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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1957-01-221 1 1 PLANNING BOARD MEETING January 22, 1957 A regular meeting of the Planning Board was held in the Town Engineer's Roca, Town Office Building, on Tuesday, January 22, 1957 at 7:35 p.m. Present were Chairman Hathaway and Members Abbott, Adams, Burnell, Grindle, Jaquith; Planning Director Snow and the secretary. Considered first, approved by the Board, and signed by the Chairman were the final drafts of letters in regard to three of the petitions being heard by the Board of Appeals meeting January 22, 1957 in the Selectmen's Room. (See addendum to these minutes.) Mr. Jaquith was selected to speak for the Planning Board amplifying its position particularly in regard, to the Ampolo-Soule petition. Mr. Abbott was asked to attend the Board of Appeals hearings with W. Jaquith. They left the Plan- ning Board meeting at 8:00 p.m. to deliver the Board's letters and to attend the hearings. It was moved, seconded and unanimously voted that the minutes of the March 27, 1956 meeting be approved. Considered next were the following Form A applications for determination of Planning Board jurisdiction. #57-63 submitted on January 21, 1957 by Francis E. Burke, attorney for William Shanahan and John Shanahan, Executors of the Will of Patrick Shanahan; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington Mass.", Scale: 1" = 601, dated Dec. 30, 1946, Miller and Nylander, C.E.'s & Sur- veyors, Lexington, Mass. 157-7, submitted on January 21, 1957 by Bernard B. Gould, attorney for Frances May Baskin; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington -Mass.". Scale: 1" a 80', dated_Dec. 26, 1956, Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s and Surveyors, Zex- ington, Mass. #57-83 submitted on January 22, 1957 by Harold E. Stevens for the Town of Lexington, plan entitled "A Compiled plan of land in Lexington, Mass.", Scale: 1" =_401, dated Jan. 163 1957, Richard J. Gayer,_Town Engineer. It was moved, seconded and unanimously VOTED: Thatihe plans accompanying Applications #57-6, #57-7 and #57-8 be signed bearing the endorsement "Lexington. Planning Board approval not required under subdivision control law." BOARD OF APPEALS ELEMENTARY Read to the Board was a January 13, 1957 letter from the SCHOOL Elementary School Facilities Committee, signed by Mr. Robert C. FACILITIES Jackson, Secretary of said committee, and addressed to Nr. Snow COMTTEE requesting that he meet with the committee some Thursday even- ing or Saturday morning and give the committee details in re- gard to the location and size of residential developments now in progress and possible future developments. After discussing the matter the Board drafted a reply to Mr. Jackson, in which it was stated that (1) in keeping with a policy adopted several weeks ago by the Planning Board, Mr. Snow had referred to the Board, as he was requested to do so I$r. Jackson's January 13, 1957 letter addressed to Mr. Snow; (2) this was done because the volume of requests for Ioir. Snow's time had increased to a point where he had little time left for the pursuit of the duties the Planning Board had assigned to him; (3) at its meeting January 22nd the Board had dis- cussed 1r. Jackson's letter and suggested that he and the Committee, or such members as -are able to do so, meet with the Board on some Mon- day evening in the near future to discuss such matters concerning which the Committee is seeking information; (u) a convenient appoint- ment for all concerned could be arranged by calling the Board's office in the Barnes Building. PIr. Snow was requested to have the draft typed the following day for It% Hathaway's signature. SEAMY LAND Read to the Board, approved by the same, and signed by the FOR PLAY- Chairman was a letter dated January 17, 1957 and addressed to the GROUND AND Selectmen requesting that they place an article in the warrant for ' RECREATIONAL the town meeting asking the Town to purchase the land described and PURPOSES for the price specified in the conformed copies of instruments be- ing enclosed with the letter, the first instrument being one in which Nr. and 1Irs. Seabury granted to the Town an option to purchase land for playground and recreational purposes, the second in which the option purchase price of $1160 was set forth. ASSOCIATES Also read to the Board, approved by the same and signed by REALTY the Chairman was a letter dated Jan. 22, 1957 and addressed to the TRUST Associates Realty Trust requesting that, at or before the public hear- ing on the Trust's application for a Planning Board determination in regard to said Trust's proposed hotel plans, the Board would like to have submitted the following additional information and material; (1) A second set of building plans; (2) Sketches and/or per- spectives showing the contemplated exterior of the building as viewed from the direction of the Route 128 Massachusetts Avenue and Route 128-11arrett Road intersections, the points of view from which said sketches or perspectives are taken to be located on the site plan; (3) On the previously submitted or on a new site plan: (a) The bound- aries of the present A 1 district and the boundaries of the parcel of land on