HomeMy WebLinkAbout1936-12-01 1L Ji?ING B0 RD H7ALING
T.l District
December 1, 1936
Planning ]ioard hearing was held in Estabrook Hall of
the Cary I. emorial Building, Lexington, on Tuesday, December
1 , 1n_ F. at 8 00 P . 1 . , on tie Planning Board 's initiative ,
for the purpose of considering the following amendment to the
Leyington Zoning Jy-Law and ',an: -
no see ; f the Lexington Zoning Sy-Law will be amended
1 . BY sr_;sti_tutin-^ for Section 1 thereof the following -
" section 1 . For the purposes set forth in General Laws,
;' anter 40, sections 25 to 30A inclusive (as amended by Statute
1973, han1;er 269) and under the authority thereof, and of General
Lat s, ih.anter 143, and any other laws it t Zereto enabling, the
inspection, mn4-erials , construction, alteration and repair,
lei pit, area, location and use of buildings and structures, and
the use of landin the Town of Lexington are hereby regulated
as bernin provided , and the q'own is divided into types of
districts as b reinafter defined, and as shown on the Zoning
; ao prepared by J. enr-• Luff--, Town Engineer, and filed with
h4° gown clerk, larch 17, 1924, and all amendments thereto,
- i an 9s amended is hreby made a part of this By-Law."
2 . 3-r adding to Section 2. Definitions, the following:-
(f) A throughway is any State Highway primarilY develop-
ed for through traffic , with a general taking of not under 100
feet in width.
3 . JJ`r inserting between the second and third paragraphs
of Sectio: 3 . (a) the following -
"T.1 indicates trun,,-highway districts with specially
restricted uses, located adjacent to a throughway."
4. 3- clan-rink Section 3 . (b) after the heading "R.l
Listricts" to read as follows -
"^ver-r part of the Town not shoiqn upon the zoning map
as amended and not hereinafter specifically designated as R .2,
T .l, C .1 and i, .1 Districts ."
5. By chan-ring the numbering of the paragraphs under
Jection 3 (b) as follows -
(,hange paragraphs numbered 11 to 30a inclusive to become
1 to 21 inclusive .
Cha, rre paragraphs numbered 31 and 32 to become 1 and 2 .
6. By i.nser•ting in Section 4 between the paragraphs re-
la'-;ng to F .2 Districts and those relating to C .l Districts
the follor*inc -
I "In 1 .1 Listricts -
i.l.l uses that are permitted under R.l and R.2, but
subject to any conditions and restri( tions set forth therein
and the following subject to the provisions of Section 9.
1. Retail gasoline , oil and greasing stations.
2 . Sale and installation of tires and other automobile
accessories ."
PIa ni.ne Board earinc -2- December 1, 1936
The following members of the Planning Board were present -
Ten
ss s . eor. ,a, , , c erson and I erruson. There were four people
nresent in regard to the bearing I.r. Calvin i. Childs, I..r.
John . Levine , Er , A . r,ustance and hr. boll Peterson. ?E,ir.
Ievinets stenorr nher as also present.
r Borden declared the hearing open and Ir. Dickerson,
acting as Ller-a, read the notice of hearing which had been
ibli_shed in the nvember 12th issue of the Lexington T, inute-
an and sent to The pronert- owners affected by the amendment .
r. Borneo explained that the eurpose of the hearing was to
bear 7 at citizens had to iresent either in favor or in oppo-
sition to the proposed amendments.
L_r . T . A . Custance stated that he was neither for or against
the amendments at the present time but was seeking information.
He askery if this plan had peen tried out in any other Town and
That the pnrnose of it was.
r. Borden renlied that it had not been tried out before
an eould annl,r at the nresent time to only the Cambridge-Concord
lurnpiire but later to the Lircumferential Highway and the Lowell
Turnpike . Such through highwErrs are designed to carry heavy
traffic and it is desirable to move that traffic through quickly
and rn ainst traffic danger . It is desirable to keep business
off high' -Ts of this 'rind because business causes frictions
and accidents because of stopping traffic . When a change is
made from an .1 Tistriet to a C.l District, it is hoped that
the petitioner will put up a filling station as petitioned for
but the Town, in later gears, cannot restrict the kind of
business to be carried on. Since the Town loses all future
control after a n .1 District is established , it is felt that
it would be desirable to have a restricted zone to meet this
unique trunk hi irra-*. If a man wants a filling station, he
will be granted a T.1 Zone under which he can run a filling
station but •ret he restricted to that, and if, at a later time ,
he wanted to chanFe to a C .l District , he would have to petition
over again. I_r . Borden stated that the Planning Board had put
the nuestion before the Town counsel and several planning experts
such as 7,r. ..artmen and ,,.r. .roodruff who both said it was an
ingenuous valr of meeting such matters and the general idea was
that it would stand.
Er uustanee stated that several people thought a filling
station was a gold mine and questioned whether the establishment
of a district of this kind might not make people think it would
be o^ si r to obtain the zoning change and have a station.
Er. Borden replied that the Planning Board had taken a
definite stand and wanted as few filling stations as possible,
and feels that is this policy is laid down it should not be
understood tnat these cnanges are going to be easier to get
than a C .1 .
Er. Custance stated that filling stations today did not
have the business they did ten years ago and wondered whether
the establishment of this zone would make it more attractive
for people to an' l'- for filling stations.
