HomeMy WebLinkAbout1955-10-171
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PLANNING BOARD MEETING
October 17; 1955
A regular meeting of the Planning Board was held
in the Town Engineer►s Room, Town Office Building, on
Monday, October 17, 1955 at 7:35 P•M, Messrs. Grindle,
Hathaway Irwin and Jaquith were present as were Mr.
Snow, Planning Director, and the secretery. Mr. Abbott
and Chairman Adams were present later.
Mr. Hathaway moved,,Mr. Grindle seconded the motion
and it was unanimously
VOTED: that Mr. Irwin be -temporary chairman.
Mr. Grindle moved, Mr. Hathaway seconded the motion
and it was unanimously
MINUTES OF
(VOTED: that the minutes of the meeting of August AUGUST 8
8,1955 be approved.
Received from Spaulding -Moss Co. was an estimate STREET MAPS
of $30 for 300 copies, $50 for 500 copies of a reprint
of the map and street guide recently used by the Lex-
ington Fireman►s Benefit Association at its annual
ball. Mr. Snow•stated that the Association had no objec-
tion to the sale of the map if the notation regarding
its entertainment were removed before reprinting. It
was decided that 20 would be a fair price for the map,
that they be_abld throught the Selectmen's Office if
that Board was so willing and that enough copies be set
abide to give to the high school students who used them
for class work. Mr. Snow was authorized to determine
if the Selectmen were agreeable to the sale of the maps
and, if so, to order 500 copies.
The Board took under consideration the following FORMS A
Form A applications for determination of planning
board jurisdiction:
#55-78, submitted on October lb, 1955 by Paul
M. Wagner, Jr; tracing entitled *Plan of Land in
Lexington, Mass.," Scale 1"' = hot, dated Oct. 42
1955, Miller and Nylander, C. E.►s & Surveyors,
Lexington, Mass.
#55-79, submitted on October lh, 1955 by Martha
Yntas; tracing entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington,
mass.,"Scale of 30 feet to an inch, dated Septem-
ber 7, 1955, James B. Bonahan,,Registered Land Sur-
veyor, 70 Pond Street, Billerica, Mass. (Being Lots
Shown on Plan "East Lexington Farms % Middlesex
South Registry of Deeds, Plan Book 317, Plan 42.)
Re; The First 06ngregational Society -
Petition for Open -Air Parking Lot
Gentlemen:
The Lexington Planning Board at its last three meetings
has discussed the petition of the above religious organi-
sation for a permit under Section 5(a) 7(f) of the
Lexington Zoning By-law to construct an open-air pkrking
lot on its recently acquired property located at the
corner of Harrington Road and Bedford Street. At the
meeting held on Monday night, October 17, 1955,'the
Board voted that the following written statement be pre-
sented to the Board of Appeals at the hearing to be held '
on this matter on Tuesday, October 18, 1955• (Mr. Alan
G.' Adams was not present when this vote was taken.)
After checking the tracings with maps on file:
in the Town Engineerts Office, it was moved by Mr.
Hathaway, seconded by Mr. Grindle and unanimously
VOTED: that the plans accompanying applica-
tions #55-78 and #55-79 be signed
bearing the endorsement "Lexington
Planning Board approval not required
under subdivision control law".
BOARD OF
Mr. Jaquith presented to the Board'for,its con -
APPEALS
sideration a draft of a letter to be given to the
,HEARING RE
Board of Appeals at the October 18, 1955 hearing on
FIRST PARISH
the petition of the First Congregational Society for
CHURCH
permission to construct an open air parking lot.
After discussion it was moved by_.Mr« Grindle, secon-
ded by Mr. Hathaway and
VOTED: that the letter be delivered to the Board
of Appeals in the form presented and that
a copy of the letter be included in the
records of this meeting.
October 17, 1955
Board of Appeals
Town of Lexington
Lexington 73, mass.
Re; The First 06ngregational Society -
Petition for Open -Air Parking Lot
Gentlemen:
The Lexington Planning Board at its last three meetings
has discussed the petition of the above religious organi-
sation for a permit under Section 5(a) 7(f) of the
Lexington Zoning By-law to construct an open-air pkrking
lot on its recently acquired property located at the
corner of Harrington Road and Bedford Street. At the
meeting held on Monday night, October 17, 1955,'the
Board voted that the following written statement be pre-
sented to the Board of Appeals at the hearing to be held '
on this matter on Tuesday, October 18, 1955• (Mr. Alan
G.' Adams was not present when this vote was taken.)
' The Planning Board approves the use by The First Con-
gregational Society of the rear portion of the land In-
volved for an open-air off-street parking loti and wishes
to be recorded in favor of granting a permit for this
purpose. The position of the Board in this matter is
consistent with the policy followed by the Board in re-
cent years in connection with parking problems. On
several occasions in the past the Board has recommended
to town meeting members and the citizens of the town
that action be taken to provide for off-street parking
and the Bpard's recommendations have been consistently
adopted.
The Board is of the opinion that if this parking lot is
constructed, it will assist materially in improving
traffic conditions on the streets adjacent to the Village
Green. Traffic problems in this area have increased sub-
stantially in recent years due both to the growth in the
number of vehicles owned in the town and the growth in
the number of vehicles passing through the town from
other localities. The problems are particularly acute
on Sunday mornings because of the large church attendance
in the three churches in this area, Additional off=
' st:reet-parking space should assist in promoting better
traffic flow.and alleviate some of the hazards which now
exist.
