HomeMy WebLinkAbout1937-12-271
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PLANNING BOARD MEETING
December 27, 1937
Present;- Messrs, Greeley, Kimball, Kraetzer, Ellis, Ferguson
and Nickerson.
Consideration was given to the Annual Report and a draft
copy read. Additions were suggested and a final copy is to
be placed with the members for final approval.
Failure of an advance request for the 1938 Budget
necessitated furnishing tentative figures in advance of this
meeting and last yearis budget was re -offered by the Clerk.
The Board voted to confirm this action.
The sub-committeeson Public Buildings and School House
locations are to actively pick up the study of school loca-
tions and point to their favorable recommendation on the
acquisition of the Barnes property.
The remainder of the evening was spent in reviewing
the activities of'the past year and a general discussion of
planning projects.
The meeting adjourned at 9;35 P. No
Respectfully submitted,
Clerk
REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD FOR 1937
' The Board consisted on Januar lst of Messrs. Borden
Chairman, Kimball, Clerk, Ellis, Ferguson, Nickerson and
Sellars.
During theyear Messrs. Sellars and Borden resigned and
Messrs. Greeley and Kraetzer were appointed to fill vacancies,
Mr. Greeley being elected Chairman.
The Board has held twenty-two formal meetings and seven
hearings during the year.
It has been consulted concerning the following develop-
ments, which it has studied and upon which it has made
recommendations to the owners or interested parties and the
Board of Survey: -
Highland Avenue Development
Waltham and Muzzey Street Connecting Road
Pollen Road Development
Hancock -Revere Street Development
Grassland (Marrett Road and Outlook Drive Neighbor-
hood
Massachusetts Avenue - Old County Road Development
' C-olonial Heights Development
Reed Street (near Bedford Street) Development
In many of these developments the owners sought the ad-
vice of the Board and followed such suggestions as it made,
especially in providing larger lot areas and frontages than
are at present required by the Town Zoning Laws. Public
opinion appears to indicate the need for revising the present
lot -minimum requirements and the Board has studied the problem
as applied to new lots, and plans to submit its recommendations
to the Annual Town Meeting. In this connection the Board is
preparing a lot and land 'use map to provide the necessary in-
formation required for an intelligent study of present con-
ditions and future needs.
The Board has continued its efforts to protect the
citizens against unwarranted increases in commercial zones,
although the citizens in Town Meeting have in some cases
failed of the two-thirds vote required to sustain the recom-
mendations.
The Boardts activity in this field has resulted, however,
in the adoption of a new type of throughway zone which permits
gasoline and oil service, but not other types of business.
An increased safety zone at the intersection of Woburn and
' Lowell Streets has also been worked out co-operatively with
the owners in connection with permission granted by the Town
to increase the depth of part of the existing commercial zone.
The Board has sponsored,.upon request of a number of
residents, the changing of a considerable tract of land from
a manufacturing to a residential zone. It has supervised a
revision of the Zoning Bir -Law and Map and'the preparation
of a display map for use at Town Meetings. It came to a com-
plete agreement with the Board of Selectmen in the matter
of the new enabling act for Town planning (Chap. 211) and
cooperated with them in placing an advance joint recommenda-
tion in the hands of the Town Meeting Members advising the
adoption of those sections which give the Town through its
Board of Survey, further control in the new streets and sub-
division layouts.
The Board reoognizes that future orderly and economical
development of the Town requires a comprehensive plan of
future street and land use layouts and expects to direct
its efforts, at an early date, toward the necessary preliminary
work.
The Board has no administrative powers, nor does it seek
for such. It was created however, to assist the citizens in
solving Town problems and can function to the best advantage
only if the citizens and civic groups confer and advise with
the Board on these problems. Groups of citizens organised
for civic purposes, such as the West Lexington improvement
Association, can be of inestimable value to the Towne progress '
and will find the Board ready at all times to cooperate with
them. Wisdom cannot be delegated to the members of a Board
by vote at election time, but it can be developed and shared
with them in advice and council.
There are serious problems to be met in the immediate
future that affect (1) our ability to compete with neighbor-
ing towns in what we offer to desirable newcomers, (2) our
success in keeping thecitizenswe have and satisfying their
expectations, and even (3) our ability to continue to pay
our bills and remain solvent as a towho
With the aid of interested citizens in every part of the
Town, the Board can and will continue hopefully to undertake
the solution of the major planning problems of the community.
W. R. Greeley (s)
Edward W. Kimball (s)
E. G. Kraetzer (a)
Lester F. Ellis (a)
Clem H. Ferguson (a)
Donald B. Nickerson (a) '