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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1959-08-27PLANNING BOARD MEETING August 27, 1959 A regular meeting of the Lexington Plan- ning Board was held in the office of the Board, Town Office Building, on Thursday, August 27, 1959 at 7:30 p.m. Present were Chairman Abbott, Members Grindle, Mabee, and Soule, and Planning Director Snow. The Board approved the minutes of July 27 MINUTES and August 10, 1959. The Board also confirmed the Planning Director's action in approving since the previous BILLS Planning Board meetings the following bills which had been presented for payment: Frederick P. Clark & Assoc.s booklet --X3.00; F.W.Dodge Corps book-- $9.00; American Institute -of Planners, 'Cumulative and Annoted Index" -45.00; David R. Cooper, pro- fessional services August 10 through August 21, 1959--$200.00, auto expense, $3.10, total -4203.10; Samuel P. Snow, August car allowance --$20.00; George Smith., drafting supplies --$6.43; Graphic Reproductions, white prints--$5.00;'Modern Blue Print Co., drafting supplies --$6.86, Wallace B. Mitchell Co., drafting supplies --$4.60. Considered next were the following Form A applications for determination of Planning Board jurisdiction: #59-57., submitted August 14, 1959 by Outhet Realty Trust bZ Ernest E. Outhet, Trustee; plan entitled A Compiled Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", scaler l" = 401, dated August 12, 1959., Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors. #59-58, submitted August 20, 1959 by Martha J. Wilson; plan entitled "A Compiled Plan of Land in Lexington, Masa.", dated Aug. 6, 1959, scale: 1" = 601, Miller & 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 Form A applica- tions #59-57 and #59-58 do not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, and that said plans be so endorsed. The Board discussed a schedule of regular FORMS A 8-27-59 meetings for the following month. It was decided to meet at 7:30 p.m. -on September 8, 144 21, and 28, 1959., Mr. Snow being requested to file said schedule with the Town Clerk. ARLEX Attention was called to the submission by Arlex REALTY Realty Trust, Inc; of an application for approval of a TRUST definitive subdivision plan entitled "Grant Estates Lexington, Mass.", dated July 3, 1959•It was decided GRANT to hold a public hearing on said application at 8:00 ESTATES p.m. on September 21, 1959. VOYED: that the definitive subdivision plan entitled "Vine Brook Meadows Section One Lexington, Mass.", dated May 14* 1958 which was submitted to the Board by the Vine Brook Realty Trust on September 22j, 1958s accompanied by an applica- tion for approval of a definitive plan, Form Cs dated'Sept. 16, 1958, be and hereby is approved, Mr. Snow informed the Board that Mr. Reen- WALTHAM ST. stierna had telephoned requesting a personal appoint - GARDEN ment to discuss with the Board the Vine Brook Realty APARTMENT Trust garden apartment building and site plans for the DEVELOPMENT proposed development on Waltham Street. It was decided to meet with Mr. Reenstierna at the next Planning Board meeting. Mr. Snow was asked to schedule an The Boards attention was also called to Mr. Stevens' August 25, 1959 letter to the Building In- COLOWIAL spector in'regard to certain lots in the Colonial ACRES' Acres, Sec. "3 subdivision.' Mr. Snow informed the SEC. 3 Board of Mr. Stevenst latest discussion with Mr. - Andersons Engineer'of the Land Court, in regard to VINE BROOK the differences between the said subdivision and the MEADOWS Vine Brook Meadowss Sec. 1 definitive plan. (See SEC. 1 Planning Board minutes of August 10, 1959.) It was - reported that Mr.Anderson believed the Vine Brook VINE BROOK Meadows plan was correct and that there was no reason REALTY from "his standp&int why said plan could not be TRUST approved. It was decided that since a properly exe- cuted covenant had now been obtained from Vine Brook Realty Trust and all other matters appeared to be in order the Board could now approve said Vine Brook Meadows plan. This being the case, upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: that the March 2s 1959 vote of the Planning Board disapproving the definitive plan en- titled "Vine Brook Meadows Lexington -Mass.", dated May 1lp 1958s be and hereby is re- scinded. VOYED: that the definitive subdivision plan entitled "Vine Brook Meadows Section One Lexington, Mass.", dated May 14* 1958 which was submitted to the Board by the Vine Brook Realty Trust on September 22j, 1958s accompanied by an applica- tion for approval of a definitive plan, Form Cs dated'Sept. 16, 1958, be and hereby is approved, Mr. Snow informed the Board that Mr. Reen- WALTHAM ST. stierna had telephoned requesting a personal appoint - GARDEN ment to discuss with the Board the Vine Brook Realty APARTMENT Trust garden apartment building and site plans for the DEVELOPMENT proposed development on Waltham Street. It was decided to meet with Mr. Reenstierna at the next Planning Board