1-7 rr rv" ,oar' earn -3- December 1, 1936
i. r . Torden replied that the rlanning Board did not feel
that 7a,- hecpuse the-r stress their recommendation that all
business he kent at a minimum and as few filling stations as
rill serve t mown are permitted.
l.r. Galvin " . Uhilds stated that he felt as Lr. Custance
die tat if t lis neer zone ",as established it might invite more
anril-i_eati ons a d rossiblr the To'"'n L.oeting b embers might be
ore lenient in graltiop' changes thinking that they would be
for resoling stations only. He felt that if the zoning remain-
ed es it was end people had to aptly for C .1 changes, it would
be much nor difficult: to get filling stations . He asked what
fine items 1 end 2 in the last naregranh of the amendment meant.
.r . Borden informed him that tie business carried on in
T.] 11stricts 'onid_ be restricted to those listed in these items.
Tr. r'bi_ld s stated '-het he 'ras present to obtain informa-
tion about the T .1 t i stri ct as L r. Borden called him and asked
if ,e 7onld be ri 1] i ng to the from a C 1 District to a 7.]
r istrict and he wapted to learn more about the proposes amend-
ment .
mend-
ment .
:. v . For "uson stated that in talking with the average Town
eeting Member, he thinks -ie voted on the Childs ' petition to
sell -asoline only and does not know that the business is not
restricted to t at .
r. Childs stated tr.at i. r. 5or"den calleu and asked him
to restrict his nro 'ert,r to 7.1 District but he said he had
rot tel1ro i rite anyone about it, had got w tat he wanted and
would not discuss it .
:_r . Justance stated that in regard to dance halls and
hot dog stands, licenses had to be obtained under C .l Districts.
s. Borden informed. him t iat there was nothing to stop
them except the rules of the Board of Health. He said that
Lrs. titch had been anoroached by developers to put un a store
building and it was the feeling of the Board that a business
area should be back from this highway so it won't be dangerous.
n . Joint Levine reported that he was present to obtain
information 1-ecause he was very much interested in the project,
ti ed asked if the Concord BIp'hwa-. was the sole purpose of the
prop osed armndment
r.r . L3ol en replied that it is the only highway affected
now but the Board feels that glans should be laid out for use
on the Circumferential Hi hwa-- and the Lowell Turnpike because
the same nrohlems wi ] 1 core u ) when these other two roads are
rut tnrough . He reported that the Circumferential Highway is
being built un on each end and the Lowell Turnpike is all laid
out.
1r Devine stated that he had. called Mr. Wrightington in
regard to the matter and was informed that this proposed amend-
ment is to rive the Town opportunity to establish this amend-
ment s t ne-,r see fit . lie then asked if the article presented
at Town i. eetir_F was voted in the affirmative , would the Childst
petition be transferred to a T .1 District .
Er. Morden replied that a petitioner would have to
petition for a 7 .1 District just as he would for a C .1 District.
ilannin7 uor ,-d ri ari; r* -4- December 1, 1936
r Levine telt te if this amendment is made, it is
-oir_r* o be eas-- Jor any itizen to get a change from an h.l
to a T.1 ._ istrict . He also stated that if petitions were made,
t' ere wouldn 't he an-- sound arguments against it because the
area can be restricted to the sale of gasoline , etc . He said
that the reason L r . Childs did not agree to restrict himself
to a T.1 District is because a limitation is a sort of cloud
on his land .
Ir. iorden stated that the Board hoped and expected Mr .
(hurls to arrree to his development .
ID. Levine asked whether the Board would like to see a
string of filling stations rather than one or two business
pronerties there and Lr . Borden replied it is desired to keep
t _e filling stations at a minimum and the Town Meeting embers
'ili act upon teat advice . Ie. stated that when a person
petitions for a c__ange from an to a C .l District, the
reti'-ion_er mentions a fi-l.l.i.n- station or a tea room but when
t e neti ti on is acted loon at the Town Teeting, the Town Meet-
-T -Ig embers are not thin?;ing that if, at a later date , this
venture does not ma,,e good., some other undesirable business
ma-'r be started and no restrictions can be made .
T Devine stated that he thought it very hard to get
a cnan e to a u 1 istrict but feels that it will be easy to
get a change to a T.l District and that by presenting this
a endue-=nt, it i i*"i ting trouble for the Town. He further
si-a ed tirt e tb ol)! it t;-,e reason why the other two petitions
-ere turned down,after t e uhilds ' petition was granted, was
11/ because the o"!n Leeting L embers did not think they would carry
t e pre iect througe as P. r. Childs would.
r C'= farce asked 'tat was to be done with the petitions
that are to be voted on at the Town Lioeting the same time
tnis amendment is to be voted on
r. Borden replied that all the petitions being brought
un at the '- own ieeting have agreed to later change to a T.l
IIstrict .
r. r ezrire felt thr t if the Town keeting iembers refuse
tie net; tion^ "ter '; .1 c .anges, there is no need for this
nrorosed amendment because if the-- are going to refuse a C .l
c a roe , i- -,e- are Yoin to refuse a T.l change .
1r . i,or'en stated t_.at an-r stations that might be per-
mitted rill come under T 1 Districts that can be limited to
r,i_s i-pie ss prooert-, and it will not be used for anv other
h'isiness .
I . Levine as ed Lr. Borden if he thought a change on
t e hi rnr'av to a P.1 1-di strict would be less a menace than a
L .1 chance and LT L5orden replied that a T .1 District would
be a less menace from a traffic standpoint , and stated that
since the hilc. s' eet_tion was granted, there have been three
accid =pts at that intersection.
r . uhild_s stated that he thought the Town Meeting
I erbers -nes„ hat the- vote on.
Ir . nov Peterson stated that he did not wish to make a
stnterlert Js ee as pre:' ut to hear the discussions.
r. 3orden declared t ,e hearing closed at 9.45 i . L.
hespectfully submitted,
Clerk