HomeMy WebLinkAbout1925-12-05PLANNING BOARD MEETING
' LEXINGTON, MASS.
Town Hall, December 5,1925.
'resent: Emery, Chairman, Iuiessrs. Tilton, Worthen, Duffy,
Glynn, Milne, and Mr. French, Town Engineer.
The meeting was called by Mr. Emery for discussion
of three matters:
1. Sentiment of the Board with relation to the service
street planned to extend from Sherman to Meriam Street
between Mass. Ave. and B. & M. R.R. in its bearing on possible
location of Cary Memorial Building on the Blake-Plumer property.
After discussion it was unanimously voted:
"That while it was the unanimous opinion of the
Planning Board that the Cary Memorial Building should not
be placed on the so-called Blake-Plumer site because said
site is destined to be in the midst of the future congested
business zone of the town, if the Trustees under the will,
having the matter in charge determine that such building if
tendered and accepted just be located on such site, the
proposed service street to be built between Mass. Ave, and
the B. & M. R.R. may be terminated at each side of the
Memorial Building lot or deviated across said lot in such a manner
as not to obstruct the placing of such Memorial Building thereon."
2. Veterans' Hospital, Mention was made of the possibility
of the sale of the so-called Simonds property off Burlington
and Grove Streets to the United States for site for a veterans'
hospital, and of the endorsement given by the selectmen as
individuals, the Legion Post, and the Board of Trade, to
efforts to secure this project.
Attention was called to the burdens of cost due
to withdrawal of land from taxation and the reconstruction
of streets, laying of water mains, etc. that the erection
of such a plant would put upon the town. Other phases of
the matter such as the danger due to class of patients and
the availability of a site in Bedford where the town had
voted for the project, were mentioned.
It was decided not to take action, as a Board, to
oppose the project, although in general the members seemed
to hold the project in disfavor insofar as it appeared to
affect the ultimate good of the Town.
2 -
1
3. Curtailment of train service by B. & M. R. R.
Mr. Emery reported that the B. & M. R.R. was determined
to reduce the train service and was threatening to limit
such service to two trains daily each way. He, with
other citizens of influence, was endeavoring to secure
agreement on the part of the railroad to provide three
trains daily each way, at better times. He as if the
Board would vote to favor improving the Bus service by
arranging for through service to Harvard Square. After
discussion it was decided that it was not properly within
the scope of the BoardIs duties to move in such.a matter.
1
Report of the Planning Board for the Year It"*
00
The Ply Board, except during the ftmmer zoaiths, has met
pretty nearly every week, the Town z�ngineer as a rule sitting in at its
meetings. A wide diversity of problems and matters are being ocnotant-
ltiy presented for consideration by the Board and frequently the more gross.
M smaller problems intertere seriously with the consideration of the
larger and more importait ones. For a considerable period it seemed as
if scarcely a creek passed without some petitioner gr sig before W4-
30ARA StAiting that he had bouts tt this or that place and desired to out
it up Into house lots and lay out streets to serve tate am*, so that be.
might begin building operations at once* in such instances the practice'
of the Board has been to call for surveys of the property and then sit
dawn with tie new owner and work out a layout that would drive to him, so
far as possible, the number of lots he in entitled to have, but sc ars
ranged. and with streets or street extensions so laid dawn, as to tie Is
with piveent or prospective streets in adjoining properties, Unbas this
e done in every instawe, the town would find, itself with a large num-
ber of separated developments utterly incapable of being tied together
as a part of a unified develop+eestt of the larger area of which they may
form parts. `While iu many Instances the Board. has round the orears
somewhat reluotaxet at first to accept the delay necessary to this more
complete working out of the plans, it is believed that in every instance
the plana eventually recommended by the Board and accepted by the owner
have furnished the latter a more satisfactory development from every
point of view, than what had boon originally In mind Meet they came be-,
fore the Board,
questions are constantly arising in connection with the Zoning Law
' calling for interpretations of the latter and for cooperation between the
representatives of the towns and property owners in reducing to concrete
form the general provisions of the law itself,
ADZ,@,
Among the larger problems requiring consideration and Von *Usk
the Board has devoted considerable time is that of through aril throe h
stets, referred to in the last report. Work upon this problem can
only progress as the Town Engineer is able to furnish necessary platw,
Substamttal progress has been roads in gathering the neewssary data, and
it is hoped that by another year some defluite reoon*mdations may be.
possible, The problem itself is of great Importances to the town be-
cause such through streets tarnish the ground work to ahioh all loaar
developments =4:t be fitted and, to the extent that the through streets
aro laic: down, to that extent will are be aisle to control local develop-
A grood deal of time has been devOed to the matter of development
Of the park property extending from Waltham Street to the State Roadand
to the related development of the property between Waltham Street and
' saahusetts AVenus, Relative to the park section of this property, we
found the town blocked by private interests that seemed to prevent Roo -
sneezy development to make available all the town lands ends after *on-
siderable delay, the Board is able to report a change in ownsr+eship of
certain parcels that bids fair to make it muoh easier to handles the
problem than haL heretofore been possible* However, actual development
of the park lams as well as of the lends in the Vine Brook area below
Waltham Street can only progress as the development of the drainage prob-
Ism progresses, and, heir*, again, moth study has been given to the problem
presented by the passage of Vine Brook under Hawsaahusetts Avez= and the
railroad, at which points the brook must inevitably be loweredo to maks
e the lands available arit profitable, and this IU turn will inv014e a very
large sues of money* Believing it to be inexpedient to undertake anything
of the sort without adequate provision for obtaining awh return as would
be justified, the Planning Board, in omoultation with the Selectmen and
w
I
Torn Ragineers has eavrse►d to be presented to the Logftlatt" a bila. oau.r
Solidating and broadening the provision for dxairage in Lexington aUA
permitting the assessment of betterments in a way that will, in the opin—
iii of the ?30ard, make it ent irely possible in the near future to bring
forwa.rd a comprehensive plan for the drainage and Improvement of the on -
tire areae in question an, at the same time, avail of such improvements
to cover, in large part at learnt, the drainage costs, The cooperation
of the State engineering ftroo has been availed of in this eonpootion.
