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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1957-06-06 PLANNING BOARD HEARING June 6, 1957 The Lexington Planning Board held a Public PROPOSED Hearing on June 6, 1957 at 7:50 p.m. in Cary Halls REGIONAL Cary Memorial Building to consider proposals to SHOPPING amend the Lexington Zoning By-law so as to pro- CENTER vide for ah additional type of zoning district to DISTRICTS be designated C 4--Reg-Tonal Shopping Center Dis- tricts in accordance with the notice of the hear- ing, copy of which is appended to the stenographic record of the hearing. Present were Chairman Grindle, Vice Chairman Jaquith, Members Abbott, Burnell, and Soule, and Messrs. Howlett and Snow of the staff. Approximately 1000 persons attended the hearing. Chairman Grindle opened the hearing by reading the first paragraph of the notice of the hearing as it was published in the May 23, 1957 issue of the Lexington Minute-man and stating that the reading of the remainder of the notice would be omitted. Copies of the notice as it appearedin the Minute- man had been sent to all property owners deemed to be affected. Mimeographed copies of the proposal were distributed at the hearing. A complete stenographic record of the hearing was taken and prepared for the Planning Board by Philip H. and Lawrence W. Burt, shorthand reporters, 31 Milk Street, Boston Massachusetts . The 112- page typewritten report prepared by said reporters and dated June 6, 1957 is incorporated in the per- manent records of the Planning Board. The n' blic hearing was adjourned at 11 55 p.m. J....- Levi G. Burnell, Jr. Clerk '.�' r �r ' �'':ur�rxSs:� T'Y.E� { •"'saes: a,ra.. -. ,. '; i.�1 a'.a _ F'fr .,�. >- :�pT„�"-•��;r ?�2G-^gc.£1,[1 a T"7�=nr.. .t..;.,...i"� STENOGRAPHIC RECORD POLOME I PAGER 1 - 112 EXHIBITS PUBLIC HEARING OF LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD ON PROPOSALS TO AMEND ZONING BY-LAW I Cary Memorial Hall Cary Memorial Building Lexingt,ons_A4a4!sas!usetts /f June 6, 1957 PHILIP H AND LAWRENCE W BURT SHORTHAND REPORTERS THIRTY ONE MILK STREET BOSTON 9 MASSACHUSETTS L • y t "4 i:11;,:-.4K14.: .[4`r s a 2 f E f'w ill a -% = .r F -414)."3-Z,11'.1.' y'.' ar t a x�' r r k I q ' tee' ` a `�' ?" t-- f t 1 d. Retail iasennw an sum greasing stations and places LEGAL NOTICES of business for the sale and other auib of tires and other automobile accessories,gfor NOTICE OF PLANNING BOARD but excluding garages far HEARING ON PROPOSALS TO storage or repair of motor AMEND ZONING BY-LAW vehicles, and salesrooms. Notice is hereby given that a public showrooms or any areas or hearing will be held by the Lexington facilities for the sale of mo- Planning Board on Thursday, dune 6, tor vehicles. 1957 at 7.45 P. M. in Cary Memorial Hall, e. Banks, postal substations. Cary Memorial Building, to consider the and offices for physicians, following proposals to amend the Lexing- dentists and allied medical ton Zoning By-Law so as to provide for professions. an additional type of zoning district to f. The following additional be designated C 4—RegionaI Shopping buildings and uses are per- Center Districts mitted subject to permission 1. By adding in Section 3 Districts De- from the Board of Appeals fined the following new paragraph: (1)Theaters and other en- (i) C 4—Regional shopping center closed places of amuse- districts. meat. 2. By striking out the word 'or" be- (2) Personal service facili- tween the words Al" and 'C3' in ties found by the Board paragraph (a) of Section 4 Geogra- to be similar to those set phical Descriptions of Districts and forth in subparagraph b. by substituting therefor a comma and above. by inserting between the words 'CS" (3)Business offices and pro- and `district" of said paragraph the fessional offices Ip t h e r words — or C 4 — than those set forth in 3. By changing certain land from an subparagraph e. above. R 1 District to a C 4 District by 2. For the purpose of this by-law adding in Section 4 Geographical De- a "Regional Shopping Center' scriptions of Districts the following is defined to be a group of / new paragraphs stores and buildings and a land Ii) C 4—Regional shopping center area (1) planned to serve a districts. regional population and not 1. A district situated northeaster merely the population of the ly of the Cambridge Concord Town of Lexington, (2) Highway (Route 2) and easter- planned, designed and devel- ly of the Northern Circumfer- oped as a unit, in one or more ential Highway (Route 128) stages, and (3) operated and and bounded and described as managed, after construction as - follows: a unit by the owner or owners • Southeasterly by Spring Street, thereof. Southwesterly by the Cam- 3. All merchandise and all sale bridge-Concord Highway and display facilities and se- (Route 2) and the Route 2 tivities shall be entirely within Route 128 Interchange, so- fully enclosed buildings, except called, the sale of gasoline and oil at Westerly by the Northern Cir- stations permitted under su4t- cumferential Highway (Route paragraph d. of paragraph 1 128), above, and except as shall be Northwesterly by land now or expressly permitted by the formerly of Hayden by a line Board of Appeals. parallel with and 25 feet 1. By inserting after the word `C 8' southeasterly from the south- in paragraph (b) of Section 7 Height easterly line of Weston Regulations the following• — , C 4 Street, — so that said paragraph (b) will Northeasterly by land now or read as follows formerly of Hayden by aline (b) In C 2, C 3, C 4 and M 1 dis- parallel with and 200 feet tricts the maximum height of southwesterly from the south- buildings shall be fifty-five feet. westerly line of Shade Street, 6. By amending Section..8 as follows Southeasterly again by lots A.By striking out the title Area, 223, 224 and 225 on Land Frontage and Yard Regulations' Court Plan 6962D, and substituting in place thereof Northeasterly again by lots the title—Area, Frontage, Yard, 225 to 251, both inclusive, on Off-Street Parking and Site Plan on said plan, Regulations. Northwesterly again by lot 252 B.By adding,the following new pars- on said plan, and graph: Northeasterly again by lend (i) C 4 Regional Shopping. Center now or formerly of Swenson Districts. by a line parallel with and 1. In C 4 districts the entire distant 200 feet southwester land within the district shall ly from the southwesterly be deemed to be a single lot line of said 4. By adding under Sectionde Street. for all purposes under this 6 Permitted by-law. Buildings and Uses the following new 2. In C 4 districts there shall paragraph be provided (il C 4 Districts. a.Open spaces on such lot 1. A Regional Shopping Center, of not less than 200 feet as hereinafter defined, is per- between each boundary mitted with the following line of such lot and the buildings and-uses permitted buildings_ and a. Retail stores. structures thereon. Where b. The following personal serv- such lot bounds on a ice facilities barber or street, the exterior line of beauty shop, physical condi- the street shall be deemed tioning and reducing salon, to be the bmindary line photographic studio, travel fbr the purpose of this a g e n c y shoe and hat subparagraph. 111110 repair shop, laundry and b. An open area on such lot, - cleansing pick-up station, not occupied by any build- dressmaker, milliner or tail- or shop, and household ap- pliance or equipment repair or instruction shop. c. Restaurants and other places for serving food, with the exception of diners and lunch carts so-called which are hereby expressly pro- ' hibited. II ' k * V :44 s" t �•;-17- .$a '�4T -V�"T '{ 40 .w, :: :.,-,r1 . f;`i'''''. $.�. 1:-T4.-:,x.••T .e ` fir- x. Ings or structure, of not less than 75 per centurn of the area of such lot. e. Parking area (including 1.Protection of o t h u r access drives and aisles) ` remises in the neigh- on such lot for automo- borbood against detri- biles or other vehicles mental or offensive uses containing not less than on such lot. 3 square feet for each 2.Convenience and safety square foot of floor area of vehicular and pedes- of the buildings and strut triaa t i vemdat on such tures on such lot. The lot and in relation to open spaces and area re- streets, ways and land mitred under subpara- in the neighborhood of graphs a and b above may such lot. be used for parking area s.Adequacy of the tacili- if otherwise Iawful, ties for sewage, refuse d,Adequate space on or un- and other waste disposal der the,surface of such and for water drainage. lot, adjacent to the build- d.The site plan may be ings and structures to be submitted to the Plan- served, for loading and nine Board in stages or unloading purposes. in- as a complete plan and, c l u d i a g maneuvering in either case, the space,for service vehicles. Board in acting on a 3. In C 4 districts,all buildings site plan may approve shall be constructed, recon- it in whole or in part. strueted, altered, enlarged whenever successive site or used and the premises plans 'are submitted. shall be used for a per- any feature approved misted purpose only in con- by the Board on a prior formity with a site plan for site plan shall be deem- such lot,bearing an endorse- ed to be approved if ment of approval by the shown materially un- Planning Retard. changed on a subse- a.The owner of the lot for „. gxrent site.plan, unless which a site plan approval the Board determines is desired shall submit that new or changed such site plan to the features on the snbse- Planning Board in accord- quant site plan mate- rially with procedure Pre- that affect the feature scribed by the Board and40 that otherwise would be no building permit shall deemed to be approved. be issued for any existing e.In approving a sit e or proposed building ox plan, the Board shall issued on such lot until a have the power to au- site plan showing such thorizo a variance from building or stricture has the site plan as as- been approved by the proved within such Bm- Beard and then only if Stations as are specified such building or structure in its apprgvsl en- conforms to such site plan doxaemenk The Board as approved, shall have the power to b.The site plan shall present modify or amend its a unified and organized approval of a site plan arrangement of buildings, on application of the structures and service fa- owner or a mortgagee cilitiea and shall shave, of such lot,or upon its among other features, the y owe motion if such ground area and location power is reserved by of all existing and pro- the Board in its ap- posed buildings, strut- proval endorsement. All tures,parking areas,load- provisions applicable to ing and unloading spaces, an approval of a site driveways, driveway open- plan shall, where par- 'ngs and other uses all tinent, be applicable to facilities for water seer- a modifietion or amend- ice, sewage, refuse and went of an approval, other waste disposal sere- LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD ices,outdoor lighting, and Thomas B. Grindle. Chairman water drainage and all 5/23-57 principal landscape fea- tures such as fences walls,walks,and planting areas, including screening of such lot, if reasonably necessary, from B. 1 dis- triers on which such Iot abuts. The site plan shall include separate drawings showing a unified general exterior architectural de- sign for all proposed buildings and structures, the style and type of such design, however, shall not be subject to approval by the Planning Board. in granting approval of a site plan the Board may determine the extent to 41110 ... which there'shall be ac cess to such lot from an abutting street. e. Before approving applica- tions for site plan ap- proval under this para- graph,the Board shall as- sure to a degree consis- tent with a reasonable use of such lot for the pur- by the regulatirees ioons if the dis- trict: 1 ltasiv:;70%-.7rwpw:,./7777-771:74, - a:' 14. IS 0. 10, 4 •.4kw III PUBLIC HEARING OF LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD ON PROPOSALS TO AMEND ZONING BY-LAW I Cary Memorial Hall Cary Memorial Building Lexington, Massachusetts June 6, 1957 r _377N"It'' -''; ;r`w, ;NF`:' "'�"''. : 4.nl;'<5+:-Y'•`s? .'a3i e i i�'Ir` ''�t*5=. y' v-'-`%* ;"`"54T7lgr��. ;1471.T+ M! :��y.; ., ' ',:,fie `:..._ ,�. - rr ,,. ±,� -2 +_ ,: k Ir r 411 PROCEEDINGS CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: I would like to announce that smoking is not allowed in this room. I would like to read the notice for the calling of this meeting . Notice of Planning; Board meeting, hearing on proposals to amend the zoning by-law. Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Lexington Planning Board on Thursday, June 6, 1957, at 7:45 p.m. in. the Cary Memorial Hall, Cary Memorial Building, to consider the following proposals to amend the Lexington Zoning 'By-law so as to provide for an additional type of ill zoning district to be designated C k, Regional Shopping Center Districts Since copies of these proposed amendments are available .we will omit the reading of them. However, I do wish to read a short satement 'showing how this proposal has developed. This will be followed by a brief explana- tion of the provisions of the proposed .amendment. Following the special Town Meeting last fall the Planning Board made a study of the undeveloped land in Lexington lying easterly of Route 128. This study showed that in general the large undeveloped areas east of Route 11/ 128 are surrounded by developed residential land. As a result of the study the Board decided to consider the .43:,:;;''''''1% t. 'r .+61:4_;:*''' ''''"'TTN `e, ''..e.*TP' • ,if Thy 4. `:;:.::,,i, M r -ms`s:-, ,,,yp- -a •"`�r.,.'� c .� i. . ' Fk 'a;` ,,a. �.�+r fix", ,;.M f+'"' '�,Y:K'39.yar. °i bail r R e i d111 W rezoning of such land 1n the future only after :E,peeific projects requiring rezoning were presented to the Board. The proposal under discussion this evening comes within this policy. At the request of William Filene 's Sons Company the Planning Board met with them on December 10, 1956. This meeting was soon followed by a joint meeting of the Planning Board, the Board of Selectmen and Filene 's representatives . The regional shopping center project under consideration at that time involved the Swenson property and related areas . Later the Hayden property was added. illAt these meetings Filene 's representatives stated that they did not wish to presume to carry on the proposal further if the boards felt that the Town definitely did not want the shopping area. Both Tswn boards decided that the prsposal was of such a size and character that it should be placed before a Town Meeting for discussion and decision, and Filene 's was so notified. Several subsequent meetings were held, and in April Filene 's decided to place the matter before the Town. The proposed amendments for the zoning by-law have been designed to give the Town some control in the development of the shopping center. The controls provided, are much i tive than those applying in C 1 C 2, and M 1 more rest' e , ' "t ..Y r,'1 it. G' �" b:E,. ..- ,k. c.�£ Via�7,1 yy 4'VVV^^k®F' F d rt_ i5 districts . 111 In drafting the proposed amendment it has been necessary to consider not only the best interste of the Town but also a set of by-laws under which the shopping center could be financed and developed. At no time during its discussion with Filene 's representatives has the Board taken a position for or against the shopping center. The Board will not make such a decision until after this hearing. In fact, the purpose of this hearing is primarily to pre- sent facts which will assist us and the citizens present in making a decision. illHowever, at the Town Meeting which will be called to consider this matter the Planning Board will present a wrigten report stating their recommendations . I will now ask Mr. Jaquith if he will explain briefly the provisions of the proposed amendments to the zoning by-law. Mr. JAQUITH: The proposed amendments are quite lengthy as all you people realise. Therefore, seeing preferable to pass out copies of the proposed amendment rather than to try to read them in thein entirety tonight. I will take up each of the proposed amendments by item number as shown in the printed notice_,, so I suggest that III you refer to the copies of the notice which you have. i 3itr` •rIci 7*.,0 ^ , 05EI ;c1Y : + .:.A.va� d,Y }-w � J a _ 3W + 1i'. 111 There are extra copies. up here available if you don't have them. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: We are taking the restof the copies down to the back of the room where they will be available for anyone that wants them. Mr. JAQUIT1 : Ay explanation of the provisions of the proposed amendments are going to be brief in order to conserve time . If there are questions in regard to any particular section we would be glad to answer them later. Many of the provisions are self explanatory and therefore do not require a detailed explanation. Item 1. This proposal adds to the list of zoning districts under Section 3 a new district designated C 4 - regional shopping center district. Item 2. This proposal is a technical amendment to theeo ra hical description of R 1 districts under g g P P . Section 4. It has nothing to do with C 4 districts, but it applies to C 1 and it is necessary to make this amendment so that C 4 land is excluded from R 1. Item 3. Under this proposal the land area described thereon would be changed from an R 1 district to a C 4 regional shopping center district by adding to Section 4 Geographical descriptions of districts the new paragraph set forth in the notice. There will be considerable explana- "rJ(: �.', OI. �i.T .j ,) r.�,T 'f,)y ^-•'f„i ,.7 i�� �.?� j F. ) ,EiT t'.'S OPT C; T.J (.5 ..Co'114 i J I TOJ3. O, G f ! b. G )., E)`• i{i @ ''..;: du7,)1 :j13A 46,1, 4 . ?,TCS 1 '1 St 1-U 0 C(" C.2“ C s I.I x7E-Cy rP.PE LE 3 I J.IOFH of •;c .00d. d. ,f J- q"::127 'C ?• {pig L rJJi c: .JZ.OJJ;:`- i .WJE: 3 c,UC Ta=i b. fab"J: (a If T: SJt{ , i f i C (f7C.'- C1 `T,OcJ • :ebb- bi;j 4-=O Ci `y^`Cr r 3a J COC T.' t 'tfd /''11Tg SJT JCJwt.*)z f C _'I04T UL VO -UJ J{i f.o (5O k'j'tI !J- c..21 Del -Q 4TH 43'I : :JT*i C J f: :T i J '"?.T O" C5 mit; • ;fE) r• ,C,7p.. .)T.O.JO 'Awl,.r 7f m T. t LA,!93 TJJtJjvt, C.60.)r T Cf-ro_•y..-G?' • T.L?TTTf1`c. qTa.^:LSC S3 r .0 i X, t1C 4'X3,1 -4 0( i*i E T2 7 Tr 4 C;=yr C;a(`5 n {:I:t T• WT iT•O)fn 5j :sggqJ i "Q r: G TTEr J I•- ;;.O.T..= C°O !JO; Lr (If[b Ls, :J C'r'fJT i ,C, Tt pct. ;.'b•I 0I j'-S" 0LOP''3Soin: r•T 6 ... j i, y'ij-r. 0T :.''JO ErS3iq 'd7SL,i.;a1;'T£+S, EGG Too 'A,= idC):Y' O Dr_ 5. C. v 4.x`',1;. k:;, ii 0..Vt70,- LA' '!7E- ird PP.t. ,t: cT$r�_ CE'! i ET' ""J f 7tev 'r r C},k, J.1j0 41,4J0 'o'aoa 5.4L :u 4) J `J. JT T.s} TV 0> Ci k'aa AL. }t 4,1+1 .CTC) fl..)4 JTE�A ' rorE� -fAfi"7'�;"sp'Tr '01, tiff21 O11g c.;•obT .4 OMT .f`O i';15_ fJl CzcJ :F}'•e leoot) kiJi.7v{, 11N-3" .•�"a'T !�' g J J_ }e- ;it1,31a0, Yi i.. .x%'Y..$ r;Ol4.4 $42 f(.y RTF' >[' ir 1`.:'-Jirp f.4 _ 3, ti Y+' =�`�. .._�-. .f< .:iFn_•t�.S 'tai..-o.- ,±5`a. �:.�.L�::. :.t'a7y .=_v'5..,. �wla`L4.-w€sti: `_#.5s.. +_.r :.4..: :FiSx'v�;: .-..._�... ..e,.�''..-., a A - ' v. ski, z, V 4 ill tion of this district of the land in this propelled districts during the course of the hearing. There,fore:, I am not outlining the area at this time. Item 4. This proposal add ►. a pew paragraph to Section 5, permitted buildings and uses . Sub-paragraph 1 specifies the permitted buildings and uses in the proposed C 4 districts . These can be divided into two categories . First, those specified under sub-paragraphs lA to E Indus- ive would be permitted without board of appeals approval. Second, those specified under sub-paragraph lh would require permission from the board of appeal. Sub-paragraph 2 of Item 4 contains the definition of a regional shopping center. In order for the developer of the area to construct the buildings and make use of the Ames allowed under Section 5 it would be necessary first that his proposal meet the definition of a regional shopping center. Sub-paragraph 3 of Item' 4 provides that all sales and display facilities and activities shall be entirely within fully enclosed buildings with Certain exceptions . The exceptions are those connected with the sale of gasoline and oil at service stations, permitted service stations and such other exceptions as may be expressly permitted by the board of appeals . -7i;; Q:,e ms. 'r- �' 4.. .y< r k .r w i' :, w .r. �.' y,. tCii 'ri ° Wi..^;ki'. .: : tt,:4;�:q"E..