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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960-07-11 PLANNING BOARD MEETING July 11, 1960 11 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was held on Monday, July 11, 1960 at 7:30 n.m. in the Board 's office, Town Office Building Present were Vice Chairman Grindle, members Mabee and Soule, and Planning Director Snow. The Board approved the minutes of its meet- MINTJTES ings of May 31, June 6 and 13, 1960. unproved for payment were the following bills which had been presented: From Options Account BILLS T.H Reenstierna, anpraisal-McCormack--$500.00; from General Expenses Boston Envelope Co , , envelopes-- 524.37; Granhic Reproductions, white prints--X17.40 H.A.Sherard 8- Co. ,U.S,C,S maps-- 5.71; Louise M. Baker, extra secretarial service--910.86; Spaulding Moss Co. , drafting sunplies--$6.10; Charles ' , draft- ing supplies--X4.14; Minute-man Publications, adver- tising--$3 67; Frederick J. Peterson, photographs-- g17.70; Harry W. porter, Jr. , professional services, June 27 thru July 8--'140 ; Donald C . Richardson, pro- fessional services, June 27 thru July 8--P,140.00. Considered next was the application of Wiyn- wood Associates, Inc. for approval of the Oak Hill OAK HILL Estates, Sec 3 definitive subdivision plan. Read ESTATES to the Board was the Town Counsel ' s letter of July SEC . 3 6, 1960 to the Planning Director enclosing a con- formed con,* of a covenant between '°7ynwood Associates W NWOOD and the Town in reference to said plan . It was noted ASSOCIATES that the covenant had been signed by the Cambridge Savings dank as mortgagee for the nurpose of subor- dinating the mortgage to the covenant and that the original of the covenant was being held by the Town ('ounsel so that it mi -ht be recorded with the plan after the 1etter rad been endorsed. All matters annearing to be in order, upon motion being duly made and seconded, it was unani- mously VOTED that the definitive subdivision plan entitled "Oak Hill ^states Section Three Lexington, Mass. ", dated April 11 , 1060, which was sub- mitted to the Board by Wvnwood Associates, Inc , on May 6, 1960, accompanied by an appli- cation for approval of definitive plan, Form C, dated April 11, 1960, be and hereby is annroved subject to the condition that no building or structure shat 1 be built or placed upon lots 25 and 36 without prior consent of 7-11-60 -2- the Lexington Board of Fealth . Considered also by the Board was the apnli- BTPTHAM cation of Todd Realty, Inc for approval of the FARMS Burnham Farms, Sec . 5 definitive subdivision plan S.M . 5 Mr Snow reported that the Town Counsel had investi- - gated the matter of obtaining for the Town a slone TODD RFALTw easement as stipulated in a letter, dated May 11, INC . 1060, from the Sunt . of public 'Marks and had been assured by the attorney for George J Bailey that the easement could be obtained in proper form. Upon this assurance, all other matters appear- ing to be in order, and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED- that the definitive subdivision clan entitled "Burnham Farms Section Five Lexington, Mass. ", dated April 27, 1960, which was submitted to the Board by Todd Realty, Inc . on June 1, 1960, accompanied by an application for approval of definitive elan, Form C, dated May 25 , 1960, be and hereby is approved subject to the con- dition that no building or structure shall be built or placed on lots 71, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93 and 911 without prior consent of the Lexing- ton Board of Health. Likewise taken under consideration were the FORMS A following Form A a lions for determination of applications i Planning Board jurisdiction: #60-50, submitted July 11, 1960 by George 'rT. Saul; plan entitled "A Comni_led plan of Land in Lexington , Mass. ", Scale: 1" = 140' , dated June 10, 1060, Miller F- Nylander,C. ''. ' s & Surveyors. 460-51, submitted July 8, 1060, by 'Tichael J. McCormack; plan entitled "ACompiled Plan of Land inLexinroton, Mass. ", Scale 1" = !10 ' , dated July 8, 1060, Miller TTvlander, C E. 's F. Surveyors . Mr. Snow was asked to refer the plan accom- panying application #60-50 to the Town Counsel for a ruling, there being no evidence submitted to indicate that Milliken Road shown on said plan was a public way. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was111 unanimously 7-11-ho -3- VOTED. that the L-xington Planning Board determines that the plan accompanying Form A application P60-51 does not require approval under the subdivision Control Law, and that said plan be so endorsed From 8 00 to 8 !45 p.m. Messrs. Charles Kenny, Richard H. Lovell, Norman T. May, and architect CfUNTRYWIDE Charles H. Cole met with the Board to continue a dis- OFFICES cussion in regard to the possible rezoning of a Dor- tion of the Roberts Brothers land in Lexington at the REZONING intersection of Routes 2 and 128. (See minutes of PROPOSAL June 13, 1960 Planning Board meeting. ) Mr. May stated that there had been prepared a elan which he believed ROBERTS removed all but one question which the Board had BROS. raised previousl'. He then exhibited said plan, dated June 23, 1960, and asked Mr. Cole to discuss it . Mr. Cole pointed out the proposals shown on three corresponding lots on said plan. He stated that he was responsible for those marked "Be' and "C" the one marked "A" being the responsibility of the architect for Country-wide Offices, Tnc He then ex- plained the proposed systems for automobile circula- tion and for septic tanks and disposal fields for all lots. It was noted that 33 car spaces plus an area for 100 future spaces had been provided for on Lot A, 206 spaces on Lot B, and 209 on Lot C, office build- ings shown on the plan have space for 850, 200 and 200 nersons respectively. Mr. May then discussed the one problem which he said had not been solved, namely, that of a dead end street longer than that allowed under Lexington 's Sub- division Rules and Regulations. He said that