In connection with the proposed parking lot, the Board
has considered the desirability of providing access to
the parking lot from either Harrington Road or Bedford
Street, or from both of these public ways. The Board
recognizes that whichever of the above means of access
is used, some new traffic problems will be created.
However, the Board believes that these problems can be
more easily solved if the permitted means of access is
limited to a driveway from Bedford Street and no vehicle
access is permitted from Harrington Road. The new by-
pass street, Worthen Road, when completed will tend to
improve conditions on Bedford Street so that the Bedford
Street access is now feasible.
Although the Board favors the parkirg lot, it wishes to
be recorded as opposed to a driveway to the parking lot
from Harrington Road for an additional and perhaps more
important reason than that stated in the previous para-
graph. If a driveway should be constructed from Harring-
ton Road, it would tend to injure the present appearance
of the area immediately surrounding the Village Green,
The Board is of the opinion that it is highly desirable
for the town to follow as a town policy the idea of pre-
serving the present appearance, insofar as practical, '
of the historical areas of the town such as the Village
Green and adjacent areas. The application of this
policy to the parking lot in question by not permitting
a driveway from Harrington Road would preserve the
present status of the area involved and would not
seriously reduce the value of the parking lot itself.
The Board sees no objection to the construction of a
walk for pedestrian traffic from the parking lot to
Harrington Road, since such a walk could be constructed
and screened in a manner which would not essentially
change the appearance of the land involved.
Respectfully submitted
LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD
Chairman Pro 'Tempore
Mr. Abbott arrived at the meeting at 8:30 P.M.
Mr. Irwin next read to the Board a letter from
FLINTLOCK Mr. Dixon, lawyer for DiCarlo Bros. Inc., creditors ,
RIDGE, SEC. 3 of Universal Development Corp. requesting information
on the procedure to follow in determining the status
and in obtaining approval of the subdivision known as
"Flintlock Ridge, Section Three", Mr. Snow stated
that a copy of the letter, dated October 10, IL9559
had been sent to the Town Counsel for his information.
It was determined that the Board did not have the
original tracings of this subdivision. Mr. Snow
was asked to prepare a summary of the minutes in
regard to this subdivision for the Board's considera-
tion at its next meeting.
Messrs. Sanborn Brown, Jack Carrig and George
CAPITAL Goddard of the Capital Expenditures Committee met
EXPENDITURES with the Board at 9:00 -P.M.
COMMITTEE Mr. Adams arrived at the meeting at 9:05 and
assumed chairmanship.
In showing copies of its last year's report, the
Committee stated that their position was one of try-
ing to determine what capital expenditures it will be
necessary for the Town to make in the next five 3e ars
and of obtaining from the various Town agencies any
estimates of costs of capital outlay these bodies
planned to recommend.
The Board next took under consideration subdivision
plans of Section Ten of Sun Valley. These being in order
' and a bond in proper form having been filed with the
Board, it was moved by Mr. Jaquith, seconded by Mr. SUN VALLEY
Abbott and unanimously SEC. 10
VOTED: That the definitive subdivision plan en-
titled "Section Ten of Sun Valley, Lex-
ington, Kass*, Owned by DeVries Construc-
tion Co., Inc.," dated August 4, 1955, which
was submitted to the Board by DeVries Con-
struction Co., Inc. on September 26, 19559
accompanied by an application for approval
of definitive plan, Form C. dated September
26, 19559 be and hereby is approved,
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M.
Charles T.
Clerk
N
Abbott
The Board pointed out in the discussion which fol-
lowed that it had made a start on advance planning with
the assistance of Mr. Snow and that at the moment it was
concentrating on a park and recreation plan in relation
to possible future school sites. This plan would pro-
bably be ready by the March town meeting and include
recommendations for land acquisition but that the Board
was not prepared to make any other recommendations for
capital expenditures at this time. It was further stated
that the Hayden bequest for recreational facilities for
the benefit of Lexington would not be given directly to
the Town,.would remain in the hands of and be administered
by a private corporation, and that the estate probably
would not be settled for at least a year.
In regard to roads and sewers, the Board mentioned
several projects which had been considered for a num-
ber of years. However, it recommended to the Committee
that it discuss the immediate need of roads with the
Superintendent of Public Works and the areas where
trunk sewers were most needed with the Board of Health.
The Committee left the meeting at 9:50.
The Board next took under consideration subdivision
plans of Section Ten of Sun Valley. These being in order
' and a bond in proper form having been filed with the
Board, it was moved by Mr. Jaquith, seconded by Mr. SUN VALLEY
Abbott and unanimously SEC. 10
VOTED: That the definitive subdivision plan en-
titled "Section Ten of Sun Valley, Lex-
ington, Kass*, Owned by DeVries Construc-
tion Co., Inc.," dated August 4, 1955, which
was submitted to the Board by DeVries Con-
struction Co., Inc. on September 26, 19559
accompanied by an application for approval
of definitive plan, Form C. dated September
26, 19559 be and hereby is approved,
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M.
Charles T.
Clerk
N
Abbott