-«.?4 t Via ;. -, 7 Item 5. This proposal deacribes the same taxithum height limitation off' 55 feet for C 4 distiiots as now exists for C 2, C 3, and M 1 districts . Item 6. Paragraph A under this item is a tech- nical amendment to the title of Section 8 dealing with regulations . Paragraph B of item 6 adds a new paragraph I to section 8 describing the regulations for the C 4 dis- tricts . Sub-paragraph 1 provides that the entire land within the C 4 district shall be deemed to be a single lot for all purposes under the zoning by-law. At the present time, the land in the proposed tract to be rezoned in the C 4 district is owned by several parties, and it is possible that there may be more than one future owner of the land in this tract, if the proposed amendments are adopted. The purpose of sub-paragraph 1 is to make it possible' to treat all the land in the entire C 4 disttiot as being one parcel for purposes of development so that it can be developed and managed as a single unit. Sub-paragraph 2 specifies certain minimum require- ments for the development of the district. -Basically, parking area, distance buildings have to be in from. the street or R 1 districts, and two or three others . Sub-paragraph 3 provide that all construction t -r• "ik?t -14-; 13 teFfyA ' T�'qr a�' e`�+Y 111 of buildings and the uses thereof Shall conform to a site plan for the entire tract which has been approved by the planning board. Under sub-paragraph a, no building permit shall be issued for the existing or proposed building or structure until the site plan has been approved by the planning board . Sub-paragraph b 'describes what shall be shown on the site plan. It is the intent that under paragraph 3 the planning board shall have the right to approve or disapprove all features of the site pian with the exception or the style and type of design for the buildings and structures . It should be noted that under sub-paragraph b the site plan shall include separate drawings showing a unified architectural design for the proposed buildings and struc- tures, but it is specified that the style and type of design shall not be subject to planning board approval. Also under sub-paragraph b the planning board in grating an approval of a site plan has the power to determine the extent to which there shall be access to the tract from an abutting street. This provision is designed for the pro- tection of the Town, but I would like to point out that in the particular tract involved Spring Street is the only Ill abutting street to this property from which there can be access, and it is unlikely that the planning board could say rte. _ n .yrx+. ... f 't•h� .r - __T7Fis' yr' nY�" -F"� ." :.:a+fYP 7. .y.."" "e.'�'S.�`', a ,.�p' ;'• i$' i++ y.�i*.".i ,x_!._v.' .- '"'�; e ,f .ay„ :�,h ._- a"., � �: that there shall be mo access- becaause. I think- that the 111 action of the planriing board in that situation ,u►ot{ld be held to be unreasonable; so this provision, the intent of this provision is not to provide that there shall be no access if the planning board so desires bait: to provide for the protection of the Town and enable the planning board in the interests of the Town to work out the solution for what and where the access will be. In connection with this point the proposed C 4 district does not abut either Shade Street or Weston Street there being a buffer zone of R 1 land on both of these streets . This R 1 land' cannot be used for a drive- way to the shopping center since it would be using R 1 land for business purpose which is not permitted under the proposed amendments . Sub-paragraph a describes certain things which the planning board is required to do for the protection of the Town and the neighborhood before approving the site plan application. Sub-paragraph d contains procedural provisions dealing with submission and approval of site plan. Sub-paragraph e also contains procedural provisions dealing with approval of a site plan and the modification or amendment thereof. Later at the question period if you have questions 'Cb• c},- .F. -13",;e""`4' ' -Ti4, #t . _s' i. l: s F5^` --lq •' .w< ' �¢T'.�e r i 'r - • .d,F i2d_i• " c `' +'* : -,yj�" : d :? whfa �• f T _ tin regard to the amendments we will be glad to answer thein or try to answer them, but we don't want to -do so at this time . We would rather get on with the presentation. FROM THE FLOOR: Louder. Louder, please. Canst hear you. Mr. Jaquith: At the question period of the hearing you can ask questions in regardto the meaning of these provisions . We don't want to take the time now to do it because we want to have the proponent of the shopping center present his part of the proposition. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: I will now explain the procedure to be used in carrying out this hearing. The usual pro- cedure for conducting, hearings of this nature is to have the proponent of the project, in this case William Filene 's Sons Company present the matter. Following this presenta- tion an opportunity will be given members of the planning board to ask questions . This will be followed by questions from persons present at the meeting. All who speak are asked to give their names and addresses and to use the microphone if it is available. At the close of the hearing an expression of opinion will be taken of those who favor and those who oppose the proposi- tion of the proposal . It should be clearly understood that official rt a.Jarr,q pc arr;ii.LTW aucissoc i r oti.'J-r,. r 44cuu ot cp.; bT.oacaj• i fsslo,p i �, z_jIUohi 2,;p0 t AOL $i q 4:ro : MJiO CL7kbJ.:i - cps bLO-30 T- "GJ: C70.'+_ OL cue pcaL oe u; oT oL)'"ujcr wf JT P' ,4QT .;.:ac,a i:JJ9 J52 cW t'li r (Joj :o.L7* TT. 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A two-thirds vote of the Town Meeting Members voting is required for its passage. I will be glad now to introduce Mr. Francis Gummere representing William Filene 's who some of you have already met. MR. GUNNERS: In doming before you tonight I am well aware that a large responsibility is falling on me. I am director of planning and development and I am here representing Filene's management ascan officer of it and as a member of its management. Filene 's now enjoys patronage with so many of your citizens. So though we are very anxious as any merchant is to increase our sales by satisfying our present and other customers, to a greater degree we always want to avoid and we have taken this con- sistent position with your board in our first contacts with them; and with our first contact with them we didn 't want any subjects considered that the Town didn 't want considered. I think the Chairman of your Board has done a very fair job in taking that to you. I want to emphasize one thing, that we have had a very kind reception from the one press, the paper circulating 11/ on a wide basis to your Town outside of the Boston newspapers, They have done a very good job from our point of view. They T,Vi.: •`_,, T 7 .r`...h 4- P7 '4''W" 44.;%.7,,:i.7. RY7ma9, .�:r- . ,,. Ti 7,,. ,q�lIt , .. . . w.12 lit have considered material which We have given it. they ,have tried not to edit it out -in any way so that we have absolutely no excuser for not having had an opportunity to present our point of view to you. We have been presenting in your paper and in meetings with several of your' neighborhoods and committees with several groups of your Town as nearly as we could the facts as we knew them at each point in the proceeding. I think all of you who have had anything to do with this kind of planning or any enterprise at all that required mcre than dust what you as an individual did know IIIthat plans are involved. They aren' t done in one piece and any project of this size evolves an evolution of plana that would go on for some time. I think it is reasonable to expect that no one would make an undue or enormous expenditures until he knew more exactly the attitude of the Town as to how it felt and its specific expression in drawing final plans; and while we have plana here on various stages of preliminary planning some of them were started over a year ago, I am trying to point out which one was beginning, some of them have been developed very recently. In fact, facts are still coming to light as many of you know. Members of the women's League of Voters con- ducted traffic surveys only yesterday. Many facts are ,5t14: rTT- * _ ^ M rz. wr9• s ^ 7...yv rte'$ 4l CEW•s�Xq R.''- ._`` y v .j ..� *5.° •, n 5F 13 90 VVV lir coming here that will continue to come to light, and I just want to say that whatever has been said previously that what is said tonight is the most accurate up to date figure we can give you on any single fact. We will be very glad to tell you how they changed and as to why they changed as some of you may wonder. Now, there are many forces that are at work here to have nothing to do with theCompany I represent or you as citizens of the Town or anything that you by your actions as a Town can govern. We come from a metropolitan area. We can from our point as a Company work toward the betterment .of the situation. There are forces. that work from population alone that are so deep and so far reaching that they are working at the situation and have worked to develop over a period of time the feasibility of the proposition which we are suggesting to you, the people of Lexington. You all know it has been going on and sometime you realize how big it is . According to the best figures our _.research department can put together, about 540,000 odd thousand population was added outside the corporate Boston and within the present definition of Metropolitan Boston of the three decades of thel201s, '30's, and the 1401s. Frain 1950 the last - well, not the last census but the last Federal census with some x4414 ,71. ?f. 'w • $a+w ,� J�• �y x 14 111 regard to the year 1,75 or for the pastseven aind the next eighteen years by our calculation from checking with various departments of Government and from talking to State Department Commerce and its forecast we believe this area outside, of which Lexington is a part, is going to grew by another 450,000. Now, 540,000 and 450,000 are -not just twists of the same figure. They happen to come out that way. I think the significant thing about each of them is that growth in the first case is larger than the total populations in l950 of whole cities like Dallas, Texas., like Minneapolis, like Seattle, and a tremendous number of people that Ygrew in that period of time who have various demands and needs. that need to be served. And it is Our business with the good will of our customers to try and serve these people. I am going to ask that we have the first slide, Slide number one . You will excuse us While we get it in focus 'up here . I am afriad that I will have to .ask -- in addi- tion that will be better on all of the subsequent slides which will be better in black and white - that you look at page one of the folders which were handed out, to many of you that came in. Perhaps if you didn't .get_ one you might consult with your neighbor next to you, and you might be able to follow what are seemingly indistinctly in color on Y ter':' . .0 Y ;t $- -;.7.7N74; "' :.#,e: x � , a' s .4`', ,.`,."M,`"". f: �°- ;:.r' ,`• �8 this screen. Perhaps you can ,see that at the right hand' side where it is light blue 4s the water of Boston harbor of Massachusetts Bay. I am sure that you pati see that there are a series of red dots in there. Starting at Boston as the center and proceeding-as the area was originally settled the greater concentration Ftp along the boast towards Lynn and Salem and proceeding toward the south shore down in red Quincy where the red dots are to the distribution of the stores . Notice the greatest concentration following west, following out the Boston main line -- following the Boston and Maine line, down through Framingham., Wellesley. Notice it then followed the main routes of the railroads, Boston and Maine, and similarly down in these directions . Now, all of you cannot see as distinct on this, but it might be a little better if the lights were on, is that the areas of green which are in between here, the ones where it is shaded are green dots and the areas that are lightest are areas Where there is no green dots, the areas that are green are greatest in the center on here to the west and again following these places where the stores follow. Notice that the white areas are greatest in this general area, in this general area and up in this general see this mapcloselyas you can in area. And if you could '' 'vb �t� f '3'�'' t-i"°,. � .,, ,,P7T !,7 s%!z,V..q y 3 'f T ��F, '..f''� c MW444 a.r r ,�'':444;04 Af—,i`c�F 7P�^`.. ;fie % � � Y% .., r& y{�. cif � n'Y: Y p,ra. a 1\" tq.,wl'F C 'K:x: .. ., Vii. i ,� f ,ter '`r -Ti�"' T a, � _. J i Ya ;. the display in the hl�11 outside and' the one that does show III in full color you will see that the areas of red have generally, those being the designations of retail facilities, have generally followed the concentration's of green which represent concentrations of people . And if you study this, as we who are merchants and charged with the responsibility to our managements to our directors and owners to see what we can do to serve these areas, you would look in studying these centralizations of populations for the areas where the growth was most rapid and you would look to the areas with the greatest opportunities to serve customers who ill are not now being served, and having studies this for a long period of time, having looked at the highways and having looked at all the factors that are in this in, great detail it was :inescapable to conclude that roughly three possi- bilities of some size existed to serve on a regional basis; and those were roughly these : In Peabody where there is being built now a North Shore Shopping Center, in Braintree where is being built the South Shore Shopping Center, and a third opportunity existed where some of the greatest growth was going chin a period from 1950 on, the area some- where in the northwest sector along Route 128 in the arch II where the light was Just flashed. That is roughly the area of 128 bounded on the ; rr�,1y� e ��� 7:3-7--'L; d� T ' '‘ :"^K ba£ ; $ : Po zs"yY� ,` s.k^ j'.' .ear.: L41AF-y u;...xj;cEts� + a e � 4 4 :A-1'4 anaA17. w� a i r ill south by Route 20 as an exti'emity where retail facilities becomeuite available and the area bounded somewhere along I Route 1 on the north where again the regional center is going to be plannedthere where there is going to be adequate service is available- in Lynn and Salem. So then I. think students of this, viewing this from an economic, from merchandising, from a banking or from a real estate point of view would conclude that a eel:ter or centers will be planned and will be created at sometime soon to meet the very rapidly growing population in the area northwest of Boston. May we have the lights? I think we oan put the lights a little higher now. Now, the highway development which has been taking place has accellerated this possibil- ity. As you know in this Town, meetings have been held since last January, Route 2 is going to be widened substantially. It is not many years Route 128 was 'ecxnpleted. You have seen just across the border from your Town the Widening and bringing in of Route 3 near the New Hampshire line. You are currently able to see survey crews and you have read in the papers how the sections o1' Route 28 which from the New Hampshire line are again being brought down to this sector. So there are a number of opportunities, focal points at which development h this develo ent could take place. Re' ,�v 7 ,r..tr'1:7. .-1'','7P,,7571; .- R74 .7 •'R`i:r '.^i&-M "i e F y ° ',:.".,f7_.'"u 18Any person in our position, a film in our position would quite naturally examine all these and we have been examining them for a number of years . We have watched with great interest the plans as they were projected by public works, and after looking at :all of them we kept retdrning to one site, the site at the junction of Route 2 and 128 about which we are here to tai to you tc ri34bt. We for years avoided this site. We avoided it because we were told by many people, friends of ours in Town, people who were acquainted with your Town, that the Townsfolk had not been inclined to consider development for other than residential _purposes. It was therefore, as Mr. Grindle said earlier, with some reservations that we approached the Town to ascertain the degree of your interest and it was with some knowledge that individuals of our acquaintance in the Town had pointed out that at various deliberations and various groups you had become aware that theincreasing cost that the services of this Town which add to your cost, add to your tax burdens might, if they were not offset by other causes, place a burden on a residential property and residential taxpayer which would not be acceptable, and it is in this light that we come before you tonight. In considering these various sites we concluded sometime ago that While it was the possibility of a center or several centers developing within this arcthat as in the P 6 case of the North Shore Center at Peabody that a much more orderly result would obtain and much greater advantage attained to the developers and to the area in which it was located if one well planned regional center were established rather than a series of smaller- More local center$. This is taking place on the North Shore; this is taking place at the South Shore. And there are many people who believe though it is never with complete finality that the creation of the larger centers will probably tend to 111 keep Many smaller centers from springing up helter skelter without the same degree of planning as is possible when one large one is established at one time. Therefore, in addition to the opportunity„ should you choose to exercise it, encouraging us to proceed with the regional shopping center here, not only is that opportunity with you now but you will assure, if you choose to take that, that the planning not only of your Town but of several Town around you is likely to be more orderly, and the forces which will be at work around you will be minimized as well as those within the Town be substantially under your control by the provisions which Mr. Jaquith described, to you earlier and as that is possible 'i Afar�r4 c r . 1.�� !:t.;3711-4 j ror.,ST ..t� i.> ',.�J rad'" JYt ' a•L :r Vii#.: ,`1 � t �r '„moi 4 dP in the toning by-law III You will remember that you retain substantial control, and that the burden of proof is on the developers to show that his plans that are in the Townts public interests and satisfy the public requirements. 10 be realistic, let me point out to you now that while there are advantages there are disadvantages . No thing, no blessing is completely unmixed. But it would be unrealistic not to point out that by a negative vote, a negative choice on this you can exclude shopping center from within. your premises at least this proposal fox' one, and at least for the present. But it will not safeguard you against a need that exists and exists within this are 1 described earlier around you. It is our considered opinion and considered opinions of others we speak with that there willbe a shopping center or shopping centers in this area somewhere. Now, who is the .proposer on this? You want to know who he is, what he stands for. "William Filenets Sons Company, you know, has been in business over one hundred years, and I hope it is creditably known to all ofyou. We are a division of the Federated Department Stores, a company that our management and several of our founders helped to create. The Federated resources stand behind the 21 action of the Filene division, Filene Company. We propose to arrange the development of a shopping center which we will describe in more detail as ,I go along here and to operate a Filene 's store within the center. Generally we do not own properties that we operate. I think there is one of twelve properties that we have that we own title to. The rest are owned by financial in3titutions . We do this on a sale-lease-back arrangeicefts to senserve our capital for merchandising efforts, and that's what we seek to supply services in and profitably. And to concen- trate efforts on merchandising rather than finance and real estate management, we would propose to enter into an arrangement selling the property to either financing insti- tutions or enter a long term agreement binding on us with the developer who itself is a financial institution. The important point in the thing I wish to emphasize is that Filene 's will b; responsible under any such sale or agreement to carry out the requirements of the zoning by-law proposed . The next - what is the site under discussion? Slide two, please . The site proposed for the rezoning lies entirely within the area bounded by Routes 2, 128, Weston, Shade and Spring Street. I want to repeat that. It lies P B entirely within that area. That is the present Shade street. 