HomeMy WebLinkAbout1955-09-26PLANNING BOARD MEETING
September 26, 1955
A regular meeting of the Planning Board was held in
the Town Engineer's Room Town Office Building, on Monday,
September 26, 1955 at 7:40 P.M. Chairman Adams, Messrs.
Abbott, Grindle, Hathaway, Irwin and Jaquith were present.
as were also Mr. Snow, Planning Director, and Mr. Stevens,
Town Counsel.
j The Chairman raised the point that the minutes of
the meetings from March 17, 1955 to June 25, 1955 had
rjot been.signed in their final form for the rdcord MINUTES
book. It was voted unanimously that they be turned
over to the, clerk, Mr. Abbott, for checking and sig-
natures.
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Mr. Abbott read the following bills which had
been presented for payment* Anne H. Milliken, sec-
retarial services for meetings of Sept. 12 and 19 -
$10.00; Foto -Beam, Inc., white prints - $6.76, and
Office supplies - $1.20. Mr. Irwin -moved, Mr. Grindle
seconded the motion and it was unanimously voted that
the bills be approved as read.
At 7:50 P.M. the Board took under consideration
a rough draft of its second memorandum which was con-
cerned Lith a review of the subdivison development
during 1,955• It was decided to incorper ate a number
of minor additions in the memorandum and to send it,
together with a mimeographed copy of Memorandum No.
1, to all Town Meeting Members. Mr. Abbott moved,
Mr. Hathaway seconded the motion and it was unani-
mously voted that Memorandum No. 2 be approved.
BILLS
MEMORANDUM
N0, 2
At 8:05 P.M. Mr, George DeVries met with the Board SUN VALLEY
to submit Form C applications and plans for the defini- SECTIONS
tive approval of Sections 10, 11 and 12 of the Sun 10, 11 AND
Valley subdivision. The relationship of these pro- 12
posed sections to the overall scheme was discussed.
Mr. Stevens arrived at -the meeting at 8:15 F.M.
The applications being in proper
moved by Mr. Jaquith, seconded by Mr.
animously voted that public hearings
tober 10, 1955, the hearings on Sec.
and Sec. 12 to be held at 8:00, 8:10,
respectively.
order it was
Irwin and un -
be held on Oc-
10, Sec. 11
and 8:20 P.M.,
FORMS A
The Board took under consideration next Form A
Application
#55-73, submitted on Sept. 260 1.955 by William
H, & Effie S. Lyon, tracing entitled "Plan of Land
in Lexington, Mass.", Scale:_ 40 feet to an inch,
August 5,19550 Robert H. Dunning, Surveying &
Drafting, 2 Dow Ave., Arlington, Mass.
This was the same tracing previously submitted
with Application #55-67, After the Planning Board
had endorsed said tracing, Mr. Lyon found an error
in the title.reference as lettered on the tracing.
Rather than go to the expense of having the entire
plan redrawn, he had the reference corrected and sub -
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Mr. DeVries left the meeting at 8:20 P.M.
The Board next took under consideration a copy
MINUTEMAN
of a letter addressed to the Town Clerk, given to
HIGHLANDS
Mr. Snow by Mr. Carrig's attorney, Mr. Daley, on
SEC.IV
September 20, 1955, dated September , 1955, written
on Mr. DaleyTs letterhead and signed by James A.
Carrig. The letter which the Chairman read to the
Board requested that the Town Clerk issue a certi-
ficate stating that the subdivision plans for Minute-
man Highlands, Sec. 4 had been duly submitted to the
Planning Board, and that the plans were officially
approved because the Board failed to act upon them
within the required length'of time. The letter also
requested that the plans be returned to Mr. Carrig.
Mr. Stevens took the letter stating that he would
have a copy made of it to send the Board.
LEDGELAWN AVE.
The Board next took note of the fact that the
EXTENSION
subdivision plans connecting the two developed sec-
tions of Ledgelawn Avenue did not have the drainage
easement shown with proper bearings and distances
for conveyance to the Town. It was decided to refer
the matter to Mr, Stevens to. discuss with the attorney
for Dianne Estates, Inc.
Consideration was given to the lotting plan for
which Middleby Realty Trust wished an Informal op-
VIDDLEBY
inion. Some of the proposed lotting along Middleby
REALTY TRUST
Road being across the Vine Brook easement, the Board
had obtained from the Registry copies of -the ease-
ments from Middleby Road to the old reservoir property.
Upon examination of�these records it was determined
that the Town has a right of way for purposes of pub-
lic travel, water and sewer. Mr. Stevens did not -feel
that it would do the Town any.harm for the Board to
sign the tracing when an application was submitted.
FORMS A
The Board took under consideration next Form A
Application
#55-73, submitted on Sept. 260 1.955 by William
H, & Effie S. Lyon, tracing entitled "Plan of Land
in Lexington, Mass.", Scale:_ 40 feet to an inch,
August 5,19550 Robert H. Dunning, Surveying &
Drafting, 2 Dow Ave., Arlington, Mass.
This was the same tracing previously submitted
with Application #55-67, After the Planning Board
had endorsed said tracing, Mr. Lyon found an error
in the title.reference as lettered on the tracing.
Rather than go to the expense of having the entire
plan redrawn, he had the reference corrected and sub -
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C�
mitted`_it again to the Board as a new Application
#55-73. In view of these circumstances it was moved
by Mr. Grindle, seconded by Mr. Hathaway and unani-
mously
VOTED: that the vote to endorse the tracing
accompanying Application #55-67 be
rescinded.
Then Mr. Irwin moved, Mr. Abbott seconded the
motion and it was unanimously
VOTED: that the tracing accompanying Appli-
cation #55-73 be signed bearing the
endorsement "Lexington Planning Board
approval not required under subdivision
control law".
The Board discussed with Mr. Stevens the proposal
of the First Parish Church to construct a parking area
behind its parsonage. Mr. Stevens advised the Board
to give the matter of a driveway entrance serious study
not only in regard to traffic problems but also in re-
lation to the Battle Green. It was pointed out that any
proposed legislation for the preservation of the area
around the green would have to be filed before the first
Monday in December.
Mr. Stevens left the meeting at 9:25 P.M. at which
time the Board discussed the matter of legislation for
the preservation of historical areas in Lexington. It
was pointed out that the Massachusetts Supreme Court
had given an opinion that such legislation for Boston
.sand Nantucket was constitutional, the idea being to
create commissions to control the external character of
historical areas. The Board noted that control is ob-
tained through the approval of plans and the issuing of
certificates of appropriateness but that matters such as
the composition of a commission, the appointing author-
ity and appeal body wou14 have to be considered, like-
wise a plan indicating what land and buildings would be
involved.
It was decided that before the Board attempted to
draft legislation of this kind for Lexington that Mr.
Jaquith would outline the two Acts which had already
been accepted and the I;eneral procedure to follow, the
Board dividing into three groups to study the various
problems involved: one group to recommend the areas
and buildings to be included, a second group to study
FIRST PARISH
CHURCH
PARSING
HISTORICAL
AREA
PRESERVATION
the question of authority and the third to outline '
procedure for introducing the bill.
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M.
Charles T. Abbott
Clerk
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