which the proposed hotel is to be built; (b) the location and size of the proposed water main which will service the facilit3r; (4) a detailed sewer plan including building plans and elevations of the pumping station, consulting with the Superintendent of Public Works before submitting this plan; (5) renewals from the State Department of Public Works of Permit #4-3229, dated August 3, 1955 and Permit F-13151, issued September 23, 1955 The Planning Board reviewed an excerpt of the Selectmen's minutes of their January 9, 1957 meeting in regard to the proposed Junior High School site and the Planning Board's January 17, 1957 letter to the Selectmen in regard to said site and the proposed adjacent Hawthorne Acres development. After discussing the prob- lems involved the Board requested that Mr. Snow and Mr. Gayer confer on establishing the easterly boundary lines between the proposed school site and the Hawthorne Acres development so that Mr. Gayer could prepare a Junior High School site plan on which would be shown the bearings and distances of said common boundary lines. Mr. Abbott returned to the meeting at 8.55 p.m. and re- ported that no Board of Appeals hearing was held on the Associates Realty Trust petition because the representative from the com- pany which designed the sign the Trust proposed to erect, was not present. Nb% Jaquith returned to the meeting at 9:05 p.m. at which time Mr. Raymond F. Boudreau and Mr. Nylander met with the Board to discuss Mr. Edwin W. Hadley's December 20, 1956 letter to Mr. Boudreau in regard to possible sale of the Alex- ander lot on Garfield Street and the possible extension of Sunny Knoll Terrace through said Alexander and Town -owned lots to Garfield Street. It was thought that if Mr. Boudreau could purchase privately -owned lots on the northeasterly side of Garfield street these could be exchanged for town -owned lots on the same side of said street in order to extend Sunny Knoll Terrace through to Garfield Street and thereby eliminate the necessity of a turn -around on said terrace beyond the limit set by the Planning Board. The Board decided that Mr, Boudreau would be required to extend Sunray Knoll Terrace as a regular subdivision street to the northwesterly boundary of his land but agreed that Mr. Boudreau would only be required to rough out the road to connect his subdivision road with Garfield Street. Messrs. Boudreau and Nylander left the meeting at 9:25 p.m. at which time the Board read, approved and had the Chair- man sign a letter dated January 22, 1957 and addressed to Chief Engineer Gray of the State Department of Public Works. In said letter the Board referred to its December 18, 1956 letter to Mr. Gray and his reply of December 27, noted that rt". Gray's letter was dictated by someone else and made no reference whatsoever to the information which the Board sought, and requested an answer to said letter of December 16, 1956. Shown to the Board was a plan entitled "Subdivision Plan Peacock Farms Section Five Lexington, Mass.".. dated Dec. 17, 1956 and showing Compton Circle extending about 420 feet beyond Station 23-26.21, the terminus of Peacock Farms Road. It was stated that Mr. White of Constructors' Properties, Inc. requested an informal approval of said plan so that he could proceed with the preparation of a definitive subdivision plan JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SITE HAWTHORNE ACRES PROPOSED WOOD -TO - BEDFORD STREET ROAD PEACOCK FARMS SEC. 5 while devising an additional plan the engineering details of which the town engineer would approve and which would connect , Peacock Farms Road with Baker Avenue. The Board found that the plans called for a further extension of Peacock Farms Road al- ready in excess of Planning Burd regulations and further there was no eecond means of access to the subdivision. It was moved by Mr. Jaquith, seconded by Mr. Adams and unanimously voted to disapprove said plan. PROPOSED SUB- Shown to the Board was a preliminary scheme entitled "Flan DIVISION Showing Proposed Lotting Land in Lexington -Mass.", dated Jan. -15, 1957, said plan showing a subdivision of land of-I4essrs. McCormack MCCORMACK AND and Brun by means of a road connecting Maple and Woburn Streets ERUN and abutting the northwesterly boundary of the Harrington School property. Mr. Snow stated that during the past week Mr. Paul J. KcCormack had brought this plan to the office seeking an informal opinion in regard to the same, that several suggestions were given to him, and that he, not having considered these before, decided to discuss them further with Mr. Nylander who had pre- pared the plan for him. Mr. Snow recommended that before this plan is studied fur- ther and submitted to the Board for tentative approval that both the School and the School Sites Committees be informed of the proposal. Mr. Snow thought that there was insufficient roam on the Harrington School site, both for playground use and for any further expansion of the school, and he recommended that steps be taken immediately to acquire additional land for the school site. The Board decided that the plan should be reproduced and that lir. Snow draft for Mr. Hathawayts signature a letter to said committees enclosing the reproduction of the print of�the pro- posed