7 T. .a Ny�'K' 4i��j 4 n 1�' j �}a�Ne e'ti � � .yA �. 3 +,der I.,� ;�� Note the dotted line on the top of this slide. Starting ill on your and my left at Route 128, the line designates the buffer zone Mr. Jaquith spoke about, twenty-five feet in on Weston Street. It proceeds to a point within two hundred feet of Shade Street where it continues along Shade Street a distance at all points two hundred feet in- until it hits the line which runs due south opposite Cary. This line is the line which is so-called registered land and has been Land Courted, which is the line of the eery subdivision done years ago and it follows that line, and then runs southwest or towards about four o'clock and comes to the il property line which is the black line just west of the "S " in Shade Street on that chart. There it proceeds along the line which is roughly four hundred feet in from the street which again is the back of the lot lines four hundred feet in from Shade Street of the residences along that area. It proceeds to the edge of the last one of those lots on. the subdivision of the Cary property, proceeds about slightly northeast to a point within two hundred feet of Shade and then it stays equal distance of two hundred feet from Shade to the corner of Spring Street . The line then follows the line of the property to Spring Street to Route 2;. along Route 2 back along 128. Out of this area, and it is approximately one .rKi. .yS 4,w' .: 10'7 �`�., s ..f. s ir. a • y J gAtu_,�°$ y•? w4eL^, a`i�w vi _ S r ^; ,�'. -r ,�, '' i- pry ` °_ s yf -.-ffi': "' (lyy' $a k ¢: 111 N 1 hundred and forty acres, twenty-one will remain residential as at present under the p'rop) ta.l, ands will be used logically for buffer zones except that area outside the property itself-- let me correct that. The one hundred and forty acres does not include the jog inside of the black line that includes Shate Street just south of the -- there will be twenty-one acres that will remain residential, R 1. Nineteen acres of this principally along Routes 2 and 128 will be taken fox' widening of Route 2 by the State under the proposal that was submitted at a public hearing last January. Therefore, approximately one hundred acres will be available for shopping center purposes. What parcels of land are involved in this? 2-a photo, please. This, as- some of _you recognize,,. -- this map is repeated for those who can see it down on the stage -- again, Route 128, Route 2, Spring, Shade, Weston Street included in this area of this one hundred and forty acres there• are. a total of five parcels of land, originally, or. -now five owners . Filene 's holds options on three of these and currently holds title to two of them. The question has been raised . what other parcels, if any, does Filene 's own. The complete extent ,©f Filene 's interest and ownership is enclosed in this other parcel which is fourteen acres owned by Mr. Pilkington and Mrs. S'��l' jilt ' .moi. ..i .. ' is�' 2 QFC . i'�Y�"yM�' �-._�.���.-'..F tea• -�:.� �y.' a. r.'3;' -21 lirBaldwin, and an agreement that when .Spring Street is relocated as it will be roughly on. that line that the triangle re- maining in here will be sold by the owner to Filene 's unless it is taken by the State for other purposes . The owner- ©f record of that parcel of land is currently the Spring Street Trust which is the three principal partners of Cabot, Cabot, and Forbes . That explains all and the complete ownership as we know of the parcels in here. I .have not,listed. all. of the owners because I think you know there were a number of parcels in this area. 111 I think you would be interested - we have been asked from time to time about how it came that we were dis- cussing various parts of this property. As Mr. Grindle has mentioned we originally discussed and we were only concerned with the parcels of land lying within the area proposed for zoning now. I should say me were only con- cerned with four of the parcels, not the fifth parcel. Now, our original conversations as previously mentioned were based on a shopping center not including the Hayden land. Thus, many of our preliminary plans made sometime ago and which we will show here subsequently do not indicate the method of development of the Hayden property itself. After our discussions with Town officials began s ."P` F:- •ti'r w. 3: 7-7tr 1 v x zbs:2#^t .. }: s u 3Y' , „^yet%': 4 5'-4 `' -.x; + wf .'r.i' ..Y i ','ry i' � }•• i is 6t spm ]. •n, r we learned that the Hayden property was for sale. Filene 's 111 if it waaoin develop g g t o v lop t he Swenson and other abutting properties was reluctant to have this get into other hands. We asked the Town board at that time whether they would consider advisable or inadvisable to develop the Hayden land with this if subsequent events proved that it was desirable from the Board's and the Townis point of view. And we were told by the officials with whom we talked, the boards we discussed this with that they did wish us to con-r sider, and such a move would, of course, return Hayden land to tax rolls and assured the whole area to be developed ' Ill initially and in the future as one unit. Filene 's could and it 'would develop the original parcel into a shopping center without the Hayden property if reasonable assurance could be given that it would not fall into other hands . We are willing to assume respon- sibility of the Hayden land within the limitail, because we believe such a development is advantageous to assure that its eventual development and because we think it is reason- able for the Town to want uniform control. We understand also from the Hayden- Trustees. who are concerned with this that the incidental benefits to the II Town from sale at maximum potential price sale through the from of greater availability for memorial scholarship funds =,a.n'fit ,.., 7 n4r, p .'t A' 4` %1!:~ �f .°t� .f.,. ,'k •i+: ,{, a ,24..,4.*4 .17 4 "h . ` ,, a "fit , a$' o t.. ill , f-77 g r 4. s of the J. Willard' layderi AeCreaticsn 'cnter, Inc. 4 After the hearing of January of this year Qn widening Route 2 it was apparent that the relocation Of Spring Street required the further safeguarding of the properties I mentioned outside of the .specific situ dis- cussed to rezone here, and that led to our agreements to the owners of the properties lying east of Spring Street. That describes all and completely our interest and ownerships and agreements . Note on the aerial photo here that much of the area at this site is wooded. Those of you know it - it is III not shown by this map; only a topo map would show it - that this area slopes gradually but quite substantially to the west and to the south. It slopes naturally. The landscaping is such, the terrain is such that it is quite naturally isolated around much of its perimeter. Actually, ;any temporary plans, the preliminary plans we have made, I should say, for*iat is involved in building a group of stores at this site indicate that the buildings which we are pretty well convinced could go in there would be their maximum height fifteen feet below the lowest point, the lowest ground level point on Shade Street, which is approximately 1 111 at that point. There is a large area of natural barriers to the 3 .:Yr' .�y. :.✓' 2. . . s .'�--'�.�i..i Y t¢ ��r > IR.`.r,r r ,yR t^� ;: tic' south. There is, however, high land which drops off very sharply along here so that the area lying -east have no view into the site which lies in under, slopes in like that. Similarly, the area lying south of Route 2 along -- I am not sure, some designate Smith, the extension of Spring Street. This, as you know, slopes off rather sharply from a high hill here down this territory. These houses are also hidden by trees and by the terrain ;From site. In .here there is complete exposure to the site, whatever develop- ment may be. In here, course, there are State highway and F � no residences on this side . Proceeding around here you see the heavy woods existing there. Proceeding up to here you begin to get residences along Shade Street and there are a number of very nice residences along this side. The line which is proposed to come two hundred feet within here to that point where it drops into along the subdivision plan to a point over four hundred feet and then proceeds along back of a four hundred foot line in here. Along this line this land slopes gently from a high sharplydown here and very along in here quite gradually down here. At this point there is a lake with springs along in here. Therefore, you have a piece of land whose highest point is in here and in here which slopes down in this direction isolating it naturally in many ways from aai{ ,u.i4�'??„"yy. ?:'7-�. , a -i.';f u,s. ,�- .. -,,t,, yT,•k: 7. T . �,, ,„,s./K 7 : ¶-;..,.,. ...j s`-- q ;_ 'E 1}i. a^ M n. v i'. wry 4 i�{p��,� k. " `k n g _ W 6 III the residences which lie northwest and northeast �- excuse me, northeast, east, and there are practically no residences on this side of it except for the Richards property itself. I think we should point out in• this connection that the areas from which this has greatest exposure will have that same exposure to whatever development takes place on the property and we should also point out that the two principal owners other than those who have sold to us have large pieces which are on the market. And these will be sold or disposed of for some purpose. So that it probably is unrealistic to consider the continued use as farm land, III I think Mrs. Swenson has told me, for instance, that her farm property it is rather uneconomic now to farm but that with the taking of the fourteen acres which the State plans to take from her property most of which is pasture land that it will be highly uneconomical to continue farm operation for anyone.. What 's the nature of a shopping Center? May we have Slide three? This you have in the charts before ,you posted outside. It is a rendering of the development of the original four parcels, Swenson land and the three abutting pieces not including the Hayden property. It was done by an architect who spent some time at the site with me who A A .--a _R Y —,P194 4#,§tr..:ir{y .. d; { it,$�`t p : r ; r r , s1;� PVt 1'r Y+uqi. -0 4 9 ^ was asked to build what Might be developed, and: the architect is not, of eourse,, a traffia 4exp+spt, so I askyou first to realize that his first pass at.; this is done to figure the feasability of the buildings; the traffic which is a highly specialized thing comes in the province of traffic planning which we will discuss in a minute;. So several of the details in here indicated his impressions and should be disregarded; but the general shape, the size, approximate location of buildings at this date as plans have progressed still appear as desirable in the light of the other related surveys . Therefore,- the location of the 111 buildings that you will see in other plans are landscape, traffic and others assure this location which has continued to stand the test of the other measurements made. The area shown here within these buildings is 550,000 square feet of store area. No building is over two stories high. Several of them are one story high. I will not go into detail of what each one is. You Might look at the chart outside. The plan was made by Raymond Loewy Associates. And he computed an area of parking. Again he is not a traffic planner. There was 5,360 ears in this land. I will point out that-is an arithmetic computation. There is room for that.. In other words, there is plenty of adequate parking. For purposesof rough comparison to ice, 7i'1: , .:: `-:._;;„; ro :°:,&. '=k .., 30 11/ size, parking area as has been noted by several people, this is roughly twice the size of the store area in Chestnut Mill. It is well above the area of the total Chestnut Mill development which is quite well planned as to parking, roadways and other things. Bear in mind that it, was developed at a time when the full effect of the automobile was not known, the immediate post-war period, and it leaves several things to be desired if we were able to do it over again. Still a highly successful center. This area is roughly equal to the -planned area at Shoppers World, Framingham; but as to architecture, Lexington residents can .fudge for themse1ve8 by seeOgj how Filene 's has treated its Chestnut 4.i-ll. etore, its other stores, with respect to the quality of building and con- struction, interiors and other things that we consider to be outstanding. The quality of construction and the feeling of those stores is what Filene 's proposes for this center, and the architects will be charged with doing that if you choose to have us proceed. The exact architectural detail which can be more rural and more colonial in. this community in this site is one that we will have to develop in final plans . Slide four, please. The next slide is one taken I _ . r �' !7 7774 +• 't?''' . 2 v YFe •{' F �v n .¢„'?` 1yyE V �t ,1,-4' a4 aa from a point roughly one hundred yards in from Route 2 and ill south of it near the Junction with present Spring Street. Note that there are trees between Route 2 and the buildings, that there are interspersed through the parking area. This preliminary architectural planning and prospective is based on the previous architectural plan and is done by Sidney Shurcliff of the landscape firm of Boston bearing his name. In presenting his ideas to us Mr. Shurcliff recommended two things, toward his client he naturally said we should make this the best looking center anywhere around and that will not be hard to do because ill not enough attention has been paid to landscaping details to the other ones that exist today, and secondly, we should preserve much of the natural terrain and feeling that exists at this site . One of the first things he did was to point out the row of blue spruces which are outside of Mr.. Swenson's house and are carefully preserved in location of buildings . You will notice this on the superimposed en the aerial photograph as it is in the vestibule outside that the outlines of the building of necessity takes many trees but leaves a great many more. You will notice that if you look just beyond these buildings at the line of trees coming down hillside, that these trees form a very thick and V (.,�e,'ya.fi^,f%I:at174 kfral T. V natural barrier at that point. YOtt *ill note, that the tops of these buildings are as I described a few minutes ages actual measurement. is fifteen feet below the lowest point on Shade Street. You will remember, those of you who are residents, there is a large high rocky knoll Which blocks of Shade Street and the wood haven section from the center. There are several residences along here which will be put in the buffer zone . It isthe proposal of the landscape architect to plant seedlings along this area and along the open area to the north near the junction of Keston Street which will grow in a period during which it will take to plan, finance, lease and arrange a center such as this, adequate. time to grow and provide thick screen planning. Now, as to the makeup of a center and its opera- tion. The conclusion of a 550,000 feet was not borne in the air or picked by an architect. It was based on economic studies which as several citizens of the Town know by the nature of their planning work can be a reasonably accurate means of arriving at potentials. Our plans are based on studies to contemplate the initial stage of 550,000 feet as shown here. Now, as mentioned earlier this is about twice the size of Chestnut Hill in the Ohre area, Chestnut Hillhas approximately twenty stores in approxi- F.• .V .: V7 �{: .w - -4y!.0 F. 33 111 mately 250,000 feet. Shoppers World has approximately forty stores in 1,53 and 426,000 feet which they then had rented and there is no exact way of predicting until actual leases are signed what firms, what exact size or the exact nuwber or the exact makeup of the center. We can say that all of Filene 's neighbors at Chestnut Hill with whom this site has been discussed are interested. Our major competitor and an associate of ours at Peabody, or we are an associate of their'', have a standing invitation to join us ,, Other firms well known to Lexington residents, some national and some local have 111 indicated great interestin this . Obviously .it is not advisable or appropriate to mention any 'names at this. time . Store open hours will follow those of competitive centers like Chestnut Bill or Shoppers World or others that may spring up, and those hours today are generally daytime only on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, open evenings Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Eventual expansion. What might this be expanded into? This covers only the area - plans were made only for this first area without the Hayden property. Our economic surveysprovide for a growth up to 1,75 and itis adequate to support double this building area. However, plans for its subsequent development as well as the original plans _ r :. _...yam s' 4•b ' ' NAV. 1: 34 r 111 would have t© be approved by the planning board or ether affected boards of the Town to ascertain for the Town that the proper standards and its subsequent developmental stages as well as in its original stages are adhered to during the expansion as well as at the beginning. Because of this location and a desire of the planning board to avoid access in the northeast corner of Weston and Spring Streets, the Hayden property in the southeast part, that is abutting the Swenson farm, is best suited for expanding parking and retail uses while its northern and western sections that is up near Weston Street 111 seemed better suited to uses requiring less frequent or different daytime accessfbr automobiles which will have to come through the center property via interior roadWays from Spring Street. Uses for purposes such as medical and' professional offices requiring proportionately lower parking facitities or for a theater or possibly a sports area whose peak traffic need not coincide with the shopper traffic would be appropriate from a real estate point of view. We come now to probably the major concern of everyone, and that is traffic. For a successful shopping center or the cities or towns it is a major concern, and in the final analysis the interest of the Town and the developer 1 ;rt .Ilft-J!"i ,, r: , o,--, 'Y Y ,.h u - -,,3"- -xk T dtr . s.? . ' h(ydi ".::40'' ';''''- • i . 1' �,jF4xr • R n [ w 3E �� are substantially the same, a r This As nbt distinct enO gb but.' • think" We can get along without it. You all are so familiar with Route 2 and 128 that you know that they extent and tap long dia- tanees in terms of driving time throughout the Metropolitan area, and with their feeders they make these routes very attractive ones for people coming from the center, coming from a distance to a potential center at the site of the junction of these two roads . They are also attracted to many of those who are living here at hand., Our primary concern from a point of view of safety, obedience is in the Town cars and most specifically with the abutters is the ill use of local streets which as your traffic committee of the League of Women Voters with the planning board has found is preferred by the local residents for their usual daily use . The developers equally so as he cannot expect this or any community -to permit him to operate unless these requirements are adequately provided for nor can he expect the center to function properly unless the potential cus- tomers conveniently get access into a site . Now, the method of arriving at what we are about to show, I thinks -may be of some interest. Our economic studies ascertained the population, income and spending habits of the residents within five, ten, fifteen, twenty 71 4 C..