HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-11-29-CONCOM-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES of Commission meeting November 29, 1971.
The meeting was called to order by the Chairman, Mr. Brown, at
8 00 p.m. Other Commission members present were Mr. Cohen, Mrs.
Frick, Dr. Kassler and Mrs. Rawls, Associate members Dr. Fried-
man, Mrs. Nichols and Mrs. Solomon, League of Women Voters ob-
server Paula Alden, and Robert Sands.
Granny Pond. Mr. Robert Sands of Cambridge, owner of Granny
pond, said that executive session was not necessary. Mr. Sands
has owned the pond for about a year and it has been in his fam-
ily' s possession for about 15 years. He said he has had plans
to build a home on the pond, but it appears that he will have
to give up this plan.
Mr. Sands pointed out that dead trees are clearly noticeable
all around the pond. This is because the Town had run water
into the pond (with owner' s permission) for a considerable length
of time until a faulty water connection could be repaired. About
a year ago Mr. Sands obtained permission to pump water out of
the pond in order to lower its level. The present level is about
6 to 8 inches above normal, he said. There are some neighborhood
water problems in some of the houses lying below the level of
the pond, none of which were helped by the raised water level.
The northern half of the pond is no more than waist deep, but
the other half, where two known springs lie, is about 15 feet
deep.. Two people have drowned in the pond. Water from the
pond used to be pumped to water extensive gardens of the Blake
family, former owners of much of land in the area.
Water, sewer and accepted Town way exist only at the northern
end of the pond, where Mr. Sands had hoped to build a home.
Mr. Sands pointed out that an old Town way, slightly over 20
feet wide, winds down the hill from the southern end of the
pond. part of it is used for a drivewayby the residents of
10 Round Hill Road. Mr. Sands said he thought the Boy Scouts
owned some land in the area. ( This was checked at the Assessors'
Office, and the land once owned by a Boy Scout group on Grant
Street has been sold. ) The largest landowner in the area is
the Chu family.
Granny Pond and Granny Hill have a long history of prominence -
for geology, recreation (a long-popular skating area) and even
as a defense possibility. The most recent topographical map of
Town calls the height Granny Hill. Mr. Sands thought that for
a time part of the hill may have been renamed "Hancock Height" .
When asked about possible price of the land, Mr. Sands said that
four building lots could be laid out without draining the pond,
and possibly this number could be increased to 7, if the pond
were to be drained. Commission agreed they would discuss price
in executive session and get in touch with Mr. Sands wflen an of-
fer could be made.
DEC 17 1971 -
Conservation Commission Minutes 11/29/71 Page 2
Turning Mill Pond. Frank Sandy arrived to bring the news that
Turning Mill Pond, an area near route 128, in which the Commis-
sion has been interested, has been drained. It is not known
whether the pond was drained at the direction of the owner or
by children playing, who may have dismantled the dam. The
Citizens for Lexington Conservation have pictured of the area
as it looked before, and some pictures of the area have been
given to the Commission also. It is an old mill pond.
The above discussion took place in the hallway by the light of
the emergency battery lights. The remainder of the meeting,
from 8:45 until 10 30 p.m. , in executive session, took place
in semi-darkness, and it was still dark when the meeting
adjourned - at 10 30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mrs. Erna S. Greene
Secretary to the Commission