooks, it is our to the proposal of V 0 1ppo- opinion that the Town still leto and Philip Longo to low- has the right to require that i er the grade of a portion of these waters continue to flow the Great Meadows adjacent into the Great Meadows dur- , i to their land, a study has ing times of heavy flow and, 1been made of the possibility therefore, any Developer of .1 of insuring the continued use the land through which these ' of the ditches or brooks which ditches pass must provide for feed or have fed the Great the passage of this water, Meadows. , As the enforcement of these These ditches or hrno!,, rights might lead to time- were, previous to 1874, Mon- consuming court action, we roe Brook and Fessenden are of the opinion that, in. Brook They converged to one the case at hand, it would be stream just north of the prudent to come to an agree- Great Meadows in the land ment with the parties that if now in the process of being 1 we allowed them to, or if the i developed and flowed into end !Town were to, grade and through the Great Mea.doe's . .;,,,pc the abutting Town land, . 1 to Sucher Brook near the : thus maxing it possible for; East Lexington Railroad Sta- them to grade up to the pro- 1 tion perty line, they would in re- ! The Town, as empowered turn, pipe one of the,-'ditches .e ' 1 p across their land by means % 1by the Legislture made tak- of a. 24" pipe at grades to be kings and diverted and chan- determined by the Town. Welled the two Brooks south- easterly to North Brook and This joint operation would the Reservoir, by-passing the result, in addition to providA. - • Great Meadows. ing the necessary waterway, in making available to the In 1877, the Great Meadows Developers the gravel and fill was used as a storage basin ., - .now contained in the embank- for water by allowing the ment. on their land, whicht n ater from Brown's Brook on �,,-c 3 ,e to remain as is '` the sc..tra:es: s:de a-c :sure i. z :acini were not done on i p Ls v ater from Monroe and r Town land. It will also make Fessenden Brooks to en-er s it possible for them to utilize -'" I the Meadows and then dur-i all their land up to the pro- ing dry periods allow this perty 'line. water to flow back and south- easterly to the Reservoir It will also provide a source ��� This storage of water Was of excellent gravel for the , discontinued when the Town Public Works Department , , joined the Metropolitan water and the top-soil could be re- ,, system in 1803 r placed after grading so that 'i L__teees. - "1",, C' '-rr=,�. , e, i.i'S. u-.i t. -. = :•..:'-, .. . e' ,iAl �G. u. cover he area 7 a � :.. and ditches in the Great Idea- to prevent erosion and for dews were cleaned out and esthetic purposes. I , in some places widened and ._ deepened in order to allow It is estimated that at least the water in the Meadows to 3000 cu yds. of gravel will be drain out in the vicinity of available to the Public Works '!. - Fottler Avenue at the south Department. end. This proposal would in no ' These brooks and ditches way affect any possible or , .and the ones in the land to continued use of the Great the north still operate period- Meadows. , ically in, times of wet weath- A plan of the area will be . t er The grades are such that available at the Selectmen's the normal flow from Monroe Meeting / and Fessenden Brooks fol- Attached is an outline Of lows the diversion channel the terms of an agreement if ' east of the Meadows. this proposal is adopted. ; After consultation with the W H. ROBY LT: `reu.e?e`:J ze, ': 't..:e .;• Teetre Ecee::neeer I 1 r , , , I ' / THE ARLINGTON NEWS, THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1957 Offe s G(tr-id d oure � fLauiOTti' 9 1L,h oug1:11. 111 1r�L� C I.EI e:LL �J1,11 J1j. 1��G�4 L�3i11 By SYLVIA SHAPIRO U contours add infinite interest to had best be torn down. On the plus On Saturday morning, March the overall scenic beauty of tins sate again are horseback riding 16, a few Arlington and Lexington spot and include glacial deposits trails. 'voters tool: a walk in Great idea- called drumlins. It is to be hoped that an arca (lows. That may seem dull enough, One sucn glacial drift, higher such as this, abvuluung In recrea- I added to a drizzling g.ay day But than ocaci'S, is called tae Island ! tion and eutication l,o.,cut1als, a that walk, through the 110 acre uecause ac one time, possioly ou ' veritaole living museum wicnin tract owned ley .'trlingcon, in Lex- years ago, the area was ununuated. ! brief distance of nign,y-populated ington, just over the border, was c rom the Island one has a per.ecc areas, will remain so for serene an exhilarating adventure. spot for bird watching (pernaps, pleasure, study, conservation re- Merely to stroll through that said our guide, 35-4u species mignc quirements t,wa,,er storage and lovely rolling countryside was ue- oe observed there on a spring ecological balance), and scientific ligheful enough. But in addition to morning), and for cookouts. A dirt research. have the expert guidance of a bio- road nearby for cars or busses A report of the Metropolitan ' logy instructor, Mr Irving Keene makes for easy access. District Commission submitted to sof Brookline High School, gave A short distance from the Island the State Legislature in June 1950, added insight and knowledge of is the Pit, a hollowed out area sur- a 5 