-o 1:7v• a- walfiF',7 .t: � ;� :ysh,- legg'4TRZ. .... rr „n 4 30 and thirty minute driving time; These figures are then discounted for known present and planned alternate shopping opportunites indicated by the census figures and actual purchases of spending shown in them. And they are computed also from inventory retail facilities which are in existence and are known to be planned. Finally, we end up computing the expected annual number ,of visits from each town, and from this the proportions of the distribution and traffic can be figured. Now, that is the job the economic planner, the job of traffic engineer is a highly specialized one and not 111 completely an exact one, but a real lot of experience has been built up. Wilbur Smith Associates are known to a number of your officials are the ones we have on this . We consider them as experienced as any in the field. They are consultants of the Back Bay Development, consultants of the North Shore Development. They are on the Toll Road, they are to our Senth Shore Devebpment, and they are with us on this study. They are well known to several of your people here in the Town in the field and highway department, traffic engineers across the nation. The field is so technical that I have asked one of their senior engineers to be here tonight. Mr. Walbert is here tonight to answer any technical questions that may be forthcoming. Mr. Smith 3 :i :f 444 $it '! r . : y 'V6- .,t- I" . r t l'TT• y.r r w ;7.e + «.} rA Wy + «.moit y. 7i151+: j,:,'.{'- r h «tY y, Himself is attendidg a Meeting in Alabasta where he had a II prior speaking engagement. The firm conducted its traffic surveys- through Wilbur Smith personally and through four of his associates on numerous visits . They have maps for surrounding roads . They have observed traffic and road conditions and consulted with highway officials and others . Based on the foregoing on all the experience they have accumulated and studies in similar situations they have concluded that under our present highway plan distribution of traffic to the shopping center at this site would be approximately as shown en this slide on the screen. Emphasize this assumes traffic using 111 theresent roadways under present conditions, which of A Y course will never exist. Now, so you can all see them. Down 128 from the north, south on 128 from the north 15.7 per cent. North on 128 from the south twenty per cent. East on 128 on Route 2 from the west 9.8 per cent. These will converge and proceed to the center where the dotted line indicates the rebcation of Spring Street. Of course, at the present time they will create an unbearable mess and nothing could• be operable there at the present at that point. Proceeding west along Route 2 from the east 2.5 per cent. In other words, approaching this place would be ry a. "a ' Sar •""'+{ , - f _ c�rrx. .., �°, :Yri � P• er �`-f-' ._ � 3 t t i� 1-• Mry jTS), e R.F. ¢� { ' approximately eighty per cent, something over eighty per- c111 ent of the total traffic e ected at the center,. Wait, , take a look at Smith Street,, the extension of S.pring.,. Indications are at present that six per cent of the traffic approaching the center will cote over this street. A substantial amount is now using it, .the. figures are not yet available though some have been collected and Mr. .Snow may have them tonight to indicate what the differences will be, present loads as computed on Tuesday. We have not had one for this time. We do say, however, that the problem and the principal problem about which something can be done . Three per cent that would proceed east from the west along 2-A and approach the corner of Marrett Road and Spring Street. The six per cent that would come south- on Waltham Street to the corner of Marrett Road and would under present conditions proceed along Marrett Road and .co'sie down Spring and the 2.7 per cent proceeding west .from the east along Marrett Road again approaching the earner of Spring Street and thence down to the site. Our principal problem, therefore, is the handling of the 11.7 per cent of the traffic which would under today's conditions if nothing were done - which, of course, something III is going to be done about it - it would be that traffic load . 3, Now, let's look at the next slide. This illus- I tration serves to show distribution that traffic is to be handled. This is computed in the way I described earlier. It is Exhibit 6 in the papers you have there, and the exact quantities are on there. Note that the heaviest volume is -- these are figures, by the way for an average day, a day which exists only occasional instance - usually the average is above or bel©w this . Larger in December and November, September and June, smaller in January, February.,, July and August. Larger on Fridays and Saturdays, smaller on Mondays and Tuesdays; and larger during the period 111 around three or 3 :30 on Saturday and 7:30 to eight on Fridays than at other times o1 the day on other days4of the week, but the average which is the first thing we have to deal with to arrive at this is shown; on those 'diagrams and it totals 13,800 cars coming in which will equal 13,800 cars which will come out, and the diagrams on here are proposed on the white into the center and would be reversed on the way out. I think the significant figures - it is not necessary to list here for you all of them using each of the other routes - but converging on the corner of Spring and Marrett Road from 2-a are 420 cars and converging on that corner partly from Waltham Street and partly from Marrett Road east of Waltham Street another 1220 making a • • • • • - vi w4 � s #:.. .F �Wth M 1 ,,� �, � • _y • • • • ' �. r Ec a , potential, as a potential load of 1640 Oars along spring 111 Street between Route 2A and the site at Shade Street. Now, let 's examine, why this eonditionne.ver will exist. First of all, no shopping center could be built because cars - nothing could live under those conditions, you couldntt get in there . We wouldn 't 'propose it. We wouldn't undertake it. We wouldn't permit such a thing. So no shopping center can exist without the widening of Route 2 and the relocation of Spring Street with an inter- change at that point. And as probably all of you know, certainly most of you know, this is currently the plan of the Department of Public Works as shown at the public hearing. That is its prime plan. The final details will be drawn but substantially I think it is clear that the plan is going, that is currently what they have decided to use . Spring Street starting at its present junction with Shade Street will be rdoeated approximately, well, several hundred feet to the east at the point where it crosses Route 2. The ramps to Spring Street from Route 2 will be almost two thousand feet east of the present point whereyou turn from Route 2 and Spring. Similarly, a new full interchange will be installed at Waltham Street on to Route 2 and Waltham Street will be widened and located 'i"' � '.d' :.r'x .�`'£ - y .i "S'J r'T'js fT "�,i 'TG.I �.A '� �t ' t '':....47:4.:;-3,Z: ‘ ^T §[o L. RT,.� >: h a5 �=Y` iF.+'�.#. 7 �y°',{'ter. �£ µ`.'.:• ;*�u^ ;..,4� ' hen ? ' 111 slightly to the west. The combination of these t*® things, that of the interchange at Waltham Street and the relocation at Spring will shorten the distaff between those two points by soiething over a quarter of a toile with the widening of course will become mueh. more convenient and much more easily to traverse: These factors primarily led the enginers of Wilbur Smith to believe that a substantial portion of the traffic now originating north and east of the junction of Marrett Road and Waltham Street - may I have the other slide, please . The other way .. That 's all right. Leave it -- that substantial portion of the traffic which was origina- l" ting north and east .of this junction will for this reason use this Route as it will be shorter, easier a.nd more convenient. This signing and signalling at this- Corner can increase this probability. The traffic expected to approach Spring Street via Marrett Road from the north and west can 'be 'expected, can be encouraged by proper signing t4 detour via Route l2$ and then Route 2. Finally, through signing, the use of one-way Streets and signals along Marrett Road, Cary, Fairbanks and Spring Streets can further limit their use to local traffic to the extent that -it felt advisable by the Town. t. y.. vt. VTeyi� "w`r '` !R' Y'rd. ,i'.-' i •,�'�`eAd'Y{' ! 'j,'- '//"yy'y' Ft r ' ill And finally through traffic can be prohibited from Marrett Road beyond this point if it is felt desirable . It should. be pointed out that by completely prohibiting it' the uses of it as a through avenue for others would be denied. With such safeguards available our traffic engin- eers are confident that the pattern of traffic can be so changed as to arrive at a result that there will be substantially little or no through traffic to the center through Spring Street from Marrett Road to Shade. Traffic must flow into and out of the center for the convenience and safety and without delay in sufficient volume to support the economic actiVi ty and discission. The traffic engineer, therefore, becomes concerned at that point with the capacities and function during the peak half hour and hour. I have been corrected- `by traftX0 engineer's from a figure I quoted at a few of the neighborhood meetings which quoted a peak hour of traffic, peak hour, I think I said of traffic of two thousand cars . It has beep pointed out to me by my men who are here that the peak is a half hour peak and therefore the figures I am about to give you are during the peak half hour, ndt hour. That is a correc- tion from the previous meetings . During that peak half hour of entrance -- well, I � .1el i;:, i g' ' t ,..r '> ' r.frif� .,}ter t ._ � _ S Jnr rg z � s �. i- 'R., iA L4 • am recorrected.. I do not, have to correct 'myself. During 111 the peak hour twenty-eight hundred cars *ill enter and eighteen hundred cars will leave the center. I believe I said two thousand entering. So I guess that totals up approximately the same. And during the peak exit hour eight hundredmillbe coming in and three thousand ears leaving. The capacities assume the traffic would be gener- ated and these traffic teats have been made not on the 550,000 feet but with a safety factor of 150,000 feet more or for a total of 700,000 feet or for a potential expansion 111 of approximately twenty per cent. Therefore, in computing the traffic loads at the entrance to the center I assume the traffic generated by a center twenty per cent larger than that shown to you in the architects finding. The next slide is a color slide. Based on our previous experience even if we bothered the man with the lights you wouldn't be able to see it. You will be able to see the rough outlines of it. Those of you who have copies of the schematic drawings or those of you who wish to look at it on a white legible drawing outside, you will see that there is ,drawn here the entrances in the circle into the center from: the various surrounding roads in red and the exits from the �g � �. '-'6I. --;T: .1.' R� 2nd f � F m p .t.- -Pe' #r° �' a F'aei . t r )t a r ' } e •,.,_`r.a. ' "p i .� A' 7' a4. .k t ,7..r-:x iii ,§ -4-4:t, .: .i. .. ..4...,-.• F' .1-c ,i :, `,;;;A'( Itit C'' ill center and the interior road is .drawn in Naolt. Now, as planned this was based on discussions with Department of Public Works, first Commissioner Volpe was in office, and Chief Engineer was Mr. Gray, Associate Engineer, and is still associate chief engineer. .Others are still in office; but since then Commissioner Sheridan and new Chief' Engineer McCarthy as well as the still .Deputy Chief Cox have been a party to the discussions we have held with them. There is only one difference in detail from the discussions with the present and former administration. This scheme is feasable in line with the State plans, in ill line with the standards and in line with practical con- siderations of safety traffic that the State would use with one exception which has not been resolved. The designation on your sheets connecting with the ramp from Route 2 to Route 128 is said to be. acceptable by both administrations as an exit proceeding north:. It has not been resolved that this would be acceptable. In fact,. they have asked that we withhold judgMent and want to dis- cuss it further if' you wish to proceed further on the ques- tion of an entrance at this point. In ether locations throughout the State it has been f©und ;within the State policy for a development of this kind .assuming of course that ' Ili it has the Town interest approval and such a thing has been A +5- ..r•r r' : y`r:y. '',i14 .YA�''F S..,.F1,407y " d permitted. however, for conservative reasons and Since this has not been resolved we wish to confine tonight with a remark that these are possibilities .here . The fact that we are willing to proceed - we will either set it up using only entrances at this point here, I like to make clear. We do not consider it ideal, but we think it is operable and adequate . We think it would be more ideal to disperse traffio here and believe that should the Town wish to proceed that this will prove to be a possibility. We wish to confine tonights discussion, however, to this area here. I think possibly rather than take your time to trace each movement through here, that it might be well to proceed with the other details here and to let you cover by questions such detail's on that as you may wise later. This is, as I said, not the final plan. It pan be improved upon, but we are prepared. to proceed on that, ba ia. Now, what about the economics of this? Unless this is economically sound to the Tewn certainly it should not undertake such a proposition. What can the center bring into the Town of Lexington? We have held no conversa- tions specifically with respect to assessments with the proper duly appointed board of the Town. We have had no dis- cussion of the assessing policy for this center. And the k "',gr�.a +aK'r.�:� r MtIOAWn'-..;.v-k, saw :? 4F J � '`' v'F46' 111 figures •which I am going to use and give, I want to emphasize, are illus•tr subject$ �tions ect to discussion with the officials which like Filene 's. wish to get accurate appraisals before making decisions. An equalization study as scientific as any that has been made in the State was voted in 1956 by the Legislature and completed in that year and indicated the current practice of all of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth as to its current market value for all the property in town and that when compared with the current assessed values in that year gives an approximation of what you are assessing practice has been on an average; and in the absence ofolio discussions,. appraisal or decision P Y we have considered with several of our town officials that the most logical figure to use is that equalized percentage - that that percentage would be shown by those authoritative studies which is just under fifty per cent of the true market costs . Now, 550,000 feet of space at todays buildings cost is likely to be different from the buildings cost in 1960 which is probably the earliest that it would be possible to complete plans and get ready to start construction for a 11/ completion in t62 which •we have consistently stated iS the minimum time a center could be provided. We compute and we pr ytr • i I �r � have used for our planning purposes the figure of ten million dollars as. the rough investment to be made by all kinds of institutions for the buildings, the site and the site improvements . So for illustration, I repeat fpr illustration, using the ten million dollar estimated construatidd§`sorts of 550, 000 feet at a fifty per cent assessment, if that is what it proves to be after later discussion, and that is what your current practice has, ben on an average. Then there will be an income at your then tax rate which,. let's say for round figures is fifty dollars because it is easy 111 to multiply. So for the illustrations which .follow, we will use a figure of five million dollars .for assessment and a. fifty dollar tax rate. There can be no guarantee of the figure, and the realisation of that depends upon the ability of the developer and so no one can misunderstand what I am saying the figure of five million dollars used in the illustrations is based on the economic surveys o . which Filenets is prepared to make substantial additional invest- ments with your approval, and if you approve it. But if actual experience proved that only four tundred thousand feet. of space were built instead of 550,000 and the center 11/ could be leased and financed in the initial stage only to that amount the assessed value should be reduced accordingly; 47t-'`, . + 9ifi. r +. and I think it is only proper to point that out how so there will be no misunderstanding, May we have Slide 9? Mere is an illustration of a comparison using this land for C 4 or shopping center purposes with residential use . There is,, of course, a possibility that this land be used by some institution which will be completely tax exempt, and this is not a remote possibility, but I think for our purposes here an illustra- tion will suffice to compare the use of the land, the M!tden and Swenson land and the other abutters, the one hundred and forty acres you saw later, first as a shopping center; second, for residential use. C 4 and R 1. The area is one hundred and forty in this case. In this case one hundred Will be used for C 4. uses and no figures were taken for the residential use in there which would increase that, In thi$ case one hundred and twenty- one acres would be used for residential purposes . In the case of the shopping center -on o®ur 'illustr*tion and with the qualifications I gave the assessment would be five million dollars . If one hundred and twenty houses were placed on one hundred and twenty-one acres, one hundred and twenty is usually easier to multiply and these houses were assessed at ten thousand dollars a piece which would be high for the assessment on them there would be a value from i :1-,,a 1 .n ' ]kkY r'a .o�y , '.vVyi5,. a. '. • 4. . 1 ill the use of that for residential purposes of a 4ui.11 .on, two hundred thousand dollars . Multiplying those two figures by fifty dollars respectively the income., would be .n. this case $250,000 and in this case $60,,000. Now, what about the variation of costs between the two? In the case of schools, which is the largest single item in most town budgets, and I don't exactly recall yours, there would be of course no cost for schools v on a shopping center use. Rin a residential use there would be a cost. I think we used in this exastple of 1.2 children it would have been more accurate if we used one . It is 111 just slightly above one per household. Probably a new development would come up to near 1.2. To be safe we ought to stay down to the overall experience. Your cost per child according to your capital expenditures committees various reports of the Town and a consultation of the members of your school board is about $321 for this year. Therefore, you would have to deduct a figure of $41, 000. I can't read it from here, but approximately $41,000 of the $60,000 of income . Therefore, before considering any other costs of the Town you start out with a difference in the use of this land economically 11/ of $250,000 here and about $18,000 there. So that before you start with funds available for other purposes based on ..tr f 4 the assumptions given you- would have available in the other expenses of the Town an advantage to shopping, center use on the qualifications given of $232,000. What about costs other than school? The major element, of course, is utilities. We have, made some prelim- inary engineering studies from Hayden, Harding and Buchanan who have been our consulting engineers. The cost of pre- paring and maintaining the site within the property limits we have figured would be completely 14. to the developer and not any expenses to the Town. Water is the first consideration and a -Major one, 111 and that network of water mains exists at the site ancl is now adequate so far as the mains are concerned. You are currently constructing a standpipe of a capacity many, many times that of the maximum consumption of this center. In consultation with- your Town Engineer and your consulting engineer, Whitman and Howard, and with a member of your capital expenditures committee indicates your water capacity and water pressures will be more than adequate well before theaenter would be completed.. The charges for the amount or water consumed which would be several times that of one occupancy will, of course, add to Town revenue since it throws off an amount from surplus . 