HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-02-16-CONCOM-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
MINUTES of Commission meeting February 16 , 1971
at 7 50
The meeting was called to order/by the Chairman, Mr Brown, with
Mrs Frick and Mr Mazerall present Associate members Mrs. Rawls ,
Mr. Reimer and Mrs Solomon and visitors Iris and Graydon M.
Wheaton were also present
Meagherville Mrs Lois Brown, r„presenting the Planning Board,
brought copies of the map and mimeographed sheets prepared by
the Planning Board to be distributed and presented , as well as
discussed, at the Planning Board hearing Wednesday evening The
Planning Board had finalized its recommendations and decided to
give a preview showing of them to both the Selectmen and Con-
servation Commission this evening. The area proposed for con-
servation contains largely lands below the 120-foot contour in
a wet triangular area and a strip including a running brook ad-
jacent to the proposed 20-acre school site . A strip alongside 4-acre
route 128 "reserved for (service) road" is not included Two
areas , separated by a 5-acre proposed recreation area (providing
among the areas ) are proposed for RH zoning - "Hickory Street
area" into which the Planning Board would invite proposals for
a 78-unit development and "Myrtle Street Area" into which could
be developed a 102-unit complex A 2-acre strip on the Precinct 3
side of Garfield Street would be left open for the possibility of
street-widening or some other use not now foreseen
The Planning Board proposals differ from the Justin Gray Associates
proposals in that less total traffic would be generated and it
would enter Reed Street closer to Bedford Street A possibility
of exit to Cedar Street will be reserved, probably not needed
at least until the school is built . Exit to Bedford Street is
at this time limited to Reed Street because of the railroad tracks .
Reed Street will probably need sidewalks
Except for a few isolated lots , which could be "planned around" ,
the Town already owns all of the land in question The Planning
Board has submitted three articles for the 1971 Town Meeting -
one for each of the two proposed RH rezoning areas and an "all
or any part" conservation article , which includes the entire
study area, plus additional lands The conservation article will
of course be defined by the motion offered at Town Meeting In
reality, the Planning Board does not plan to expand the conserva-
tion area beyond the 23 acres (land described as appearing sand-
and-gravelly to ski-touring Planning Board members ) Question
raised about the location of land donated to the Town by Hobert
Lyon for conservation. Exactly where is this land and what are
the deed restrictions?
Financial arrangements were discussed briefly in terms of alter-
nates available and the fact that Chapter 774 procedures have
already been instituted in four other towns , Newton and Concord
among them One visitor recommended that the Lexington Housing
Authority expand its scope to include the building of low and
moderate income housing
r EEJ G ti 197'
Conservation Commission minutes 2/16/71 Page 2
Minutes of the February 8 meeting APPROVED with the correction
under paragraph "Whipple Hill-Hamilton" on Page 1 , substitute
word "award" for "reward"
Associate Members. Their function and the authority for their
appointment is clearly stated in the Conservation Commission
Handbook, issued jointly by the Department of Natural Resources
and the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions
Cary Lecture Publicity. Associate member Joseph Reiner will
speak with his fauher about this It was recommended that all
publicity mention the sponsorship of the Conservation Commission
Information on 1971 Conservation Articles has appeared in the
recent Citizens for Lexington Conservation bulletin This in-
formation will also be used by the League of Women Voters
OSA-51 Whipple Hill-Hamilton Mr Brown received a letter from
Town Counsel listing the amounts of award payments made by the
Town during the fall months and December pf 1970 Also included
were interest and payments to assessors for their services in
the two trials on the two parcels Town counsel asked wha , other
expenses would he reimbursihle !Jr Frown will find a, '
� uservers for Conservation lands Mrs Greene outlined a plan
for recruiting and educating a group of people who would deep an
eye on conservation lands Mrs Rawls said that this sort of
observation should. not be organized Commission members said
a periodic checkup of the condition of conservation lands is
necessary and possibly some publicity or education through CLC
channels would Le a good idea. Decided to turn the proposed
project over to the Citizens for Lexington Conservation, for dis-
cussion at their meeting Fr_day night
Bow Street hiding Dates and facts have 'Lh.en disputed by Mr
Cataldo' s lawyer
Executive Session was declared at 9 35 The meeting adjourned
at 10 05 p.m until onday , February 22 , 1 )71
Respectfully suomitted ,
Mrs Erna S ;reene ,
Secretar, to the Commission