HomeMy WebLinkAbout1932-10-17PLANNING BOARD HEARING
Daniel J. O'Connell
October 17,1932
A hearing was held in the Selectmen's Room of the Town
Office Building, konday 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
C1 District of the triangular lot of land bounded on the north
by the Boston & Baine Railroad, on the south by 1!loburn 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
a71d .vas voted adversely. This hearing 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. ti:itchell who was appearing for Mr. O'Connell. He said hel 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.
N -r. 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 question 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 Ivir. 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
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not do what he as told them and he wants to inform them that he
grill obligate hi-aself in any wray to do what he has planned and.
laid dowrn. 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 Weeting 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 7ioburn Street and will brighten up the d.ard pocket
,ith no expense to the Town. He intends to build a sidewalk all
the way to V,.oburn 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, Ivir. 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 away the congestion that is found in front of this
store. There ,vi11be a. parking space around the proposed build-
ing. A filling station is proposed for the corner of i"•Ioburn Street
and Fletcher Avenue and the Jenney Gasoline Company which is to
buy it will build as the Town 1rants it to be. If the Board has
any suggestions as to appearances, the company is willing to accept
them.
Mr. G. R. Mitchell stated that before discussing the
plans, he would like to explain the blueprints of the tract of
land. The triangle has been dlvl6ed into three lots, A, B and
C which are intended to be used as three separate tracts, each
one consisting of 7500 so. feet. A filling station is planned.
for the corner of ',:,oburn Street and Fletcher Avenue and is to
be occupied b,r the Jenney Gasoline Company. The station will
face Bass. avenue and sets back a good distance and has a. 30 ft,
drive leading in from b'oburn Street and Fletcher Avenue. IIe also
stated that -!hen he wos dealing with the Jenney people, he made
it clear that if they were to do greasing, they would have to
put up another builcing so that it could be done inside and their
suggrestton was that rather than build the extra building, they
would do away with the greasing at this station. Their station
at Grape Vine Corner is 14' x 22t and they have agreed to build
this one 18' x 30'.
A block of stores all having back entrances is to be
built and also a fence fron the back of the filling station to
the stores.
N.r. Emery asked ^what the occasion was for waiving the
20' set back and 14r. I,itchell replied that it would make it
possible for them to get down into the point.
Y;r. Kitchell stated also that nothing is planned for
Lot B. Yr. O'Connell has suggested building a bungalow but
he thin'.Is 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 T'oburn Street.
yir. 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 male it possible to give the smaller
shops a frontage on the drive,
S hen �`r. Emery a2ked Yr. O'Connell what difference it
vrould make if Fletcher Ai7enue were closed, 11r. O'Connell replied
that it would not affect his plans at all and that he would be
agreeable to it.
Mir. i<iitchell showed. the Board pictures of Jennev Gasoline
stations to illustrate how they are maintained. The ones shown
were located at Coolidge Corner, North ";eymouth and Concord Averse,
Cambridge, He also stated that he wanted to file a set of drawings.
T-vir. 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
crossing is rrade, it :;ill mean the reconstruction of that part
of the street. There is heavy traffic on this street as it is
Route 128 and loins Route 2A at this point, and it might also
be `Elide"S ed later. There is no obligation on the part of the
petitioner. e does not have to do what he now states he will.
Dir. 'piano also states that he thought It unfair that two members
cf the Board of S-,lectr^en should be present at a hearing of this
sort. ti,.hile he did not object tc having the property changed,
he did ob ect strongly to a filling station going in there. He
said that he operated a filling station 100 gears away In connection
with a garage N^fhich was a X10,000 investment. He also stated
that they ^ould amply tale care of all the motor public and if
they couldn't, there were others in the neighborhood that could.
Yr. O'Conrnell has stated that he wants to capitalize the land but
he bought it knowing it was residential property. He added that
he anted to enter opposition by. Felix Viano of the Colonial Garage.
L'r. Emery asked if there were any others who op,osed
the change and there were none.
L'r. Custance stated that he was appearing in this prop-
osition 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 neL7hborhood. The petitioner
owns all the property east of the church and takes good care of
It anCi he is sure he will take good care of the property in question
I
f it is changed. ie also stated that he had an option on this
property fora a Year for a Town use but did not have any money on
It. That Oeal is off now. If the property is divided, he %vants
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 7.'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 cheat/ grade of houses in this section.
The lard is now assessed for x2,000 and if the change is made,
It will be More valuable. He thinks that the petitioner ought
to be bound to carry out what he has stated he intends to do.
at the last Town Yeeting, hr. Worthen 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.
'.'r. Custance stated that he would like to see it developed
along these lines.
".:r. 1"tchell inforr:ed the Board that he would leave the
blueprints of the buildings with them and will ask the petitioner
to authorize the Building Inspector to witl-Aold the building per-
mit until the plans which will be filed with hirr. are found to be
the same as those filed with the Planning Board.
Er. O'Connell stated that he would bind himself to do
this.
In regard to the waiving of the 20 ft set bac?<, hir.
O'Connell stated that he would do iAhatever the Planning Board
;ranted .
The hearing was ceclared closed -hen it was found that
no others wished to speak. - 9-t15
IThere were ten people present.
Respect:fuily submitted,
Clerk &TJ7 J'_4_j�
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PLiONITING BOr,FI" YEEETIKG
IOctober 1701932
r. meeting of the Planning Board was held. in the Select-
rrments hoor of the Town Office Building, Monday, October 17, 1932
at 9:15 P. Y. Messrs. Emery. Luffy, Glynn, 1411ne and Scheibe
Aver-- present. The secretary was also present.
Y.r. Glynn stated that; he thought the separation of
grades at the 1l.oburn Street railroad crossing was a point which Grade
should to brought to the Toy^nts notice as being vital and which Crossing
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 m�here the street: is to go and the Town has to settle
with the people.
Yr. 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 ^:ould be turned over to the Planning
Board by the Town Engineer for consideration.
Irlr. Emery informed the Board that he had written
Ar. Trask asking hi- what the requirements were that the fire-
men needed at a fire station. :;Ir. Trask wrote back and said
that 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 IGir. Taylor were put on this land, there would
not be much room for anything else.
Iv;r. Iailne stated that he had made inquiries in two
cities and found what they have for fire stations. Fie said that
the provisions made in regard to the new fire station were
very generous and beyond what is economically reasonable.
The eccommodations upstairs ir,=ere verb* luxurious and more space
v'as provided for apparatus than is necessary. The estimate
of cost would depend on the construction of the building,
whether or not it would be fireproof. The estivate 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. He stated that he got his information from the
engineers of the P.unicipal 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 '^.'cw 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. 111hen 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
+r,,e should 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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