1 .fT ,n c -ems. x 51 As to your sewers. Conversations again-lath engineers and officials indicates the sewer now being extended will have run south along 128 to route 2 prior to the time the center opening. While it appears unlikely it will then be connected to the sewer projected from the east to the Arlington line, Filene 's has suggested that, if necessary, it could advance funds to construct subject to the Town's plans and subject to the Town's approval of as much of that section as it needs for its requirements . As to police. The traffic plan we have proposed at the entrance of this center is so designed as to function without policing at the entrances to the center. Such Policing as required uired within the center would be requested q of Town officials but compensated at cost. Thus Filene 's does not contemplate that the Town will face any additional police expenditures at or within the center.. As to fire. protection. The buildings would All be first class construction and sprinklered and would con- stitute small risks. This is indicated by fire insurance rates of shopping areas which is one-fifth of residential areas . Let 's consider the effects of this proposed toning change . First on the individual, the abutter. The effect is going to vary with the distance of people from the site. • :r.. ,_. e z..: '"` y. x yr. _ _'_ x4 - ci ¢w''h`}. Nair.%.-. '�'-t �• � ,� ��•��� '�� = of •.. � � , .. •ti Ag That is, a distance from the ate, wend it -is one of the factors that should be -considered. That definitely is going to have some effect on them whether it is subjective one or an objective one. And n6-. doubt testimony of this will follow as soon as I sit downy I suggest, however, that there are two points that deserve all Of your consideration whether abutters or not, objective consideration. That with the owners stated intention to sell, that it is unrealistic for anyone to think of indefinitely continued operation as farm land after the fourteen acres are taken for Route 2 of the Swenson 111 property. So the use is going to change and it is a ques- tion of what is best for the Town. Also I like you to consider that actual experience, well documented in real estate authoritative journals, but there are plenty of experts to testify to this if that is not sufficient, that residential values near and abutting developments such as this proposed C 4 district have gone up, not down. Another consideration you should have is the effect on merchants of the Town who I suspect also will give eloquent testimony to what they believe. Studies of the census show that Lexington has now or as recently as the census is available, that Lexington now is purchasing many times what Main Street sells. By 1962 .ly9r•, :^".fir, .:aN=`.`•F. „,, , ,,,„,,,,„:„.„.,,,,:„,,,,,,,— ,,;,;,,,,k,„, ;,,,-,,,,„,,,,,—, itLSC:. t.f.c 'ii k a 4 .E. {: . . r ='J >. i.J ��' ti _ r F,T...it �� �r lir ,,,-`..-.4 . .���:,014.-f -�J J t' t. , • 53' s � there will be substantial increases in the facilities needed' 1 11 to serve the thirty-three and a third increase in population that the Town of Lexington is likely to have. The great majority of your local stores offer personal 'service of convenience of a type that new large stores are -usable and sometimes unwilling to supply. And experience nationwide shows that the advertising of a new shopping .canter does more to pull merchants together and rehabilitation and in various aggressive Measures help their .business than any other single factor. Now; letis- see one other thing, the effects of the 111 individual taxpayer through the Town who is in need of these classifications -- rather who is .neither the classifi- cation of the abutter or merchant. May I 'have Slide 10? This is a comparison of the burden of the taxes, residents of the Town of Needham which has sought to zone to attract businesses. that- would bear some of •the residential load, with the Town of Lexington which has made an opposite choice heretofore. Lexington is approximately three-quarters the size of Needham. Populations are approximately equal. Yet the assessments Of residences is thirty-three per cent higher in Lexington than in Needham. Note the size of the Town area here in case of Lexington is and 12.8. Thepopulation is approximately the same. 16.6 pp y � ._y .v: r. :5y7f ..w.rY�. a. ' -.747t. '1, y.. '7'A 54 111 The assessed valustion in total in the case of Lexington are forty-nine million odd; in the cape of Needham is fifty-four million. Note that the burden. borne by the residential properties in Lexington is eighty-seven plus per cent, and Needham it is sixty per cent. Note that the five million dollars raised -- five million dollars additional raised in the town smaller in size but roughly the same population is largely occasioned by its other properties, industrial and commercial. Note that by dividing the tax levy by the number of persons in the town we find the average household in Lexington bears a tax of $379 compared to one of $318 in Needham. Roughly twenty per cent difference . Now, to sum it up very quickly. The forces of population growth dictate a shopping center or centers northwest of Boston. Lexington now has an opportunity to chose its development now with such advantages and dis- advantages which may accrue . But there are :other sites outside the Town and these alternate sites would yield none of the advantages, many of the disadvantages and none of the controls proposed in the zoning by-laws here. The increased traffic an.tidipated over Town streets past some neighborhood will not be eliminated by the denial of a shopping center here; for it will seak 4#4.:4'`,v! "a1cr• x t .u.. .J.z ti• .< ._i a ri'b'i, yfaif" I .�; _ ` ' :3' 'i Z1.1 e y ' Sit III shopping facilities elsewhere. Its direction will change, it will not be eliminated, and the present car traffic will increase with your population whether there is a shopping center within the Town or not. In closing I want to repeat out position is to present the Town these facts. We recognize that decisions arrived at democratically are seldom unanimous, that no complicated situation such as this proposal is precise- or clearcut, and we feel strongly the situation has con as well as pro, but it is only by a full exploration of all the available facts known that a community is likely to make 111 a decision will will operate for the good of the greatest number in the community. We are very satisfied to leave it to fair minded people to decide . I appreciate the opportunity to have presented this to you. So long to you. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Are there any questions which the planning board members would like to ask? We have attempted to arrange some scheme here to make it fair for all groups here to be given an opportunity to ask questions . We have members of the League of Women's Voters who have kindly consented at our request to help us II with taking a poll when it comes to asking for the answer of questions . • F• + "'� 'Y�L ?� 'l1` �i. P`�•� '�.. 't„t :f�' y .ram' a J%". j a"7 � sr `�• Y.�, v N .r.} 'f s( tt4 }'� Y raA`y . 4 '"#144.. 5 >• '"7. j .r Pv rx ,, s ,y a� n n tY 4 f r' '} IMr "•�'! I have asked Mr. Soule, a Member of our Board, to attem t to helpme in in to have the questions p trying q ns divided among the group so that each section will be given t a fair opportunity. We have a traveling microphone here which we can pass around on the floor, and I doubt whether it can be used in the balcony. When you are addressing your questions will you please state whether you wish them to be answered by the planning board or the Pileness representative. We are ready for questions . I have just been informed that the opposition have some plan with which they wish presented from the front part of the building. Unless there is some opposition to that, we will proceed now with questions and have that come later. There is a manstanding over here. Will you give us your name, please? Mr. STEVE BRUSHER: Mr. Chairman, I have a question that I would like to ask Mr. Gummere. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: I am sorry, we didn't receive the name. Mr. STEVE BRUSHER: Steve Brusher., 10 Marlboro Road, Lexington. Sir, I am shocked by some things that have been said tonight but most particularly one thing yp" r..... -yref ;6iFtir x n.:i..r .. r 7 `7A PR 157 .ra `� ,.g n tv � +}' �- _�rz�"'".- 'a,' �e'? rt .k' ��.+t' ''%`f- .i at i' �Y'r ..{:R,— +-4'4` x.nf w tA'r - Lei '..?A 4,,V I rt1 • Si really stood out. III On May 2nd there was printed in the Minute Man a release from the Filene 's representatives that if the Hyaden property and the other Swenson property was developed for residential use there would be $2,-250,000 in assessed valuations . This would be approximately one-half of what the shopping center would develop. Now, how do .we take that figure which you have presented and come out with a figure of $1, 200, 000 tonight which is almost half? Mr. GUMMERE: I am afraid - I want to be sure I understand the question. This was the residential homes ill $2,250, 000. I think if you will get that article - I assume that you have it right in front of you since you are referring to it - you will see that that referred to a higher assessment per house than there was here. Subject to an examination of these showed that your average house- hold is assessed at something, as I recall it, in the vicinity of eight thousand dollars . I think if you divide the number of households in the Town to the total residential assessment you will find it comes out below ten thousand dollars, as I recall it. I repeat it is,Aust under eight thousand dollars . It was on that last slide, number 11, whereit was ascertained. No reason to debate It. The assumption was made in that other one was one hundred and l ,yF� 1 y rya. 58 fifty houses . Do you recall the figure we multiplied it by? Subject to examination showed the exact takings left one hundred and twenty acres . We revised thea. tonight, as I said we were going to do bated on the most recent, most accurate figures we had, the sum of ten thousand dollars as a reasonable valuation for -house lots . I suggest you use that figure . Mr. KINGSTON: My name is Mr. Kingston from 4 Field Road. The question I have, and I think it is quite pertinent to the subject, the main tax problem in Lexington as many people realize is the very rapid residential expan- sion in the Town. I would like to ask Mr. Gummere if he has any idea how much this new shopping center will further stimulate residential growth in the Town. Does he have any statistics? Would you care to comment? Mr. GUMMERE: I dontt think I am qualified to comment on that. I suspect that better qualified comment would be your Town planners who considered this without doubt. Perhaps they could give a better answer than I could. I could give a general opinion insofar as the question has been raised whether this would bring employees of the center to the Town. On that I can answer. II/ We believe it would not. We believe a number of present residents of the Town would. be interested in employ- xv4..f,.. F ''. (. :s4. 7#a''"..y. — l ;74 si :a�8; -7741- '°,r - .. x _ �,f f f+A,d it ,fir 3' r _Y' lS o- . 'r:' w+ .e :wr v T ill ment at the center. We don't believe we would b 'ing new residents from that source . We do believe that it would make the Town more attractive, generally. That has been the case elsewhere . Experience in other cities has indi- cated that they have actually advertised in some eases that facilities were available . I am afraid I can't answer beyond that. Mr. KINGSTON: May I ask just one more question?` Would you state the estimated number employed in the center? Mr. GUMMERE: This was a matter of some discussion ill as recently as yesterday with your planning board. I think previously to this meeting I have felt that the size of the center with roughly five times the Pilenels store, our store. That would come out somewhere between eleven and twelve hundred. On closer examination we believe that was high because there are many stores that have less traffic, have fewer sales people per customer than customary in a store of our type. Mr. KINGSTON: I would like to question a little bit further. I believe you mentioned the order of forty to sixty stores in the development. Mr. GUMMERE: Yes, sir. Mr. KINGSTON: This would run then approximately x ? 7`137"4! ':3�Sf+# -#)'wt,2g.r4. 47,' `.e ef.T'r Yi 60 twenty employees per store? Mr. GUMMERE: Yes, roughly. Mr. KINGSTON: Mr. Chairman, I would like to point out, I think the question of residential growth should be very seriously considered later in the discussion. Later during the discussion I would like to discuss it more in detail. Thank you. Mr. DAVIS : My name is Mr. Davis. CHAIRMAN:GRINDLE: We didn't get your name, I am sorry. Mr. DAVIS : Davis, 314 Concord Avenue. I have 111 two questions . The first one is this.: Referring to the last slide and the tax rate paid, tax amount paid by the people of Needham of $318 compared with the average tax rate paid by the people in Lexington of $379, how much of that difference is attributed specifically to any shopping area? Mr. GUMMERE: I can't answer a specific shopping area. I can give you a breakdown between industrial and commercial. Mr. DAVIS : I was strictly interested in a shopping center. Mr. GUMMERE: Commercial would be largely shopping. Would you like that figure? 4!*177-N- r r{ill(yv': ' •-^'° Tj"�'4 b j• a` l; '5 ,—. Mr. DAVIS: Yes, please. Mr. GUMMERE: Forty per cent of non residential assessed to other than residences in Needham, eighteen per cent was commercial. In Lexington it. is 4.85. The indus- trial percentage of Needham was twenty per cent. In Lexington it was .085. The percentage of all others was two per cent and public utility, farm and so forth 7.4. Mr. DAVIS; You cannot specify how much of that advantage is particular to a shopping area similar to the type we have here? Mr. GUMMERE: Onxy that the difference between 111 the commercial amount of Needham and the commercial amount in Lexington is the difference between eighteen per cent and 4.85 per cent, and that amounts to $9,700,000 odd in one case as against $2,379,000 in the case of Lexington. About seven million three hundred odd thousand dollars difference. Mr. DAVIS : One other question. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE : Will you please use the micro- phone? Mr. DAVIS Since the traffic question is quite important to all of us, particularly the fences that might be in connection with that, the safety hazards involved, I am just wondering comparatively how this type of develop- ment compares with any other type that may be put specifically cally L .c•m 'i,'_!f'�Y, ::: a--s .s x .,, _ .;��. ,-P4t,4 "R,..4 c. ?-cviy .s .• f_ 'af. :Y.�.Te:--71:7r; ..? S i_,,K•41,.4..411,.. ^syy Y-} •'; 41-14 6 .i°�:Y•39 cd:6 111 in this area? I know that presently there is no increase in traffic problem from that area. Is there any type area other than a shopping area such as this that would provide and cause more of a problem than this does, or Is this the kind of a development that will create the very maximum problem of its kind? Mr. GUMMERE: Do you want me to answer that? Mr. DAVIS : It is the very worst possible type of use to put that land or any other piece of land. Mr. GUMMERE1 I cant answer you? sir as to what would be the lowest possible use that would create the 111 maximum value; and it is the use which we have understood from the beginning that your Town did not wish to consider and it was industrial and that would create substantially less traffic. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: I think it is very fine to show our enthusiasm, but you are really wasting a lot of time by so much clapping, and I think we Gould proceed much better if you please held it down. Now, when you ask a question, will you please say whether it is directed to the planning board or to Mr. Gommere . Mr. KENNY: My name is Robert Kenney, $ Middle Street. The question is for Mr. Gumere. :4"? iiF 3`i'Y _ye '4%7.K '11.T �r; 5.t' . .� `417' `" "a' 'Ff na- r is A 63 In connection with these Needham figures,. the 11/ State equalization board to which you refer shows Lexington in '56 with an equalized tax rate of 2707, Needham 2736. That is a higher tax rate per one hundred per cent market value in Needham than in Lexington. Can it be that the higher unit tax in Lexington is due to the fact that the homes are worth more? Mr. GUMMERE: I can't answer you. Mr. MEHAN: Mr. Chairman, my name is John Mehan on Bernard Street. I would like to direct one question to the speaker so far. Did he indicate that Filendsais _ready to pay for any additional sewer required that is not now appropriated the town. by Mr. GUMMERE: No, sir. Perhaps I should repeat what I said . It is our understanding from conversation with your town engineers, our engineers with yours, that you have currently appropriated or have within your capital extension program reported, I think, this year or within the next five years funds for extending the sew to or past - I am not sure, which Route 2 and its Junction with 128. It is my offhand recollection, and I hesitate to trust my memory with so many of you here, that you have appropriated somewhere around $270,000 last year for an extension of part of it. I only indicated that Filene 's would be Ala .''`.i'7 :„_.,,,1_,t, 153'r' „,,,t, A""`.-'.„' ,9%4' 'S ''sK7` 4' � A �s . y': _,7_,--,2.z ,.iv,:7: -1 1::*". -Ver.'SL' 'W • .. ',t'=,�[,h d .'r". R1., ,;i,-4 -s l^` ,,, yx�'._'--41 F'�''.F..,"' '"'ti"sf.E d!, .,�4,°2 ', sP:,,t, ±w•rP K :4 7 , r 1 ill prepared if it was necessary to the operation' °vf the center and of future use to proceed with it that we would be, if we needed it for our operation to advance such funds az would be necessary to run along the perimiter tot the property along Route 2 where you now plan eventually to build a sewer but not within the current capital expenditure program. Mr. GREEN: Benjamin Green,, Concord Highway. I would like to ask a question of Mr. Gummere. Sir, I don't know if we can get this up here, but I think I can raise my voice . Sir, at one of the previous meeting; at one of ill the previous meeting you stated, did you not, that in respect to the Richards Estate the Cabot, Cabot and Forbes group who are now the owners of that estate were prepared to dispose of that property immediately if in any way it was detrimental to the furtherance of this project, and further, did you state that it was entirely possible that an entrance could be created through the four acres of the Baldwin property which abuts the Richards estate to connect by a road built to reach Marrett Road and with a back street. Now, if so, in connection with this road, would it III not become the duty of the Town and the responsibility of the Town to light it and to maintain it? Would it become [.fl . '„- . a''' J---7°c-3,:'''-'73'7, -7'-''7i-- 7 3m^. — IT-'1,-'74 v•to-7: • a• 7 s':_ 1*Tit�'�ae, 4e,! i+--'cz-4( .— —744 r e Y 111 the responsibility of Cabot, Cabot .afd -Forbes show wide it would be, what would be the traffic prevailing on it? Would it enter directly into the shopping. center,, exclusive. entrance, or would it come off the ramp or connect by the weans of another section to the ramp on the new Spring Street? I would like to have the questions answered if I have made myself clear. Mr. GUMMERE: I will try. As I understand, there are several questions . The first one that I can answer is, did I saythat Cabot, Cabot and Forbes was willing to sell. Let me- explain what .I. think I said that night tthough there III may be others who can tell me better than I can. There were a few tape recorders around- there. One broke one- night, made it a little easy to follow me . Cabot, Cabot, and Forbes principally through their construction subsidiary, Abithaw Construction Company, have built auarehouse and a branch store and are doing engineering currently for our company. We have enjoyed the very satisfactory and happy relationship with them, and when the Richards property was purchased by them they told us about it and knew that we had approached the town. Somehow a real estate transaction has a habit of becoming known very quickly to a great many II/ people . They asked us if it would embarrass us, and we -said we could conceive that it would, and they said if we n7.11fe 4:--. 