HomeMy WebLinkAbout1933-10-20 MEETING OF PLANNING BOARD
October 20, 1933 pr "�
A regular meeting of the Planning Board of Lexington was held in
the Town Office Building on Friday, October 20, 1933, the following
members were present • Messrs . Duffy, Glynn, Milne, Kimball, and
Robinson
Preliminary discussion developed that a number of matters required
the immediate attention of the Board, relative to certain changes in
the regulations of the Zoning By-law. Among them were
The re-zoning of the business area on Massachusetts
Avenue from Wallis Court to Winthrop Road, also that on
the opposite side,from the Town Office Building to
Fletcher Avenue
The establishment of definite restrictions on the
location of gasoline filling-stations with respect to
churches, schools, public buildings, etc.
A provision for the operation of Tea Rooms and sim-
ilar projects in other than business zones, subject to
proper limitations and safeguards.
An article providing for the legal constitution of
the Board of Appeals, which is not now clearly defined.
The clarification of certain other regulations of
the Zoning By-law.
New regulations which may be desirable as a result
of the survey of existing non-conforming uses now in
'progress.
A restriction of the number and frequency of appli-
cations for amendments to the Zoning By-law with res-
pect to any one project. ( Suggested that such petitions
should not be repeated within one year of each other;
and that all petitions for such amendments should be
presented for action only at annual Town Meetings, exe j--
perhaps in the case of actions initiated by the Board
itself. )
Mr . Duffy stated that he had conferred with Mr. Hartman and had
learned that it has been established that zones can be changed without
liability of the Town for damages to affected property owners With
respect to the extent of areas allocated to business in a community,
the statistical allowance,based upon careful and extensive surveys, is
normally 4 foot frontage per capita of population, in "self contained"
municipalities. In Lexington, where a considerable portion of retail
trade is diverted to Boston, the allowance might well be much less. It
appeared that, after the withdrawal of the Wallis Court - Winthrop Road
and Town Hall - Fletcher Avenue tracts from the C-1 zone, there still
retains more than 1200 lineal feet frontage on Massachusetts Avenue and
Waltham Street, in the center of the Town, in the business zone but as
yet unoccupied for such purposes, this, based on a reasonable allow-
, ance, would be sufficient for a possible increase in population of over
4000 persons, without consideration of pther outlying business districts
which might reasonably be expected to be developed as a result of such
growth
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October 20, 1933 ( 2)
An extended discudsion took place relative to the proposed change of
the Wallis Court 4o Winthrop Road, and Town Hall to Fletcher Avenue areas,
from a C-1 to an R-1 District It was concluded that the Planning Board
should call a hearing, at an early date, for the purpose of obtaining the
sentiment of the public with respect to such change. Upon motion of Mr.
Glynn, duly seconded, it was
VCTED: That the Planning Board call a public hearing, under
Section 17 of the Zoning By-law, to consider the advisability
of amending the Zoning By-law and Map so as to change from
a C-1 to an R-1 District, all the areas now embraced within
the C-1 District on the north-east side of Woburn Street and
Massachusetts Avenue extending from Fletcher Avenue to Vine Brook,
and on the south-west side of Massachusetts Avenue from Win-
throp Road to Wallis Court; or any part of such areas.
Upon further motion, duly seconded, it was
VOTED That public notice of the above hear'ng shall be published 1
in the Lexington Minuteman on October 26, 1933, that the
hearing shall be held at S p.m. on Friday, November 17, 1933
in Estabrook Hall in the Cary Memorial Building, and that
notice shall be mailed to property owners within the follow-
ing area ;
Both sides of Massachusetts Avenue from I
I Clark Street to Bloomfield Street; both sides
of Muzzey Street from Mass Ave. to Raymond St. ;
both sides of Waltham St from Mass. Ave. to
Forest St. , both sides of Vine Brook Road; both
sides of Dallis Court, both sides of Slocum Road
from Mass. Ave. to Highland Ave. , both sides of
Winthrop Road from Mass . Ave. to Highland Avenue ,
both sides of Woburn Street from Mass Ave . to
Cottage Street , both sides of Vine Street from
Woburn St. to Manley Court Extension, both sides
of Fletcher Ave. from Woburn st. to Sherman St. ;
both sides of Sherman St . , both sides of Grant St.
from Mass. Ave . to Sherman St , all on Depot Square .
It was also voted that the Board should notify the trustees of the
Cary Memorial Fund, by letter, of the proposed change and hearing.
Mr. Duffy brought up the subject of the planning of the East Lexington
meadow area, stressing the point that such plans should be worked out in
conjunction with the Arlington Planning Board so that the whole project
may be properly unified.
In a final discussion it was brought out that any amendment relative
to the regulation of Tea-rooms, etc. , will necessarily hinge upon the report
of the investigating committee . It was agreed that the next meeting of the
I
Board should be held on October 27, to consider any general amendments not
affected by the report of that committee .
The meeting was adjourned at 10.28 p.m.
Clerk