lb. report (sic ) contained spe- this controversial area, giving the rounded cy trees where fires are chic recommendations about Grejtt tour even more value. built by those who may not have Meadows. It suggested that this Article 89 of the 1957 Warrant, fire permission. Stone walls abound area be established as a "buffer indicating the possibility for the in rare rock types and there is scrip" or open land where familia! disposal of this town property, has some quartz —fertile boundaries could enjoy picnics, nature studies aroused the curiosity of some con- for imaginations that know no and other recreation—not just hu• servation-minded Arlington and limits. man families either, for it wouic Lexington people. Despite its function as a sponge make an excellent wildlife sane. Flora and fauna habitats, much for rainfall in this area, Great tuary The report further states in evidence over hill and dale, Meadows apparently has no mucky that the buffer strips would be were discussed by Mr Keene; the holes to trip its devotees. It has park lands, valuable in maintain= rare sort of natural material, he bountiful ferns, fungi, lichen, ing attractive neighborhoods and explained, that biology teachers mosses — all exhibiting various in preserving real estate values, seek for outdoor classes. types of interdependence. Well preserving the country-like open Wild dogwood, and cherry, crab- worth note is evidence of a colo- character of the Metropolitan apple, alders, many kinds of coni- nial factory for 35 foot deep peat, landscape. The report recommends fers, red and swamp. maples, all abandoned in 1800, and the effect that further studies be made of sufficient for supporting bird and of neglect on a once-cultivated the feasibility of acquiring sel- wildlife communities, hillside areas apple orchard. The site of an old ected areas as Metropolitan park available for reforestation, small gravel pit provides a glimpse of reservations designed primarily as' ponds. with abundant ulgue and various earth strata for budding green belt buffer strips. protozoa, a deeper pond with geologists. Aerial maps of this arca in va- snapping turtles, terrapin, peep- Hunters' Paradise rious sizes are available from the ors, salamanders, newts, running While Great Meadows seems not. Soil Conservation Service, Stow shallow water thru ditches pri- well-known to residents of Arl- I street, Concord, Mass., and should marily for mosquito control,Ina of ington, many hunters from other be designated as DPQ-11K-106. fascination to those who care to communities seem to be well-ac- Among , other suggestions for study effect of water on various quainted with it and obtain per- use of this area in addition'to fish- kinds of soil in experimental work. mits from Arlington,,then Lexing- ing, hiking, and those listed above Other facets of Great Meadows in- ton police. One Lexington abutter were camping and the constru.c- elude pheasant, mallards, redwing was peppered with shot in his own tion of an outdoor ampitheater in blackbirds, a red heron, muskrats, 'driveway!' Another hazard of the one of "the natural hollows sur- rabbits, woodchucks, and hawks Meadows is a small unused radar I rounded. by low drumlins, for local (which contrary to popular belief shack in a field'. Though scorched concerts, opera, theater in the are an advantage, keeping down several times a year, its asbestos round' and' dance productions. rodent population) roof has prevented its destruction Anyone interested' in a guided Access By-Car and: damage to the surroundings, tour of Great Meadows is welcome Variations in land levels and but, it, is thought, that this shack •do fall.MI 8-9326 or VO 2-1860. LEGAL BA CKG ROUND St. 1871 c.245 authorized the Arlington Lake Water Company to take by eminent domain or purchase such land as was necessary to secure water and preserve the purity of the waters of the Great Meadows, lying in the easterly part of the Town of Lexington from Lewis ' Mills or any point westerly of said mills, in order to secure a supply of pure water for the inhabitants of Arlington. Within 60 days from the time of taking, the water company was required to file an accurate description of the land and state the purpose for which it was taken, The statute also provided that the Town of Arlington might at any time purchase the water company 's franchise and rights. St. 1873 c.242 ratified and confirmed the Arlington's pur- chase of the franchise, property, rights and privileges of the Arlington Lake Water Company and authorized Arlington to take and hold the waters of the Great Meadows lying in the easterly part of the Town of Lexington from Lewis ' Mill4 or any point westerly of said mills, within the watershed of Tucker or Munroe and North Brooks, for the purpose of collecting and securing a supply of pure water for the inhabitants of the Town of Arlington. Arlington was authorized to construct and maintain reservoirs within or without said Town of Arlington "but not within the town of Lexington, except within the limits described in the preceding section, Arlington was authorized to take by eminent domain or purchase such real estate as may be necessary for the above purposes, but shall file within 60 days from the time of taking a sufficient description of the land in the Registry of Deeds. St. 1900 c.140 reads as follows : "AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN OF ARLINGTON TO MAINTAIN AS A PUBLIC PARK ITS RESERVOIR AND LANDS HELD FOR THE PURPOSES OF A WATER SUPPLY. BE IT ENACTED, ETC. , AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The town of Arlington may annually appropriate, to be expended under the direction of its park commissioners in conjunction with its water commissioners, such sums of money as it shall deem advisable for the maintenance as a public park of its reservoir and any or all lands held by it under the provisions of chapter two hundred and forty-two of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and seventy-three and of the acts to which that act is in addition; but nothing herein contained shall take from said water commissioners any of the rights given to them by chapter four hundred and eighty-eight of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five, or otherwise, or take from the town the right to maintain and keep its water supply as an auxiliary supply to the metropolitan water supply, or for any public use. The title to all 5 lands and water rights conveyed to said town by deeds in form sufficient to denote a conveyance in fee shall be held to have vested in the town in fee, and said town is hereby authorized to sell and convey all such lands and water rights as it shall by vote determine are not necessary for the maintenance of its reservoir or Of a water supply. . . . " Since a "public park" is open to the general public, it may be well to investigate whether or not Lexington residents have as much right to swim in that reservoir and use the Meadows as do Arlington residents. (TASK) Is this legislative declaration of com- plete title sufficient? (TASK) Does this authorization to sell satisfy the usual requirement that specific legislative authorization is necessary before a town may sell park lands? (TASK) In 1958 the Legislature changed the process by which a town may sell lands which it no longer requires. G.L. (Ter.Ed. ) c.10, §15 formerly provided that if any officer of a town having charge of any land taken for such town otherwise than by purchase notified the Selectmen that in his opinion such land is no longer required for public purposes, and if thereafter the inhabitants of the town by a 2/3 vote authorized the conveyance of such land and specified the minimum amount to be paid therefor, the Selectmen may for such amount or a larger amount and, upon such other terms as the Selectmen shall consider proper, convey such land or parts thereof by deed. In 1958 the act was amended to provide, as applied to our situation, that no land "heretofore" acquired by eminent domain by Arlington within the limits of Lexington shall be conveyed under this section unless the Arlington Selectmen (who had been previously authorized by town meeting to convey such land )offer to convey such land to Lexington for the minimum amount specified by the town meeting, nor unless such offer is not accepted by Lexington within 6 months after notice there- of is given to the Lexington Selectmen by the Arlington Selectmen, nor unless such conveyance is made within 3 months after the expiration of said 6 months. The statute provides that land so offered to Lexington may be purchased by Lexington whether or not needed for the municipal purposes of such town and if so purchased and if the land is not needed for municipal purposes, it shall be disposed of as Lexington shall determine. The effectiveness of the 1958 amendment in blocking Arlington action depends on the amount of land within the 175 acre Great Meadows which was taken by eminent domain by Arlington from Lexington, The exact extent of this land is at present undetermined. (TASK) Mr. Stevens states that in the Town Counsel 's legal files there exists a title search which was undertaken sometime subsequent to January, 1958 which should provide this information. - 6 Other questions which must be answered are : (1 ) What are the exact boundaries of the Arlington land in the Great Meadows, considering the 1962 ArJJxi,tori sury©y which appeared to exclude certain land? (TASK)S (2 ) Can Arlington use that portion of the land in Lexingtou. in a fashion which would violate the Lexington town zoning by-law, e.g. , as a municipal incinerator? (TASK) (3 ) Can the Arlington Selectmen act as a Board of Water Commissioners and sell without conforming to the provisions of the 1958 statutory amendment? (TASK) (4 ) Can Lexington seize by eminent domain land owned by a coordinant governmental agency which had purchased and seized this land initially under grant of legislative authority? (TASK) (5 ) Does the flood situation warrant considering flood plain zoning for the Great Meadows and is flood plain zoning an appropriate tool in this situation? (TASK) POLITICAL BA CKG ROUND Approximately 30 years ago the Lexington Town Meeting voted to take the Great Meadows by eminent domain (TASK: Get copy and date of vote ) William Roger Greeley was Chairman of the Planning Board at this time and proposed a plan for multiple use of the Great Meadows. (TASK: Get copy) The Town Counsel was not enthusiastic about this project and it remained a dead letter. A great deal of interest was shown in the Great Meadows in the late 1950's due to the cooperative efforts of certain Arlington and Lexington