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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1959-07-27 PLANNING BOARD MEETING July 27, 1959 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was held in the Planning Board office, Town Office Building on Monday, July 27, 1959 at 7:30 p.m. Present were Chairman Abbott, Members Soule, Burnell and Grindle, and Planning Director Snow. Town Counsel Stevens was also present from 9:00 to 9:40 p.m. Approved by the Board were the following bills which had been presented for payment: David BILLS R. Cooper, professional services and car mileage, July 13 through 24, 1959-4207.50; Samuel P. Snow, car allowance for July, 1959--X25.00; Graphic Re- productions, Inc ., white prints-410.56. The Board considered next the following Form A applications which had been submitted for deter- FORMS A minations of Planning Board jurisdiction: #59-51, submitted July 16, 1959 by Harold V. Tillson, attorney for Kenneth M. Smith; plan entitled "Plan of Proposed Boundary Revision Between Felix Realty Trust and Estate of George E. Smith', dated June 28, 1959, Miller and Nylander, C.E. 's & Surveyors. #59-52, submitted July 16, 1959 by Mrs. Mary Johnson; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lex- ington, Mass. ", scale: 1" = 30', dated June 30, 1959, Miller & Nylander, C.E. 's & Sur- veyors. #59-53, submitted Julq 27, 1959 by Mildred B. Gould; plan entitled 'Plan of Lrnd in Lexing- ton, Mass.", Scale: 1" = 40', dated Aug. 11, 19904Miller & Nylander, C.E. 's & Surveyors. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: that the Lexington Planning Board determines that the plans accompanying applications #59- 51, #59-52 and #59-53 do not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, and that said plans be so endorsed. A telegram, dated July 24, 1959, from Senators Kennedy and Saltonstall was read to the Board with 7-27-59 reference to a hearing held on July 27, 1959 by the PROPOSED Sub-committee on Public Lands of the Senate Committee MINUTE MAN on Interior and Insular Affairs in regard to the pro- NATIONAL posed Minute Man National Historic Park in Lexington, HISTORIC Lincoln and Concord. The Board approved the draft of PARK a letter to the Chairman of the full committee setting forth the Planning Board's support of S.1460, a bill to establish said park. (See addendum. ) The Board considered next the petitions to be BOARD OF heard by the Board of Appeals on July 28, 1959. It APPEALS was decided to take no action in regard to said peti- tions. Read to the Board and discussed by it was a COLONIAL letter, dated July 23, 1959, from Mr. Carroll, Supt. ACRES of Public Works, in regard to including in the warrant SEC. 3 for the next annual town meeting an article to appro- - priate $4000.00 to reimburse Colonial Development Corp. WORTHEN for certain improvements constructed or installed in ROAD that portion of Worthen Road located in the Colonial Acres Sec. 3 subdivision. In view of the fact that under Sec . V,A.l. of the Subdivision Rules and Regula- tions, the Superintendent had required said improve- ments, Mr. Snow was authorized to notify Mr. Carroll that after receiving from him notice that the work in the subdivision had been completed to his satisfaction, the Board would have inoluded in the warrant for the next town meeting thereafter an article to accept said portion of Worthen Road and in connection therewith to appropriate $4000. (See addendum. ) From 8:30 to 8:45 p.m. Mr. Joseph W. Moore, WAYMINT Surveyor, met with the Board to discuss a Waymint REALTY Realty Trust proposal for further relotting of land TRUST fronting along Turning Mill Road with reference to the Middle Ridge, Sec. 2 subdivision plan (see sheets TURNING 2 and 3) and that portion of the former Techbuilt MILL ROAD land which the Planning Board was recommending that the Town acquire for recreational purposes. It was pointed out that said trust 's proposal would inter- fere with the Board's plans for the development of that area. It was suggested that representatives of the Trust acquire from an adjacent land owner such land as would be necessary to meet the minimum lot area requirements of Lexington ' s zoning by-law. Considered next was the "Paint Rock" defini- WAYMINT tive subdivision plan of the Waymint Realty Trust . REALTY It was decided that if Mr. Snow found all matters TRUST were in order, the Board was in a position to approve said plan with the exception of the name "Paint Rock 7-27-59 -2- Circle" shown on the