It has seemed to the Planning Board that the present method of
assessing costs for sewer extension is quite unfair to the town, inth&t
the individual property owners served by dower extensions were called up-
on to pay altogether too amn a fraotion of the cost of construction, the
town as a Whole paying the larger part* othon it is realised that the town
to date has paid more than eighty thousand dollars for sewer construction,
it is apparent how wall an amount the property ovaers ifto have been eorr,.
ed have paid. Believing a comtinuanoe of the present inequitable system
would be ruinous, the Planning Boards in conjunction with the Selectmen
and Torn Council, has prepared.d a bill which has been filed in the Log s-
lature, seeking an amendment to the newer late to permit assessments upon
t1sle property owners immediately benefited to be subteup;tial.l.y increased --
approximately to orae -half the cost of OonstrwtIOU4, This bill., together
with that upon the drainage question above referred to, if passed by the
Legislatures, will be presented to the town for acceptance exid, if accept-
ed, will prove exceedingly usef lw
Another problem that has occupied much time of the Hoard has been
'that relating to water main extensionse The present method of assessing
costs for extension of water malas requires the benefited petitioners to
pay ten per cent upon the cost of extensions for a period not to exceed
ten years. Since the petitioning property oamers are thus called upon
to caarzy for a period of years the entire W34= of sonsttraotion eesit,
' it has been; the preAtife of the tom to lustall mains of RUM81434 e40-
&city only, to serve those petitioning li4Mlierso 77ao result has been that
today Lexington is said to have a larger number of miles of Six - h
water mains than My town in the metropolitan district, Sine-inob mine
are too small to serve any considasrable areas: of the town, and it is a
question of but a short time ft an our insurance ce raters will be rat, ase& be-
cause of iwAoquate water mains, Ths Planning Board has. atter much
study, waged out an as nsa6meat to the By-IALWa, which it proposes to brrio g
forwards aasuthoriztug the assessment upon the petitioning owtie" neo Wash
only of the capacity of the extensions an their local requirements call
for, permitting the town to install mains as, match larger than called for
by local reai airements as may be toomed naaessary to take care of own eat -
ed or further areas, In this manner we shall get away from the further
' unlimited extension of six -Inch water mains and secure a lamer extension
of eight -inch and larger mmainea
Completion of the program for establishment of building lima has
been necessarily held back by pressure of more important work, but it
hes not been abanalonOL, in faaact$ is actively anter way, but progrossing
more slowly than anticipated,
The matter of an advisory board of aroh1teotas, referred to in the
last annual report, has not taior°ked out satisfaotoril„y. Pressure of other
matters has prevented the Boarrd from I ivis7g to this the attention it waaald
have been, glad to ;ire to It., but it haus been impossible to revise that
plana or to push it to active vasetalnaa ss, Among the local problems that
have come before ttie 3o and for consideration. have been the following;-
' Layout of extension of Slocum Road. and other streets off'Righlaraad
Avenue end of Walter Slack, *opa d and submitted to Board of Sur-
voy, conaaid.eraation of development of streets arts& lust of M&Ohoo aaand
others off Reed. Street off ton, still pomilagI lsyvAd for sl eta
In land of pichette and bra off Massachusettz Ati4uU* and WA,ple street,
rust Lexington, aceceptable plan reommendsid to Board of Survey; oonsiderso"
tion of plan for street extension in c mneetion with the land. between
Aroad.ia Avenue and Lowell. Streets roe -to-acard of Suryoyj
lajout for land and house lots on what was Fitch Iroperty, between Sloom-
field Street and Slaoum RosA, recently purchased by 'R. Coowland* accept-
able plan recommended to Board of SM"Vey �,�� �� , ����Z�•
The '211wming 3aatrd., after full.consideration, voted to oppose the
location of veterans' innane hospital in Lexingtono Yielder to no one
in respect for our Vorld War veterans and what they #Lid, in the service
of our Country, if Lexington had been the only practicable site for sueh
a hospital, no objection would have beets made e a careful investigation,
'however, showed that engineering problems were serious, that the costs
that would have been impoased upon the t oma, both immediately and clover -
Ing suooeeding yeare, were such that the town could ill afford to, invite
them when egtxaaliy available sites were to be had in adjoining towns,
where the problems were not so great anis would not prove so burdeasom o
The ultimate decision, an now &=ouncoa, to place: the hospital in Bodf'crd,
is understood to have been based mainly Won. wiseering and aeon etrocation-
al grounds and not upon any sentimeutal grounds or preference* The claim
so earnestly advanoed in behalf of the project, that the *Aven.t of the
hospital would have been a great thing for the town and would have broight
Muoh businesses to its tradesmen, is Won no higher basis than the objections
which have been criticised so eseverely, that the advent of the hospital
would injure property values and bring a tzar burden, upon the town, It in
' +as selfish to desire the hospital for personal gain and profit as is ob-
ject to it on the ground that it would bring a burden of wQsane
IU=y other problems have come before the mrd and have been the sub-
jeetsof th6roush dladUslon And UVO 14,101nod cons3desutlo waft, which It
Seeatas vM80essary here to tout upoju
"he members df tho Aosr 1. have eeog+e d bsv^14 14 the work sas.
have O&CrifiOSA MUOh Of tiM and porsoY oavon4iuce to the problems
before them.
Feb« , 1926.
1
1
Res'peat:ully sii ttrl 1,