HomeMy WebLinkAbout1958-05-05PLANNING BOARD MEETIriG
I P4ay 53 1958
A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning
Board was held in the Town Engineer's Room, Town
Office Building, on Monday, May 5.9 1958 at 7:45 p.m.
Present were Chairman Grindley "members Abbott,
Burnell, Jaquith and Soule, and Planning Director
Snow. Town Counsel Stevens was present from 8:00 to
8:30 p.m.
The board approved the minutes of its April 7,
1958 meeting.
Approved also by the board were the following
bills which had been presented for payment:
Spaulding -Moss Co., profile paper, X8,70, and prints
of maps, x`18.75--$27,115; Barry Printing Co.y zoning
by-law amendment proofs --k12.00; John C. Lichtenberg,
revising population map--gp61.00; A.S.P.O., Planning
Advisory* Service reports --x"15.15; Graphic Reproduc-
tions, Inc., white prints -22.70.
At 8:00 p.m. ILZr. Stevens met with the Board
to discuss Mr. Gummere's (Secretary of Filene's)
April 233 1958 letter to the State Department of
Public Works and Commissioner DiNatale's April 30,
1958 reply addressed to Mr. Stevens relative to re-
zoning property at the northeasterly corner of the
Route 2-12d intersection for -a regional shopping
center. Particular attention was given to the last
three paragraphs of the Commissioner's letter. (See
addendum.)
It was pointed out that said State department
was not satisfied with Mr. Gummere's letter and wanted
something more than a letter of assurance. In view of
the department's att_tude, Mr. Stevens stated that he
believed that the Town should be nut in a nosi.tion so
that it could not be criticized by the State for the
reasons that Hayden and Swenson land would be increased
in value as a result of re -zoning and that the State
would have damages increased for taking of said land
for I�ghway purposes. He said he thought that the De-
partment might ask the ToUm not to re -zone before said
taking was made. Mr. Stevens stated further that he
had discussed these matters with representatives of
' Filene's but that they were not going to change the
tenor or content of ',Ir. Gummere's letter.
Considered next was the followlnP Form A appli-
MINUTES
BILLS
REGIONAL
SHOPPING
CENTER
PROPOSAL
Messrs. Corr and Cataldo left the meeting at
8:50 p.m.
BOARD OF The board then considered the notices of
APPEALS petitions to be heard by the Board of Appeals on May
6, 1058. It was decided to take no action on said
petitions.
PROPOSED At 9:00 p.m. the Planning Board met with the
ROAD Selectmen to discuss information to be presented at
a public hearing to be held on May 8, 1958 at the
WOOD TO office of the State Department of Public Works in
BEDFORD ST., regard to said department laying out an airport
access road to connect flood and Bedford Streets. Mr.
Snow was asked to prepare from the discussion a set
of notes to be used by the Selectmen planning to
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FORM A
cation for determination of Planning Board juris-
diction:
#58-26, submitted on May 5, 1958 by H.S.B.
White for Lexland Construction Corp.; plan
entitled "Subdivision of Land Lexington -Mass.',
dated 4/5/583 Scale: 1" = 40', William J. Ford,
Jr., Surveyor.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was
unanimously
VOTED: That the Lexington Planning Board determines
that the plan accompanying Form A application
#58-26 does not require approval and that said
plan be signed bearing the endorsement "Lex-
ington Planning Board approval under the Sub-
division Control Law not required."
CORR
At 8:30 p.m. Mr. Stevens left and Lt. Corr
-
and Mr. Robert Cataldo came to the meeting.
STREET
OPTION
The board discussed again with Messrs. Corr
and Cataldo the obtaining of an option to purchase
for street purposes a parcel of the land it was sup-
posed to subdivide in accordance with a new Corr
petition to be heard by the Board of Appeals on May
6, 1058. (See minutes of April 7, 1958.) Messrs.
Corr and Cataldo said they were willing to give the
town an option to purchase a portion of Lot 4 at the
corner of Weston and Lincoln Streets as shown on a
plan entitled "Plan of Proposed Lots in Lexington
Mass.", dated Mar. 17, 1958, and prepared by Miller &
Nylander. They also said, however, that they were plan-
ning to sell said lot as soon as they could after the
Board of Appeals hearing if said board granted the
petition.
Messrs. Corr and Cataldo left the meeting at
8:50 p.m.