residents (TASK: Compile list of thos pro and con , who were aroused by the possibility of the disposal of the Great Meadows which was suggested by Article 89 of the 1957 Arlington warrant. One of the most promising projects discussed during this time was the use of the Great Meadows as a natural science park for the area 's school children. Arlington sentiment during this period has been characterized as falling into 3 groups: The first favored the preservation of the area as open space but distrusted Lexington 's intentions (home development, Emerson Road, etc. ); the second group favored general parks development or open preservation of the area; the third group saw in the Meadows a potential future source of funds for Arlington through the sale of the property to developers. - 7 _ After intensive conversations with Arlington town officials, Lexington in the late 1950's voted to appropriate $20,000 for the purchase of the Great Meadows. (TASK: Get copy of vote and supporting materials ) Because of lack of communication and political maneuvering on the part of certain Arlington town officials, this attempt failed; the $20,000 set aside has recently been expended by Lexington for another use. In the 1960's Samuel Snow, the Lexington Planning Consultant, caused the Great Meadows to become a problem for solution by second and third year design students. Each student submitted a solution for multiple use of the Great Meadows primarily as a living museum, and secondarily as one of the Town 's recreational facilities. Mr. Snow emphasized the possibility of creating an earthen low-gravity dam to serve as a warm water pond for fishing and part of a flood control and water shed protection program. The Army Corps of Engineers surveyed the Meadows in the 1950's. TASK: Get information ) ) (It is interesting to note that on April 3, 1964, Llewellyn Schaffrath of the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, made a preliminary estimate which indicated that there would be a good possibility of success in achieving water surface in this area which, if runoff were not diverted, would have no detrimental effect on flood storage and might even enhance it somewhat. ) This pond would provide multiple use recreation, i.e. , fishing, skating, a limited amount of boating, and possibly swimming. Mr. Snow comments that the Town favored the establishment of a trailside museum as one of the features of the natural science park. This exchange program was developed with the assistance of Professor Paul N. Procopio of the University of Massachusetts, and Professor Carl S. Gerlack of the Department of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture of Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. These solutions were placed on display in Lexington in the early 1960's, but it is not known whether any of them have survived or are available to the Town. (TASK) Another significant recent event has been the proposal that the superhighway Route 3 be extended eastward from its present terminus at Route 28. One of the alternative routes has been across the Great Meadows, and Arlington has offered to give a portion of the Great Meadows for that purpose to the Department of Public Works. In 1963, 2C% federal open space aid became available to Lexington. In 1964 the Lexington Conservation Commission was established, and this commission can be utilized in the following ways in the solution of this problem: As much as 50% state aid is available to defray the cost of open space purchases (although the amount available in the case of a major land acquisition of this size is not at present known). The activities and purposes of the Conservation Commission, as well as the legal tools available, provide reassurance to those who mistrust Lexington 's intentions. The purposes of the Conservation Commission are broad enough to allow multiple conservation-recreation uses of the land in conjunction with other appropriate town boards. _ g - WHAT COURSES OF ACTION ARE OPEN AT PRESENT TASK.. A. We should approach certain Arlington residents in order to discover what the situation is in Arlington at present. We should discover whether the Arlington Great Meadows Committee is still functioning, who its personnel are, and whether they would be receptive to our suggestion. We should discover whether certain opponents to cooperation are still active. We should discover the attitude of the current town government. Certain of the members volunteered to contact people with whom they were acquainted in Arlington. TASK. B. If the situation in Arlington appears favorable, we should take steps to develop Arlington and Lexington interest in a program to preserve the Great Meadows. C. What are the available alternatives? 1. Arlington-Lexington joint development of the Great Meadows without a change in legal title. a. For recreational purposes: Examples would be a plan to re-establish the lake in the Great Meadows, to prevent pollution of the Arlington swimming area, etc. b. Develop a joint program for a school natural science area, possibly including trail- side museum. 