HomeMy WebLinkAbout1930-12-30BOARD OF APPEALS MEETING
DECEMBER 30, 1930.
A meeting of the Board of Appeals_ was held at the
Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building at 8 P.M.
Messrs. Maddison, Chairman; Baldrey, Clerk; Custance,
Slocum and Glynn were present.
Hearing was declared open at 8.otclock
application of the Lexington Burial Park Association for''
permission to establish a public cemetery on the property
known as the Lexington Park property. A joint hearing of,
Public the Board of Health and the Board of Appeals was held.
Cemetery The following members of the Board of Appeals were present.
hearing. Messrs. Maddison, Chairman, Baldrey,-.Clerk,,Slocum, Glynn
and Custance.
The Clerk of the Board of Selectmen acting as a
Board:of Health read the notice f the Board of Health
regarding this hearing. The Clerk of the Bdard of
Appeals read the notice of the Board of Appeals hearing.
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BM:dt-Healtali Ind the Bd. of Appee s then proceeded
to hear the evidence on behalf of the applicant; Mr.
Ellsworth in interest of the Lexington Burial Park
Association stated that the Town would not -be asked to
take this 12 acres of land out -of taxation inasmuch as
they would be willing to pay an assessment -equal to
100% of the value of the property. He stated that.the
int'ntion of this Association was to establish a par4
that would have on -the 100-200 feet of fieutage a park
so that the entrance would not look like the ordinary
type of burying ground; that it was their intention to
establish also a mausoleum which will look similar to
a city block. He felt that the people who own property
adjacent would be benefited by the establishment of a
cemetery and it would increase the value of their land.
He felt that the cemetery would be a benefit to the Town
inasmuch as it would give employment to a number of
persons and the Association itself desired to have local
interests connected with itl The mausoleum intended to
be built world probably be a proposition of about $150,000. to
$200,000 and it would draw people here from other cities.
Mr. Maddison inquired whether or not this Corporation
was incorporated at the present time, and he was
informed that it was not, also that they did not own any
other cemetery.
Mr. Ellsworth stated that he was the prime mover
in establishing corporations of this kind, and that it
was for financial gain. The size of the mausoleum should
be able to take care of 1000-2000 crypts. One crjcpt
is the same as one internment. A building taking care
of 1000 crypts would probably be about 150 feet long
and 150 feet wide.
Mr. Ellsworth stated that the application of
-Mr. Samuel O'Connell had no connection whatever
with his application. He stated that the whole property
intendedto be purchased for the cemetery would
contain about .37 acres of land, 12 acres of which comes
within the limits of the Town of Lexington. There
had been no hearing on the land located in Bedford.
Questioned as to what-guarantee the Town would have that
they would be able to carry on, he stated that at the
present time they have local people who are interested
in taking shares in this proposition and there never
has been in the United States any occasion where a
cemetery of this kind has failed up.
Asked whether or not the people would prefer a private
burial ground to a Town burial ground, he stated that he
did not intend to solicit very much business from the
Town of Lexington, but he expected most of the burials
would come from out of Town except those who wished to
use the mausoleum or the crematory. Up to the present
time they did not have any information from the Town of
Bedford as to whether or not a permit would be granted to
them in that Town.
Mra Ellsworth stated that if the permit were not
received from the Town of Bedford there probably would
not be sufficient property for the burial park. He
stated that 10% of all income is sufficient to take care
of the ordinary maintenance of a cemetery. They would
set aside a sinking fund which would be held in the local
bank.
Asked whether or not it was their intention to have
tomb stones, they stated that there probably would be a
minimum as to the size of the, stone that might be used
and one side of the cemetery would be also set apart
wherein nothing but markers would be used. They have
formerly been interested in cemeteries in Reading,
Pennsylvania, Pinegrove Cemetery in Waterbury, Conn.
Highland Burial Park in Prov. R.I. and also one in
Milwaukee. The Atlantic National Bank is the present
owner of the property in question. The proposed capital
of the Association would be $100,000.
Mr. salter F. Jones, Winter Street, inquired whether
or not there would be any odor from the cr matory, and
he was informed that there would not be. The crematory
would be in the basement of the mausoleum which would
be a stone building.
Mr. Frank A. Faulkner brought up the question as to
whether or not the water in this section would be polluted
by the establishment of a cemetery, inasmuch as most of
the people in that locality depend upon their wells.
The Board agreed to have the Engineering Dept. look
up this matter to see whether or not the drainage would
naturally flow from the Cemetery to contaminate the wells.