subdivision and suggesting that the cco ni.ttees might wish to consider acquiring additional land for the Harrington School site, and expressing the Board's opinion that in view of the rapid residential growth which was taking place or being planned in the general vicinity of the school the Harrington School grounds are not large enough for both building expansion and playground purposes. GREEN VALLEY Shown to the Bowd was Nr. Antonio Busa's Jan. 3, 1957 plan. SEC. 2 showing a proposed scheme for laying out the second section of the Green Valley Sec. 2 development. The Board also examined Mr. Snow's studies of the development and recommendations for modi- fying the proposed lotting and road. The Board approved these recommendations and authorized W. Snow to inform Mr. Busa that said recommendations were those of the Board. The Chairman left the meeting at 9:45 p.m. at which time Mr. Adams was voted to be Chairman protempore for the remainder of the meeting. STREET NAME Mr. Grindle presented a report to the Board recommending CHANGES the following street name changes to be included in an article to be placed in the warrant for the next town meeting: 1 1 Cary Avenue to Cooke Street Oak Terrace to Jay Street Oak Avenue to Fiances Road William Avenue to Davis Road Oakland Avenue to Service Road Smyth Street to Camden Street Hillcrest Street to Tidd Street Independence Road to King Street The Board approved these recommendations and also Mr. GrindleIs sug- gested form letter which read as follows: Dear Property Owner: Prior to the adoption of the Subdivision Control Law by the Town of Lexington, street names were sometimes accepted with little thought or plan. As a result, many street names are so similar to others that often confusion and inconvenience have arisen. In cases of delivery of goods, of fire, or of the need of police protection there have arisen serious situations which will continue unless some change is made. In order to correct this situation the Planning Board is recommending to the annual town meeting that some of these duplications in names be eliminated. These recommendations will appear in the form of articles in the warrant for said meeting. One of the changes suggested by the Planning Board is that be changed to We welcome your comments. LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD Mr. Snow was asked to have the letter duplicated and sent to all persons deemed to be affected by the proposed changes. T'r. Adams called the Board's attention to the public hearing to be held by the Department of Public Works at 100 Nashua Street, Boston on Friday, January 25, 1957 at 2 p.m. in regard to the proposed reconstruction of Route 2 as a limited access way through the towns of Arlington, Belmont, and Lexington. Messrs. Adams, Burnell, Grindle, Jaquith, and Snow planned to attend. The meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. Levi G. urn 1, Jr. {/ Clerk ROUTE 2 PUBLIC HEARING ADDENDA N O T I C E , January 3, 1957 The Board of Appeals will hold a hearing on the petition of Associates Realty Trust for permission to erect an all metal ground sign 33'-O" x 13'-411 high, 21-611 above ground on lot at the n.w. cor- ner of Route 128 and Marrett Road (Rte. IA) for accessory use of business on same property. Sign to be parallel to and 140' back from Route 128 according to plot plan submitted. Sign to be illumi- nated by (four) 300 watt overhead reflectors. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, January 22, 1957 at 8:10 p.m. in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, Lexington, Mass. January 22, 1957 Board of Appeals Town Office Building Re: Associates Realty Trust Lexington 73, Mass, Permission to erect s gn Gentlemen: Reference is made to the petition of the Associates Realty Z-ust for permission to erect a sign for accessory use of business property at the northwest corner of Route 128 and riarrett Road. The Planning Board has discussed the above petition and decided to oppose the same and to submit.•to the Board of Appeals a letter set- ting forth its reasonsfor such opposition. 1. The petitioner has sWxdtted to the Planning'Board plans for a hotel to be located on the land described above, said land being in an A 1 district under the Lexington Zoning By-law. The Board has scheduled a hearing on January 30 on the applica- tion of said trust for a determination by the Planning Board that buildings and use as shown on the plans including the site, plans and building design constitute a desirable development in and will not be detrimental to the neighborhood. It is the Planning Board's opinion that it would not be advisable to act upon the petition to erect a sign until after the Planning Board has made its determination. In the event, however, that a permit for a sign is to be granted, it is also the Planning Board's opinion that said permit should be conditioned upon the erection of the hotel. 