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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1959-12-21PLANNING BOARD MEETING December 21, 1959 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was held in the Planning Board office, Town Office Building, on Monday, December 21, 1959 at 7:40 p.m. Present were Chairman'Abbott, Members Burnell, Grindle, Mabee, and Soule, and Planning Director Snow. #59-86, submitted December 21, 1959 by Norman T. May, Agent for George J. and Sadie D. Wilkins; plan entitled "A Subdivi- sion of L.C.C. No. 5982C Land in Lexington, Mass.", Scale: 1" = 5011 dated Dec. 211 1959, 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 #59-85 and #59-86 do not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, and that said plans be so endorsed. Mr. Sncw called the Board's attention to his letter of December 15, 1959 to Mr. Arthur B. Mana- WALTHAM ST. selian, Architect, and discussed with the Board the A 1 DISTRICT plans mentioned in said letter. Mr. Snow reported SITE PLAN that Mr. Manaaelian had prepared a revised plan based on the plans referred to above, that afternoon had The Board approved the minutes of its MINUTES December 7 and 142 1959 meetings. Also approved by the Board were the follow- ing bills which had been presented for payment: BILLS Samuel P. Snow, car allowance for December, 1959-- $20.00; Graphic Reproductions, white prints --$4.50. Taken under consideration were the follow- ing Form A applications for determination of Plan- FORMS A ning Board jurisdiction: #59-85, submitted December 211 1959 by Alfred P. Tropeano, Atty., for Robert Innis; ' plan entitled "A Resurvey and Subdivision of a Portion of L.C.C. No. 13357B Land in Lexington, Massa", Scale: 1k1 = 401, dated Dec. 3, 19591 Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors. #59-86, submitted December 21, 1959 by Norman T. May, Agent for George J. and Sadie D. Wilkins; plan entitled "A Subdivi- sion of L.C.C. No. 5982C Land in Lexington, Mass.", Scale: 1" = 5011 dated Dec. 211 1959, 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 #59-85 and #59-86 do not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, and that said plans be so endorsed. Mr. Sncw called the Board's attention to his letter of December 15, 1959 to Mr. Arthur B. Mana- WALTHAM ST. selian, Architect, and discussed with the Board the A 1 DISTRICT plans mentioned in said letter. Mr. Snow reported SITE PLAN that Mr. Manaaelian had prepared a revised plan based on the plans referred to above, that afternoon had 12-21-59 -L- discussed said plan with Mr. Snow, and after having done so had decided to give the plan further study before submitting it to the Board for consideration. The Board's attention was also called to a BOARD OF copy of the plot plan Mr. Alfred S. Busa had recently APPEALS filed with the Board of Appeals in connection with his petition for a variance, said plan showing a lot with 75 feet frontage and 70 feet depth and a.pro- posed house location so as to provide a 20 -foot front yeard, a 25 -foot rear yard, and 23.5 -foot side yards. (See Planning Board minutes of December 7, 1959.) Mr. Snow said that upon viewing said plan he believed that the proposal was about the best that could be de- vised for the property and that he had so informed the Chairman of the Board of Appeals when he had dis- cussed the matter with him. Mr. Snow recommended that the Planning Board take no action in regard -to the pe- tition. Thereupon, in considering the matter further the Planning Board decided to take no action as recom- mended. At 8:00 p.m. the Board held a public hearing relative to the application of Antonio Busa for ap- GREEN VALLEY proval of a subdivision of his property situated in SEC. 5 the easterly part of Lexington, said.subdivision to be known as "Green Valley Section Five Lexington, BUSA Mass.", to be situated between the existing sub- divisions known as Sections Three and Four, Green HEARTNG Valley, the street in the proposed subdivision con- necting portions of Lillian Road now in said Sec- tions Three and Four. The Chairman read the notice of said hearing as it had been sent to all property owners deemed to, be affected and as .it had been pub- lished in the December 3, 1959 issue of the Lexing- ton Minute -man. No n erson appeared to speak for or against the application, members of the Planning Board being the only persons present. There was a general discussion of the situation in regard to the culvert to be constructed under the proposed section of Lillian Road and whether or not the town should share in any of the cost of constructing said culvert (For additional information in re- gard to the problems involved see the Selectmen's minutes of December 14.9 1959.) Mr. Snow was asked to make a study of the general area with a view of determining