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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1959-09-14PLANNING BOARD MEETING September 14, 1959 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was held in the office of the Board, Town Office Building, on Monday, September 14, 1959 at 7:35 p.m. Present were Chairman Abbott, Members Burnell, Grindley Mabee and Soule, and Planning Director Snow. Town Counsel Stevens was also pre- sent from 8:25 to 9:10 p.m. With reference to the Board's conference with Messrs. McCormack and Brun at its meeting on August 27, 1959s there was presented for the Board's consid- eration duplicate copies of material used at said conference and a draft of a letter to Mr.McCormack setting forth the Board's comparative analysis of pre- liminary subdivision plans. The Board approved said draft. (See addendum.) At the request of the Planning Boards Mr. A. Morris Kobricky representing the Tfaymint Realty Trusty came to the meeting at 8:05 p.m. to discuss the possibility of said board obtaining in the name of the Town an option to purchase for recreational purposes a major portion of said trust's land on the westerly side of Turning Mill Road. The Board's verbal under- standing with Techbuilt, Inc. was reviewed (see Plan - ming Board minutes of Feb. 6s March 12 and April 9, and Sept. 4, 1956), as was the plan entitled " A Com- piled Plan of Land in Lexington Mass.", dated April 31 1957 and drawn at the scale, 1" = 1001. It was pointed out that said plan was prepared for the Board for the purpose of obtaining an option from said cor- poration but that since an option was not obtained the Board wished to see if an'option could be obtained from Waymint Realty Trust. Members of the Board stated that a Mr. Joseph Young came to the last meeting of the Board informing it that he and another party were considering purchas- ing lots 7A and 8A fronting on Turning Mill Road and additional abutting land on which a portion of the hemlock grove was located in the rear of said lots. It was reported also that Mr. Young inquired about plans for what he understood was proposed to be a town recreation area on the land under discussion. It was pointed out that on the basis of this information that the Board requested the meeting with a representative ' of said Trust for the purpose of asking them to study the area and inform the Board what the Trust believes the land is worth to them. McCORMACK AND BRUN PRELIMI- NARY SUB- DIVISION PLAN WAYMINT REALTY LAND FOR R ECRFaAT IONAL PURPOSES 9-14-59 -2- A discussion was then held concerning the loca- tion of said hemlock grove in relation to said lots and the so-called "paint mine" area the Town desired to acquire. There being a difference of opinion in regard to this matter Mr. Snow agreed to view the site with Mr. White. It was agreed also that Mr. Kobrick, after dis- cussing the matter with representatives of the Trust, would attend the next meeting of the Board and inform it what said Trust considered to be a fair market value of the land the Town desired to acquire. Mr. Stevens came to the meeting at 8:25 p.m. Mr. PRELIMINARY Kobrick, trustee of Lucky Penny and Meryl Robert Trusts, SUBDIVISION then discussed with the Board and Mr. Stevens the status PLAN OF of said Trustts preliminary subdivision plan of the LUCKY PENNY former Potter and Ferguson land on the northwesterly side AND MERYL of Grove Street. (See Planning Board minutes of March ROBERT 2, 1959.) Mr. Kobrick stated that he had viewed Rangeway TRUSTS on the ground and had noted that it did not exist in fact in front of lots 25 and 26. He tentatively offered to'construct a portion of Rangeway if the Town would sell said trusts lots 25 and 26 for the purpose of obtaining a second means of access to the Trusts' proposed sub- division. The possibility of v urchasing lots 29 through 32 was also discussed. It was agreed that the Board would again study the preliminary subdivision plan with the view of making a reco mendation in regard to the , development of the general area involved. Thereupon, Messrs. Kobrick, Moore and White left the meeting, the time being 8-35 p.m. There was discussed with Mr. Stevens the possi- MgM SON ROAD bility of obtaining from the estate of the late Oscar B. Kenrick an option to purchase land for the exten- sion of the Vine Brook -North Street recreation area and Emerson Road from its present terminus to East Street. Mr. Stevens stated that he thought this could be done, it being understood that the court had appointed an adminis- trator of said estate. Noting that there had been mis- placed an earlier plan showing the land it was desired to acquire, Mr. Stevens suggested that the Board have another prepared from which he could draft an option in- strument and which could be discussed with Mr. Francis B. Smith, attorney for said estate. It was decided that the town should build the extension of Emerson Road to East Street and assess betterments for said extension. Mr. Snow was asked to make arrangements with the Town Fmgi- neer to have said plan prepared. Discussed next with Mr. Stevens were possible procedures which might be followed in preventing fur- ther building permits being issued on certain streets 9-14-59 .3 - and portions thereof which were so-called "paper" streets or did not have adequate width.. construc- tion, etc. as set forth under the Subdivision