HomeMy WebLinkAbout1932-10-17 PLANNING BOARD HEARING
Daniel J . O 'Connell
October 17,1932
A hearing was held in the Selectmen' s Room of the Town
Office Building, Monday October 17, 1932 at 8:00 P . M. upon pet-
ition of Mr. 'Daniel J O'Connell requesting amendments to the
Zoning By-Law by changing the zoning from an R1 District to a
Cl District of the triangular lot of land bounded on the north
by the Boston & Maine Railroad, on the south by V:oburn Street ,
and on the west by Fletcher Avenue , and by waiving the provisions
of Section 7 (a) of the said Zoning By-Law providing a front yard
of at least twenty (20) feet in depth between the exterior lines
of said streets and the adjacent lines of any porches or buildings
that may be erected upon said triangular lot .
Messrs . Emery, Glynn, Milne, Luffy and Scheibe were
present . The secretary was also present .
Mr. Emery,taking charge ,read the petition, a letter
from the Assessors ' Department stating that names of 50% of the
property owners had been received, and the notice which had
appeared in the paper and which had been sent to ninety-two
property owners with fourteen days notice.
Mr. Emery stated that this same petition was brought
up before at a previous hearing, had been presented to the Town
and was voted adversely. This hearixlg was granted so that reasons
for wanting the change may be presented that were not capable of
being presented before .
Mr. Custance stated that he wanted to introduce Mr . G.
R . a:itchell who was appearing for Mr. O 'Connell. He said he had
not attended the previous hearing but if he remembered correctly
nothing was shown as to what was going to be done in that parti-
cular section. When it came before the Town, there were no plans
to show the Town people what the land was to be used for so they
had voted against it . The petitioner has had Mr. Mitchell make
plans showing what he intends to put on his land.
Mr. O 'Connell stated that after the last hearing he
was told that one of the principal reasons why the change was not
made was because he did not enlighten the people as to what his
plans were for the land . He did not realize this fact at the time
but if he had, he would have told them then. It was not definitely
decided whether the land in euestion was a desirable site for some
Town use, therefore the people were hesitant to record themselves
one way or the other. He has had the land surveyed and turned it
over to Mr. Mitchell who is an architect and has plans now to show
what he intends to do . Up to the time he filled it, it was nothing
but a mud hole and dump. The locality would look better if it
were decorated with good buildings and that land utilized Besides
this, the buildings will also be a source of revenue . He also
stated that the people think that when the change is made , he will
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not do what he as told them and he rants to inform them that he
Till obligate hi-rself in any way to do what he has planned and
laid down. Mr. O 'Connell intends to put a sidewalk around the
triangle . He will deed whatever the Town Engineer deems advisable
to the Town so that the corner may be rounded. Anything that is
done there will be an asset to the Town. He will let everyone
know what is to be done by showing on plans and will show these
plans at the Town Meeting if necessary.
The recommendation received from the Planning Board be-
fore was that the change was not necessary at that time . As it
is now, the property is of no value to anyone . The proposed build-
ings all face on [ oburn Street and will brighten up the dard pocket
with no expense to the Town. He intends to build a sidewalk all
the way to Woburn Street railroad crossing.
The tenant in the first store on the right after cross-
ing the railroad tracks has requested room in the new block. If
is done , Mr. O 'Connell stated that he intends to remove the store
previously occupied by this man and fix up the front of the house .
This will take awa7 the congestion that is found in front of this
store . There will be a parking space around the proposed build-
ing. A filling statior is proposed for the corner of Woburn Street
and Fletcher Avenue and the Jenney Gasoline Company which is to
buy it will build as the Town wants it to be . If the Board has
any suggestions as to appearances, the company is willing to accept
them.
Mr. G. R . Iaitehell stated that before discussing the
plans , he would like to explain the blueprints of the tract of
land The triar?le has been divided into three lots, A, B and
C which are intended to be used as three separate tracts, each
one consisting of 7500 sq. feet . A filling station is planned
for the corner of oburn Street and Fletcher Avenue and is to
be occupied be the Jenney Gasoline Company. The station will
face Mass. Avenue and sets back a good distance and has a 30 ft .
drive leading in from V'.oburn Street and Fletcher Avenue . lie also
stated that Then he w<is dealing with the Jenney people , he made
it clear that if they were to do greasing, they would have to
rut up another building so that it could be done inside and their
suggestion was that rather than build the eytra building, they
would do away with the greasing at this station. Their station
at Grape Vine corner is 14' x 22' and they have agreed to build
this one 18' Y 30' .
A block of stores all having back entrances is to be
built and also a fence from the back of the filling station to
the stores.
Mr . Emery asked ghat the occasion was for waiving the
20' set baclr and Mr . Litchell replied that it would make it
possible for them to get down into the point.
Yr. Mitchell stated also that nothing is planned for
Lot B . Mr. O 'Connell has suggested building a bungalow but
he thinks this is an ideal place for an American Legion head-
quarters for some other patriotic organization.
When asked if he would be willing to grant the 20 ft .
set back, kr. O 'Connell replied that he would be willing to give
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the 20 ft . setback all the way down to Woburn Street .
111 Mr. Mitchell stated that what they had been working
for was to get smaller shops . There is a possibility of dividing
one of the proposed stores to make it possible to give the smaller
shops a frontage on the drive .
alien mr. emery aBked Mr. O 't,onnell what difference it
would make if Fletcher avenue were closed, Kr O 'Connell replied
that it would not affect his plans at all and that he would be
agreeable to it .
Mr . Mitchell shower the Board pictures of Jenney Gasoline
stations to illustrate how they are maintained . The ones shown
were located at t,00lidge Corner, North eymouth and Concord Averse ,
Cambridge . He also stated that he wanted to file a set of drawings.
