HomeMy WebLinkAbout1951-12-17 PLANNING BOARD MEETING
Nbnday,December 17,1951
Present: Adams, Caouette, Irwin, Potter, Ripley
Meeting opened at 7:45 p.m.
Bills
Bill presented by Hampshire Press, printing and binding 2 M copies
'Zoning By-laws, $243.00. Unanimously voted the bill be paid upon delivery
of the By-laws. Bill presented by Louise M. Baker, secretarial service
December 3 and 17, $10. Unanimously voted the bill be paid.
Mr. Bieren
Mr. Bieren appeared for advice as to possibility of building on lot in
rear of lot on Bedford street on which he now has a house. As this lot has
no frontage on an accepted street was advised he must construct one in order
to build It was suggested that he try to interest Parker School in the
project as the approach to the school could be used as a basis for this
street and thus benefit both parties.
Articles for warrant
It was moved by Mr. Potter, seconded by Mr. Caouette, that the Board of
Selectmen be instructed to submit an article in the warrant to appoint a
committee to study an enlargement of the Town Office Building with a view
to increasing office space. So voted.
.Also for the warrant should be an article for change of zone to restore
to C-1 the property of Mr. Lima at corner of Waltham Street and Concord Ave.;
to change to C-1 property on Waltham Street o Vine Brook Road belonging to
Peter Zitso and Arts & Crafts Society; and an article to correct the error
in description of property of John A. Sellars on corner of Concord Ave.
Carrig
Mr. James Carrig appeared for tentative approval of subdivision of por-
tion of land of Minute Man Golf Course between Concord Ave. and Concord Turn-
pike. Mr. Caouette moved and Mr. Ripley seconded that tentative approval of
the plan es laid out be given with the understanding that set-back restric-
tion on Lots 1 and 15 on Wellington Lane be not less than 25' . Unanimously
voted.
Gail Smith
Mr. Gail Smith of 170 Wood street appeared for information as to whether
he could convert single buildings now existing on Wood street into 4-apt.
buildings. Was advised that they did hot have the required frontage; and that
it would also create spot-zoning. Suggested he apply for building permit and
then go before the Board of Appeals.
Peacock Farm
Mr. Compton and Mr. Mason appeared for tentative approval on pre- IIIliminary plan for portion of Peacock Farm subdivision. Moved by Mr. Caouette
and seconded by Mr. Irwin that tentative approval be given. So voted.
Meeting adjourned at 10 o'clock.
,_.„(2)0-4,C)A-
A.S. aouette,
Clerk
1
IIIb
PLANNING BOARD
Annual Report for 1951
The statistical record for 1951 is as follows:
Regular and special meetings 28
Conferences with subdividers 29
Public Hearings 3
Conferences with other Town Boards 3
Conferences with other Planning Boards 1
With the adoption by the Town of the new 'Zoning By-laws late in 1950
and their approval by the Attorney General in the first months of 1951, the
major project of the Planning Board ter the past three years has been com-
pleted. Its effects upon the town is too early to determine, but a decline
in the number of subdivision applications is noted. This latter occurrence
of course may well have been due to nation-wide economic conditions.
Several projects previously held in abeyance until time was available
have been taken up this year. Particular attention was given to the prob-
lem of off-street parking in the business area of Lexington Center and the
first step - the construction of so-called "Edison lay" - was finally
approved by the Planning Board. This took several conferences with the
Board of Selectmen and others concerned, and it is believed this solution
will be of great assistance in providing free parking on the easterly side
of Massachusetts avenue between the Edison Company sub-station and Depot
Square. Briefly, the project involves the construction of Edison ley
parallel to the railroad track with a black topping of adjacent land in the
rear of the stores in cooperation with property owners. It was also recom-
mended that a small free parking area be constructed by the town on land
presently owned by the municipality on Clark street adjacent to the Cary
Memorial Library.
Another problem that arose in 1951 was the extension of gravel pita
and areas involving the stripping of loam. In cooperation with Town
Counsel and the Board of Selectmen efforts were made successfully to stop
several cases and to work out reasonable solutions for others.
Considerable time was given to the discussion of the proposed laying-
out of important intra-town highways which would be unlikely to be con-
structed by subdividers. The Planning Board voted to recommend to the
Town that negotiations be opened to secure the land for the proposed roads
while it was available at little or no cost. Construction could be done
when the situation became more urgent. An important new road connecting
the Town of Winchester and Lexington was approved and members of the Plan-
ning Board appeared at a Hearing held before the Middlesex County Commis-
sioners urging that they lay out this new road as a county highway.
' The number of subdivision applications were less this year than pre-
viously. The only major one that came in for definitive approval was that
known as "Five Fields" located on the old Cutler Parm on Concord Avenue.
Construction on this subdivision is well under way and application for ex-
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tension will probably take place in 1952. It is possible that the period
of rapid expansion which tapered off in 1951 may be resumed in even greater
force in 1952 than has ever occurred previously.
The major development of the year, however, was the decision of
the Federal Government to establish near the Bedford Airport and partly in
Lexington the Air Fbrce Research Center. It is located near the end of
flood street and will eventne ly involve the expenditure of well over
$20,000,000. Many hundreds of persons will be employed there and it is
certain that a considerable number of these will wish to live near the
Center. With this in mind, a joint meeting of the Planning Boards of Lex-
ington, Bedford, Lincoln, and Concord was held. Several conferences were
also held with representatives of the U.S.Army engineers who are directly
in charge of the project. dt the present time definite information on num-
bers of employees and other pertinent data is not yet available. However,
the Planning Board has devoted much study to the situation and is trying
to be prepared with reasonable solutions for whatever problems finally
occur. It is quite certain that this Center will have a major effect on
Lexington's future development.
In keeping with the policy of previous years, the population map has
been kept up-to-date semi-annually.
March of 1951 marked the retirement from the Board of Chairman Richard
P. Cromwell who devoted many years of his time to Planning work in Lexing-
ton. His services in the preparation and presentation of the new Boning
by-laws were outstanding, and he deserves a vote of thanks from every citizen
of the Town.
The Board owes much also for the assistance rendered them by William
M. Burns, Superintendent of Public Works and Town Engineer, and Harold E.
Stevens, Town Counsel.
Respectfully submitted,
CSC 2C-POL44. ,
Chairman
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