HomeMy WebLinkAbout1958-06-02I
PLANNING BOARD MEETING
June 2, 1958
A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning
Board was held in the Town Engineer's Room, Town
Office Building, on Monday, June 2, 19581 at 7:40
p.m. Present were Chairman Grindle, Members
Abbott, Burnell, Jaquith,and Soule, and Planning
Director Snow.
The Board approved the following bill which
had been presented for payment: Spaulding -Moss Co.,
drafting supplies --$16.34.
Taken under consideration were the following
Form A applications for determination of Planning
Board jurisdiction:
#58-35s submitted on June 2, 1958 by Paul F.
Bowserl plan entitled "Plan of Land Lexing-
ton, Mass. owned by Paul Bowser," scale:
100' to 1", dated April 4, 1958, Robert H.
Dunning, Surveyor, Arlington.
#58-36, submitted on June 2, 1958 by Paul E.
Mazerall; plan entitled "Subdivision Plan of
Land in Lexington Mass.", scale: 1" = 201,
dated May 29, 1958, John J. Carroll, Jr.,
professional engineer.
#58-371 submitted on June 2, 1958 by Otis S.
Brown, Jr.; plan entitled "Plan of Land in
Lexington -Mass.", scale: 1" = 401, dated Apr.
22, 1958, Miller & Nylander,C.E.'s & Sur-
veyors.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was
unanimously
VOTED: that the Lexington Planning Board determines
that the plans accompanying Form A applica-
tions #58-351 #58-36, and #58-37 do not re-
quire approval and that said plans be signed
bearing the endorsement "Lexington Planning
Board approval under the Subdivision Control
Law not required.er
BILL
FORMS A
Considered next were the notices of petitions
' to be heard by the Boarc of Appeals on June 10, 1958. BOARD OF
It was decided to take no action on the petitions to APPEALS
be heard on said date.
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At 8:00 p.m. Mr. Mark Moore, Jr. met with
BURNHAM the Board to discuss a definitive plan of the pro- ,
FARMS posed Burnham Farms, See. 2 subdivision, a plan
SEC. 2 Mr. Moore said he proposed to submit very soon
with an application for approval. He referred to
a May 1, 1958 Miller & Nylander plan which he filed
with the Board, (see May 5, 1958 minutes) said plan
being a scheme to extend as Section 3 the Burnham
Farms development through lands of Kendrick and
others to Lowell Street. Mr. Moore requested the
Board to substitute this proposed second means of
access to Section Two of the Burnham Farms develop-
ment for the extension of Emerson Road across land
of Kendrick to East Street. When he was informed
that the Board would not agree to such an arrange-
ment for reasons previously explained, (see minutes
of the Planning Board's April 28, 1958 meeting) Mr.
Moore asked that the Board approve the Section Two
subdivision plan on the basis that he be allowed to
construct the road in said subdivision but not build
any houses until such time as the road was completed
through the proposed third section of the Burnham
Farms development to Lowell Street..The Board took
this proposal under consideration.
Mr. Moore also discussed the estimated cost of ,
the box culvert which had to be constructed as part
of Emerson Road across Vine Brook. He stated that
the Superintendent of Public Works required that
the culvert be constructed the full seventy foot
width of the right of way and not just the width of
a subdivision street. He said the estimated dif-
ference of cost of this construction was $5000 and
requested that the Board consider ways in which the
Town might compensate him for this extra expenditure.
Mr. Moore left the meeting at 8:25 p.m. There
was then held a general discussion of current prob-
lems before the Board.
At the Board's request Mr. George J. DeVries,
PROPOSED President of DeVries Construction Co.,Inc., and
SUN VALLEY Mr. Fred G. Benkley, Jr. of 35 Whipple Road met
RECREATION with the Board to discuss the possibilities of
AREA acquiring for recreational purposes the parcels
of land adjacent to the approved lots 187 and 188
of the Sun Valley, Sec. 15 subdivision, said par-
cels having been sold to Mr. Benkley and Mr. and
Mrs. Herzog. (See minutes of March 3 and May 19,
1958 Planning Board meetings.)
Mr. Snow gave a complete review of the devel-
opment of the Sec -15 plan in relation to the proposed
6-2-58
Mr. Benkley stated that he acquired the
additional parcel of land for the specific purpose
of locating a radio antenna thereon and moving the
antenna from time to time to various points on the
parcel. He said that if what the town proposed to
do with the land it wished to acquire did not en-
croach upon his family's privacy or interfere with
the use of the antenna, he might consider selling a
portion of said parcel. He then asked how the town
planned to develop the land surrounding his property.
In the discussion that followed it was agreed
that the Board would meet later with Mr. Benkley to
discuss further the possible acquisition of a portion
of the parcel under consideration, that at the time
of meeting the Board would have available for discus-
sion sketches showing how it was planned to develop
the proposed recreation area, and that details for
arranging a transfer of land would be made at said
-3-
Sun Valley
recreation area showing study plans he
and Mr. Howlett had prepared prior to and after
the submission, in 1956s of the preliminary plan of
said subdivision. Mr. Snow also explained how the
boundary between the subdivision and the proposed
recreation area had been determined after field
studies and the making of a topographical model. He
showed profile studies which had been prepared at the
time indicating how sight lines from the proposed ob-
servation point on the highest point of the hill
would clear roof tops for panoramic views of the
countryside. Mr. Snow also stated that it was his
understanding that it was on the basis of the land
outside the proposed subdivision being set aside for
recreation purposes, and an option being obtained
for the acquisition of said land, that the Board
had approved the subdivision plan. (See minutes of
the July 16 and August 13, 1956 Planning Board meet-
ings.)
Uhen it was asked if it were possible to ob-
tain all of the land as proposed for recreation pur-
poses, Mr. DeVries stated that Mr. Herzog had told
him that he was not willing to sell the parcel adja-
cent to Lot 188. (Mr. DeVries said that prior to any
approval by the Planning Board, he had an a reement
to sell the additional land to the Herzogs.) In re-
gard to the Town acquiring any of the parcel adja-
cent to 187, Mr. DeVries said that he had discussed
the matter with Mr. Benkley and believed that there
was a possibility of this being done.
Mr. Benkley stated that he acquired the
additional parcel of land for the specific purpose
of locating a radio antenna thereon and moving the
antenna from time to time to various points on the
parcel. He said that if what the town proposed to
do with the land it wished to acquire did not en-
croach upon his family's privacy or interfere with
the use of the antenna, he might consider selling a
portion of said parcel. He then asked how the town
planned to develop the land surrounding his property.
In the discussion that followed it was agreed
that the Board would meet later with Mr. Benkley to
discuss further the possible acquisition of a portion
of the parcel under consideration, that at the time
of meeting the Board would have available for discus-
sion sketches showing how it was planned to develop
the proposed recreation area, and that details for
arranging a transfer of land would be made at said
-3-
6-2-58
time if Mr. Benkley should agree to the Town acquir-
ing a portion of said parcel. I
Messrs. DeVries and Benkley left the meeting
at 9:45 p.m.
The remainder of the meeting was devoted to
a discussion of the C 3 district proposal of Cabot,
Cabot and Forbes and suggested amendments to the
zoning by-law in regard to said district.
The meeting adjourned at 10:45 p.m.
RiH. Soule
4-.�d
Clerk
1
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