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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1956-07-16 PLANNING BOARD MEETING July 16, 1956 A regular meeting of the Planning Board was held in the Town Engineer 's Room, Town Office Building, on Monday, July 16, 1956 at 7 :20 P.M. Chairman Hathaway, Messrs. Adams, Burnell, Grindle and Jaquith were pre- sent as were also Mr. Howlett and Mr. Snow of the staff. The minutes of January 16, 1956 were approved. In regard to the back log of minutes which need to be MINUTES typed in final form, it was pointed out that on July 16, 1956 Mrs . Campbell had begun her duties as ex- ecutive clerk, one of her principle duties being that of bringing the Board's records up to date. The following bills presented for payment were a pproved, Mr. Adams not voting: Allen Stationery Co. , office equipment - $220.60; Minute-man Publications, BILIS Inc. , advertising - $4.90; American Society of Plan- ning Officials, publications - $10.00; Anne H. Milli- ken, secretarial services - $5.75, Mr. Bruce E. Howlett, land use studies services and car mileage - $105.53. The following Form A application was taken under consideration for a determination of Planning Board jurisdiction: #56-52, submitted on July 16, 1956 by Guy W. Spuria; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington-Mass."', scale : 30 feet to an inch, dated June 8, 1956, FORM A Joseph Selwyn, C. E., 11. Linden Ave. , Belmont , Mass. It was moved, seconded and unanimously voted that the plan accompanying application #56-52 be signed bearing the endorsement "Lexington Planning Board ap- proval not required under Subdivision Control Law". At 8:00 P.M. Mr. Bielefelt, Manager of the De- PRELIMINARY velopment Department of Techbuilt, Inc. , and three PLAN MIDDLE other representatives of the corporation together RIDGE with Messrs. Watson and Nylander met with the Board SEC. a to discuss plans for Middle Ridge, Sec. 2 which said corporation was filing with an Application for Tentative Aprroval, Form B. 1 Most of the discussion concerning these plans centered around the engineering difficulties of ex- tending Gould Road through a parcel of land in the Watson subdivision to the extension of Turning Mill Road in the proposed Middle Ridge development and at the same time complying with the Town's subdivi- sion regulations. It was noted that from the center lines of Dewey Road as now layed out, and Turning Mill Road as proposed, there was a horizon- tal distance of 146 feet and vertical difference of 46.5 feet. Two proposals were offered for this connection by Techbuilt. Both proposals involved vertical grades of greater than 107o and leveling-off grades of 3 % at street intersections. One pro- posal lowered the grade of Dewey Road about 3 feet. Mr. Watson stated that, since his proposed sub- division was not developed at this time, he would be willing to have this work done at Techbuilt ex- pense. It was understood that several schemes for the connection had been discussed with the Engineering Department but that none of these schemes met with the department 's approval. Until such time as a connection satisfactory to all concerned could be developed, the representatives of Techbuilt asked that the Board approve tentatively an extension of Demar and Turning Mill Roads involving approximately 34 additional lots. The Board stated that it would take this matter under consideration but had pre- viously gone on record as disapproving any further extension of the Middle Ridge development until such time as a second means of egress satisfactory to the Board had been established for the entire develop- ment. The Board suggested the possible relocation of the extension of Gould Road believing that there were other possibilities for connecting these develop- ments than the one which was presented, that Watson and Techbuilt were both involved in the problem to- gether and should solve it to the mutual satisfac- tion of both parties. It was agreed that the matter would be studied further both by the Board and Mr. Nylander, and that the representatives of Techbuilt would discuss these proposals at the following meet- ing of the Board. The representative$ of Techbuilt together with Mr. Nylander and Mr. Watson left the meeting at 9:00 P.M. whereupon the Board discussed further the subdivision plans. Mr. Snow was asked to study the problems involved, prepare alternative suggestions for connecting the developments and to notify Mr. Bielefelt that until such time as a plan for a second means of egress from Middle Ridge had been prepared to the satisfaction of the Board that it would not approve a further extension of the sub- division. It was reported that on July 10, 1956 the Board of Appeals had granted variances to John F. MacNeil, BOARD the decision having been filed with the Town Clerk OF on July 16, 1956. The Planning Board decided to give APPEALS serious consideration to appealing the decision hav- ing previously expressed in writing an opinion to the MacNeil Board of Appeals that the variances requested could not be granted without derogation from the intent and purpose of the Lexington Zoning By-Law. Mr. Jaquith was asked