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Questioned as to wether or not the Shawsheen cemetery
had any connection with this cemetery, Mr.- Ralph H. Marshall
informed the meeting that the Shawsheen cemetery was a
Town cemetery.
Mr. Faulkner stated that he was 'speaking for many'
other residents of that section as they were not to
sa,eak for themselves and there were:a great many present,
and they hoed that the Board would not grant the petition.
There are now two cemeteries in that location and the
establishment of a new cemetery would spoil the land for
building purposes. The j>eople in that vicinity hoped to
continue to .live there. .t
Mrs. Annie L. Donovan of Somerville, stated that she
owned some land there and she intended to build, but if
another cemetery is established she might not consider -
it worth while to build inasmuch as she did not care to
look out and see a hearse near her every -day. Her property
is located on Hazel Road.
Mr. Norman D. Maclntyre of Somerville stated that he
had bought some land four years ago and intended some day
to build and make his home in Lexington, but he felt that
the establishment of a cemetery would kee him from doing
so.
Mr. Atherton of Somerville, stated that he had two
or three lots of land facing Bedford Street and he had
planned to build two or three houses, and he felt, like
a lot of other people there, that a cemetery would not
improve conditions. There were only three lots between
his and the Lexington Park. He asked whether or not the
property was taxable and he was informed that legally
it was not taxable. He therefore stated that he could
not see where the Town would profit.
.Mr. Faulkner felt that the people now living there
would be forced out if there were too many cemeteries
placed in the locality.
Mr. Ellsworth felt that with two cemeteriesnow
located as they are, that it would not effect the homes
inasmuch as this new cemetery contemplated would take
the territory between the two cemeteries now existing.
Mr. Maddison inquired of Mr. Atherton the value of
the houses he intended to build. Mr. Atherton stated that
he did not`believe'very much of a house could be built
for $5000.
Mrs. Louise and Annie DeVitto, Everett, objected to
the establishment of a cemetery.
Mr. Harold G. Wright, James Street, Lexington, stated
that he owned five or six acres of land opposite the
property in question and he would not like to see a cemetery
located there.
Mr. Warren S. Griswold, 479 Linden Street, Malden,
stated that he still had some lots in his development
which had. not been sold and he objected.
Dr. A. Pfeiffer of Lexington and New York registered
his objection inasmuch as he owned property in that vicinity.
The objectors registered their names as follows:
Norman D. Maclntyre, 54 Marshall St., Somerville
John M. Roma, 11 Gleenwood Rd., Somerville
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Maurice J. & Catherine F. O'Connor, 22 White St., Somerville
FrankA. Faulkner, hinter Street, Lexington, Mass.
Harold G. Wright, James St., Lexington,
Emerson Ernst, 90 Pearl St., Somerville
Evelyn M. Maxwell, 73 Grant St., Malden.
Noble C. Wentzell, 19 Jacques St., Somerville
Mr. Edward Wood ani Mr. George H. Gibson, Cemetery
Commissioners were present. Mr. Wood -stated, on behalf of
the CemeteryCommissioners, that they were opposed to a
location of a cemetery at the present time as they felt
it would be a detriment to the Westview Cemetery.
The hearing was declared closed.
Hearing was declared open on the application of Samuel
O'Connell, 50 Peterboro St., Boston, for permission to
establish a public cemetery on the property known as the S.O'Connell
Lexington Park property. The Clerk of the Board of application
Selectdien, acting as a Board of Health, read the notice fthr cemetery.
of the hearing. The Clerk of the Board of Appeals read
the notice of the Board of Appea's hearing; the hearing
was held jointly.
Mr. O'Connell did not appear, nor did anyone appear
on his behalf.
The persons who objected to the establishment of a
cemetery for the Lexington Burial Park Assoc. also objected
to the establishment of a cemetery by Samuel O'Connell, and
registered the same objections.
The hearing was declared closed.
The -Board of Apl,eals and Board of Health discussed
'the applications jointly. They considered that the
objection with the exception of the objection from Mr.
Wright, came from people who were non-residents of the
Town and who owned small lots of land and most of them
have not even built upon the lots. At the present stage
of development of this territory it has not proved very
beneficial to the Town and anyfurther development would
probably be of the same nature.
The Board of Health agreed to secure the information
relative to the drainage of this section in connection
with itsdetriment to the wells used by the people already
in the locality, and theB;d0Rfc ie�.st �c6AR gnhold
a heeting January 16, 193 a -ter v ewing a premfUes in
the meantime, to discuss The matter in connection with
making a. decision on the applications.
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The meeting adjourned at 11:15 P.M.
A true record, Attest:
Clerk.,