44 a :S"'3ix,.-r "�,.lra a.e Yy ij .Y '• ;Y' 4 a'- • -$:'g ��^ yet 'ye.: y- ¢'� :, •�"9, a. Pit 66 do not wish it to, and they stated that rather than to embarrass they would rather dispose of the s pro erty and property, I think that 's what I stated at that time. With respect to your second question, I think I might add that the approach partly because of my concern at least the chairman of one of your committees in the town - with regard to your second question as to who would bear the costs of a road that might be built somewhere, I think that to discuss that is possibly getting off into a dis- cussion of a number of possibilities that would be for building roads which may or may notbe necessary. I did 111 mention the possibility if a road were necessary there was room to do it, and I think I had specific reference for cost for fill for one section and minimuM cost at another section. I think it is somewhat academic to discuss who would bear the cost of that. At any rate such a development would only be necessary if this center developed to such size and to such, therefore, economic value and assets, and therefore of values to the Town I think the question at that time equitably may be faced by the Town. I might say this, that there is no yardstick of what costs are borne by the Town at any time. they range Ill all over the map. Some communities very much like yourself find it necessary to keep the Town going• t.o make rediculous VV14u,".7,iY :Ilt "J6^ .' 'Y-,r .-4-f; lf; k_ g t .-r t ' : - ' -::.y, ; a 751 «t 5,4 .r. '��, L r. '� �-•�w'` �. -�'r'7y>�.C3"�'F� ti, k . •''a h _ ". .. :4S• • t' 'ffi 3'=r• i •. �„ , h',.,,,,...v.„..,„ ,-]• 1j„, �C sA Y yL C ill offers to business that come in. I would like thatifthere were an average to pull out of the air, that something in the ten per cent area as an initial advancement or as an advancement over a period of years is a thing that many towns have contemplated on an average in relation to the added assessed value,, or another •way stated. over :a period of five years, later say amortized out of tax costs over five years . It isn't greatly in practice. It is not a yard- stick. It is not in practice. Certainly, it isn't an appreciable amount of money with respect to roads. And I am sorry I can't answer your question more specifically. filCHAIRMAN GRINDLE: We will take one question more and then swing back around. Mr. COSTELLO:. Tom Costello of 36 Allen Street. I have two question, Mr. Chairman. The first one I would like to direct to the planning board. And I would like to know if it is true that Cabot, Cabot and Forbes has presented plans for the Route 2 and Spring Street. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: It is not true. I donit think it is breaking any confidence of theirs . I wish to tell you everything that I know about it. A representative of Cabot, Cabot and Forbes called me two or three weeks ago. II They said they had purchased this land because they thought it was a good purchase and that there were - they ran into rd o4W n .:477M : Y - n? Y 'I :mita vlir , rar e.;7 i •�,`f land that has already been spoken to. They •ha ie no definite proposition for the land at the present time. They are looking for a high grade research laboratory which they could recommend very highly and when they find one they expect to come before the Town to ask for a change in the zoning by-laws . Mr. COSTELLO: Would they wait and see first if this Filene 's proposal went through before they proposed this? CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: I couldn't answer that. Mr. COS TELLO: My second question would be directed 111 to the representative of Filene's. And that ;iestion is, generally there is a lot of service attached to a shopping center such as you propose, and I would 14p to know if there would be a great deal of delivery of merchandise into your store after the normal days of business? Mr. GUMMERE= The best answer to that is that people who work on delivery trucks like to work the same kind of hours the rest of us do, and we find it rather expensive to deliver things on overtime . There are occasions when a delivery .is necessary but they are- rare. The normal delivery would occur that the bulk of the things coming into this or any other center at the non peaks of the day early in the morning. There would be some t: iy. +- r. .• .y -`; .r` ..4 :Ntv: Pr�'sdVh.¢.v: '. 'ir"nrG +4!-`V` '+.{; }#I'' i,•'47 :1:"'w'a'.J8 wj C +k. . 69 deliveries during the day. The load of the deliveries are 11 computed within the traffic load that have been discussed here. And those would occur over the roads, practically never by local road and practically entirely by highways. Mr. McCARTMY: I would like to direct this ques- tion to Mr. Gummere. Mr. James R. McCarthy. Mr. Gummere, with your experience in regional shopping centers I have a question here that has been proposed and thought of by many people besides myself. And that is that, isn't it possible and very normal thatyou have an increase in local crime of various misdemeanors of a small nature . This may not seem very important to a lot of people. It is something that has approached not a magnitude, but something which is considerable . Could you answer that in any way for me? Mr. GUMMERE: The honest straightforward answer is that I have not heard of this . I am not an expert in shopping centers . I have followed their experience a good deal . I think the principal thing has been that wherever there are stores there seems to be some people who lily to occasionally appropriate things from them. If you have no stores you are going to have -no shoplifting. Mr. McCARTHY: In other words, it has been easy to see that along with the benefits of a proposed shopping l __ ; Y 'V4t r s s +T. M+•;' a=6 2 x"�+., w ra:e�i t +1 ro ,}�k! T } + c a4$ R' y faC'� ' 4,e. center you can expect a normal amount of questionable characters to do some things . Mrs . MICHAUD: I would like to ask a direct ques- tion to the planning board. My name is Mrs.. Robert Michaud., Martin Cerel and a company named Roberts and Company also own land in the very near vicinity of the proposed site and they have plans that are not residential for that land because I spoke to each company and they do not have hose sites available. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Will you give us your name, please . We did not get it. Mrs . MICHAUD: Mrs . Robert Michaud. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: You ask that in theform of a question. Mrs . MICHAAUD: You wantthe question repeated? CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: No. We wish to have your name. Mrs . MICHAUD: Mrs . Robert E. Michaud. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Thank you very much. In regard to your question, as far as the planning board we have no definite statement from any of those people in writing, nothing has been said to us regarding proposals . Does that answer your question? Mrs . MICHAUD: Not quite. In a telephone conver- sation with Mr. Roberts of Roberts and Company he said that ;`y+r -4,-:'3.1°" ?S r' :. i ' 7tiR41 4:17trt • 72 he expected that the coning changes with Filene'►�s' proposed would also bring about more zoning changes and that he was looking forward 'to this particular .type of change. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Somebody down here.. Mr. LAMBE: My name is Lambe, 56 Shade Street. I would like to address first a question to the planning board and then two to Mr. Gummere, if I may. The first question to the planning board is, it is my understanding that a traffic count has been made by the League of Women Voters very recently. I wonder if they would divulge some of the counts on pertinent streets that was obtained if it is available at this time. " CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Mr. Burnell and Mt. Snow are going to attempt to answer that. Mr. B[3RNELL: Thi$ traffic emtnt was taken by the League of Women Voters. on Tuesday of this week. These figures represent two way traffic. At the Marett Road and Spring Street intersection there were sixteen hundred cars. No, if I might just project that to the 550,900 square feet center as proposed it would give' us seething like 6200 cars . Now, this is slightly more than the traffic on Waltham Street today. On Marrett Road towards the air base the existing traffic is 5, 200 or projected to the 550,,000 square feet center f- excuse me, I would lute to .4 " 17.0ia tr"91T-;77114W,SVAI 41(7,724-14'7 .. 72'; 111 correct myself on the first figure, The existing traffic is 1600. Now, the increase would be 6200 or Oving A total of 7800. I think that makes quite a difference. Now, on Marrett Road toward the air base, and this is in the five fork section -- FROM THE FLOOR: Me asked for the count that took. place and not what the projections were. Mr. BURNELL: Then I shall restrict myself to the count. And give to you again sixteen hundred cars at the Marrett Road and Spring Street intersection. FROM THE FLOOR: What hours? 41Mr. BURNELL: There are no hours . 1 have no hours that we can give to you. Seven to seven is the entire daily count. Now, on Marrett Road towards the air base, and that would be generally in five forks section the existing count is 50200. On Marrett Road towards Waltham Street, 5,600. At Shade Street at the Spring Street intersection on Spring Street 1,100; on Shade Street three hundred. Spring Street in the area between Route 2 and Shade Street 1 1,100. Spring Street at the Waltham town line - now, that Is Smith Street, nine hundred. Concord Avenue just west of 11/ Waltham Street is 2,000. That is the sectionbetween Route 2 and Waltham Street. These are the figures that "our k • 71 S .. + r b^ 73 planning board engineers have been able to put together for us since the League of Women Voters traffic count of Tuesday. I hope it has answered your question, sir. Mr. LAMBE: I would like to now ask two questions of Mr. Gummere, if I may. The first is : Nes any estimate been made of the maximum daily traffic based on the future development of the shopping center somewhere on the order of one million square feetj .as I understand it? Mr. GUMMERE: No, only at seven hundred thousand feet. Mr. LAMBE: Would it be fair to run the traffic up by a straight ratio or would that be conjectural? Mr. GUMMERE: Would you mind for a traffic engin- eer to answer that question? Mr. LAMBE: Not at all. Mr. GUMMERE: He says he thinks it would be all right. Mr. LAMBE: My second question is in connection with your dealings with the State Department of Public Works and the officials there . I would be very interested to learn if you had any assurance from them knowing that they had knowledge of the traffic which is involved in this center, something about a 13:8.00 car visits a day or round i trips 27,600. With those figures in mind have you heard from f 1 'ies _i- isr fr� 6' rg i' e_h t,�.:;r r ..'t*.n y "c" ES y •.t s1" s, i ''i :` +.i-L-"`v l_._�'• r s'7` s. .4 r� g ?'';t^ } 1� i.Y r" iq.t �i . 'R. r r 1,2 :i: ,4,{,£y r "3 any state officials that the interchange as presently planned at Spring Street is adequate? Mr. GUMMERE: A direct answer to your question is no. I think the follow up answer to your question is that the traffic at that interchange in terms of road stand- ards commonly used by Massachusetts Department of Public Works and by Federal standards and by other states is adequately taken care of and has been computed; for each of the ramps and each of the lanes and each of the storage lanes in the center. I hesitated to get into that because itgets over 111 my head. We have very detailed drawings showing loadings on each one and I think you have had an opportunity to look at them even though they didnit have the capacities com- puted . I can' t give you the exact capacity during the peak half hour of each one. I would suugestrthat if you are specifically interested and it is not a general interest you might like to review that in detail with Mr. Walbert who is here. Mr. LAMBE I wonder if l might ask one more ques- tion; and that is, have you in your planning for the pro- ject in its initial or in its final phase given considera- 41/ tion to what might happen if the interchange proved to be u mi ht developin that event? inadequate and what plans ya g r a 1rn!"^iis A j- layafi ? ' a .a il' )A B .E i Mr. GUMMERE: You mean if the Town might accept it, the Massachusetts, Federal and other state standards are inaccurate? Mr. LAMBE: I wouldn't go so far as to say all those standards . The interchange as presented here tonight with the traffic volumes preserted here tonight. I don't think they do conform to Federal, State and local standards. Mr. GUMMERE: I think I can answer you in this way, that this is going to call for a very sizable .invest- ment of my company's money and I am the one who is going to bear the largest single personal responsibility to the 11/ directors and the owners of the company. I have acquainted them with the we are steps doinghere, but on my own personal responsibility, my directors responsibility were prepared to go ahead with this and we have assured ourselves of it. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE : I have been requested to announce that two carsareblocking the entrance to the Baptist Church and the Baptist Minister cannot proceed. Will you please remove them if you can. I think at this time it would be wise to ask those people who have requested an opportunity to use the front of the room to present the plans . I don'tknow who they are . The request has just come forth,. Will you please va 77.0 F,7- a'. ^ea. c•. 76 come forward? Mr. LAMBS: I would like to .speak .now in relation to the traffic problem only. I think it is a problem which everyone in the planning, board and Filene 's and their traffic experts and the Town as a whole realize 18' a very serious situation and is one which should be carefully considered in all its aspects . I don' t pretend to be a traffic expert. I have spent some time in looking over the .situation and have come to certain conclusions . The validity of them will be up to you people tonight; but on that basis Zi would like to proceed. There are two points that I think, two general areas of consideration as far as the traffic problem is concerned. The first would be the general traffic situation of the Town streets as a whole . Streets will be affected throughout all of Lexington to some degree, and many major roads in Lexington will be affected to a major degree. This, of course, has some bearing on the. required construction cost of new roads, maintenance costs, accidents - that and other considerations which just are part, and parcel of the traffic situation as traffic increases they increase . There is noettin around it. g g The second -- sticking to that first point, the 77777".`',17 n yea- ,: - ',fe .!}• aA, r 4' #1737"4,71.:: �_ }' x �_ g� "S tip " 9 r a • r4* figure has been presented that approxiMately - tLot approxi- mately, 11.6 per cent of the traffic will under present conditions come into the center from the Spring Street side and also I believe a six per cent figure has been given for the Spring Street side on the south. In other words*, that is roughly seventeen per cent of the traffic will be Coming over local roads and will not use the super highway 128 or Route 2. That figure, I maintain, .is somewhat low, and I would like to try to indicate that. That's point number one Point number two is that the interchange as it is presently designed - I should not use that word designed - as it is laid out has a serious question as to whether it is adequate to handle. the traffic capacity and :Also the use of the Spring Street access alone . That's point number two. In considering, this the figures dee' become impor- tant. It is hard to tell just what they do mean.. We have the figure for the average day where I believe it is a three year projected average, some aueh figure as that based on seven hundred thousand square feet. That 13,800 figure is car visits per day as Mr. Gummere very squarely pointed out it means a car comes in and a car comes out, so that from thepoint in of view of traffic counts in relation Fyv . :t.' , `TtbC: \:;.:"-P.1.— , ,. y . RT S 4 iF ^n r` h' T to highway loads and intersection nuisances and jams it would be doubled, 27,600 if it is going to be used in relation to other traffic . It is possible to argue with that figure. I would like to to a certain extent but not too seriously. One criteria of how many cars will use a shopping area is not by the population within so many minutes, not by the roads, but possibly the number of parking spaces . Shopping areas are very aware of the ratio for the number of times each parking space is used per day. In this particular case we have approximately five thousand parking spaces; publication by the Irving Land Institute says a very conservative figure is 3.3 uses which would bring that 13,800 up to maybe 16,000, but that is maybe quibbling, I don't know. You can take the seven hundred thousand and go to the million square feet and get more traffic out Of it. Anyway, to my way of thinking 27,600 cars is a great deal of traffic, and I think it is sufficient to stick to that figure tonight so we will all be consistent. By way of comparison it is interesting to note that a count: taken on Route 128 at the Route 2 interchange at 1955 showed approx. imately 25,000 cars in a twelve hour period. On Route 2 in the same vicinity the count was approximately twenty thousand cars . �: a R �: ; a""`.-�.��h ib'�.+� iF,Y r31- 79 In other words, the cars coming into this -Shopping center will be greater than the traffic that is handled either on 128 or on Route 2 based on those particular surveys. Well, I would like to get back to the first point, and try to indicate why I think the seventeen per cent figure is low. I know you cantt see the streets too. well. However, I think Route 2 here is visible to most everybody. Route 128, the red line, Is also visible to most everybody. The shopping center would be located in this area here . The question is just haw would people get to this center from some place on the map? I got this map purposely large 111 to show some of the outlining area. First of all, we can look t9 the area west of Route 128. This is Bedford Airport and Cambridge Reservoir, Lincoln and Concord Center. It isn't too heavy populated by comparison to the area inside 128. But it can be safely stated, I think, that everybody who is coming .from the area west of 128 will feed through the major super- highways . It can also probably be stated that: people living along Route 128, along Route 2, will use the super highway. I wondered myself just what the distance was . I drove the distance from the shopping center to Woburn. I followed the road through the town streets, Spring Street, 44 .4f k't . T4y` 7.44. �" v : • - -rf , x A ,rt / 0.. '41 { ,Y " # go Marrett Road, Maple Street, Woburn Street and, over to Woburn. It took a little over fifteen minutes . I took the return trip from Woburn through 128, and to the shopping center. It came out within a quarter of a minute of the same time. Some timewise, if that is any indication, and that is a question, of course, you would have a fifty-fifty decision if you lived here in Woburn as to whethgre you would use 128 or the streets in Lexington. If you live in this area here, Route 2 will become a limited access highway. Points of entry will be limited to these circles . There are seven of them between the beginning of the traffic, the new development and 128. Access will not be as easy on Route 2 as it is at present. The super highways are naturally constructed for through traffic. They are not constructed for the accommodation of local abort haul; shopping traffic. A person living in this area living. in Winchester north of Arlington would be very likely to folloWJ sM aachusetts avenue . Me would be faced with a: -choice here. at Pleasant Street of whether he would want to double baok on himself and use Route 2 into the shopping center or follow what might be the path of least resistance along Marrett Road into Spring Street into the shopping center. Again, I timed that distance. Itis virtually the. g y, '+ ? j4: h ' Ol same. I think it was two-tenths of a minute difference no matter which way you go. So that same turn, some won't, but there will be quite a large population area in this region which will come over the streets of Lexington. Belmont - if they are near the Route 2 area I would expect them to use Route 2; but if you get into the Concord Avenue area, Trapelo Road area and, the Waltham area, the tendency I think most of you coming out from Waverly. I certainly stay away from the Turnpike when I come home at night. I stay on the Town roads . And come into the center that way. The only point I am trying to indicate is that are these super highways going to take all the traffic that it has been asserted they will? The second point. Now, Spring Street itself is a special problem. I think it is for some people. Quite a bit has been said about it. Possibilities of ameliorating the situation by routing traffic at the intersection of Marrett Road -and Waltham Street and running it over to Route 2 and .over. That dis- tance is approximately twice as far, therefore it is unlikely that too many people would follow that course . The idea of making Spring Street a one-way street would be very objectionable to the State highway department. If they are going to invest a quarter of a million dollars �,<; : ,`«p .ryF ?y'r -f. }s" .. Y4;e "R:M•1, o -y _ ,ri1:^i".. :r_i'.' 