BOARD OF The board then considered the notices of
APPEALS petitions to be heard by the Board of Appeals on May
6, 1058. It was decided to take no action on said
petitions.
PROPOSED At 9:00 p.m. the Planning Board met with the
ROAD Selectmen to discuss information to be presented at
a public hearing to be held on May 8, 1958 at the
WOOD TO office of the State Department of Public Works in
BEDFORD ST., regard to said department laying out an airport
access road to connect flood and Bedford Streets. Mr.
Snow was asked to prepare from the discussion a set
of notes to be used by the Selectmen planning to
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attend the hearing. (See addendum.) Thereupon,
the Planning Board left the Selectmen's meeting
and returned to its own meeting at 10:15 p.m.
Reviewed by the board were prints of two
plans which were requested of Mark Moore, Jr. when
he met with the Board on April 28, 1958. Both plans
were prepared by Miller & Nylander and showed pro-
posed roads providing access across Kendrick land
from the Burnham Farms, Section Two subdivision to
East and Lowell streets. The plan showing access to
East Street had no title but was dated April 21, 1958;
the plan showing access to Lowell street was entitled
"Study Plan of Proposed Lots Land in Lexington -Mass.',
and dated May 1, 1958.
The board devoted the remainder of its meet-
ing to a discussion of reports to be prepared on
articles appearing in the warrant for a special town
meeting to be held on May 121 1058. The board ad-
journed its meeting at 11:00 p.m.
hard H. Soule
Clerk
April 23, 1958
Department of Public Works
100 Nashua Street
Boston, Massachusetts
-3-
BURNHAM
FARMS
SEC. 2
Attention: Miss DeAngelis, Commissioner DeNatale's Office
Dear Miss DeAngelis:
If your files are as loaded as ours, it may be convenient
to have the enclosed copies of the letters about which
the Commissioner and I talked today. Also it might be
helpful for me to summarize our problem.
As my letter of May 14, 1957 to Mr. Sheridan and his re-
ply to me of August 262 1957 indicates, conversations
have been going on for some time between us at Filene's,
' who plan to build a shopping center on the northeast
corner of the junction of Routes 2 and 128 in Lexington,
and the Department of Public Works. In summary, these
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letters stated there had been no major changes in the De-
partment's Basic Plan design for the reconstruction of
Route 2 in the vicinity of Spring Street, Lexington. How-
ever, since receiving Mr. Sheridan's letter, Wilbur Smith
& Associates, as engineers for us,,altered our plans to
eliminate the direct access and egress to the shopping
center at the Route 128 ramp wh3.ch the Department con- .
sicered undesirable.
Now Mr. Harold Stevens, counsel for the Town of Lexington,
requests that the Department of Public Works reaffirm the
information given us previously so that people in the town
can know that rezoning this property will not conflict
with plans of the Department of Public Works.
The Town's question would be completely answered if Com-
missioner DiNatale will address a letter to Mr. Stevens as
Town Counsel confirming that:
1. There has been no major change in the Department's ulti-
mate plans for the reconstruction of Route 2 in the
vicinity of Spring Street, Lexington from that contem-
plated in earlier conversations.
2. The Department of Public Works is now aware that Lex;;
ington has called a Planning Board Hearing for May 1st ,
and issued a warrant for a Special Town Meeting on May
12th to consider rezoning the property in question.
3. Such rezoning will not conflict with the Department of
Public Works' Basic Plan.
4. Filene's has given written assurance to the Department
of Public Works that they do not wish to profit from
any increase in value of the land resulting from re-
zoning and will not request any damages for takings for
highway purposes in excess of the actual costs of acqui-
sition which were established prior to rezoning action.
Perhaps it is presuming too much to make such specific
suggestions, but please consider this an attempt to make the
Commissioner's busy schedule a little less burdensome. It
would be appreciated if you could let me have a copy of the
letter. The Town of Lexington, of course, would like to
hear well in advance of the hearing scheduled for May lst.
Many thanks for your help in arranging for me to see the
Commissioner.
Sincerely,.
F. B. Gummere
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' Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Dept, of Public Works
April 30, 1958
Mr.Harold Stevens
Town Counsel
Town Hall,
Lexin>ton, Hassachusetts
Dear Mr. Stevens:
It has been called to my attention that a hearing is to
be held on May lst,by the Planning Board, concerning a
warrant for a special Town Meeting on May 12th, to con-
sider re -zoning property at the corner of Spring Streets
Route 2 and Route 128 in the Town of Lexington.
