HomeMy WebLinkAbout1957-12-23PLANNING BOARD M=TING
December 23, 1 957
A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning
Board was held in the Town Engineer's Room, Town
Office Building, on Monda-.-, December 23, 1957 at
7:30 p.m. Present were Chairman Grindley Members
Abbott, Burnell and Jaquith, and Planning Director
Snow. Town Counsel Stevens was oresent from 8:10
to 8:35 p.m.
The Board approved the following bills which
had been presented for payment: Graphic Reproduc-
tions, Inc., white prints -43.72; Lexin;ton Press,
Inc., printed stationery -415.50.
BILLS
Approved next by the Board was the draft of a 1957 FUNDS
letter which had been prepared for consideration CARRY -OVEN
asking that the Town Accountant carry over, for 1958
expenditure, 1957 funds from the town map and street
and recreation options accounts. (See addendum.)
Likewise an was a draft of a letter to
Chairman Bortman of the Boston National Historic
' Sites Commission giving; unqualified endorsement to
the Commission's proposal recommending the estab-
lishment of a National Historic Park to be located
partly within the Town of Lexington and to preserve
the remaining portions of the famous Battle Road of
April 19, 1775. (See addendum.)
With reference to the Planning Board's December
9, 1957 letter to Mr. Frank DeFelice, Mr. Snow re-
ported that Mr. DeFelice had come to the Planning
Board office wanting to know what the Board would
require in laying out Ann Street under the town's
subdivision rules and regulations. Mr. Snow said
that he had discussed the matter with the Superin-
tendent of Public 1 -forks. Mr. Snow reported the
Superintendent as stating that when the Board had
made a decision in regard to the matter, he would
prepare a rough estimate of the cost of the work to
be done, said estimate to be given to Mr.DeFelice for
his considerat`on. After discussing the matter fur-
ther, Mr. Snow was asked to prepare for the Board's
consideration a letter to the Superintendent setting
forth what subdivision requirements the Board has
decided to waive ir this particular case.
' Mr. Stevens came to the meeting at 8:10 p.m. at
which time the Board discussed several matters con-
cerning which it wished counsel. The Board also con-
BOSTON
NAT IL
HISTORIC
SITES
COMM.
ANN -ST.
DeFELICE
sidered the release of bonds for the work completed
in the Battleview Park, Section Two and the "Gould
and Dewey Roads" subdivisions. All matters appear-
ing to be in order, it was moved by Mr. Jaquith,
seconded by Mr. Burnell, and unanimously
BATTLE VOTED: to release to subdivider, Battle View
VIE!Ad Park Realty Trust, Ralph J. Frissore
PARK and Joseph Monsignore, trustees, the
SLC. 2 performance bond, dated July 2, 19573
and the fifteen thousand and 00100
dollars - ('15,000.00) - in cash that it
deposited with: the Town as security for
the performance by the subdivider of its
agreement in the form of an application
for approval of a definitive plan, Form
C, dated May 14,1 Q57, to complete the
work to be performed by it as shown on
its subdivision plan entitled, "Battle
View Park Section Two Lexington -Mass."
LAND COURT VOTED: to release the performance bond, dated
CASE #5982E January 6, 1956, filed by Donald E.
:°Jatson, trustee of Watson Realty Trust,
'WATSON as Principal, and the Aetna Casualty &
REALTY Surety Co., as Surety, in the sum of ,
TRUST twenty-nine thousand dollars-('29,000)-
tos ecure the performance by the sub-
divider of its agreement in the form of
an application for approval of a defini-
tive plan, Form C, dated November 7,
19552 to complete the work to be performed
by the subdivider in the subdivision shown
on the subdivision plan entitled "Subdi-
vision Plan of Land Court Case #5982E in
Lexington, Mass.", dated August 5, 1955.
Mr. Stevens left the meeting at 8:35 p.m.
HOSPITAL Taken under consideration next was a Dec. 171
NEEDS 1957 letter f rom Mr.Herbert L. Crowley, Jr., Secretary
STUDY of the Hospital Needs Study Committee requesting a
COM, statement from the Board in regard to a future hospital
In Lexington and stating that it was his understanding
that no consideration had been given to a site for a
hospital in the Board's future plans for the develop-
ment of Lexington. After considering the matter in
some detail, Mr. Snow was asked to prepare a letter
for the Board's consideration stating that a hospital
site had not been proposed for Lexington and setting
forth reasons why such a proposal had not been made. I
The Board then reviewed a plan showing a possible
12-23-57
-2-
solution to the traffic problem which would be created
by locati.n.g a regional shopping center in the northerly
quadrant of the Route 2 -Spring Street intersection. Mr.
Snow exb_lained various aspects of the scheme which REGIONAL
members of the Lexington Home Owners Committee had de- SHOPPING
vised on December 18, 1 957 and which they wished pre- CENTER
sented to representatives of Filene's for their con-
sideration. No action was taken in regard to said plan.
It was understood that Mr. Jaquith was to deliver the
plan to Mr. Gummere, Secretary of Filene's.
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.
Levi. G. Burnell,Jr.
Clerk
ADDENDUM
'Mr. Edward A. Palmer December 23,1957
Town Accountant
Lexington 73, Mass.
Dear Mr. Palmer:
It is requested that you carry over for 1958 un-
expended Planning Board funds on the following accounts:
Town Flaps, authorized under Article 38 by the
Adjourned Town ,Meeting held on March 28,19553
and
Options for Streets and Recreation Lands, authorized
under Article 27 by the Adjourned Town Meeting
held on Varch 25, 1957.
Unexpected difficulties arose in preparing the new
town map so that work has not been completed on this project
but is expected to be done within the next few months and
within the amount of funds appropriated for this purpose.
The Planning, Board continues to be successful in ob-
taining most options for one dollar so that expenditure of
these funds has been kept to a minimum. The Board feels,
however, that this account should be continued to be kept
on hand while the Loard negotiates further for land it de-
sires to recommend for acquisition by the Town.
Very truly aours,
L1,XTIZGTOII PLAYN7NG BOARD
b7 Thomas S. Grindle, Chairman
December 2 6, 1957
Mr. Mark I3ortman, Chairman
Boston National Historic Sites Commission
Rm.14001 Post Office & Courthouse
Boston ?, Massachu etts
Dear Mr. Bortman:
The Lexington Planning Board was pleased to meet
with ;rou and a representative of the Commission on Nov-
ember 20, 1957 and hear a report of the Commission's
work and its proposal to recommend to the Congress that
there be created a National Historic Park to be located
partly within the Town of Lexington. The project is be-
ing included in Lexington's long range development plan
which the Planning Board is preparing for the Town. The
Board recosnizes, however, that there are many more as-
pects to a project of this nature than can be planned
and developed adequately by a municipal agency. It is
with understanding, therefore, that., the Board gives its
unqualified endorsement to the National Historic Park
proposal for the preservation of the now remaining por-
tion of the Battle Road of April 19, 1775.
Sincerely yours,
LEXINGTON PLANNTNG BOARD
by Thomas S. Grindle, Chairman
J