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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1957-03-11 PLANNING BOARD MEETING March 11, 1957 A regular meeting of the Planning Board was held in the Town Engineer's Room, Town Office Building on Monday, March 11, 1957 at 7:30 p.m. Present were Messrs. Abbott, Adams, Burnell, Grindle, Jaquith and Souls; 'Mr. Snow, Planning Direc- tor, and the secretary. Mr. Stevens, Town Counsel, was present from 8:30 to 9:05 p.m. It was moved, seconded and unanimously voted that Mr. Orindle be Chairman, Mr. Jaquith be Vice-Chairman to act as ORGANIZATIC Chairman in the absence of Mr. Orindle, and Mr. Burnell be Clerk for the year ending with the next March organisational meeting. For the benefit of the new member, Mr. Jaquith reviewed POLICY OF the policy of the Board in regard to keeping confidential THE BOARD Planning Board information which has not been made public to date. Be stated that much information is given to the Board in confidence, and that the Board is reluctant to have this information made public until the proper time. It was like. wise pointed out that Planning. Board members are in many types of business, and that from time to time matters may arise which would particularly affect the interest of one member. Mr. Jaquith stated that it has then been the Board's policy for the member whose interest is affected to withdraw from further discussion and let the Board take action on the particular matter involved. The minutes of the following meetings were approved: MINUTES April 16, 1956, February 18 and 26, March 2, 4 and 6, 1957. The Board approved the following bills presented for BILLS payment: Bruce E. Howlett, professional services, period ending March 9, 1957-4103.75; The Barrett Press, rubber stamp--X2.25; Somerville Printing Co.,Inc. printing annual reports-- 25.00; H.B.McArdle, of floe supplies--X26.25; Louise M. Baker, secretarial services period ending March 8, 197--$27.50. A public hearing was held at 8:00 o'clock on the appli- OAK KNOLL cation for approval of definitive plan entitled "Plan of SEC. II__ Lots at Oak Knoll, Sec. II, Lexington Mass. Owned by Outhet Realty Trust," submitted on February 25, 1957 by Ernest E. Outhet and Kenneth F. Blodgett of Outhet Realty Trust. The chairman opened the hearing by reading the notice of the same as had been published in the Iexington Minute- ' man on February 28 and as sent to the owners of all property abutting on the proposed subdivision. The chairman stated that the application for approval had been submitted on February 25, 1957 and explained the procedure to be followed in conducting the bearing. He then called upon Mr. Ernest E. Outhet, representing the Outhet Realty frost, to present his plan. This he did. No-ane else was present to speak either for or against the application for approval. The hearing was declared closed at 8:05 p.m. and the plena taken under consid- oration. FORMS A Taken under consideration wird the following Form A appli- cations for Planning Board jurisdiction: #57-25, submitted on March 7, 1957 by Joseph W. Moore, agent for Joseph Moretti: plan entitled "Supplemental Ld. Ct. Plan of Land in Tevirgton, Mass. owned by Joseph Moretti," Scale: 1" - 40', dated March 6, 1957, Joseph W. Moore, Reg. Land Surveyor, Bedford, Mass. Information on plan requested by Land Court to show additional data not included on plan dated May 17, 1956, the latter plan endorsed by the Board on May- 21, 1956. #57-26, submitted on March 11, 1957 by Harold E. Stevens for the Town of Lexington; plan entitled "Plan of Drain Easement Lexington, Mass.", Scale: 1" - 1O', dated Oct. 1956, Whitman & Howard, Engineers, Boston, -Mass. It was moved, seconded and unanimously VOTED: That the plans accompanying applications #57-25 and #57-26 be signed bearing the endorsement "Lexingtob Planning Board approval under Subdi- vision Control Law not required. ROBINSON HILL Mr. Stevens arrived at 8:30 o'clock at which time a SEC. 3 public hearing was held on the application of' the Leeland Construction Co., Inc. for approval of definitive plan en- titled "Plan of Lots in Section roe-Rottnson Hill Lexing- ton, Mass."' Present were Mr. Zeeland MoCanchie, represent- ing the petitioner, Mr. and Mrs. Burnham Kelly, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Cooke, and Mrs. Barbara Anderson. Chairman (kindle opened the hearing by reading the mottos of the hearing as it had been published in the Lex- ington Minute-man on March 2, 1957 and 'as had been sent to all the applicationery owners for abutting the subdivision. Noting that h approval had been submitted on FebFt► ruary 25, 1957, Mr. Orindls then explained the procedure by which the hearing would be conducted. Mr. Kelly, speaking for those present from Stratham Road, stated that they were interested in what was to become of the stub of Diana Lane and they feared that if the road were continued down over the hill it would become a main thorough- fare ter exit to Masaabhusetts Avenue. Mr. Jaquith explained that the revised plan showed that the stub will be eliminated as a street. Mr. MoConahie stated that beyond Diana Lane the road is an access for Mrs. Anderson, is to be kept as such, and is only 12 feet wide. Mr. Kelly suggested that stone posts be placed on either side of the road on the upper end so that a private