Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1956-02-06PLANNING BOARD MEETING February 6, 1956 A regular meeting of the Planning Board was held in the Town Engineerts Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, February 6, 1956 at 7:40 P.M. Chairman Adams, Messrs, Abbott, Hathaway, Irwin and Jaquith were present. Mr. Snow, Planning Director, and the secre- tary were also present. Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, was present from 8:55 P.M. to 9:20 P.M. The Chairman read the following bills presented for payment; GBC Sales & Service, 1,000 binding ele- BILLS ments,for Zoning B7 -laws, $63.15; H. B. McArdle, 1 box file folders, ,50; Spaulding -Moss Company, Zon- ing map materials, §33 00; John C. Lichtenberg, re- vision of Zoning mai., 116.00; Anne H. Milliken, sec- retarial services, 5.00. It was moved by Mr. Hathaway, seconded by Mr. Jaquith and unanimously voted that the bills be ap- proved as read. The minutes of the meeting of January 30, 1956 were taken under consideration. After some minor MINUTES OF corrections had been made,.it was moved by Mr. Irwin, JAN. 30, 1956 seconded by Mr. Abbott and unanimously voted that the minutes be approved. The previously received notices were reviewed BOARD OF and additional ones read by the Chairman for the Board APPEALS of Appeals hearings to be held on February 16, 1956. NOTICES It was decided to write the Board in regard to the following matters: a) Petition of Ralph D. Prain for a variance to subd ivide a parcel of land - that in the opinion of the Planning Board this proposal is a subdivision as set forth under Sec. 81-L., Chap. 41 of the General Laws, Lot "B' as shown on the Prain proposal requiring pro- vision for a way to furnish access for vehicular traf- fic to said lot. b) Petition of -:Joseph Monsignors for permission to remove gravel and fill from Lot B*7 on Laconia Street to Dana and Foster Roads - that it is presu#ed ' that the gravel and fill is intended to be used for road fill in a subdivision approved by the Planning ' Board and for which said Board holds a conditional approval contract, that the Board will not release the subdivider from this contract until said Board receives from the Superintendent of Public Works a certificate stating that the ways have been con- structed to town specifications, and suggesting that if the Board of Appeals grants the petition that both the petitioner and subdivider be notified that the grant by Board of Appeals does not constitute -accep- tance by the Superintend.of Public Works of material for either fill or gravel base. c) PetitionofAntonio Busa and others for variances to maintain dwellings with less setback than required - that the Planning Board is distNbed about the increasing number of these petitions coming be- fore the Board of Appeals, that the Planning Board has grave doubts that enough attention is being paid to set back and yard requirements as set forth in the Lexington Zoning By-law and that continuing non-com- pliance with these requirements is defeating the pur- pose of said By-law. It was decided to hold on February 20, 1956 at ' PUBLIC HEARING 8:00 P.M. a public hearing on the question of chang- ing the names of certain unaccepted streets as will STREET NAME be set forth in the Warrant for the Town Meeting to CHANGES be held on March 19, 1.956. In regard to the necessity of holding public hearings on proposed historic districts legislation, for PROPOSED which an article was also to appear on the Town Har - HISTORIC rant, it was decided to hold two hearings at 8:00 DISTRICTS P.M. in Estabrook Hall, the first to be held on HEARINGS March 8 with property owners in the proposed districts and the second to be held on March 15 for town meeting members and all other interested parties. At 8:10 PM. Mr. Nylander, civil engineer, and TECHBUILT, INC. Messrs, Diehl, Douglass and Sullivan of Techbuilt,: MIDDLE RIDGE Inc. met with the Board to discuss a•preliminary plan for the development of the corporation's en- tire tract known as Middle Ridge and located between Robinson Road and the Burlington town line. Mr. Sullivan stated, that it was desired to develop the tract into about 140 house lots in four stages: the first step being the 26 -lot plan already approved; the second, the addition of another section of 37 lots.; the third step developing the remaining land as far- ' ' as "'Mountain Roadie and the fourth, continuing across said road and connecting with the Watson Realty Trust property off Grove Street. It -was pointed out that the corporation's pro- posal to develop next the 37 -lot section would mean that there would be 63 lots with only one means of egress and that the BDard.would not approve such an arrangement. It was also noted that there was about the same length of road in the proposed second section as there would be in connecting DeMa.r Road with the Watson development and so having