Con- trol Law. Mr. Stevens suggested that Mr. Snow and the Supt, of Public Works take a view of each street in question preparing for the use of all concerned a list of streets upon which no building permits should be issued.. water papes laid or water service connections made. He also called the Board's attention to the definition of a street under the Lexington Zoning By-law. BUILDING PERMITS Mr. Stevens left the meeting at 9:10 p.m. at which time Mr. Earl E. Outhet came to discuss the LORING extension of the Loring Hill Estates development. HILL ESTATES Mr. Outhet reported that the Outhet Realty Trust had purchased the remaining undeveloped por- tion of the Loring Hill Estates development. Dis- cussing the Nov. 211 1955 preliminary subdivision plan of the former Baskin Land (see Planning Board minutes of December 19, 1955), Mr. Outhet pointed out the location of the present town dump adjacent to the westerly side of said development. He stated that until the dumn was covered over and abandoned by the town, it would be difficult to sell houses fronting on the most westerly section of Baskin Road. In view of these circumstances he asked that he be allowed to construct beyond the usual 500 - foot maximum length for dead-end streets the east- erly portion of Baskin Road provided he executed an instrument wherein he agreed to complete all of said road at a later date. The Board agreed to this arrangement setting the temporary terminus of Baskin Road at westerly side lines of lots 34 and 66 as shown on said preliminary subdivision plan. Mr. Outhet left the meeting at 9:25 p.m. Mr. Snow gave a report of his conference with Perry L. Norton, urban planning consultant, in regard to assisting Mr. Snow with a study of lot shape and size under the Lexington Zoning By-law (see September 8, 1959 Planning Board minutes). For the agreed sum of $150.001 it was decided to obtain Mr. Norton's services to work with Mr. Snow to complete the first phase of such a study, said phase to consist of preliminary recommendations for amending said by-law as well as some research into the problem. Mr. Snow said that he would so inform Mr. Norton. Mr. Snow also said that all his study material on the subject would be made available to Mr. Norton and reviewed with him. OUTHET REALTY TRUST LOT STUDY NORTON 9-14-59 At the request of the Selectmen the Planning WORTHEN Board met with them from 9.35 to 10:05 p.m. to dis- ROAD cuss plans for the extension of Worthen Road from Lincoln to Waltham Streets. Among items discussed were the use of the present Center Playground for highschool purposes, the replacement of said play- ground with three others of major size evenly dis- tributed throughout town, the Planning Boardts view- point that its program was practical, and the need of convincing the townspeople of the soundness of said program. (For details, see September 14, 1959 Selectmen's minutes.) Also discussed was the possible scheduling of SPECIAL a special town meeting to act upon various Selectmen TOWN and Planning Board proposals. It was agreed that MEETING November 9 was the most desirable time for such a meeting.* November 16 being a second-best date. The Planning Board returned to its meeting to discuss various matters. Thereupon, the meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m. Richard H. Soule Clerk ADDENDUM September 16,1959 Mr. Paul J. McCormack 1779 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington 732 Massachusetts Dear Mr. McCormack: -4- With reference to the Planning Board's conference with you and Mr.Brun on August 271 1959, enclosed herewith is a print of your preliminary subdivision plan, dated January 15, 1957, and prepared by Miller and ^?ylander, on which there has been superimposed the Board's August 1958 study plan. This marked print is a duplicate of the previously prepared print made for comparative pur- poses and discussed at the conference. There is also enclosed a tracing paper overlay showing lot numbers and areas not recommended for residential development at this time. It is the Board's understanding that you will review this plan and the comparative data below and discuss further with the Board the value of the land the 1 1 -14-59 Town wishes to buy. -5- As was pointed out during the conference, it is the Town Fnaineer's opinion that the cost per running foot of road including drains would be about the same in both schemes. Your plan calls for the construction of 4455 linear feet of road to service 44 lots, or about 101 feet of road per lot, whereas the Board's proposal calls for the construc- tion of 3070 feet of road to service 34 lots, or about 90 feet per lot. If 670 feet of road consisting of the dead- end portion of "FH street were eliminated until developed simultaneously later 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 or road per lot. This represents a reduction in road cost per lot between about 11 to 18 percent. Such a saving, if you agree with this analysis, would make the Board's plan more profitable for you to follow than your original plan. In view of what has been discussed above, the Board hopes we can arrive at a realistic figure for the land uhich the Board could recommend to the Town. Please let the Board know when you are ready to talk about this matter again. Sincerely yours, LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD /sl Charles T. Abbott, Chairman