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Home My WebLink About1956-02-201 1 PLANNING BOARD MEETING February 20, 1956 A regular meeting of -the -,Planning Board was held in the Town Engineerts Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, February 200 1956 at 7:30 P.M. Chairman Adams, Messrs. Abbott, Hathaway, Irwin and Jaquith were pre- sent. Mr. Snow, Planning Director, and the secretary were also present as was Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, from 9:20 to 9:55- P.M. .It was moved, seconded and unanimously voted that the minutes of the meeting of November 21, 1955 MINDTLS be approved. . The following bills were presented for payment: Spaulding-Mions Company, for zoning maps -- $37.55; BILLS Adams Press, Inc., advertising hearing for street name changes -- X2.50; Foto Beam, Inc., for white prints -- $6.75; Louise M. Baker, for secretarial services -- #10.35; Anne H. Milliken, for secretarial services - 5.00. It was moved, seconded and voted that the bills be approved as presented, Mr. Adams not voting* The Board next took under consideration a Form A application for determination of Planning Board jurisdiction: FORM A #56-12, submitted on February 200 1956 by David Gorman, attorney for Peter J, & Anna C. McDonagh; plan entitled "Subdivision Plan of Land in Lexington - Mass.," `scale 1" =.20', dated Janu- ary 21, 19562 William M. Burns, Engineer. It was moved, seconded and unanimously VOTED: that the plan accompanying Form A application #56-12 be signed bearing the endorsement "'Lexington Planning Board approval not required under the subdivision control lain." The Board of Appeals notices for hearings to be BOARD OF held on February 289 1956 and March 13, 1956 were APPEALS taken under consideration. NOTICES It was decided to take no action in regard to I these petitions. At 8:10 the Board held a public hearing on the PUBLIC HEARING question of changing the names of the following un• STREET NAME accepted streets, namely: (a) To change to Putnam CHANGES Road the name Fairland Street extending from East- ern Avenue to Robbins Avenue; (b) to change to Blodgett Road the name Oak Avenue extending from Eastern Avenue to Deering Avenue; (c) to change to Stuart Road the name Robbins Avenue extending from School Street to Fairland Street; (d) to change to Liberty Avenue the name Quincy Avenue extending[ - from the end of Liberty Avenue to Revere Street. Among those present were Mr. William Caterino, 14 Fairlind Street, Mr. Robert Johnson, Fairland Street, Mr. MacCallum, 2 Fairland Street, Mr. David S. Terry,:17 Fairland Street, Francis A. & Mary R, Shannon, 8 Quincy Avenue, Mr. & Mrs. William Fits- gerald`and Mr. Howard Potter. The Chairman gmped the hearing by reading the` notice of the same as published in the Lexington Minute -Man on February 9 and 16]i956 and stating ' that notices had boons ant to ail abutters on the streets involved. He explained that this proposal was offered in an effort to eliminate some of the core fusion caused by a similarity in regard to public safety as related to fire and police calls, and that the Board had placed an article in the warrantfor the Annual Town Meeting to see if the Town would vote to change the names suggested. Mr, Caterino spoke for the people on Fairland Street stating that they had all discussed the matter together and were of the same -opinion. He pointed out on a map of Grand Yield Terrace, dated January 6, 19033, by F. P. Cutter; C. E., that the lots -at the end of Robbins Avenue had been - built upon and that there was no opportunity to extend said way. Mr. Caterino also pointed out that there was a large ledge outcropping in Fair - land Street in the vicinity of lots 40, 419 61 and 62 and that because of this ledge --which is some 20 feet in height --there is v ery little like- lihood of the street ever being connected, Be- cause of this situation he recommended that Robbins Avenue and the'southwestern end of Fairland Street from Robbins Avenue to the ledge be renamed Pilgrim ' Rbad and that the northeastern end of Fairland ' Street from Eastern Avenue to the ledge be renamed Morningside Road, Mr. Caterino said that he would like Oak Avenue to be changed to Frances Road,'naming said way for his wife instead of naming it Blodgett Road as suggested by the Board. The Chairman explained that in this case it made no difference to the Board as to what new names were given to the ways as long as these names did not con- lict with those already in existence. It was pointed out that the changes the people had suggested might not be acted upon until another Town Meeting, the street name changes proposed by the Board having been advertised and placed in the warrant. At 8:30 the plan of Grand View Terrace was left with the Board for study and Messrs. Caterino, John- son, Terry, MacCallum and Potter left the meeting. The Board next took under consideration the recommendation to change the name of Quincy Avenue ' to Liberty Avenue. A letter was read from the Town Counsel stating that there would be no expense in- volved in changing the name of a street registered on a plan of the Land Court and no changes necessary in regard to a certificate of title. This letter an- swered the question of a number of people 3ippearing at the hearing in regard to the proposed change in the name of Quincy Avenue. It was pointed out that if the Town voted to change the name of said way to Liberty Avenue that the Engineering Department would revise the street numbering and notify the owners of the property involved. There being no objection to the proposal the hearing was declared closed at 8:35 and those attending left the meeting. In private session the Board thought that the names Pilgrim, Morningside and Frances Roads were acceptable to the Board but that in regard to the change of names there would have to be another ar- ticle prepared for a subsequent Town Meeting and a hearing held in regard to the same. It was decided that in the meantime, necessary action would have to be taken legally.abandoning that section of Fairland Street in which there was ledge. Mr. Snow reported that he had met with Mr. Harold J. Duffy of the William A'a, Fisher Co. to discuss wags and means of preparing a major street plan for Lexington. They reviewed together the overall problem and driving around the town examined on the aground the specific problems involved. From the discussion it was learned that if the Fisher Company were engaged to make an overall major street plan for the Town that such a plan would probably epst $13,500, take about two years to complete and would include the following information: Basic data, a map, major street plan study, proposals and a re- port. It was also learned that the Mass. Turnpike Authority had been making origin -destination counts which might prove helpful and that the Company would include such information in the preparation of a plan. A number of matters were discussed in regard to the relationship of Worthen Road project and the proposed major street plan. It was decided to ask the Fisher Co. for a letter in which it would make a definite proposal for the preparation of a street plan with particular reference to Worthen Road and , to invite Mr. Duffy to be present to discuss said proposal at the next meeting of the Board which was to be held on February 23a, Mr. Stevens arrived at the meeting at 9:20" P.M. and reported to the Board that he had tele- phoned Mr. Skinner of Walter Channing Inc. stat-. RE -ZONING ing that the Board felt there was little chance SEABURY PROPERTY the Town would vote to re -zone the Seabury property to an M-1 district but a good chane that it could be re -zoned Por research use if the work of thb proposed company were limited to this category. Mr. Skinner was told also that the use of the word hydrogen might be apt to frighten people into op- posing any rebzoning which would allow the use of any of this gas on this property. Mr. Stevens reviewed with the Board the pro% posed historic district boundaries before leav- HISTORIC ing the meeting at 9:55. The secretary left the DISTRICTS meeting at the same time, the Board devoting most of the remainder of the meeting,'.tb reviewing tine proposed historic district's, legislation, The matter of compensation for the secretary I was considered by the Board. It was decided to ' pay her $5.00 fort &king the minutes of each meet- ing, said meeting to be considered to be no more than three hours in length. For any other secre- tarial assistance she was asked to do for the Board it was agreed to pay her $1.25 per hour. The meeting adjourned at 10:45 P.M. Charles T. Abbott Clerk C SECRETARYIS SALARY SCHEDULE