5, . 1717, —;Pifr-pri 4, y'*..?�° A ,._ $2 411 at the interchange in that location they would insist that Spring Street remain a through street. There would be Federal money involved and both those agencies are of course hesitant to spend money which might appear for the private uses primarily . Getting into the center itself now, actually the Exhibit 8 that the representatives of Filene have presented is a much better diagram than I have drawn. It shows the routes very well, and I wonder if it would be too much to ask you to follow some of those routes. First of all, the figures as we have them indicate there are approximately 411 thirty per cent of the traffic will come from 128 and the Route 2 to Western area. This traffic has to run West on Concord Avenue and run the ramp to Spring Street, turn left on Spring Street and run up the eastern side of Spring Street, make a left hand turn into the shopping center. That, as I say, is approximately fifty per cent of the traffic - one figure which has been used is a two thousand car hourly peak. That again is four thousand car passengers per day. This fifty per cent figure would mean approximately one thousand cars entering the circle and making the left turn off Spring Street. II/ An equivalent number of cars would be coming home at the same time. I think the nem figures were given k` $3 I 111 tonight are absolutely different. Essentially I think tie :Argument still herds... They have a forty-six hundred peak instead of a foto' thou- 7 sand car peak, and it isn't quite an even split between entering and leaving, but for simplification I Just as soon take the four thousand and split it two and two: Fifty per cent again means a thousand coming in and a. thousand leaving. The ears which leave the center that- are going west have only one alternative. That is*, td take the ramp ::nttheer upper right hand corner and circle down on to Route going west. That's the only possible way .out or tate• unless we consider this possibility on Route 128 which we have agreed not to consider, I think. Theoars can leave the area and go west. The net result - you can see the interseotiOn on the plan, the black line intersecting the red line means approximately one thousand acre .an hour itter eating each other at that overpass . I have spent some time talking t4E. the officials at the Department of Public WOrka. I, have explained that situation to them. They have told me the bypass as planned is inadequate . They would not recommend its construction, 11/ the ones I talked to. Now, I didn't talk to Mr. - excuse me, I have forgotten the name on it, the chief engineer and Mr. Volpe because they have lei*. Thelar .0 .1 have talked a to, they say that interchange is inadequate. They were not aware that those volumes of traffic were to be handled at that location. They further told me that there would be no access to Route 128 under any conditions . There would probably be no access to the loops of the interchange at 128. There would be no access to Route 2 anywhere along it nor to the interchange of Spring within the limits of the ramps . In other words, Filenets would, if the State*s normal procedure is followed, would have to shift their ramps away from that interchange . They would recommend if a firm commitment could be made that a four-leaf clover be constructed at this location under these traffic volumes . But here again it is a question of timing. The State at the present time is in so-called preliminary plann- ing stage. They have made what they call a layout which is sufficient to initiate their real estate acquisition. They have not gone into anything here, any final design on the highway. They have no money for initiation for con- struction and did not know what time construction would be initiated. The taking of the real estate is for the purpose of taking it well ahead of the construction time so that hard- ship cases might be avoided . s ;;, 1' -7A9,1_174, • '$ '47.PW,'4"77- ,17:7-77,-7 e .41 . .� ,-}:::ieH; ...:%!,4-:::- ...- ,."4 x,.,6.1 ,�- ,, rF When Route 2 will be widened and redeveloped is uncertain. It may be next year. It may be the following year, or later. Now, Filene 's itself apparently intends, to initiate construction. Would that be somewhere around 1960 as es- timated? If the policy of the State on constructing these interchanges, and I am speaking unofficially, the Commiss- ioner is the only one who can speak officially, would be that no increase in the present point of interchange would take place unless a firm commitment preferably initiation of construction started on that site. If they saw shovels ill digging and they knew those traffic volumes were; coming, then the redesign of that interchange might take place, but in any event at the present time the possibility of shovels on the site, even real, estate acquisition, is an unknown quantity. The State 's position is therefore an..unknown quantity, and it would appear that the interchange itself, the success of which the whole shopping center depends on is also an unknown quantity. Now, plans have been made many times, and have been constructed with the best intentions, and have proved 11/ to be inadequate. It has come back to haunt thecommunity which they have been constructed in. �_,y.51 'ti '417?-.-,-; f, C E,r`R" e., rpce _ -'e ' , .w > s. F %a:eIF % e 41 'i t 'fit,.. 1, + 4+ IIITonight it has been stated that the Filene 's is willing to construct the shopping center under the present conditions . It would mean they were running the risk of having a jam atthat interchange. _ I think that 's the two points -- I am sorry I have taken so long in making them. Thank you very much. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: The lady right down there. MRS . RIFFIN: We are here tonight to evalue a change in our zoning by-law and I think this change could be evaluated from the landowners point of view in terns of an overall plan of the Town. What has been the policy of ill the planning board with regard to theland east of 128, and what are the reasons for the policy as it now stands? I am sorry I did not give my name. It is Natalie Riff in. I want to know the policy of the planning board with regard to land east of 128 and the reason for this policy. CHAIRMAN GRINDER: I am sorry, I don't know as I can answer that question. We issued in Our annual report the work that we have done the past year. You meant the statement I just read at the. beginning of .the meeting? Does that answer it? Will you please give -co the question and we will try to answer it. Mrs . RIFFIN: I feel that regarding the zoning. hat was regarded in the light of an overall plan change, t g fP 1, I 7-7'. .01 .1.. Jif,. 1 "41. /. - r77. 4 % ih.' fl-- ll 7 87 a 4- III for the Town of Lexington; not "just a 'matter or 6pot• zoning, and I was wondering where this plan {light fit in with the overall picture, and what theplanning board policy has been toward all land this side of 128 up to this point, what their policieshave been. I feel they haven't rezoned anything for the east side of 128 up to this point and I wonder how this current plan would fit in with their poligy today. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: I think you are asking several questions . The first one is in regard to 128. I think I stated in my preliminary statement that we had made a study ill of the land on the east of 128 and it was all residential except these large blocks of vacant land were all surrounded by residential sections, and we did not wish to do anything about it until some definite porposition was presented to us for rezoning, and that was why this proposition is up here this evening. Does that answer that part of it? Mr. MAY: Mr. Grindle, may I be heard? CIiAIRMAN GRINDLE: Yes, Mr. May. Mr. MAY: Mr. Chairman, and ladies and gentlemen, I heard so much about taxes and traffic this evening, and I wondered whether I was in Wonderland or Lexington, and I am not intending to be facetious . No one here has mentioned the prime question trf ` 7 q. .-c."p k' °•_'b._. r'' _ `.c :3,•t',.. "tfi '1`Ti .F'C px . a 114 24 , 111 involved. It has been booted around the Town for aboit three or four months since the time of the last Town meeting that we are at a financial crisis, and that eventually we must surrender the residential character of the Town in order to obtain tax revenue. That has been .said so often that it has become almost a cliche. It was thirty years ago that we first had zoning in Lexington. The theme of that zoning has been carried for thirty years in this sense : It was made to benefit everybody and to eliminate the abuse of a few. It was not made to favor a few at the abuse of the many. That theme has been carried so far that a medical doctor may not practice medicine in his own home without special per- mission. Zoning was meant to eliminate the- used car lot next to your home . Now, eventually it may be, that we will have to surrender the residential character of the Town to guard the tax revenue, but when that thing comes it should be an orderly process with a definite plan to eliminate the chaos that exists in the lives of many Lexington citizens. It is unjust to promise - and I am looking at fifty people who were promised that the residential character of this III Town would be maintained for an indefinite period as long as we could hold the dike. I am looking at ten people who r h'F"V'- �5 l kP. ie V ..y.�iY' -. . .. t $ t�— I;.#- L • • ',irpFR +`'+ � �'?�}' 9' +1d5 hN � �i r��nr'a'�•- i �� J �. _14,-,,, ,:' c' iN 4 1 �+. r+" �� - 1..'p' in the last ten years have invested. their life savings on Spring Street and Shade Street on whose promise? On your promise. You, their fellow citizens . Now, there are not many town or cities in Massa- chusetts that have zoning. You have to see this with Some perspective. We are the most tightly zoned. residential town in Massachusetts and probably in New England other than the counties of Westchester in New York. We are with Wellesley, with Lincoln, a happly island and when we surren- der that residential island it will have to be for .good cause. illNow, out here at a crisis, did you see the tax rate today? Our crisis is so great that our tax rate has gone up one dollars. One dollar. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE; May I interrupt just a _minute. The Police Department are very anxious to have the blue Ford, Registration 867489 remove it immediately, Mr. MAY: Now, may I continue? Just a moment., please. I know it is 1-ate,, but bear in hind ware late only because the proponents took two hours, not because of the opposition. Now, we have had very good .planning in this Town and those of you -- but give them- their due. They work one, two nights a week, fifty nights a year, and they have done r` .:,a.r t:kr ' ' <'e •j• g: ?' iF " � rix*7 4 Y$} y TT tXP , #.& c 1‘ � Baa.' j-4it 6 ik much good that doesn't show. They in some war disagree 111 with the voters . I sometimes wonder how they `can get so wrong on these large zoning i$SSues# and that is not in disrespect to individuals but their ability to feel the Town pulse. Now, it is a crisis . What are we being offered for the one dollar crisis? We are being offer an octopus whose tenacles will stretch in many ways of the Town. I know a shopping center would be convenient. I had to wait last Saturday morning for a haircut, but a refrigerator is convenient in our living rooms, but we don't keep it ill there . It is not so much a matter of convenience. There is nothing wrong with the presentation that is being made by the people representing Filene 's. They have put forward a good case, the best for them. But surely you don 't believe that with this 28,000 cars pouring into that regional shopping center every day that there won't be a traffic jam on Spring Street. You couldn't believe that. Why, we have a traffic jam in Lexington Center three nights a week, and you can' t get through in less than ten minutes, and we only travel about five hundred cars an hour through that center. Now, every possible suggestion and innuendo has been made. One you have been told that if you don't zone e 11#,7,- t' y.,"1-'.'Y'd, _ ` :• f rn°`,s>4{ `^4+. '.�".a" ar Y •tea= 11' vS;.,;.: ,':r4 pYt. 11/ this for industry some religious groip' may buy it. I hope they do. We have had three churches in Lexington in the last year. We have had the acquisition of the hospital by the Gray Nuns . I do not profess to the religion of the Gray Nuns but if they produce for us no tangible dollar revenue remember they cost us nothing and they may do much to eliminate the delinquency that is possiblein the. future. The existence of every community of religious is a benefit and not a tax loss . The planning board may say to you at sometime that every zoning change has been defeated by a local group1and the answer is if the local group isn't in the thickest of the fight who should be . But the local group could not have succeeded without the approVal of all the Townspeople. Stop and think what it means in tax loss eventually. Everybody gets back to taxes, I suppose I must. The most valuable residential property in New ..York is the islands of residential towns in Westchester County. They have variably held their dike against industrialization. Surely they pay a few dollars more per year. We are paying one dollar more this year, and we believe every argument Mr. Gummere said is still only one dollar more. But what is the highest resale value of property f• 5.rtc ,y TJ y{377.4 §,14y71r h 4S� 'C3}i°;''•r`-`, gy..m1^'".•' - -.' t Mf# r.. in Woburn or in Wellesley, in Burlington or in Lexington? Now, don't be fooled by will of the wisp. When and if Lexington meets a tax crisis and must releave it by industrial we should do it in a slow methodical fashion with utmost respect for our neighbors who rely on your promise as part of the zoning contract have put in their whole lifes savings relying on the residential zone. Ask yourself this question-: If yoU had been so unfortunate as to pick Shade Street for your thirty thousand dollar house, how would you feel about it? CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: I think unless there is serious objection before it gets too late that we would take an expression of opinion on the question as to whether Or not -- just a minute, please, sir. We wild come back to your question later on. We will come back to your question later on. Mr. JAQUITH: I have three questions here which we want to get an expression of opinion on before too many people leave. The -halls- in the back are not crowded very much. There ate numerous seats Upstairs, .ah indication that the audience is going home, and we want to get as good a representative vote on these questions' as• we can so the planning board will know what to do. We have come in here tonight, we haven't made up r z. f• 1. x :nrrxe., ti. 'Y'9K._F. �:9}�._.K.e_+';fs "'�'�1 y� qE-+�-• 'inrzr"�.'. 1 -rgli T 93 J. our mind, and we still don't know what to do. We want to find out what you people want- -us to do. Before I put these questions I want to explain one thing in regard to the questiof.*lich labs.. lady down the middle of the center here asked with regard to planning board policy for land easterly of Route 128. i happen to have in my book a copy of some minutes of December -15, 1956, which were drawn up following a study made by the planning board in regard to the open areas of land in Lexington which was done after the fall 'Town Meeting at which time we tried to get some more stringent regulations Sin our M 1 zone . We got the introduction of C e districts but when we tried to put in restrictive for business for the M1 zone which has practically nothing now they were voted down We therefore reviewed the status of open land in the Town of Lexington and it is quite amazing. If you people have not looked at a map showing the areas of land that are still undeveloped and how they are encircled with residential property you Would find it quite interesting. As a result of that analysis we adopted the follow- ing policy. Now, in reading this policy I want to point out that policies can always change, and in changing them changes are based upon current thinking. A policy adopted 171;447 7f-5744r1r"Z-•fy,':.:rii , �Sea'.,,^a li_ -• `` k > 4a Ar 9* III six months ago may be out of date today. It may be still in effect, but current thinking has a lot to do with whether you continue a policy or whether you modernize it; drop it or get something knew. As to the land easterly of 128 this is the policy which the Board thcided upon on December 15, 1956. That no consideration be given to the rezoning of land on the easterly side of Route 128 for non residential uses except uses which will provide services of direct benefit to the residents of Lexington and in general to consider such rezoning only after specific projects have been presented 11/ to the Board. Now, as to this proposition tonight, the propo- sition comes within that policy except for one thing, and that deals with the use provisions whereby you can have general office buildings in a proposed shopping center with permission from the board of appeals . That is beyond the policy which I have just. read. Now, the League of Women Voters have kindly brought in a group of their members to count votes, and we are going to do it by a standing vote and there are these women in each section. It will probably take some perhaps fifteen minutes, but we feel we better get our votes now before too many more people go home. £,'' r 7s - ?±w' ,rA tVrilrli ,47: ^ * X';,.tm` i a'Ga k- `$tt • . r,, '3�i s' , r ;. :Pa Now, there will be three questions, and when we. get through with a question we are willing to stay here all night, if necessary. We ,hope we don' t have to. FROM THE FLOOR Would the Chair recognise acre, please? Mr. JAQUITH: Do you want to ask a question about this or do you want to present something more? FROM THE FLOOR: I want to ask a question as far as procedure of this hearing goes. Mr. JAQUITH: That's all right. FROM TME FLOOR: I believe the proponents have had approximately two hours or two hours and a half for their presentation. Maybe it is an hour. The period in which the opposition, the people who oppose this plan have had to speak, I would guess, is a maximum of one-half an hour, if it has been that. It is certainly not the equal time. I think it is a bit unfair, however, to call a vote now before we have a little more discussion. Mr. JAQUITH: We are willing to let you talk, just as long as you want to talk we will stay here and listen to you; but we want to getvotes before any more people go home. We will take additional votes after you get through if you so request. We want to get votes of the people here now. 6 F a H47`:1r 1.