whether or not it was desirable from a town standpoint to have existing sections of Lillian Road connected so that there was a means of access in this -general area between Massachusetts Avenue and Lowell Street. The plans were then taken under ' advisement and the hearing declared closed at 8:05 A.m. 12-21-59 -3- MAIL ADVER- TISING C 3 DISTRICT HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION HAW`I'HORNE ACRES LAND FOR RECREATION PURPOSES ESCO BUILDERS CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE Mr. Mabee reported on his visit to and ob- servations of the company named American Mail Adver- tising, Inc. with particular reference to the nature of its present and future business and miscellaneous matters. (See Planning Board minutes of December 7, 1959.) After discussing the matter in detail the Board did not find anything in the Zoning By-law under Section 5 (h) which would indicate that this business could be allowed in a C 3 district under the purposes set forth for said districts. It was decided, however.. that before malting any final decisions in regard to the matter the Board would again discuss the company's proposal with the Town Counsel. Considered next was the notice of a public hearing to be held by the Historic Districts Com- mission on December 29, 1959. It was decided to take no action in regard to said notice. The Board gave further consideration to the matter of obtaining an option to purchase for recreational purposes the nine -acre parcel of land owned by Esco Builders, Inc. and located in the Hawthorne Acres development. (See Planning Board minutes of November 23, 1959.) It was decided that after discussing the value of said land with the Board of Assessors and with an independent appraiser that the fair market value of the parcel was 41000 per acre. However, in connection with any possible laying out of a road in said parcel either by the Town or by a subdivider, it was pointed out that no further extension of the Hawthorne Acres development would be approved for the reasons that said develop- ment did not have two means of access and would further extend a subdivision street about 1400 -feet beyond the intersection of Hathaway Road and pro- posed Newport Road, a distance of 1900 feet from Adams Street. From 8:40 to 9:15 P.M. Mr. Donald Noyes, Chairman, Mr. Roland S. Woodbury, Jr. and Mrs. Richard W. Souza of the Capital Expenditures Com- mittee, and Mr. John H. Blaisdell, Chairman of the Appropriation Committee$ met with the Planning Board to discuss various items of capital outlay for the five-year period beginning in 1960. Because of another appointment it was decided to hold a special meeting with the committee on January 13s 1960 at 7:30 p.m. Thereupon Mr. Snow continued to meet with ' the committee in another office until 10:15 p.m. to discuss programming for the town's long-range devel- opment plan. MAIL ADVER- TISING C 3 DISTRICT HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION HAW`I'HORNE ACRES LAND FOR RECREATION PURPOSES ESCO BUILDERS CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE 12-21-59 From 9:20 until 10:30 P.M. members of the ' BOARD OF Planning Board met with members of the Board of APPEALS Appeals for a detailed discussion in regard to the court decision in the case of the Lexington Plan- McCORMACK ning Board vs. Board of Appeals of Lexington. After members of the Board of Appeals had left the meeting the Planning Board gave careful consideration to the matter of appealing the Superior Court decision to the State Supreme Court, and voted unanimously not to appeal further said decision. The Board of Appeals was so notified and Mr. Abbott asked to in- form the Town Counsel of the Planning Board's deci- sion. The meeting adjourned at 11:20 p.m. l Richard H. Soule Clerk REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD 1959 To the Citizens of Lexington: Ladies and gentlemen, we have the honor to present the Planning Board's report for the year 1959. At an Adjourned Town Meeting held on March 22, 1954 it was voted to raise and appropriate a sum of money ". for the employment of consultants and additional employees by the Planning Board in the administration of the Subdivi- sion Control Law and other functions of the Planning Board." Neither the Town Meeting Members "or the Planning Board itself realized at that time how much work would be involved in planning for Lexington's rapid growth. While the Board considers it to be its primary function as set forth under the General Laws to ", make a master or study plan of such . . town or suen part or narts thereof as (the) board may deem advisable . . ." and to ". . . expand and perfect such plan . . ."