plan. It was thought that "Grimes Road" would be a more fitting name for GRIMES the proposed dead-end street, William Grimes ROAD being a Minute Man, one of Capt. Parker's com- pany present on the Common the morning of April PAINT ROCK 19, 1775, and one of the Grimes family that lived SUBDIVISION on Grove Street near the town line from about the years 1700 to 1800. Mr. Snow was asked to review the case and to notify the Trust of the Board's decision. Considered next was the Vine Brook Meadows definitive plan, the original tracing cloth draw- VINE BROOK ing of which showed no complete title nor any REALTY street names. It was decided that the official TRUST title of said plan would be "Vine Brook Meadows - Section One Lexington, Mass.", that the proposed JOHN POULTER street between Winthrop and Worthen Roads be AND VILES named "John Poulter Road", and that the proposed ROADS dead-end street be named "Viles Road." The foregoing names were chosen in keeping with the Board's policy of honoring early Lexing- ton settlers and those connected with the Ameri- can Revolution by naming streets after them when it was possible to do so without conflicting with existing street names. For example, the Poulter family in early years resided in the vicinity of Winthrop Road, John Poulter buying in 1693 two hundred acres of land on the south side of Massa- chusetts Avenue from Waltham Street to near Bloom- field Street. Joel Viles was a Minute Man for a number of years beginning in 1760, was a select- man for about ten years, and resided in the vicin- ity of Massachusetts Avenue and Winthrop Road. At 9:00 p.m. Mr. Stevens came to the meet- ing. He discussed first the situation in regard COLONIAL to the Colonial Acres, Sec. 3 definitive plan ACRES wherein all the land subdivided was subject to SEC. 3 flowage right and easement granted to the Town by Colonial Development Corp. in connection with the COLONIAL Colonial Acres, Sec. 4 subdivision. He explained DEVELOP- to the Board the instrument he had prepared re- MENT CORP. leasing from the flowage easement, in Section Four of the Colonial Acres development, the lots and roads in Section Three of said development point- ing out that right and easement was not being re- leased in said corporation's land which was not subdivided Mr. Stevens also explained the second instrument he had prepared in connection with the Section Three plan, said instrument be- ing a statement of condition of Planning Board approval. 7-27-59 All matters appearing to be in order, upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: that the Lexington Planning Board sign a Statement of Conditions of Planning Board Approval of "Colonial Acres, Section Three" subdivision plan and also sign an instru- ment releasing from the flowage right and easement in the "Colonial Acres, Section Four" subdivision the lots and roads shown on said "Colonial Acres, Section Three" plan. With reference to the Board's recommendation that Lot 11 fronting on Holton Road be acquired for LAND FOR recreational purposes, Mr. Stevens reported that in RECREATION conversations with Mr. Newgent, owner of said lot, the latter appeared to want more money for the HOLTON ROAD property, it being understood that other persons were interested in acquiring the land. The Board authorized Mr. Stevens to negotiate with Mr. New- gent for the purchase of the lot, setting a price for the same at approximately $100. The Board next discussed with Mr. Stevens VINE BROOK the situation in regard to the garden apartment REALTY development plans submitted by the Vine Brook TRUST Realty Trust. It was suggested by Mr.Stevens that, in order to acquaint the various interested town agencies involved with the Board's consideration of said plans, the Selectmen, Planning Board, and Board of Appeals meet informally with the Town Counsel and Supt. of Public Works on August 3, 1959 for the pur- pose of discussing the current status of said plans . Mr. Snow was asked to prepare for the Board's con- sideration a draft of a memorandum to the Board of Appeals, in reply to said Board 's July 13, 1959 letter, reporting that said Trust had submitted under Sec. 5 (g) 1. of the Zoning By-law a petition for the approval of the site plan and building designs for said development. It was further decided that the Planning Board would meet to discuss and consider said draft before meeting with other Boards as noted above. In view of the work entailed in considering McCORMACK the Vine Brook Realty Trust petition as noted