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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1956-04-16 PLANNING BOARD MEETING April 16, 1956 A regular meeting of the Planning Board was held in its office in the Barnes Building on Monday, April 16, 1956 at 7 30 p.m. Present were Chairman Adams, Messrs. Abbott, Burnell, Grindle, Hathaway and Jaquith, Mr. Snow, Planning Director, and the secretary. Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, was present from 9 15 to 9 40. The Board approved the following bills presented for payment - Anne H. Milliken, secretarial services-- BILLS $5.93 , Louise M. Baker, secretarial services-44.77. The Board took under consideration the April 16, 1956 request of the DeVries Construction Company to SUN VALLEY change its performance guarantee for work to be done SECTION 12 in the Section 12, Sun Valley, subdivision from a con- ditional approval contract to a bond. It was stated that the Superintendent of Public Works had estimated that the cost of the uncompleted work in the subdivi- sion would amount to 110,000. The Board decided to allow the company to substitute for its conditional approval contract a bond provided said bond was secured by a certified check for $10,000. Mr. Snow was asked to discuss the matter further with the Town Counsel and have him prepare the necessary papers for the company and the Board to take action upon. Mr. Burnell arrived at 7 40 p.m. In connection with the DeVries' Sun Valley devel- opment , the matter of sidewalks was discussed at this SIDEWALKS time . Mr. Snow stated that he thought a sidewalk study was needed for the whole town , not just in this devel- opment . He also said that he did not believe that the 40-foot minimum road width required under subdivision rules and regulations was adequate for a 24-foot pave- ' ment, sidewalks on both sides of the streets and tree planting. He suggested that when the subdivision rules and regulations are next amended that a 50-foot right of way be the minimum standard. Mr. Abbott said that he did not like the idea of sidewalks all over town. He thought they were neces- sary on the main streets near the schools but that you did not need them in developments similar to Sun Valley. Mr. Hathaway asked how it could be decided where sidewalks were or were not needed when it could be expected t hat there would be two school children to each house in a development . Mr. Jaquith said that his thinking was that sidewalks were necessary on feeder streets. Mr Abbott also said that he thought trees should not be planted within the street rights-of-way but on private land and that the trees should be planted and maintained by the Town. He reported that towns which have such a practice have provisions for the same in their by-laws and that some towns control the planting and maintenance of trees within a certain distance from the street. It was thought that the Superintendent of Public Works should be invited to discuss policies in regard to sidewalks and trees It was decided to make an appointment and to try to have the Superintendent of Schools and a School Committee member, preferably Mr. Clark, present to discuss the formulation of a town- wide policy in regard to sidewalks The Board next considered proposed legislation known as House $36, "An Act Establishing a Boston REGIONAL Area Planning District and a Boston Area Planning PLANNING Council. " In addition to the bill itself , the Board reviewed various pieces of explanatory liter- ature which had been distributed by organizations and agencies advocating the bill' s enactment into law. Mr. Stevens attended the Board's meeting and entered into the discussion at this time, especially ' in regard to its mandatory provisions and the means of financing a regional planning commission. It was decided to notify the Selectmen concern- ing the bill's existence and how Lexington would be involved should the legislation be reported out of committee for favorable action. 1r. Burnell volun- teered to have reproductions of the bill made for the use of the Board and the Selectmen. Read to the Board was a notice of a special business meeting of the Massachusetts Federation of MFPB Planning Boards to be held on April 21,1956. After MEETING studying the proposed amendments to the federa- tion's constitution, the Board decided not to send a representative to the meeting and not to take action in regard to the proposals . Read to the Board was the Town Counsel's April 13, 1956 letter stating that he had obtained from PEACOCK Peacock Farms, Inc. and from its grantees and their FARMS mortgagees the water line easements in the ways SECS.1, 2 shown on subdivision Sections One, Two and Three and 3 and drain easements across the portions of lots that are marked "Easement" on the subdivision plans. The Counsel 's letter also stated that he knew of no fur- ther easements which were required at the time. -2- It appearing to the Board that all matters in II connection with the above three subdivisions were in order, it was moved by Mr. Hathaway, seconded by Mr. Burnell and unanimously VOTED That the streets and water mains to be constructed and installed in Sections One, Two and Three of the Peacock Farms subdivision in Lexington under the terms of two written agreements between Pea- cock Farms, Inc . and the Town of Lexing- ton, dated respectively April 13, 1953 and June 18, 1953 ,and the Peacock Farms, Inc. application for approval of Section Three, dated June 28, 1954, have been completed to the satisfaction of the Town Engineer and are approved by the Lexington Planning Board; and that the surety com- pany bonds securing performance of said agreements and of the terms of the afore- said application are hereby released. The Board considered John F. MacNeil's April 11, 1956 letter in regard to a zoning variance which the MACNEIL Planning Board had been opposed to granting and which BOARD OF II the Board of Appeals had denied him. It was thought APPEALS that Mr. MacNeil should petition for re-zoning of PETITION that portion of his land now in an R-1 district. Mr. Jaquith commented that the town should make a one- way access to Merriam Street through the existing way and extending past the White Cross Laundry. So that he would have a detailed statement of the Planning Board' s position in regard to his petition, it was decided to send Mr. MacNeil a copy of its April 3, 1956 letter to the Board of Appeals. The Board also considered writing a letter to the Building Inspector in regard to the engineering ZONING firm which was conducting a business in the East Lex- VIOLATION ington railroad station which is not in a business zone. No action was taken in regard to the matter. Mr. Snow reported that he had three inquiries in regar•' to student employment , all applicants STUDENT being from Northeastern University where he placed EMPLOYMENT an advertisement for part-time assistance . It was decided that one student be employed at the maximum wage of $1. 50 per hour for not more than 15 hours per week. Mr. Abbott said the Board was not making the most efficient use of its technical help and that the Board needed a full-time clerk who, among other skills, would be able to draw. The Board discussed the proposed road connecting Wood and Bedford Streets, said road to be built with PROPOSED , Federal funds and laid out by the State Dept. of WOOD-TO- Public Works In order that the road serve ade- BEDFORD quately its intended purpose, namely, a convenient ST. ROAD and second access to Hanscom Field facilities, the Board thought that such a road would be highly de- sirable from Lexington' s point of view but that the road should be of a limited access nature and should not be built without a water line in it. It was decided to have a closed meeting on April 30, 1956. The meeting adiourned at 11 15 p.m. Levi G. Burnell, Jr. Clerk J