meeting. Mr. Snow was asked to schedule an 8-27-�q appointment and notify Mr. Reenstierna of the same. The Board was also informed that the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands had reported MINUTE MAN favorable to the full Committee on Interior and In- NATIONAL sular Affairs on Senator Saltonstall's bill to estab- HISTORIC lish Minute Man National Historic Park in Lexington, PARK Lincoln, and Concord. It was decided to write the Senator reaffirming the Board's support of his bill, and commending him for his efforts in furthering the enactment of this legislation. (See addendum.) From 8:30 to 9:20 p.m. Messrs. McCormack and Brun, their attorney, Mr. Mark E. Gallagher Jr., McCORMACK and Mr. Nylander met with the Board for a discussion AND BRUN of the former's preliminary subdivision plan, dated Jan. 15, 1957, and prepared by the firm of Miller & SUBDIVISION Nylander and the Planning Board's study plan entitled PLAN "Suggested Subdivision of McCormack -Brun and Adjacent Lands in Lexington, Mass.", dated Aug.24, 1958, and prepared by Planning Director Snow. iMr. McCormack stated that he was not convinced that his plan could not be developed to the advantage of Mr. Brun and himself. He said that he believed that in the land the Board was recommending be acquired As agreed at the previous conference with Messrs. McCormack and Brun (see Planning Board minutes of July 13, 1959), Mr. Snow had superimposed on the print of said January, 1957 plan the Board's August, 1958 study plana He had also drawn in de- tail the swampy areas and contours which did not show clearly on said print. At the request of the Board he then compared the two schemes under discus- sion pointing out the area which the Board was recom- mending the Town acquire for recreational purposes and stating that in the opinion of the Town Engineer the roads in both schemes would cost about the same per running foot. He noted, however, that the Janu- ary plan necessitated the construction of 4455 linear feet of road to service 44 lots, or about 101 feet of road per lot, whereas his proposal called for the construction of 3070 feet of "road to service 34 lots, or about 90 feet per lot. Mr. Snow also, pointed out on his scheme where if 670 feet of road consisting of the dead-end portion of "F" street were eliminated until developed simultaneously with adjacent land, only 2400 feet of road would need to be constructed to serve a total of 29 lots, or only 83 linear feet of road per lot. It was noted that this represents.a. reduction in road cost and that such a saving would make the Board's plan more profitable for Messrs. McCormack and Brun to follow than their original plan. iMr. McCormack stated that he was not convinced that his plan could not be developed to the advantage of Mr. Brun and himself. He said that he believed that in the land the Board was recommending be acquired 8-27-59 there was being eliminated the equivalent of ten lots, and that this land was being replaced with ten lots of lesser value. Mr. Gallagher added that his clients wanted to develop their property economically as a whole and in order to do so wanted to know how much land the Town was interested in acquiring. The Chair- man pointed out thst the area the Board wished to recommend for purchase had remained the same but that the price his clients wanted for the land was not what the Board believed it could recommend to a Town Meet- ing.' It was suggested that Messrs. McCormack and Brun study the Board's prepared print and analysis of the subdivision plans and give the Board their opinion of said analysis. Mr. Snow was asked to prepare duplicate copies of the Board's material for the use of Messrs. McCormack and Brun, whereupon they and their repre- sentatives left the meeting. The Board then considered the notices of peti BOARD OF tions to be heard by the Board of Appeals on September APPEALS 15, 1959. It was decided to take no action in regard to said petitions except that of G. Ruth and Paul J. McCORMACK McCormack. In regard to said petition the Board re- viewed its August 10s 1959 minutes and dictated the draft of a letter to be prepared for its final consid- eration at its next meeting. The attention of the Board was next called to CARY ACRES the August 19s 1959 letter from Mr. Carroll, Supt'. of SEC. 2 Public Works, in which he reported that the required work in the Cary Acres, Section Two subdivision had not been completed to his satisfaction as of said date. In view of the fact the subdivider had not finished the work as requested (see Planning Board minutes of June 29s 1959), it was decided to call upon the bonding company to perform the required work or in lieu thereof to pay the penal sum of the bond. Mr. Snow was requested to write to the Town Counsel notify- ing him of the Board's decision and asking him to pro- ceed in calling upon said com pang. (See addendum.) Considered also was the Selectmen's August 25, 1959 letter requesting information relative to recom- mending an