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Home My WebLink About1959-04-06 PLANNING BOARD MEETING April 6, 1959 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was held in the Planning Board Office, Town Office Building, on Monday,April 6, 1959 at 7 :45 p.m. Present were Vice-Chairman Grindley Members Burnell, Mabee and Soule and Planning Director Snow . Town Counsel Stevens was also present from 8:30 to 9: i5 p.m. Mr. Gustaf Larson of Arlington met with the Board from 7 :15 to 7 :50 p.m. and discussed a revised LARSON proposal for subdividing his land fronting on Oak Street . (See Planning Board minutes of November 18, OAK ST. 1959. ) Said proposal was in the form of a plan en- SUBDIVISION titled "Property or Gustaf Larson, Lexington,Mass. " , dated Mar . 1959, and drawn by Fred A. Joyce, Surveyor. The plan was taken under advisement and Mr. Larson told that he wouldbe notified of the Board' s in- formal opinion in regard to the *proposal . When the matter was discussed later during the meeting, Mr Snow was asked to study the proposal and recommend action to the Board . This he stated he would do in conjunction with a plan he was preparing for a re- development of the Hillside Avenue area. Approved by the Board were the minutes of MINUTES its March 30, 1959 meeting. Approved also were the following bills which had been submitted for payment : Spaulding-Moss, BILLS white prints--4'8 .00; Minute-man Publications, adver- tising—t4.90; Allen Bros . Corp. , 1 stamp--$1.70; H.B.McArdle, Kraft envelopes--$7 .00; Samuel P. Snow, car allowance for `March, 1959--" 20 .00. Considered next by the Board wore the fol- lowing Form A applications for determination of FORMS A Planning Board jurisdiction : #58-25, submitted April 3, 1059 by Anthony R.Cataldo; plan entitled "Land in Lexington, Mass . ", Scale: 1" = 40 ' , dated Mar .1959, J.F.Kerwin, Engr. of Design #59-26, submitted April 3, 1959 by Mrs.F.L. Snellenberg; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexincton-Mass . ", Scale : 1" = 40 ' , dated Oct. 8, 1057, Miller & Nylander, C .E. ' s & Surveyors. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unani- mously 4-6-59 VOTED: That the Lexington Planning Board determines that the plans accompanying Form A applica- tions #59-25 and ##59-26 do not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law and that said plans be so endorsed. At 8 00 p.m. the Board held a public hearing rela- BATTLE tive to the application of the Leeland Construction Co. , GREEN Inc . for approval of a definitive subdivision plan en- VILLAGE titled "Battle Green Village Section Three Lexington, SEC . 3 Mass ." Mr. Leeland G. McConchie, President of said cor- - poration, and Mr. Philip J. Knox, Jr. of 18 Greenwood LEELAND Street, Lexington were the only two persons present at CONSTR the hearing Mr. Grindle read the notice of the hearing CO. as it had been sent to all persons deemed to be affected and as had been published in the March 19, 1959 issue of the Lexington Minute-man. He then explained the procedure in conducting the hearing and called upon the subdivider to present the subdivision plan. Mr. McConchie stated that Section Three of the Battle Green Village development comprised a subdivi- sion of lots fronting on extensions of Freemont Street and Oxbow and Constitution Roads . The question was raised in regard to the location, shape and purpose of the unmarked parcel of land between lots 1.4.0 and 41 as shown on the plan . Mr. McConchie replied that he was not sure of its purpose but thought it might be for a future street location. Mr. Knox stated that he owned lots 222 through 227 on the undeveloped section of Free- mont Street to be constructed by the subdivider was to be connected with the section of said street outside the boundary of the Battle Green 'Village property. He said that he thought if both sections were connected they would serve as a short cut between Cedar Street and Paul Revere Road and that the connection would be undesirable. Mr. Knox was informed that it was the Planning Board' s opinion that both sections of Freemont Street should be connected and that the Planning Board proposed to recommend that the section abutting the subdivider 's property be laid out as a town way There being no further questions or discussion the Chairman asked for an expression of opinion of those present in favor of and those opposed to the approval of the definitive plan . Mr. McConchie indi- cated he was in favor of approval No one indicated opposition to approval. Thereupon, the subdivision plan was taken under advisement and the hearing declared closed at 8:15 p.m. The Board next considered the draft of a proposed 4-6-59 -2- letter to the Board of Appeals in regard to the petition of the Lexington Park Trust for permission BOARD OF to erect a 20' x 46' metal sign at the northeast APPEALS corner of the Routes 2 and 128 intersection. (See Planning Board minutes of March 30 , 1949. ) The Planning Board approved said draft which was signed by the Vice-Chairman. (See addendum. ) Mr. Stevens came to the meeting at 8:30 p.m. at which time the Board discussed with him various current matters before the Board. Particular atten- PROPOSED tion was given to a bill introduced into the State LEGISLA- legislature, said bill being "To change the exemption TION of religious and educational institutions" and BILL S.236 numbered 5.236 Before taking a position in regard to the proposed legislation, it was decided to wait upon action of the Legislative Committee considering said bill. Mr. Stevens left the meeting at 9:15 p.m. GARDEN Mr. Soule displayed a set of plans entitled APARTMENT "Proposed Multi-family Housing for Mr. Joseph Trani, MULTI-FAMILY dated 16 June 1958, and prepared by Charles H. HOUSING Cole II, Architect. Mr. Soule stated that Mr. - ' Joseph Trani, owner of the property numbered 1037- TRANI 101.9 Massachusetts Avenue had employed Mr. Cole to prepare a plan showing how said property might be developed as an apartment zone. It was further stated that Mr. Trani wished the Board' s informal opinion in regard. to the plan and the possibility of rezoning the property as an apartment district. It was pointed out that rezoning so small an area as a 1-1/2 acre lot would constitute spot zon- ing and so be illegal. Since the lot together with adjacent southeasterly properties were zoned as a two-family residence district, it was thought it might be possible to assemble land, extend Spencer Street northwesterly and thence southwesterly to connect to Massachusetts Avenue, and build two- family houses on lots fronting on said extension of Spencer Street Mr Soule stated he would so in- form Mr. Trani and return said set of plans to him. After further discussion of current matters under consideration by the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 10 :00 p.m. Rfch rd H. Soule, Clerk ADDENDUM April 6, 1959 Board of Appeals Town Office Building Lexington 73, Mass Gentlemen• At its meeting on March 30, 1959 the Planning Board discussed the petition of the Lexington Park Trust to erect a sign approximately 20 feet by 46 feet at the northeast corner of the intersection of Routes 2 and 128. It was the unanimous decision of the Board to go on record as being opposed to the granting of said petition and to set forth the Planning Board's reasons for its opposition. It has long been the policy of Lexington to prohibit large free-standing signs, particularly those as la' ge as billboards and of that character. Such signs are entirely out of keeping with the environment standards this Town is endeavoring to establish and maintain. Furthermore, the Planning Board believes there is no justification for the erection of such a sign as the Trust wishes to erect. It is understood that ther- has been sold or leased to the Raytheon Manufacturing Company all the C 3 district land bounded by Spring and Shade Streets, Routes 2 and 128. The Planning Board sees no reason, therefore, for Cabot, Cabot & Forbes or any of its subsidiaries to advertise the so- called Lexington Office-Research Park. Very truly yours, LEXINGTON PLAN"TNG BOARD /s/ Thomas S. Grindle, Vice Chairman