-4A "17.1'7e *'771.47`4.'" s '"'"�T.fJt grC}111 96 Now, the first question. Ails m411. be a .Btand ng vote . First those in factor and then those oppofied. And will the tellers who are going, to count these in each section - are they all available? The tellers Will call in their votes as soon as they have the 4oUnt t en *the people may sit down. First question: The number of people in favor of the proposed shopping center as now proposed including both the Swenson and the Hayden property and related areas . All the people in favor please stand. All counts in? Any more? Now, all those opposed to the shopping center? May we have the count from the balcony„please? Now, the second question. We will call these out when we get through. FROM THE FLOOR: What about the vote? Mr. JAQUITH: It isn' t tabulated yet. Question two. The number -- this is a yes, no vote also. The number of persons who would favor the proposed shopping center if it did not include the Hayden parcel? Now, that is the approximately forty to fifty acres belonging to Myaden formerly belonging to Hayden which is at Spring Street and Weston Road. Now, we would like to get a yes, no vote . A, Y 'hit 7u74rr J 7;77fi:> y`777q 97 97 FROM TRH FLOOR: Will you restate that queStion. Mr. JAQUITH: The number of people who would be in favor of the proposed shopping center if it did not include the Hayden parcel. That would include roughly eighty acres, I believe, belonging to the Swenson and the related area. That is the original proposition. FROM TME FLOOR: Mr. Chairman, we carte here prepared and our thoughts were prepared for a question that was before us that was the Swenson and rayden together. We did not give it any study so far as that parcel, and I think it is an unfair question to put before us now. Mr. JAQUITH: While the question is being put it is possible in zoning to narrow down the area for the original proposal. Now, it would be possible to- put this before the Town Meeting on a smaller area of land and we want to find out whether there is any difference between the votes under the first proposal and the second one. FROM THE FLOOR: May I respectfully refute your opinion that this can be put before the Town Meeting in a lower form with a lesser number of acres without another public hearing. FROM THE FLOOR: Mr. Chairman, point of order. Mr. JAQUITH: What we are seeking is information. The only way we can get information is from you people. If „,;(7-71:: .r 1. ”'3 � y .q . p '+ti �4` 1 . ' ,,,..,w,„, i9 ., �, , e1' <., rAr_.,, p,,t Y` _r •Ns§ i' i. you don't want to give us an opinion on your own - I lir FROM TNB FLOOR: We gave you an opinion. Mr. JAQUITM: We have to consider it on our part. You can help us make our decision if youwill answer the question. FROM TME FLOOR: Will you kindly read the announce- ment of this meeting which we are here to decide? We are here to listen to the proponents on the two lots . That 14 the only question we were brought here tonight to answer. Mr. JAQUITK: We wonft ask the question as long as you don't want to answer them'. But the planning board ill (feel that is a question which would help us in arriving at our decision and would also help the Town Meeting members . If we can't have the answers we won't spend further time on it. FROM THE FLOOR: I think we should have the question. Mr. JAQUITH: Those who voted no on the first question can also vote now now. The question is this : If the proposed shopping center did not include the Hayden tract- how many would favor it? All stand up, please that would favor it. III All those opposed. All counts in. i b F. :,7;77,— ,7,-F:'u, iu. c+a4-1!!k77:.! 7 'RL�iN:.$�},,.N.7i yu'..Z (,^ 77_. ;114-1 y •99 lie have got the one further question and then we will try to give you .some figures . Now, this question is also i.Mportant to us for two reasons . It is a variation from the proposition tonight but it will also, we hops, give us some idea of hoW you feel about land easterly of 128; and about the only way we can get these ideas is either at a public hearing of this sort or at a Town Meeting. Now, this question is as follows The present shopping center use proposals includes the use of the tract involved fcr general office buildings if permission 111 for such is granted by the board of appeals, stow, supposing that provision was eliminated but otherwise the tract of land was the same as presented tonight, Kayden and Swenson, et al, but it did not contain anything as far as uses are concerned, so that the land could be used for office buildings . Now, we would like a yes, no count on that situation. FROM TNEFLOOR: Mr. Chairman, please. We were not called her tonight for that purpose. We were called here tonight to vote on the changes in the zoning by-laws. I think the opinion has been given for what this meeting was called. Mr. JAQUITH: This proposition is the same as the 100 111 previous one although my brother attorney disagrees with me. It aan be cut down to a smaller proposition than what is presented at the hearing, and that's why we are trying to find out how people feel . Mr. MAY: Does the third question involve, is the third question which you have put to us leave the shopping center intact minus a possible office building? Mr. JAQUITZI: Right. Mr. MAY: Thank you. Mr. JAQUITN: Thank you for helping make it clear. A yes or no vote on that. First a yes vote. Allin favor. Now the no vote. Now, all counts in. Now, the vote on the last question is being t4bt - lated. I will now give -you the figures on the first two questions . Question one, dealing with those in favor and opposed to the shopping center as now proposed, In favor 190. Opposed 387. Now, the second question, those in favor or against the proposed shopping center if the Hayden property were eliminated. In favor 174; opposed 381. Now, the last question which was tabulated very quickly. Those in favor or against the proposed shopping center if the general office use was eliminated. In favor 11, F.,.. s- " -sem' 5"" "_ .T' :F 1'` -:.yt,.l. ,:ri 'F:: q.?-'. F� 1 :.r:..C3 ,y -i;.: 1 } ;, :fY .$ 114. Opposed 360. 111 Mr. RCS/MN: Mr. Chairman, I want to make this statement. I think that the geritlelan from Filene's who came down here tonight presented as complete and as out- standing a piece of work as I have seen presented to a planning board for some time. And I say that although I was in opposition to their point of view. I want to ask a Simple question at thin. time . Mr. Gummerey, you have stated at many meetings at which I was present, it has been printed in the Minute Man, that you folks won't go through with this thing if you felt the ill townspeople were against it. Raven't you got that sentiment at this time? CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: I think we better dissolve. the meeting unless we oan come to order- and all sit down. If you want to sit down we will continue.. Mr. CAMPBELL: J. A. Cambell, Jendell Road. Mr. Chairman, when any major change in legislation -or zoning comes up there is always a minority sentiment, and normally the minority at a meeting like this can appear mu4h stronger than their actual strength.. I certainly hope that the votes as collected, by the League of Women Voters here tonight are not overly indicative and will not overly influence the thinking of the planning board. 0 W111 CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Any other question of irprsr.. tanee? Mr. DAVIS ; Davis, 314 Concord4Avenue. Mr.. Chairman, I would like to have two dates that were mentioned tonight. The first date is the .date the F11ene people first approached the planning board with their proposition, and the second date the date on which the gleaning board established policy as respects the land on the east side of Route 128. Both of those dates were mentioned tonight. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE; I have the date here taken from our records, that the Filene's approached us officially was December 10, 1956. Mr. DAVIS : And the other gentleman who was reading from the minutes of a meeting stated the date on which the policy was established. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: The records I have say December 15th. Mr. HAMMER: My name is William Hammer. I have two or three questions to you. Is it the intent of the planning board to refer this question further to the Town Meeting? CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Well, I don't know that I received the question. I said in my statement to begin with that when the Town Meeting is held the planning board will 111 make a written statement giving their recommendations . Does that answer your question? Mr. HAMMER: Is it the intent now to 'submit a warrant on the Town Meeting for this particular issue? CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: That rests entirely with the Selectmen. We have no authority on that. Am I correct in that? Mr. HAMMER: Can we have any understanding from any Selectman present now? CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Pardon. Mr. HAMMER: Are there any Selectmen present now who can give you an idea. It is up to the Selectmen to decide . CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: They will not decide that until they have a regular meeting. Mr. HAMMER: My second question: The board of appeals, who in this Town constitutes the board of appeals? Who are the members of the board of appeals? CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: There are five members, I believe, appointed by the Selectmen. Mr. HAMMER: Appointed by the Selectmen. II/ CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: You will find that registered in your annual Town report. • .wp' sa �sl.v Nrt^i�" . a.. a K Fy �' T° 0.z+. i -17 104 Mr. 'AMMER: Next question. Under the proposed section, I believe it is where it concerns the Mayden property there is a section referring to theaters and other amusement areas . In that question it spays enclosed areas , But it does not specifically state completely enclosed areas as it does in the preceding seetion. Is there any particular reason for that omission? Mr. JAQUITH: Are you talking about the outside uses? Mr. HAMMER: Paragraph 4. Mr. JAQUIN: Meaning other places of amusement. Mr. HAMMER: Would that mean entirely? Is that the intent of this particular section? Mr. JAQUITT: The word fully is not in there as in the other provisions . Does it mean completely enclosed? That's the intent but not put in. FROM TME FLOOR: Mr. Chairman. I have listened to a lot of information here opposing this project but no citizen except the gentleman here of Filene >s spoke in favor of it, and I think the boys and the citizens of Lexington that are in favor of this project should have an opportunity to say something. Is it in order to say that now? CHAIRMAN GRINDLH: It is. FROM THE FLOOR: Did you say yes, Mr. Chairman? CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: You had the opportunity all the time if you cared to ask for it. FROM THE FLOOR: I thought you were at the start of the meeting asking for those opposed to it. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: I am sorry if we gave you that impression. FROM THE FLOOR: I just want to speak up about taxes going up one dollar because we are in a critical position. I wonder if we took time to come to Town Hall and notice the vote of Town Hall in regard to the amount of money that was appropriated and if we had spent $450,000 to reconstruct the junior high this one dollar would look like a seven dollar increase . We didnit. spend the $450,000. We are still in a critical position. We increased the taxes one dollar but inside of twoor three years we may have to have two new junior high schools at a million and a half. Unless we get some new income in this Town and progress so that we can have these things that we like and have firemen and new policemen and everything to take care of this Town and put our Town in a position so that we are black on the books it is going to be in very bad shape.. 11/ If we dontt take this shopping center probably a nearby town will take the shopping center. I _ ;rir _g"4:a ice.' "i, ^,..a •qv; '14 3u_,,.t1 �d F .y.,7f..` y. )'+ r { .Y� p 'ei": "+rF 106 s. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: The last gentleman did not give us his name and address . Will you do that, please? Mr. BLISII: The name is Blish, I live at 150 Pleasant Street in the neighborhood of thirty thousand dollar houses and up. Mrs . FLYNN: Mrs . James Flynn. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE : We didnFt' get your name . Mrs . FLYNN: Mrs. James Flynn, 3 Minute Man Lane . I wanted to ask Mr. Gummer if he would care to answer the question whether the other sites that he said they had in mind were near enough to Lexington to give us the traffic without the revenue . I donIt know whether he would want to answer that, but I would like to know. Mr. GUMMERE I don't think I can tell you that we have specific sites for which we have negotiated. I think I could illustrate to you two examples . One, if you will look on the map which Mr. Lambe is using. I think it is the easiest one to refer to. Refer yourself to the area designated in red where the green line crosses Route 128 and if you will imagine that Trapelo Road on either side, an area in there as a shopping center, , I think you will see that the immediate neighborhood, the immediate abutters affected by the area of the junction of Route 2 would have the same effect on the traffic, and such develop- rt7-,ril- q . e-4-, ^ n..F r h .�?'fq 97jm a Y . 1a-ks ... Tr [,y w J.- r t P :JT 1`t of W . xµ y,n t F f t .. .Ski'°"1Y+ " 'yy4 s ill went would be on the Belmont line. The area available there .la not the area as big as this one. Even a small development there would affect Lexington to a very great extent. Going in the ether direction, the nearest to the Town to ask, isn't there a substantial opportunity to tap. Many regions with the extension of Route 3 as it proceeds on eastward into Route 128 and again I can't speak about the availability of real estate . We only looked at this one . But I do 'say that just across the Lexington line, and it would have sub- stantially all of these advantages, not as good a terrain il that this site would have, and it again would affect Lexington with all of the bad effects, and we see none of the advantages at that point there . CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Are there any people now, who wish to speak in favor? Mr. FOGG: I should like to ask a question. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: Yes, sir. Name, please . Mr. FOGG: My name is Fogg, Wendell Fogg, 10 Hilltop Avenue. A few years ago when those of us who live in my section were threatened with a liquor store on the corner of Walth'gm Street and Marret.t .Road we had a great Ili deal of misgiving just the sameas the people from Shade Street and Spring Street are showing tonight. And we were p g r^.y -7ir�aiF'sr R 'wc' ; f€"C-`gH• .�;.ex 4a�" »a: . - ' "_,�'',:,.R.:,� :a. � �, t� sts 1£ III very happy to find that throughout the Town there was support for the proposition, interested in our request, that an injury to one part of the Town is an injury to all parts of the Town. That ought to go without saying, and I rather deplore the high degree of emotion with which it was said on Shade Street. I would like to ask somebody representing the Shade Street group, if the people do completely get rid of the threat of access traffic down Spring Street, would that satisfy your objections to this proposal, or is there another objection which you feel you have? And then if the answer to that is that the traffic is the only objec- tion I should like to ask whether the gentleman from Filene 's can propose a concrete measure which would remove that threat to the people of Spring and Shade Streets . When I first saw the plan in the Minute Man it seemed to me I had not read it carefully. But then when we saw the proposal of fifty odd stores ittegan to look like a pretty serious threat. So the question is: Is the only objection of the people of Shade and Spring Streets the traffic problem? FROI THE FLOOR: No. Mr. FOGG: I wish somebody would make it clear. Mr. HEDSDN:• My name is Hedson. It is not a • � �,,.n ' W1�FYin:440114,4114-=.-4,404" �- ,7 'J' 'F 34 . general question, but a question I would like to ask. I was going to ask both representatives of Filene 's and the planning board if they had any knowledge of any organization which has plans of use of this land in case Filene 's doe's not get it. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: You mean the Swenson property, the Hayden property? Mr. HEDSON: Any or all of the parcels concerned. CHAIRMAN GRINDLFs; As far as the planning board is concerned we have no information. Does that answer your question? We have no information of any other parties wishing to purchase the land. That 's what you asked, wasn't it? Mr. HEDSON: Yes . I would like also to ask the Filene 's representative . Mr. GUMMERE: If I understand the question the answer is no, we knowof no other person that has any interest in mind. CHAIRMAN GRINPLE: Any questions? Mr. HATHAWAY: Mr. Chairman, Hathaway on Shade Street . One question I would like to ask .of the Filene 's representative. Could the retail stores include a package store? My question to Mr. Gummere is this ; What is the present policy of his group relative to package stores in ga.1 °. :r i sir, -r '- �xlI #r _k' 7 _ _T. ""44 `,y, . .7'.' rr-rn.x .- ,�a„:.� ;ms" pi's` f ..��� '.� � ^,: :4�:� rmm hyo ^`i� " � '"R.r x.. sem, :�:s "�v-��- ... �^- tf '!. rr w`�. -`��-� ��!I\.'' Ty.-.� f �,+{�. » � 4' "'�(".55,, l cif � ;i shopping centers? '` " Mr. GUMMERE: I am .sorry I only heard part of the question. Would you rePeat it. Mr. HAT�IA.WAy. The question is : What is the policy of your group as to package stores in shopping centers under your control, or are. there restrictions? Mr. GUMMERE: I would say we have not arrived at a policy. We would have to abide by the wishes and the rules of the community in which we operate. As far as the economic value of the center with respect to a package store it would be a desirable feature to have one . They are a common part of many shopping centers . There is one specifically in Chestnut Hill Shopping Center. The zoning by-law as currently written, as I understand it, would permit` a shopping center to be here, would permit a package store to be here rather. Your permits, however, would be governing on whether there were one available in this area. So that even though there is a zoning by-law would permit it, it is not permitted without � the approvals which would override that. Aq fax as we are concerned as operators we would have to abide by the ruling of the local group. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE r Any other persons that •would like to speak for 'or. against? . '» # (y;_�.i r ,e. r 9 a. V`.. -4 rYtY cps rf..fF� ;till . 411 4• FROM THE FLOOR: I feel this way: First off, I don't believe that they will be able to get rid. of the traffic situation on Shade Street and Spring Street. If they could I still feel we of that vicinity would be opposed to the situation because it would reduce the valuation of our property, spoil the country air which we now have and it would in the long run be a disadvantage . As I said, I doubt very much if they could .get rid of the traffic situation at all from what. has been said here . Mr SPINALI: My name is Spinali. I would like to ask the representative of Filene 's a question. CHAIRMAN GRINDLE: We can't hear what you are saying. Mr SPINALI : I would like to ask the represen- tative of Filene 's a question. I have been informed that you have obtained certain residential lots on Shade Street., the ones from Mr Hathaway and the other one from Mr. McVann. Now, would you tell me why you have acquired these lots? Mr. GUMMERE: Well,, first of all you mentioned two lots on Shade Street. There is one lot on Shade Street to which we hold title . I should say there is one owner's property to which we hold title on Shade. Street. That is the property formerly owned for a few days ago by McManus . v . ii :i r t,F s ix t t3'ia 6400 ,k��ti' SYhv+�3 F ` ' FSA "We . 111 We are currently negotiating. Por the sale of the lots that run four hundred feet in Shade Street and a small strip in addition in front of that house . We will not continue the ownership of it any longer than until we can complete a sale . We are negotiating for the sale . Mr. SPINALI: Both lots, sir How about Mr. Hathaway 's lot? Mr. GUMMERE; Mr. Hathaway 's lot on Shade Street we have never owned And to the best of my knowledge he is very happily living thele . CHAIRMAN GRINDLE; If there isno other questions, the meeting will be adjourned. (Whereupon, at 11 :55 o'clock p.m. thepublic hearing was adjourned. ) -o0o- A