a second egress for the Middle Ridge subdivision,. The Board suggested that Techbuilt prepare a definitive plan for their numbered third. and fourth sections so that there would be a second egress the Board would recognize, present- ing the plan for approval and being prepared.to file a bond as security for the work to be done. Techbuilt indicated it would do this and that it had begun negotiations with Mr. Watson for a parcel of his land in exchange for granting him rights to empty street drains onto its land. Representatives of Tech - built also stated that its counsel and the Boston Edison Company both state that the corporation has a right to go under Edison's transmission line with a road, that Edison can run a transmission line over, under or on its easement but do not intend to run power across the surface of the ground. The Board suggested that there be a recreation area within the boundaries of Techbuilt's property. Mr. Nylander stated that there was land within the tract mear the power line which could be used for a recreation area. The Board likewise called to the Techbuilt rep- resentatives' attention that the Board of Selectmen had been waiting for some word from the corporation that it was willing to lay a sewer in the section of Middle Ridge already approved if the Town laid a trunk line sewer to the area. Mr. Sullivan stated that if the Town could do this in time so that Techbuilt would not have to install septic tanks in the present house dots, that the corporation was interested in the Town's proposition. However, it was pointed out that Tech - built had sold some lots already and did not have ease- -ments from these lot owners for the laying of a sewer. Mr. Stevens arrived at 8:55 at which time Messrs. Diehl, Douglas, Nylander and Sullivan left the meeting. TECHBUI LT. INC MIDDLE RIDGE WATSON REALTY The Board signed a Certificate of Approval which Mr. Stevens had prepared to file in the Land , TRUST SUBDIVI- Registration Office together with the plan of SIONF L.C. Watson Realty Trust's development entitled "Sub - #'59829 division Plan of Land Court Case No. 5982'E", Mr. Stevens stated that the Land Court had assigned Lots 1 through 4 the numbers 20 through 23, respec- tively and Land Court Cert, No. 813 to the parcel of 1 land at the end of Gould Road and marked."'Reserved for future street". The Board endorsed the plan and re- quested Mr. Snow to make the necessary minor changes on the plans before giving them to Mr. Stevens for re- cording and registering, When the plan is placed on record Mr. Stevens is to obtain a grant from Watson: for utilities and the necessary easements. POSSIBLE ZONING Mr. Stevens left the meeting at 9:20 P.M. at which CHANGE NEAR time Messrs. Gordon McLain, Clarence Woodman, Robert ROUTES 2 AND Woodworth and Austin Fisher met with the Board con - 128 cerning a research firm interested in erecting a large building in the general area of Lexington. It was un- derstood that the first three gentlemen represented - Walter Channing, Inc., realtors. Mr. Fisher intro-- duced himself as representing the firm to which he had recommended locating in Lexington explaining to the. firm the situation in regard to the Town's zoning. He ' stated that he thought the firm was of sufficient size and importance to interest Lexington in making a rapid= fire zoning change and wanted to obtain an impression from the Board in regard to this possibility as he had to make a decision in the very near future. Mr. Fisher said he thought that two sites were quite suitable, the Swenson property on Routes 2 and 128 being con- sidered a little larger than needed and the Seabury land on Route 128 somewhat smaller. He stated that the company desired a 50 -acre tract so that if the land of the Pine Hill Turkey Farm could be added to that of Seabury, the combined tracts would serve the firm's needs. However, he said that there was a dis- advantage to this location in that two sets of nego- tiations would have to be undertaken to obtain the land needed. Mr. Raymond James, member of the Board of Select- men, arrived at 9:25 to take part in the conference. Mr. Fisher stated that his client is a manufactutc- Ing organization, has manufacturing p;ants in many parts of the country, and is developing a research and de- velopment organization of some magnitude. The particu- lar project for which the organization desires a site is that of long range missiles. The U. S. Government ' is sponsoring this kind of activity and letters could be obtained from senators and various officials con- cerning the matter. Mr. Fisher said that the par- ticular phase of such operations in which his client is to be engaged was in two pacts, either or both of which might be brought to Lexington if the Town sees fit to accept them. One is a basic research operation which will engage 600 to 800 people - scientists, tech- nicians and advanced engineers - utilizing 200,000 sqs ft. of spaee. The firm is associated with M.I.T. which could handle this operation if it had the facilities for such work. The second part of the operation, Mr. Fisher con- tinued, would be in an advanced machine shop which would employ 900 engineers and .skilled technicians - precision workers of all kinds. For purposes of the Board's consideration it was stated that both pro- jects might be brought together, the plant possibly being open 24 hours a day. However, nothing would be produced in quantity. Long range missiles would be assembled a great many miles from Lexington. There would be no smoke, waste, chemicals or dumping matter. There would be some use of hydrogen but it would be surrounded with the proper precautions so that it would not be a menace. ' It was noted that hydrogen was explosive. Mr. James pointed out that if stored and used in accor- dance with standards of the National Board of Fire Underwriters that hydrogen was perfectly safe adding that the company with whom he worked had used it for 50 years and never had any trouble with it. Mr. Fisher further stated that his clients re- quirements were such that it was willing to by-pass a railroad, that there would be no great transportation of materials to or from the building, that there was no objection to locating near an airfield like Hanscom Air Base and that the company might utilize the airport for transportation facilities. He also added that one of the reasons for being interested in the Seabury and Swenson properties was an aesthetic consideration, that they were in a residentill zone and that the company would like a small university atmosphere for its work. He thought that the proposed facility would cost be- tween 2 and 5 million dollars, that the company wanted to start breaking ground, in Spring or even late Winter, partial occupancy being in early Summer and full occu- pancy in early Winter. Mr. Fisher said that speed in carrying the proposal was of conside*able importance to the company. The Chairman and members of the Board brought the problems of scheduling a rezoning change stating that the warrant for a town meeting must be delivered February 1, that the Planning Board must hold a public hearing on the rezoning article 25 days prior to the meeting, in order to make a recommen- dation on said article, that a warrant for a special meeting could be issued for the 19th or 26th of March but that any information Mr. Fisher had to assemble could not be submitted later than March 1. It was also pointed out that even though a change in zoning technically only involves the use of land, that"a company such as Mr. Fisher's client must have plans to sell the project, that regardless of feelings of the Selectmen and Planning Board there is a con- siderable amount of selling to be done and that what the public was most concerned about was general ap- pearance. The question was raised in regard to what might become of the remaining land if the com- pany only desired part of it, that the rest of the land might be undesirable for residential use and bhat it might be better if the company purchased within the boundaries of the adjoining roads the whole area in which it was interested. Mr. Fisher said that he hoped the Board would give some impression of the possibilities of a re- zoning change at the conclusion of the discussion, that his client would be in a position to make a ' manifestation of good faith after representatives of the company had seen and approved the site, that he was certain they could come to a decision by March 1 and that they could have prepared some ele- vations and other drawings which might not be exactly what will be finally built but which were all that could be prepared in such a hurry. The Board suggested, the establishment of a new type of sone such as one for research or limited commercial use rather than for light manufacturing. It was pointed out that the Board had had poor luck in trying to interest the town in zoning for light manufacturing, that it is the new residents who arer dead set against commercial development and that it might be considerably easier to sell a different type of zoning. Mr. Fisher stated that he did not know what effect such a limitation such as a research.zone would have on his client, that the company might want to dispose of its holdings after 20 years or so, and that such a limitation might out down on the saleability of the property. He said, however, that he would askJ the company fon its views in regard to the matter. The Chairman reported the Board has been on ' ' record as being in favor of a proposal such as pre- sented and asked the Board for an expression of opinion. Mr. James said that his personal opinion was favorable tuvard the proposition but that he could not speak for the Board of Selectmen. Messrs. Irwin and Hathaway were both favorably inclined toward the proposition, Mr. Jaquith