Mr. Eugene J. Viano spoke in opposition and said that
he thought that the state of business development in that part
of the Town at present was such that any development of this
character might react as a boomerang on the Town. If the grade
cros -tng is made , it rill r an the reconstruction of that part
of the street . There is heavy traffic on this street as it is
Route 128 and loins nctite 2A at this point, and it might also
be wi,leeed later There is nc otligation on the part of the
petitioner . He roes net have to rio what he now states he will.
Mr . 'piano also stater- that he thought it unfair that two members
of the Boar(' of Selectmen should be present at a hearing of this
sort . .hale he cid not object tc having the property changed,
he did object strongly to a filling station going in there . He
said that he operated a filling station 100 gears away in connection
with a gara.-e which was a 0_0,000 investment. He also stated
that they -ould amply tare care of all the motor public and if
they couldn' t , there were others in the neighborhood that could .
Mr. O 'Connell has stated that he wants to capitalize the land but
he bought it knowing it was residential property . He added that
he eranted to enter cpposition by Felix Viano of the Colonial Garage .
Lmerasked if there were any others who opposed
the change arc, there were none .
lr. Custance stated that he was appearing in this prop-
ositior as a citizen and member cf the First baptist Church which
is located in the business district and because he is interested
in what is going on in the surrounding neighborhood. The petitioner
owns all the property east of the church and takes good care of
it and he is sure he will take good care of the nropex ty in question
if it is changer' . ie also stated that he had an option on this
property fol a year for a Town use but did not have any money on
it. That deal is off now. If the property is divided, he wants
to see that cert in restrictions are put on. He further stated
that if the change was made, Kr . O'Connell intended putting a side-
walk from the railroad tracks on Fletcher Avenue to the railroad
tracks on , oburn street . Mr O 'Connell i, prives the property he
owns and he will do so in this case . Mr. Custance would rather
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see this property developed along the lines as proposed by the
petitioner than to see a cheap grade of houses in this section.
The :and is now assessed for x.2,000 and if the change is made ,
it will be more valuable . He thinks that the petitioner ought
to he bound to carry out what he has stated he intends to do .
at the last Town keeting, I r . Lorthen caught the point
of view in regard to this land but he had nothing to show what
might be put there and was unable to put it across so that the
citizens could see it
14r. uusta_,ce stated that he would like to see it developed
alcn these lines.
".r. L1'tchell informed the Board that he would leave the
blueprints of the buildings with them and will ask the petitioner
to authorize the Building Inspector to withhold the building per-
mit until the plans which wi] l be filed with him are found to be
the same as those filed with the Planning Board.
Mr. O 'Connell stated that he would bind himself to do
fhis .
In regard to the waiving of the 20 ft set bac f, Mr.
O 'Connell stated that he would do whatever the Planning Board
wanted .
The hearing was declared closed vhen it was found that
no others vi.shed to speak. - 9 :15
There were ten people present .
Respectfully submitted,
C lerk & c/" "'-'�
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PLANING BOr,FI MEETING
October 17, 1932
ri meeting of the Planning Board was held in the Select-
men' s room of the Town Office Building, Monday, October 17, 1932
at 9 :15 P . Y. Messrs . Emery, Luffy, Glynn, Milne and Scheibe
mere present . The secretary was also present.
Yr. Glynn stated that he thought the separation of
grades at the Woburn Street railroad crossing was a point which Grade
should he brought to the Town's notice as being vital and which Crossint
is going to cause damages to the Town at some future time if
Route 128 is improved. In cases of this sort, the State indi-
cates there the street is to go and the Town has to settle
with the people .
Mr . Emery read a letter from the Selectmen stating
that they had received application for approval, by the Board
of survey, of property formerly owned by Michael Curran on Mass.
Avenue near the Arlington line known as the Lexington Brick
Village and that the plans '°could be turned over to the Planning
Board by the Town Engineer for consideration.
Mr. Emery informed the Board that he had written
Ir . Trask asking hi what the renuirements were that the fire-
men needed at a fire station. Mr. Trask wrote back and said
tl'at there had to be room provided for the drying of hose and
recreation of the firemen. If a building as large as the one
discussed by 1r. Taylor were put on this land, there would
not be much room for anything else .
Iv.r. kilne stated that he had made inquiries in two
reties and found what they have for fire stations . He said that
the provisions made in regard to the new fire station were
very generous and beyond what is economically reasonable .
The accommodations upstairs were very luxurious and more space
was provided for anparat;us than is necessary. The estimate
of cost ^;ould depend on the construction of the building,
whether or not it would be fireproof. The estimate for this Proposed
building would' be about 6100,000. One of the cities in ques- Fire
tion has a total of seven pieces of apparatus and the other house
one has five . rie stated that he got his information from the
engineers of the Municipal Department of New England Insurance
Exchange . They work on what is known as a base rate established
by a grading schedule taking into consideration the different
types of construction, the water supply and the needs of fire
departments, such as fire alarm systems. If any city desires
to '{now how they can get a lower base rate, this Board of Engineers
will tell them what they must do. To get in a higher class,
Lexington will have to do quite a lot of work in the extension
of water mains .
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Mr. Emery stated that he thought it part of the duty
of the Planning Board to proclaim against such an extravagant
building. The Town is too small. When the Town people say
this triangle is too small for a fire station, the Planning
Board should say that it is not too small for any fire house
we shou'd build. The Town is going to be forced to consider
this matter within a few years and there is no other site
that could adapt itself to future requirements better than
this one .
The meeting was adjourned until Monday, October 24th.
Respectfully submitted,
Clerk
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