--and works continually with this objective in view, the Board's other function of adminis- tering the Subdivision Control Law consumes an inordinate amount of time of the Board itself, its staff and the Town Counsel. ' To give some idea of just what one phase of adminis- trative work involved --not including, or course, that of the Planning Director, the Planning Board in 1959 considered and acted upon applications for approval of 7 preliminary and 12 definitive plans and held 38 conferences with devel- opers in regard to the same, this all in addition to the regular public hearings held in regard to the definitive plans themselves. Within the subdivisions as approved 201 new residential lots were created and 20,000 feet of road laid out. By a process described in the Board's 1954 annual report, 86 determinations of planning Board jurisdiction were made creating an additional 8L[ house lots. Even though administrative duties have consumed the amount of time noted, the Board's principal business and activities have centered around the development, effectua- tion, and discussion of a long-range plan for Lexington. Detailed studies of sections of major roads and sections of the town have been completed as well as certain studies for the improvement of the zonl.ng by-law, a Maple Street garden apartment district created, options and acquisitions of land obtained for street and public recreational pur- poses, and the detailed outline of a report on a longi; -range plan completed and discussed at several meetings of various organizations of citizens. 'With particl:lar regard to additional land for various types of public recreation, options have been obtained to annual Report purchase for $42,000 three parcels comprising a total area ' of about 81 acres. The three parcels involved are parts of land, now or formerly of Wilkins,fronting on Grove Street, of Wavmint Realtv Trust fronting on Turning Mill Road, and of the Tower Estate below the Follen Hill Estates develop- ment. With the acquisition of this land the Town will then own the largest part of the land which the Planning Board believes will be needed eventually for public recreational purposes. During the past year the Board was particularly pleased to have had the opportunity to present through its Planning Director studies in connection with a long-range comprehensive plan for Lexington. The material was pre- sented as two informational meetings of the Town Meeting Members Association and at meetings of the Hancock Church Men's Club, the•LajTmen's League of the First Parish Church, the Lexington Lions Club, and the Lexington League of Women Voters. The material presented forms the substance of that which will be found in greater detail in the Board's report on the plan, there being reviewed therein the policies, goals and objectives of the Board in addition t"o its pro- gram and accomplishments for the five-year period from September 1954 to September 1959. Parts of the report have been printed. As soon as the work is completed and distri- buted the Board will welcome again the opportunity to dis- cuss the present and future growth, trends and development of Lexington. The Board believes that it would be remiss in this brief report if it failed to mention the enactment .by the First Session, 86th Congress of the authority to establish in Lexington, Lincoln and Concord the Minute Man National Historic Park ". . . in order to preserve for the benefit of the American people certain historic structures and properties of outstanding national significance associated with the opening of the Nar of the American Revolution The park bill was signed by President Eisenhower on Septem- ber 21, 1959. The passage of this legislation is of great significance and economic importance to Lexington as will be noted in the Board's report on this townts long-range development plan. In closinp;, the Board comments on the planning process itself by which is meant "a series of related steps organized around and moving toward the accomplishment of an objective" --the development of a long-range comprehensive plan. The use of the term oanprehensive is used to emphasize the need of coordination and to point out that if over-all planning is to be effective it must provide the guide for coordinating the efforts of every aspect of this ' town government's exertions at phvsical development as well as influencing private development. To be effective also annual 7enort ism omas ' over-all planning must be continuous from long-range planning at the policy level to specific detailed work scheduling at the level of operations. Finally, planning must constantly evaluate progress toward achievement of a goal and furnish the basis for re- examining and refining goals and programs through re- planning. These are the objectives toward which your Planning Board is directing its efforts. L December 31, 1959 L Charles T. Abbott, Chairman Levi G. Burnell �Sa.ri.ndle, Vice Chairman