way would be clearly indicated. When asked if anyone wished to be recorded as either in favor or opposed, Mr. Kelly said that they were in favor with reservation as previously expressed. The hearing was declared closed at 8:li5 p.m. and the plans were taken under consideration. The Planning Board at its meeting on Feb. 18, 1957 voted to ROBINSON modify and amend Section 2 of the Robinson Bill subdivision by BILL eliminating as ways portions of Childs Road and Diana Lane as SEC. 2 shown on a plan entitled "Modification of a portion of Robinson Hill Section 2 Land in Lexington, Mass. Dated January 15, 1957." The appeal period having expired, the Planning Board endorsed the Certificate of its vote and said plan as referred to above. Mr. Stevens left the meeting at 9:05 p.m. Read to the Board at this time was Mr. John B. Ward's March 6, 1957 letter addressed JOHN E. WARD to the Selectmen, copies of which were sent to the Town Engineer and the Planning Board. Mr. Snow was asked to acknowledge re- ceipt of the letter after discussing the situation with Mr. Gayer. The Beard discussed the April 12-13, 1957 Urban Design Con- URMIN DESIGN ference to be held at Harvafd University. It was moved, seconded euegLieau0E and unanimously voted that Mr. Snow be authorised to attend this conference and to charge the Board for the expenses incurred. The Board's attention was referred to House Bills 11271 and REGIONAL #1880 in regard to regional .planning in the Metropolitan Boston PLANNING area. The Chairman appointed Mr. Soule to meet with Mr. Snow to analyse said bills and at an early subsequent meeting to recommend to the Board such action as they thought should be made in regard to said proposed legislature. In view of the receipt of the Assistant Attorney General's tatAYa,Mr February 15, 1957 letter in regard to the revision of Tgr4 ng ZONING ton's Zoning By-laws, it was decided not to reprint at. this BY-LAW time the pages of the Bir-law upon which changes have been made. It was thought that the printing could be dome after a special town meeting which was expected to be held in the spring. Mr. Snow was asked to indicate the necessary changes to be made in order that the Board could draft just what had to be done in the way of mimeographing sufficient copies to serve immediate needs. The Board considered pert proposed changes in street names STREET as set forth in Article 59 of the TuanWarrant. It was decided NAMES to leave this matter to Mr. 0rindle and Mr. Snow to recommend to Mr. Stevens amendments to the article so that a proper draft of a proposed vote could be prepared. At 9110 p.m. Mr. John F. MacNeil and his attorney, Mr. Alfred BOARD OF P. Tropeano, met with the Board to discuss the variances Mr. APPEALS MacNeil was seeking from the Board of Appeals. It was asked if Mr. MacNeil would use the plan concerning which he had already been MACNEIL granted variances if the variances he were seeking on March 12 mere PETITION denied. Mr. Tropeano said that plan upon which variances have already been granted could not be used because the Town had taken some of the MacNeil property for a town way. Mrti Tropeano also stated that if Mr. MacNeil were not granted these variances, a lawsuit against the Town would result. It was noted that the town bad proposed to lay out a 40-foot street which would have taken all of the Barrett Press but that the Selectmen had decided that the resultant damages would make the cost of the taking prohibitive. Mr. Tropeano stated that Mr. MacNeil bad planned to have his proposed building on this street but when it Was laid out as a way only 15-feet in width, Mr. MacNeil decided to change the frontage to face the railroad depot and to ask for a further side yard variance from 5 ft. to 3 ft. Mr. Tropeano fur- ther stated that the proposed three stores within the building had been decreased from 20 ft. in width to 17 ft., the latter dimen- sion holding only if the extra 2-ft. variance were granted. In describing the building Mr. Tropeano said that it was planned to construct it two stories in height, to have a Colonial appearance and to have windows on the Barrett Press side of the building. Be also said that it was planned to have one office and stores on the first floor, and offices on the second floor, said building having a sidewalk and a grass plot between it and the railroad station. In regard to the plot plan itself, Mr. Tropeano stated that Mr. MacNeil was deeding 458 sq. ft. to the Town but that he would be losing 500 et. ft. from the plot plan concerning which they had been granted variances. Speaking for the Board, Mr. Jaquith stated that the Board be- lieved that if the variances requested were granted similar variances would be requested at other times. Ne further stated that from a long range plan standpoint the Board felt it would not be in the Town's best interest to have this variance granted. Mr. MacNeil stated that a floor area of a 15-ft, wide store would be rather small and for this reason he was seeking the additional variance of two feet. Mr. Jaquith said that the Planning Board objected to the proposed building line next to the railroad as the line was drawn on the plan and that the Board also would like to see a wider side yard established. W. MacNeil and Mr. Tropeano left the meeting at 10:00 o'clock, as did the secretary. The