HomeMy WebLinkAbout1958-01-07PLANNING BOARD MTNUTF.S
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. January 7, 1958
A special joint meeting of the Lexinmton Planning
Board and the Board of Selectmen was held in the Town
Engineer's Room, Town Office Building, on Tuesday, Janu-
ary 7, 1958 at 7:L;5 n.m. Present were Chairman Grindle,
Members Burnell and Jaquith of the planning Board and
Chairman James, Members Maloney, Morey and Tucker of the
Board of Selectmen. The combined Boards met with Mr.
Gummere of Filene's and Mr.Cox of 1111bur Smith € Associates,
traffic engineers, rind consultants retained by Filene's.
One of the nrincinle matters discussed was that of
obtaining from Snring Street a satisfactory means of access
to the site of Filene's nronosed regional shopping; center.
Members of the Planning Board presented plans for two
solutions which they had nrenared as alternatives to the
Wilbur Smith plan. The first solution was a nronosal that
traffic to and from the center be confined to roads located
under the nroposed relocation of Spring; Street; the second
that access to the center be via a separate bridge over
Route 2.
'Ir. Gummere wished to know where matters stood in
regard to the overall F lene's proposal for a shopping
center. He said Filene's had options on two sites for a
center, preferred the Lexington site, but that Filene's
could not continue to retain options on both sites and had
to decide on which one to forfeit. The question was raised
as to whether or not an amendment to the zoning by-law for
a regional shopping center would be voted upon favorably at
a town meeting. Mr. Gummere said that Filene's was reluc-
tant to spend the time and funds necessary for further
studies in connection with the Lexington site when so many
felt sure of the defeat of a oronosed amendment to rezone
the Lexinr<ton site for a regional shopping center.
Previous to meeting with Mr. Gummere the Board of
Selectmen and the Planning Board had discussed informally
the petition which the Selectmen had received requesting
that the Board of Selectmen call a special town meeting to
consider whatever might be ac'_visable in relation to the
rerri.onal shopping center nronosal and also that the Plan-
ni.ng Board hold the necessary heari.ng—orior to a special
town meetinrr. (See minutes of Board of Selectmen meeting
of November 25, 1 57.) 1,lith reference to said petition the
Boards considered the possibility of placing a question on
the ballot for the l 58 Annual Town He" eti_n" to obtain an ex-
pression of opinion from the voters as to whether or not
they were in favor of amending the zoning by-law to change
land bounded by Snring "treet and Routes 2 and 128 from a
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single family to a business district so that an amendment ,
would enable said land to be used for a regional shopping
center. Mr. Gummere was asked if he would be agreeable
to such action, it being pointed out that authority
would have to be obtained from the State Legislature in
order to place such a question on the ballot. He said
Filene's would leave the matter to the decision of town
officials. He stated in addition that if a question
were placed on the ballot, a large majority of voters
would have to indicate that they were in favor of amend-
ing the zoning by-law for Filene's to consicer Lexington
further as a site for a regional shopping center.
The meeting; adjourned_ at 9:15 p.m.
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Levi G. Burnell, Jr. U
Clerk
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