2. At this time the Planning Board has no knowledge of whether the hotel proposed to be erected will be located on one parcel of land comprising the entire A 1 district or on a parcel of land Of less size than said district. If the latter situation is ' true, then it would appear that the sign planned for erection 140 feet from Route 128 will not be on the same parcel of land as the hotel in which case the sign would not meet the require- ments of an accessory use under the Zoning By-law. 1 1 -4- 3. The Planning Boar, believes that an advertising sign of such large size as the petitioner proposes to erect is entirely out of keeping with any use in Lexington and with the standards this town has always tried to maintain. For this reason and those set forth above, the Planning Board wishes to be recorded as being strongly opposed to the granting of permission to erect said sign. Very truly yours, LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD /s/ Donald D. Hathaway, Chairman NOTICE January 3, 1957 The Board of Appeals will hold a hearing on the petition of Richard H. Soule Contractor, Inc., and Albert Ampolo for permission under, or a variance of, Section 5 (f) of the Zoning By-law, to per- mit a place of business of a builder, contractor and carpenter, on a parcel of land on Mellex Road, Lexington, shown on a plan filed herewith; and to erect a building on said land without connecting to a sanitary sewer, provided said land passes a percolation test and approval by the Board of Health. The hearing will be held at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 22, 1957 in the Selectmen's Room, Town Office Building, Lexington, Massa- chusetts. Donald E*Nickerson Chairman, Board of Appeals January 223 1957 Board of Appeals Town of Lexington, Re: Petition of Richard H. Soule Lexington 73, Mass. Contractor nc, and Albert Am loo and on January Gentlemen: t�, 1757 In regard to the petition referred to above, the Planning Board wishes to make the following statements: 1. During the past year the Planning Board has been making a comprehensive study of industrial and commercial development with particular reference to making recommendations for Lexington's M 1 district. At the Special Town Meeting held on November 19, 1956 the Board only presented certain proposals because of the imminence of the proposed road connecting wood and Bedford Streets. The construc- tion of such a road could change the complexion of the adjacent land very rapidly because under the present zoning by-law there are few limitations which could be placed on proposed site developments. It is the belief bf the Planning Board that these restrictions are not enough to protect the best interests of the town or of prospec- tive developers who would have to purchase large tracts of land to protect themselves. The Board further believes that in previous town meetings which have discussed the present M 1 regulations there has been some indication that the town felt that these were inade- quate. 2. At the town meeting mentioned above, the Board recommended and the Town voted to improve the present atandards within the existing M l district by eliminating from said district buildings and uses previously permitted in C 1 and C 2 districts including bulk fuel and lubricant tanks and by requiring that each building connect to a sanitary sewer. In addition the Board recommended and the Town voted to add laboratories engaged in research, experimental and test- ing activities to the uses permitted in an M 1 district. In con- sistence with its own recommendations and the Town's policy to set aside this district for special commercial and light manufacturing use, the Board wishes to be recorded as being opposed to the grant- ing of the variance referred to in the petition. Yours very truly, LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD /s/ D. D. Hathaway, Chairman N O T I C E January 3, 1957 The Board of Appeals will hold a hearing on the petition of Dorothy C. Coburn for a variance of the Lexington Zoning By-law in order to subdivide lot 6 at $950 Waltham Street into two lots marked "A" and "B" as shown on plan submitted, lot "A" not having suffi- cient frontage as required by the Zoning By-law; and to maintain existing dwelling thereon. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, January 22, 1957 at 8:40 p.m. in the Selectments Room, Town Office Building, Lexington, Mass, DONALD E: NICKERSON Chairman, Board of Appeals January 220 1957 Board of Appeals, Town Office Buildgin Re: Dorothy C. CDbqpn petition to Lexington 73 Nass. be aId on January 22, 1957 Gentlemen: The Planning Board has discussed the petition referred to above ' together with its accompanying plan and decided to present to the Board of Appeals the following statements in regard to said petition. W-9 1. Lot 6 at ;1950 Waltham Street is located in an R 1 district ' where lots are required to contain not less than 30,000 square feet and a frontage of not less than 150 feet upon the frontage street. 2. According to the petitioner's plan, not only would Lot A have only 16 feet of frontage on Concord Avenue but Lot B also would have 25 feet less frontage on Waltham Street and approximately 12,000 less square feet than required. 3. In regard to the conditions which the proposal would create, the Planning Board wishes to go on record as opposing the granting of the petition referred to above. It is the Board's opinion that denying said petition would involve no substantial hardship to the applicant. Very truly yours, LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD /s/ D.D.Hathaway, Chairman 11 1