appropriation for Worthen Road. It was de- cided to notify the Selectmen that the Planning Board was in favor of laying out Worthen Road between Lin- coln and Waltham Streets. (See addendum.) Mr. Snow presented for the Board's considera- tion several schemes for the residential development of the land bounded by East, Lowells and Woburn streets and the Lexington -Woburn town line with particular reference to the preliminary subdivision plan which 8-27-59 had been submitted for approval Avadanian; (See Planning Board 13a 1959). The Board indicated by Mr. George minutes of July that with minor exceptions it was generally in favor preliminary plan. Mr. Snow suggests obtain topographical data of adjacent before the Board took final action on nary plan. This he was requested to to present at the next meeting of the tailed recommendation for the Board's tion. of said d that he properties the prelimi- do and also Board a de. considera- Mr. Snow reported that the Selectmen wished -3- AVADANIAN PRELIMINARY SUBDIVISION PLAN rd H. Soules Clerk ADDENDUM Mr, Harold E. Stevens September 2, 1959 Town Counsel of Lexington 30 State Street Boston 9, Massachusetts Re: Card Acres, See. 2 nary Realty Trust to obtain the Planning Board's opinion in regard TAX TITLE to selling to builders tax title lots located at LOTS FOR the easterly corner of Hamblen and Bellflower RECREATION Streets in the "Lexington Farms" development. He suggested that the Board might wish to recommend that the lots be kept for later development into a play lot considering that in said development there were comparatively few other town -owned lots available for such a purpose and considering also that there were many houses being built on small lots. It was decided that each member of the ' Board would view the lots for the purpose of making a recommendation at the next meeting of the Board. There was then held a general discussion of the work accomplished to date in preparing a report PLANNING on the long range development plan for Lexington. BOARD Various methods and costs of publishing said re- REPORT port were also discussed including the one for a colored land use map, Mr. Snow waw authorized to proceed with arrangements to have said map and report's cover printed while preparing detailed text and illustrations for the Board's consideration. The meeting adjourned at 10:45 p.m. rd H. Soules Clerk ADDENDUM Mr, Harold E. Stevens September 2, 1959 Town Counsel of Lexington 30 State Street Boston 9, Massachusetts Re: Card Acres, See. 2 nary Realty Trust 8-27-59 Dear Harold: Reference is made to Mr.Abbott's June 301 1959 letter to the Cary Realty Trust relative to the uncompleted work in the Cary Acres, Sec. 2 subdivision. A copy of said letter was sent to you for your information. At its meeting held on August 27, 1959 the Planning Board's attention was called to Mr. John J. Carroll's August 191 1959 letter to the Planning Board, a copy of said letter being attached herewith. After a.discussion of the situation in regard to the Cary Acres development, it was decided to look to the Peerless Insurance Com- panys to have the required work in the second section of Cary Acres completed. At the request of the Boards I am writing to you asking that you as Town Counsel call upon said companys as surety on the bond, a copy of which Is attacheds to perform the work or in lieu thereof to pay the penal sum of the bond to the Town as liquidated damage as provided in the bond. Sincerely yours, /s/ Samuel P. Snow Planning Director August 28s 1959 Honorable"Leverett Saltonstall Congress of the United States Senate Office'Building Washingtons D.C. Dear Senator Saltonstall: The :Lexington Planning Board has received with pleasure the news that the Subcommittee on Public Lands has reported favorably on your bill, S.1460, to estab- lish Minute Man National Historic Park in Lexington, Lincolns and Concord. The Board wishes to reaffirm its support of your bill and to commend you for your efforts in furthering the enactment of this legislation. Sincerely yours, Lexington Planning Board /s/ Charles T. Abbott, Chairman ri 8-27-59 -4- August 281 1959 Board of Selectmen ' Town Office Building Lexington 731 Mass. Re: Worthen Road Gentlemen: In reply to Mr. Maloney's August 251 1959 letter, the Planning Board is in favor of laying out Worthen Road between Lincoln and Waltham Streets. It is understood that funds appropriated under Article 13 of the warrant for the September l5s 1959 Special Town Meeting have been used to prepare final plans for the extension of Worthen Road as recommended in the Plan- ning Board's memorandum of July l4, 1958. It is under- stood, also, that from these plans there has been pre- pared by the Superintendent of Public Works an estimate for the cost of this project including the problems in- volved in the acquisition and/or moving, etc. of the houses numbered 2 and 4 Lincoln Street. Very truly yours* LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD /s/ Charles T. Abbott, Chairman 1