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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1927-12-101 PLANNING BOARD MEETING. Lexington, Mass. December 10, 1927. Present: Messrs. Emery, Glynn, Duffy, Cutler and Milne. A suggestion for a street at the easterly end of the Tower Park property was made after a discussion of possible street along railroad in this area was dis- cussed, in connection with the Bacon property develop- ment. The meeting was otherwise devoted to a dis- cussion of lir. Emery's proposed letter to the selectmen in regard to the engineering force. The clerk was asked to draft a new letter on the subject. Engineer's plan for extension of Clark Street over part of the Glass property was approved. IN. D. Milne, Clerk. PLANNING BOARD MEETING. December 20, 1927. Present: Mr. Emery, Chairman. Messrs. Glynn, Milne, Duffy and Cosgrove. Mr. Chamberlain reviewed several matters pending with the selectmen, namely - building line on Mass. Ave. at Center St., the Vine Brook Drainage project, the Town Engineering facilities, and Clark Street extension. Mr. Cosgrove was asked to furnish Mr. Shurtleff with a plan of the Bacon -Nickerson development and the street to be provided at the Tower Park property. The proposed letter to the selectmen in regard to engineering force was reviewed. W. D. Milne, Clerk. IPLANNING BOARD REPORT FOR 1927 The Planning Board was conceived as an instrument by which this community might guide its development in such a manner as to preserve and enhance its economic and aesthetic values. Being an advisory board only, its success in such an endeavor is peculiarly dependent upon the understanding interest and the support of the citizens and their executive officers. The present acceleration of the growth of Lexington forces upon the Planning Board problems of large scope and the active support of the citizens is needed if the present community standards are to be protected and excessive future community costs avoided. Not only should the protection afforded by the zoning by-law be carefully preserved, but there should be provision made for comprehensive and constructive plans for the guidance of the future development. As a practical matter, the Town is at present to a con- siderable extent at the mercy of activities of out-of-town, speculative real estate developers. Their plans are drawn primarily to secure the maximum of saleable lots, and the streets are planned with little regard to contiguous areas, and with little respect to the costs of maintenance, drainage and public utilities which the town must later carry. Such plans receive the attention of the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board, and every effort is made to secure such changes as will result in a plan and layout favorable to the interest of the town. While such efforts are often successful, some are not, and there are now several developments of a type inimical to best interests and economies of the town, due to lack of cooperation on the part of developers and tardiness of action looking to their control. The Planning Board believes that a comprehensive plan should be developed, fixing the location of new through streets and important ways which will establish a favorable basis for future development in large areas at present unimproved, and otherwise benefit the town. Also, that the need, suitability availability of lands for park, schoolhouse, and drainage pur- oses be studied and fixed upon. It foresees the inevitable development of the town as a populous suburb and is convinced that plans for the future must be on broad and generous, as well as on sound economic lines. All planning work, whether on the immediate demand of some real estate developer, or of a broader and more anticipatory ' character, is based upon engineering data as to topography, soil conditions, property lines, street locations, etc. A com- plete and accurate large scale map of the town incorporating this data is a present essential need. -2 - The Planning Board has been unable to give to the broader matters of town planning the attention that these require, be- cause its time has to so large extent been taken up by engineer- ing details. For the proper handling of the problems of immedi- ate and local real estate development, as well as for the formu- lation of comprehensive future plans, there is need for a compe- tent,adequate engineering force for the town. Such a force is properly an essential arm of the town managment, and the service it renders to the Planning Board is secondary and incidental. The relation of the Town's provision for engineering ser- vice to present costs and future tax burdens for public improve- ments has been studied by the Planning Board in much the same manner that study was given to the matter of assessment of costs of sewer construction, and recommendation has been made to the Selectmen. As indicative of the character of the projects received by the Board, and as a matter of record, the following principal Items appearing in the past year's work, are noted: Hearing on petition of Justice Shea for amendment to zon- ing by-law to permit business district for garage and oil depot at 115 Itiassachusetts Avenue, East Lexington. Consideration of street and lot development for Robbins & Smith off Locust Avenue, East Lexington. Consideration of Building line for Massachusetts Avenue, East Lexington, and in center. Consideration of Meady land development, Reed and Bedford Streets, North Lexington. Conference with Landscape Architect Shurtleff with regard to park development in the playground district. Extended study of the drainage situation and future de- velopment in the Vine Brook basin south of Massachusetts Avenue. Study in regard to Cottage Street. Conferences in regard to suggested extension of business zone to permit apartments in two areas near the center. Study of development for J. P. Swan off Woburn street. Study for development of so-called Perkins Manor, off Massachusetts Avenue, East Lexington. Studies in regard to Griswold and Lexington Park Develop- ments, North Lexington. Consideration of policy in regard to billboards and on specific cases. Study for development of J. A. Nickerson off Maple Street, East Lexington. Studz of development, Wetherbee Park, North Lexington. Hearing on petition of Y. P. Whalen for amendment of zon- ing by-law to establish a business district at Massachusetts Avenue, and Bowker Street, East Lexington. Studies for through streets to relieve Massachusetts _2_ ' Avenue traffic. Respectfully submitted, William D. Milne, Clerk Frederick L. Emery, Chairman C. Edward Glynn, J. Henry Duffy, Clarence H. Cutler.