I am writing you, so that you may have information con-
cerning the Department's plans for the improvement of
Route 2, Route 128 and the relocation of Spring Street,
and the construction of modern ramps at Route 2 and
Route 128.
Spring Street
' The Department's proposed plan calls for a relocation
of Spring Street about 700 feet east of its present
crossing; at Route 2. Such a relocation would return
to the present Spring Street about 1500 feet north of
the present Route 2 crossing. Our present plans call
for the construction of two ramps. However, we have
stated to representatives of the Planning Board that
these ramps were optional with the Town and would be
dependent on the traffic turning movement. It has been
further stated, that if for any reason the turning
movement at this street becomes excessive it, may be
necessary to construct additional ramps.
Route 2
The rresent Mans for Route 2 call for the construe -
tion of a second, roadway on the north side of the
present road. This would require an additional taking
on this side, and could either result in a lower grade
at the crest of the hill between Spring Street and 128,
or in raising: the grade to pass over a re -designed
Route 128 depending on the results of the studies for
the improvement of Route 128. Although this question
has not yet been decided the change in either case
would be ver7T slight and would have "o effect on the
basic design of the highway.
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Route 128
The tremendous industrial development that has taken
place along Route 128, and its attraction to motorists,
128 as now constructed has become inadequate to handle
the large volume of resent day traffic and the antici-
pated traffic for 190. For this reason studies are
now underway for a widening of this highway. The
extent of this widening* will not be known until the
studies are further along. Involved in the proposed
work of Route 128 would be the construction of an inter-
change designed to modern standards. This would require
that the present interchange be very much enlarged,
and would extend as much as 300 feet further into the
vacant land on the northeast quadrant.
I briefly describe these changes to you, so that you
might have an understanding of what the general plan of
the Department consists. This plan is the same as that
exhibited at the public hearing, held at 100 Nashua
Street, Boston on January 25, 1957.
Regarding the cost to the Department for property
damage taken in the area in question, between the cost
of the land as presently zoned and the cost after re-
zoning, Filene's has given written assurance to the
Department of Public Works that they do not wish to
profit from any increase in value of the land resulting
from re -zoning and will not request any damages for
takings for highway purposes in excess of the actual
costs of acquisition which were established prior to
re-zcn ing.
Written assurance, if only a letter or signed statement,
does not suffice for the Department. It would not be
binding in the sense that a certain number of dollars on
a certain uniform price would be established.
It is suggested that to properly* bind Filene's and have
the Department in a firm position that Filene's give the
Department an option to buy, or the right to settle for
a taking, at a certain specified rate. This should be a
legal document for a specified length of time and if
possible with a plan or rough estimate of the approxi-
mate amount of land to be involved attached.
Very truly yours,
Anthony N. DiNatale
Commissioner
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NOTES ON PROPOSED 'STOOD -TO -BEDFORD STREET ROAD
1. Status of Road
Understand purpose of road is
access to air base and that,
State Dept. of Public 'forks,
town to maintain.
a. If road's primary purpose
air base, the town should
it. Road is of no benefit
access road.
to provide an alternate
after construction by
road is to be given to
is to provide access to
not be asked to maintain
to town as only an
b. If a road is to have a local status, it will have
little value as an access to air base. Town will
not be able, under present laws, to prohibit the
location of entering drivewa,rs and/or local roads
every 150 feet along access roads on alternate
sides of said road, the entrances being necessary
to service adjacent residential and industrial
districts through which the access road passes.
2. Location of Road
a. Entrance of access road onto Bedford Street between
Einchey Road and Westview Street provides inadequate
sight distance to the intersection as it is
approached from Bedford.
b. Proposed location of access road between railroad
and Bedford Street bisects the gravel pit area
thereby preventing location of large industrial
plants. The somewhat extra cost of locating the
access road to the southeast of Hinchey Road would
be more than offset by the increased taxes the
town and Commonwealth would be able to derive from
the location of large industrial plants in the
gravel pit area.
c. The re -location of the northeasterly portion of
.'estview Street means that the only way that the
westerly portion of the Town Cemetery (Westview
Cemetery) may be entered is through an industrial
district. It is believed it will be recognized
that the present approach for a funeral cortege is
superior to the one which will exist if Westview
Street is relocated.