also. He thought, however, that a research zone would be easier to obtain than a light manufacturing one, also pointing out that with 1700 employees there might be a traffic problem to be considered. Mr. Abbott thought that an area should be re-zoned for research and light manufacturing which would be associated with such activity. Mr. Snow noted that present zoning restrictions for light manufacturing are such that there is not much in the way of a guaran- tee for Town protection if the company .property should change hands after it was zoned for light manufacturing. He suggested a new zone which incorporated more ade- quate restrictions for parking, space between buildings, percentage of lot to be occupied by buildings, and ap- proval of building and site plans by the Planning Board. Mr. Fisher said that he would tell his client of meeting with the Board, his reception, and would ar- range to have a group of the company's representatives look at-the two properties being considered-. If these were looked upon favorably and the company is prepared to go ahead with its plans, then negotiations will be opened on one or the other parcel of land. The Board pointed out that it would prefer that the Seabury land be proposed for re-zoning particularly for the reason that being on the westerly side of Route 128, the Board felt that such land stood a better chance of being acted upon favorably at a town meeting. It was like- wise pointed out that - there would-be a sewerage problem in connection.with the Swenson property, that the Sea- bury land was nearer to a sewer and that the Town would not allow cesspools or septic tanks on a project such as proposed. In addition , it was noted that the Hayden property abuts the Swenson land and -the Hayden interests would probably object to a proposal such as was contem- plated on Swenson land. Mr. Fisher suggested that the proposal be referred to a research and development facility rather than an industrial facility. Suitable buffer restrictions could be made so that people around the project would be protected forever but that restrictions on the use of the property would make a future sale of it difficult. Messrs. Fisher, McLain, Woodman and Woodworth left the meeting at 10:30 P.M. Mr. Moore left the meeting at 11:10 P.M. at ' which time the secretary was dismissed for the evening. The Board then reviewed two Form A ap- plications for determinations of Planning Board FORMS A jurisdictions and endorsed the following plans: #56-7, submitted on February 6, 1956 by Harvey Newgent; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Section Two - Robinson Hill, Lexington, Mass., owned by Harvey W. and Jean P. Newgent," Scale: 1" = 4010 dated Jan. 30, 1956. #56-8, submitted on February 6, 1956 by Carmelo Galvagna; plan entitled Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.," Scale: 1" = 30t, dated Jan. 9, 191.8, Miller and Nylander, C. E.'s & Surveyors, Lexington, Mass. The meeting adjourned at 11:20 P.M. rles T. Abbott Clerk G Mr. Mark Moore, Jr. met with the Board at ' MOORE-CORRIGAN 10:1.0 P.M. regarding the disapproval of his pre - SUBDIVISION OF liminary plan to subdivide the former Burgoyne BURGOYNE PROPER- property on North Hancock Street. He said that TY disapproval of the plan had just about put him out of business, that he could locate the road so that it was 30 feet from the old Burgoyne house and cut down the road grade.to 10%. However, he said that Mr. Gayer thought that a 12% grade in this case was preferable to one of 10%. It was pointed out to Mr. Moore that the Board would not approve a dead end street of the length proposed particularly when the portion farthest from the point of egress was on a steep grade and on the other side of a hill. Mr. Moore reported that there was a possibility Mr. Taisey might sell his home and all his land which abuts on the Bur- goyne property so that Mr. Moore might obtain a second means of egress for his subdivision. The Board suggested that Mr. Moore develop one half of his proposed subdivision and enter into negotiations 1 ater with Mr. Taisey for a second egress,outl­ through the latter's land. Mr. Moore left the meeting at 11:10 P.M. at ' which time the secretary was dismissed for the evening. The Board then reviewed two Form A ap- plications for determinations of Planning Board FORMS A jurisdictions and endorsed the following plans: #56-7, submitted on February 6, 1956 by Harvey Newgent; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Section Two - Robinson Hill, Lexington, Mass., owned by Harvey W. and Jean P. Newgent," Scale: 1" = 4010 dated Jan. 30, 1956. #56-8, submitted on February 6, 1956 by Carmelo Galvagna; plan entitled Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.," Scale: 1" = 30t, dated Jan. 9, 191.8, Miller and Nylander, C. E.'s & Surveyors, Lexington, Mass. The meeting adjourned at 11:20 P.M. rles T. Abbott Clerk G