The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About1957-03-19 PLANNING BOARD MERTINC3 March 19, 1957 A regular meeting of the Planning Board was held Tuesday evening, March 19, 1957, in the Town Engineer's Room, Town Office Building, at 7:30 p.m. Present were Chairman Orirdle, Vice Chair- man Jaquith, Messrs. Adams, Burnell and Soule as well as Mr. Snow, the Planning Director. The Board took under consideration a proposal for a north- MAJOR east thoroughfare, having a 70 ft. right of way and connecting STREET North and East Lexington, this way being part of the Planning PLAN Staff's proposals for a major street plan for the town. In particular the Board reviewed a tentative proposal for the development of the Burnham land to include a section of the pro- posed thoroughfare crossing the land of Burnham and connecting East and North Streets. Included in this proposal Was the Planning Director's recommendation for a parkway along the Vine Brook easement from East to North Streets. The parkway was part of the preliminary Park and Recreation plan for the town and in- cluded the development of Vine Brook from Hayes Lane to the North Street gravel pit. The Board accepted this proposal and decided to present it to Mr. Mark Moore Jr. who, it was understood, had a sales agreement to purchase the Burnham land and proposed to develop said land for residential purposes. Mr. Grindle left the meeting at 8:00 p.m. at which time the BILLS Board approved the following bills presented for payment: John C. Lichtenberg, revising existing town-maps--$55.112; Louise M. Baker, secretarial services period ending March 15, '1957--$30.00. Taken under consideration were the following Form A appli- FIRMS A cations for determination of Planning Board jurisdiction: #57-27 - Submitted March 18, 1957, by Barnard C. Maloney, plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", scale 1 in. • 40 ft., dated Mar. 14, 1957, Fred A. Joyce, Sur- veyor, Belmont, Mass. #57-28 - Submitted March 14, 1957 by Colonial Development Corp., by W. J. Ford, Agent, plan entitled "Plan of Land in Islington Mass.", Scale 1 in. • 80 ft., dated Mar. 8, 1957, William J. Ford Jr., Civil Ehg'r., 302 Walnut St., Newtonville, Massachusetts. #57-29 - Submitted March 19, 1957, by Fold E. Stevens for the Town of Lexington, Plan entitled "Plan of Sewer Easement off Lowell Street, Lexington-Mass." Scale 1" - 40', dated March 18, 1957, Richard J. Gayer, Town Engineer. #57-30 - Submitted March 19, 1957, by Harold E. Stevens for the Town of Lexington, plan entitled "Plan of Slope Easements on Concord Avenue Lexington Mass." Scale 1" • 40', dated March 4, 1957, Richard J. Gayer, Town Engineer. It was moved, seconded and unanimously VOTED: that plans accompanying'applications #57-27, #57-28, #57-29 and 057-30 be signed bearing the endorsement "Lexington Planning Board approval not required under subdivision control law." ASSOCIATES Read to the Board were Dep. Chief Balcastro's letters of REALTI March 15 and March 19, 1957 in regard to the proposed plans for TRUST the hotel to be constructed by Associates Realty Trust. The problems between the Fire Prevention Bureau and the Associates Realty 'last having been resolved, it appeared to the Board that the Trust was now ready to prepare final plans for presentation to the Beard. SCHOOL SITES Read to the Board was the School Sites Committee's March COMMITTEE 11, 1957 letter in reply to the Board's letter of January 23, 1957, stating that the Committee felt-it was not their task to consider the acquisition of additional land around the Barring- ton School but only to recommend new sites. REGIONAL Read to the Board was a notice stating that a hearing on PLANNING regional planning legislation was scheduled for Wednesday, LEGISLATION March 20, 1957 by the Committee an Metropolitan Affairs. It was decided that Mr. Sndw should attend this hearing in order to obtain information on the bills to be presented. From this in- formation Mr. Snor'was to advise the Board on what.action to take in regard to the proposed legislation. WORTHEN ROAD The Board reviewed Whitman do Howard's December 1952 road PROJECT studies for the Lexington Planning Board' and a draft of a letter to Mr. Gayer in regard to preparing plans for street options. It was stated in the letter that there appeared to be a possibility in the near future of house lots being laid out along Marrett Road in the vicinity of the proposed intersection with the possible extension of Worthen Road and that in order to insure the extension of the latter road and reduce the chance of land damage proceedings, the Board decided to obtain options for 70 ft. wide parcels abutting on either side of Marrett Road at the point most suitable for said intersection. RE-EONING The Board considered next policies in regard to a rezoning PROPOSAL proposal discussed in joint pension with the Selectmen on March 4, 1957. It was decided to make no final decision in regard to the proposal until the Board:knew what the Selectmen's decision was in regard tb the same proposition. Until the full Board was able to review the situation in detail, it was also decided to set forth tentatively the following policies: 1. The proposal should be placed before the town because said proposal was too important for any board by itself to render a judgment. 2. It was not proper to make a decision in regard to the pro- posal before holding a public hearing in regard to the matter. 3. The proposal necessitates the creation of a new type of district and special types of restrictions rather than the inclusion within existing districts and regulations. 4. The area between Spring Street and its proposed reloca- tion should not be included in the proposal at this time. At 9:15 p.m. Mark Moore Jr. met with the Board to discuss MOORE KLAN his proposed development of Burnham land, said proposal having FOR been disapproved by the Board on March 4, 1957. The Board B RNHAM presented its proposal for the development of the land, said LAND proposal being described first in these minutes. It was pointed out to Mr. Moore that the Board's scheme would allow him to build at this time 19 lots in the-area bounded by the tract Mr. Burnham was retaini*+g, Adams Street, the proposed recreation area along Vine Brook and East Street. It was thought that an additional 4 or 5 lots could be added to the proposal if Mr. Moore acquired the land of Vine Brook Realty Trust. It was likewise pointed out that the Board's proposal would not require Mr. Moore to construct a bridge across the Vine Brook easement. While the Board could not speak for the tam, it was thought that the town could construct the bridge in exchange for land for a proposed recreation area along the brook, said area including the land over which the town had flowage rights and upon which Mr. Moore would not be able to develop house lots. It was suggested to Mr. Moore while arrangements were being made to carry' out the Board's proposed scheme that further considera- tion 'could be given the development of the Barnham land between Vine Brook and Kendrick's property. Mr. Moore agreed to take the matter under advisement stating that he had a sales agreement to purchase the Burnheaa land and had to decide whether or not it was economically feasible to develop the land for the price he was considering paying for it. It was decided that Miller and Nylander would confer with Mr. Snow in re- gard to subdividing the Burnham land, and in particular in regard to a more definite location for the proposed thoroughfare crossing said land. Mr. Moore left the meeting at 10:00 p.m. at which time the Board adjourned its meeting. Ievi G. Burnell, Jr. Clerk