to discuss the matter with the Town Counsel and to report on the results of such a discussion at the next meeting of the Planning Board. The Board also considered the notices of peti- MARASHINO tions to be heard by the Board of Appeals on July 31, 1956. In regard to the petition of Paul Marashino, it was decided to go on record opposing the granting of said petition and writing a letter to the Board of Appeals stating that there is at least 160 feet of frontage on Lowell Street between the Marashino house, and the southerly line of the Marashino property and that a new lot could be created having at least a 11.i.5 frontage and a 30,000 sq. ft. area. The Board also decided to go on record oppos- EASTWOOD ing the granting of the petition of Malcolm J. East- wood and writing a letter to the Board of Appeals stating that the Planning Board's records show that the parcel of land on which Mr. Eastwood desires to build a residence was never approved for such a purpose but was to be set aside as a neighborhood play area. Taken under consideration next was a July 13, 1956 letter from the Superintendent of Public Works CARY stating that a sanitary sewer had been installed ACRES through a drain easement on Lot 1 in Cary Acres, Section 2, said sewer not being shown on the ap- SEC . 2 proved subdivision plans and the construction of the sewer being accomplished without the knowledge or inspection of the Department of Public Works. It was decided to send a copy of Mr. Gayer's letter to the Town Counsel asking him for advice in re- gard to what action to take concerning the matter. Likewise taken under consideration was a BOW ST. letter signed by 61 citizens requesting a play- ground for the children who live in the Bow Street RECREATION vicinity. It was decided to acknowledge receipt of the letter replying in a letter to the effect AREA that the Board had such an area in mind and was negotiating with Mr. Busa for a parcel of land REQUEST to be used for a neighborhood recreation area. All matters pertaining to the approval of definitive subdivision plans having been in order for a modification of Section Three and approving SUN VALLEY Section Fourteen of Sun Valley, it was moved, seconded and unanimously SEC . 3 VOTED: "That the approval by the Planning MODIFICATION Board of the subdivision plans en- titled 'Section Three, Sun Valley, Lexington, Mass. Owned by DeVries Construction Co. , Inc. ' dated Decem- ber 21, 1954, recorded in Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds as Plan No. 228 of 1955, Book 8411, End; 'Street Plan and Profile Whipple Road, Lexington, Mass. ' dated Decem- ber 21, 1954, recorded in said Deeds as Plan No. 226 of 1955, Book 8411, End, and 'Street Plan and Profile Fisk Road, Lexington, Mass. ' dated December 21, 1954, recorded in said Deeds as Plan No. 227 of 1955, Book 8141, End, be and hereby is modified and amended by eliminating as a way that portion of Whipple Road lying northeasterly of station 14 + 25.85 as shown on said Plan No. 226 of 1955." VOTED: "That the definitive subdivision plan entitled 'Section Fourteen of Sun Valley, Lexington, Mass. Owned by DeVries Construction Co. , Inc. ' , dated March 15, 1956, submitted to the Board on June 4, 1956, accom- panied by an application for ap- proval of definitive plan, Form C, dated June 4, 1956, be and hereby is approved subject to the condition that no lot in the subdivision shall be sold and no building shall be erec- ted or placed on any lot until the ways and other improvements required under the rules and regulations of the Board necessary to adequately serve etch lot have been completed to the satisfaction of the Board." The Planning Board was asked to give an infor- mal opinion in regard to two new proposed extensions SUN VALLEY of the Sun Valley subdivision, namely Sections 15 and 16. The Board decided that in view of the complica- SEC. 15 & 16 tions as to topography, ledge conditions and the pos- eible location of an overlook for recreation which would be part of the Town's recreation system that the Board would not consider any informal opinion in regard to said proposals . Mr. Snow was asked to in- form the DeVries Construction Co. that if they wish to submit applications for tentative approval of pre- liminary plans, the Board would take these under con- sideration. The Board endorsed as of July 17, 1956, two HANCOCK definitive subdivision plans. One entitled "Hancock HEIGHTS Heights, Lexington, Mass." which was approved by DEFINITIVE the Board on June 5, 1956 and a second entitled PLAN "Peacock Farms, Section Four.; Lexington, Mass." which was approved on the same date. Mr. Snow was PEACOCK FARMS asked to make minor corrections on the plans for SEC. i4 purposes of recording and to deliver the plans to Mr. Stevens on July 18, 1956. Mr. Howlett gave a resume of the study of the AUTOMOBILE 1953-54-55 automobile accidents in Lexington which ACCIDENT he had studied as part of the Board's preparation STUDIES for a major street plan. The study accompanied by the necessary tables and mappr'is to be prepared in final form with copies to be supplied to each member of the Board. Meeting adjourned at 11:20 Levi G. Burnell, Jr. Clerk