2. Lexington should negotiate a purchase of some interest in the land from Arlington. It was fully recognized that this might well meet with opposition from Arlington residents for a variety of reasons such as : loss of control; distrust of Lexington; Route 3; desire to keep a bargaining lever if Route 3 caused a change in allowable land use. a. This purchase could be of the complete title to the land with or without restrictions on Lexington 's future use. i. This would cost a great deal, and there was doubt expressed as to whether the Lexing- ton Town Meeting would agree to pay a sub- stantial sum, especially in the light of heavy Town expenses which are already pro- grammed for the next few years. It was pointed out that the simple purchase of the Great Meadows does not offer the Town of Lexington anything positive, if the object of the purpose was merely to maintain the status quo. It was also noted that if it is - 9 - Lexington 's ultimate intention to insure preservation by purchase, then deferment would probably raise the price. Some mem- bers suggested that another look be given to the multiple use recreation plans which Mr. Greeley had developed in the 1930 's, which Mr. Snow proposed, and which the land- scape architecture students developed. (TASK) The Department of Natural Resources has been invited to prepare alan, but has not acknowledged the request. (TASK) b. The purchase could be of a limited interest in the land, such as a conservation easement. Arlington would retain the basic title to the land, but Lexington would own a conservation easement drafted so as to insure that both Towns would receive the protection against future development that some elements in each desire. It was pointed out that it might be difficult to persuade the Lexington Town Meeting to expend a substantial sum for the purchase of only a partial interest in land, but this course of action insures preservation,. while allowing multiple use development. 3. Lexington should not at present attempt to seize this land by eminent domain. It was recognized that proceedings in this course of action would probably destroy the possibility of cooperation with Arlington, would probably increase Lexington 's expenses, eliminate state aid and perhaps federal aid. Furthermore since the Town cannot use eminent domain for conservation purposes, it would have to seize the land for park purposes (thereby opening it to all the people in the Commonwealth) or other pur- poses for which the Town is authorized to employ eminent domain. There is some doubt whether Lexington could seize this land from Arlington, a coordinate governmental body which was authorized by the Legis- lature to hold this land, Cf. Mass. Turnpike Authority and M.D.C. re Charles River.TTASK) 4, The possibility of interesting another governmental agency in acquiring this land was dis- cussed. The M.D.C. had apparently in the past been interested in the Great Meadows, but it was pointed out that Lexington is not in the Metropolitan Park District and becoming involved in the Park District would perhaps subject Lexington to the Park's assess- ment. The State 's Wildlife Division was suggested, which would reserve the Great Meadows for purposes of wildlife recreation, i.e. , hunting and fishing; } d � -10- Town opposition to these uses was noted. It was suggested that the Commonwealth 's Department of Natural Resources would be interested, as this vac- s the last substantial open area in a rapidly develop- ing area, other than the Cambridge Reservoir. It was pointed out that if Route 3 was constructed through the Great Meadows, federal law provides federal funds for state purchase of lands of great natural beauty bordering these highways, in addition to the normal right of way (23 U.S.C.A. , '319 ). It was pointed out that if this meant that the Department of Public Works would control the land, this might not be a guaranty of preservation. (TASK: Determine if Department of Natural Resources or any other agency can hold these lands. ) 5. Lexington could attempt to landlock the area by acquiring land surrounding the Great Meadows. (TASK: Study will have to be made of plot plans to determine if this is feasible. ) D. What bargaining advantages do we have in negotiat- ing with Arlington? 1. Taxes are fixed by statute and we are not able to increase our leverage through any increase. 2. Arlington is put to expense because of certain assessments; i.e. , sewer assessments for streets on which the Great Meadows fronts, and possibly expenses of fire protection. This is minor and should not be employed at present. 3. Lexington possesses a limited veto power over Arlington 's sale of the Great Meadows through its statutory right to purchase those lands which were seized by eminent domain, but the power of this is at present unknown. (TASK: Determine this if possible. ' 4. Some people feel that there is a substantial danger of flood and pollution in the Arlington low- lands if the Great Meadows are intensively developed. Arlington newspapers are read to collect such in- stances. On the other hand, Arlington may be interested in such development as would allow use of the Great Meadows and a flood-control "sponge". in July, 1964, there was flooding from the Mill Brook. 5. Arlington is densely populated and needs recreation space. For this reason a joint Town pro- ject involving multiple use recreation plan could hold promise. 6. Arlington Reservoir and Great Meadows may be a "public park , open to all people of the Commonwealth. Arlington presumably does not wish this.