above, AND BRUN and in preparing a report in regard to the same, it was decided that the Planning Board should postpone its proposed meeting with Messrs. McCormack and Brun on August 10th to the following meeting of the Board. Mr. Snow was asked to write a letter to Mr. McCormack suggesting postponement of the Board's conference with said gentlemen until August 2t., 1959. (See adden- dum. ) 1 -27-59 - There was then held with Mr. Stevens a general discussion of current problems before the Board. After said discussion the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m. ti • d H. Soule Clerk * * * * * * * ADDENDUM July 27, 1959 Honorable James E. Murray, Chairman Interior and Insular Affairs Committee United States Senate Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. Chairman: The Lexington Planning Board wishes to be recorded in support of 5.1460, a bill introduced by Senators Saltonstall and Kennedy to establish Minute Man National Historic Park in Lexington, Lincoln and Concord. It is the opinion of this Board that the creation of such a park would bring to a most fitting climax the efforts of private and municipal agencies of the towns involved to preserve and maintain for all time scenes and places which are so intimately associated with our American heri- tage. The park project and the historic districts created by Lexington have been integrated into the long range de- velopment plan for this town. The Board recognizes, how- ever, that there are many more aspects to a project of this nature than can be planned and developed adequately by a municipal or state agency. It is with understanding, there- fore, that the Board gives its unqualified endorsement of the Minute Man National Historic Park proposal for the preservation of the now remaining portion of the Lexington- Concord Battle Road of April 19, 1775. Sincerely yours, LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD /s/ Charles T. Abbott, Chairman 7-27-59 July 29, 1959 Mr. John J. Carroll Supt. of Public Works and Town Engineer Re: Colonial Acres, Sec. 3 Lexington 73, Mass. Worthen Road Dear John: The Planning Board at its meeting on July 27a 1959 authorized me to inform you that upon notice from you that the work to be done in that portion of Worthen Road in the Colonial Acres, Section Three subdivision has been completed to your satisfaction, the Board will have in- serted in the warrant for the first town meeting to be held thereafter an article to accept said portion of Worthen Road and to appropriate $4000.00 for the neces- sary additional construction costs of the way and the water pipe therein. As you will recall, the Board in a similar manner had inserted in the warrant for the annual town meeting held on March 2, 1959 an article, number 1.3, setting forth provisions for accepting that portion of Emerson Road in the Burnham Farms, Section One subdivision and appropri- ating funds for additional costs of constructing to town needs a box culvert under said road. Sincerely yours, LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD /s/ Samuel P. Snow Planning Director July 30, 1959 Mr. Paul J. McCormack 1779 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington 73, Massachusetts Dear Mr. McCormack At its meeting on July 27, 1959 the Planning Board asked that I write to you requesting that the scheduled confer- ence between you and Mr. Brun and the Planning Board be postponed from August 3, 1959 to August 17, 1959 at 8:30 p.m. The Board had scheduled further comparative study of various plans for subdividing your land for the period between July 28, 1959 and August 10, 1959. However, since the last meet- 7-27-59 -4- ing with you the Board has received from the Board of Appeals a communication to which it must reply in de- tail in regard to the Vine Brook Realty Trust petition under the Town 's Zoning By-law for approval of the Waltham Street Apartment House site plans and building designs. The Planning Board must hold several special conferences with various officials and Boards in re- gard to said petition in addition to making its study of the submitted plans and preparing its final report and recommendations before the scheduled August 11, 1959 hearing on said petition. It is hoped, therefore, that the suggested postpone- ment of the conference until August 21+, 1959 will be acceptable and convenient for you and Mr. Brun. If not, will you please communicate with me. Sincerely yours, /s/ Samuel P. Snow Planning Director SPS :m cc : Mr.Albert C. Brun I