Board discussed hearings to be held by the Bead of Appeals on March 26, 1957. It was decided to take no action upon the petitions to be heard. Considered next by the Board was the petition of Auto Engineer- ing Co., Inc. for permission- to erect a pole and cross mast for the 111 purpose of hanging two doable faced signs to be located at AUTO EMIR. CO. z36 Barrett Road, said petition to be heard on March 12, 1957. PETITION Approved by the Board and signed by the Chairman was a letter to the Board of Appeals stating that the Planning Board was SION opposed to the granting of this petition, that in general the Board is opposed to the erection of a sign such as was pro- posed in this case because it was free standing and because in the Board's opinion it was excessively large. In particular the Board pointed out that the sign was to be erected in a local business district which was established to serve .neigh- borhood use. It was further stated that in the opinion of the Board the proposed sign was not in keeping with the environ- mental standards Lexington has consistently tried to maintain both in its neighborhoods and throughout the town as a whole. The Board also considered the petition of Daniel and CURTIN Eleanor M. Curtin for permission to erect and maintain a PETITION service station, said petition to be heard by the Board of - Appeals on March 12, 1957. Approved by the Board and signed SERVICE STATION by the Chairman was a letter to the Board of Appeals, stating that the Planning Board was opposed to the granting of a petition to erect and maintain a service station. The letter stated that in the Planning Board's opinion the Barrett Road- Spring St.Bridge St. intersection is one of Lexington's most dangerous. It was further stated that the proposed service station would be only one lot west of this intersection and would in itself, with the necessary ingress and egress, create another intersection where the horizontal sight distance of automobiles approaching from a northeasterly direction would be no more than 250 feet. The letter noted also that the proposed service station would be located in between an automobile dealer and repair agency and the Woodhaven store, opposite the existing garden supply center and only about 1100 feet away from the proposed Barrett Road fire station. In ivew of these conditions the Planning Board concluded that in its opinion this location for a service station would increase the congestion at this point on Barrett Road and would constitute a hazard to public safety and would, therefore, not be in the public interest. Read to the Board was the Planning Director's Feb. 25, PROPOSED ROAD 1957 letter to Mr. Whitcomb, Survey and Locations Engineer WOOD TO BBD• for the State Department of Public Works, said letter seek- FORD STREETS ing information in regard to the proposed road connecting Wood and Bedford Streets. Read to the Beard also was Chief Engineer Gray's Febru- ary 27, 1957 letter replying that the proposed road would con- nect Wood Street at a point near the Williams property to Bedford Street at a point where Rinchey road now enters Bed- ford Street and that the road would be constructed 24 feet in width with two 10-ft. paved shoulders for a total of 44 feet of pavement. W. Gray also stated that the layout would be of a controlled access nature providing for entrance from South _Street just west of the Bedford branch of the railroad and from Westview Street and Hinchsy Street at some point between the railroad and Bedford Street. The reply also stated that at Bedford Street some provision would be made for a safe haven for north-bound traffic turning left onto the proposed highway and that traffic lights would be erected at this intersection to provide for safe movement of traffic. Mr. Gray also stated that South and Westview Streets west of the Bedford branch would be connected with the .proposed road as described above at some point west of the railroad. When this is done the present railroad crossing at Westview Street would be eliminated and replaced with a new crossing at a point where the proposed Wood-to-Bedford Streets road crosses the railroad. Mr. Gray sent under separate cover an aerial photograph showing in heavy blue pencil the approximate center line of the proposed road, stated that field surveys for this project have been completed but that the completion of plans and further studies have been discontinued pending allocation of funds by the Defense Department for the construction of the highway. HIGHLAND The Beard considered the application for tentative approval GLENN of the preliminary Highland Glenn subdivision plan, revised PRELIMINARY February 7, 1957, especially as said subdivision might relate PLAN to a future town northeastern thoroughfare. The plan having been reviewed by both the Town Engineer and the Planning Director, it was moved, seconded and unanimously VOTED: That the preliminary subdivision plan entitled "Highland Glenn Lexington Mass.", revised Feb. 7, 1957, submitted to the Board on February 18, 1957, be and hereby is approved subject to the following conditions: (1) that "B Street" have a so-called right-of-way and connect directly with "A Street" at Lowell Street; and (2) that "C" and "E" Streets have 50-foot right-of-ways. The meeting adjourned at 11:454416 Levi. G. Burnell, Jr. Clerk