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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1955-10-171 1 F] 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