no second means of access seemed to be available to the Roberts Brothers land. He concluded by stating that attempts to obtain an access through the adjacent land owned by Clevite Corporation in Waltham had failed. At the conclusion of the conference the site nlan and supplementary data were left with the Board for further consideration . Mr. Snow reported on the Board ' s request that he write drafts of letters in regard to certain peti- BOARD OF tions to be heard by the Board of Appeals on July 19, APPEALS 1960. He stated that the Cunningham petition had been withdrawn. He then discussed the T'izzo petition and recommended tb^t instead of writing a letter in regard to the same the Board renort orally to the Board of Appeals its opposition in regard to said petition. The Board then considered drafts of letters in regard 7-11-6o -4- to the Robert Hall and Bentley petitions . These drafts were approved by the Board. (See addendum. ) Mr. Soule was asked to represent the Board at the hearings to be held in regard to said Robert Hall, Bentley and Rizzo petitions . The Board ' s attention was called to a letter MC CORMACK- dated June 28, 1960, from the Board of Selectmen BUN LAND FOP stating that it was in agreement that the acquisi- RECRrATIOrTAL tion of the McCormack Brun land adjacent to the PURPOSES Harrington School was destrable and that the Plan- ning Board' s proposal of $12,000 in navment for said parcel seemed to the Selectmen to be fair . The Board then considered the draft of a letter to Mr. McCormack stating that it was now prepared to recommend to the Town the payment of x'12,000 for the eight-acre portion of land owned by Messrs . McCormack and Brun which the Board was recommending that the Town acquire for public recreational land. The Board approved said letter which was signed by the Vice-Chairman . (See Addendum. ) Mr. Snow gave a report of progress and showed VINE BROOK the Board studies which he had made of Mr. Mana- REALTY TPUST selian' s nreliminary site plan, revised June 22, 1060, of the Waltham Street Garden Apartment dis- WALTHAM ST tract The Board requested that Mr. Snow continue A 1 DISTRICT to work with 7r. Manaselian to complete the final phase of the plan so that the Board would be in a position to approve said plan when it was finally presented Mr . Snow discussed next with the Board the FREEMAN possibility of acquiring for nark nurnoses the LOT FOR Freeman lot at the northwesterly corner of the RECREATTOTTAL Worthen Road and Massachusetts Avenue intersection. PURPOSES He said that he understood the lot was available for purchase at a price of $5000 . Mr . Snow said that in his opinion this land should be acquired together with that owned by Burnham Kelly and Francis Cooke in order to prevent residences from being built on the land in the future and in order to provide a larger oven space around Hastings Park The Board took no action in regard to Mr . Snow ' s proposal The Board then held a general discussion of its current work projects and adjourned its meet- ing at 10 :00 p.m. Irving H. Mabee, Clerk 7-11-'n _C_ ADDFNDUM Board of Appeals Town of Lexington July 18, 1°60 Massachusetts Re Barbara M. Bentley Directional signs Gentlemen The Planning Board has reviewed the petition and its accompanying letter from Barbara M. Bentley in regard to erecting a series of four signs and directional arrows to the BedfordGardens residential development in Bedford Mass. Set forth below is the Planning Board' s position in regard to said petition The Board recognizes that the route to the development in a neighboring town may be confusing to prospective buyers of residences but believes if the petitioner is advertising as extensively as indicated in her letter that fart of the advertisement might contain a simple map or diagram to direct interested parties to the development. This suggestion is made because it is the opinion of the Board that even trough temporary sians are to be used for a short time only, they are too lsrree and too numerous and of such a nature that ' they are out of character with the environmental standards Lexington is trying to maintain. In addi- tion they are intended to serve the advertising inter- ests of another community Since there are bordering on Lexington seven other communities where similar situ- ations might arise, it is the opinion of the Board that a granting of the rentlev petition might set a precedent for analagous petitions . The Board recommends, there- fore, that the petition be denied Sincerely yours, LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD /s / Thomas S. Grindley Vice Chairman July 19, 1060 Board of Appeals Town of L xington Massachusetts Re: Robert Hall Clothes, Inc Petition to erect sign Gentlemen Reference is made to your June 23, 1060 notice in re- gard to the petition of Robe-t Hall Clothes, Inc to erect a standing sign on the premises on the north- westerly corner of Concord Avenue and ,Yaltham Street 7-11-60 -6- The Planning Board has received said notice and sets forth below its position in regard to the corporation 's petition. It is this Board' s view that a "Local business district" in in which it is proposed to erect said sign is intended to serve the immediate neighborhood by Providing uses and services which are local in character. The Board does not believe a structure in the form of a free-stand- ing advertising sign 43 feet high and 13' -8" wide at its greatest dimensions is of this character or is needed to inform the local residents of the nature of the pro- posed commercial use. A sign affixed to a building and erected under Art . III, Sec . 2 A 1. a, b and c of the sign by-law ought to be more than adequate to serve the neighborhood. Such a sign would be more dignified and would be more in keening with the environmental stand- ards Lexington is endeavoring to maintain. It is the unanimous opinion of the Planning Board members that the Board go on record as being opposed to the grant- ing of the Robert Hall Clothes petition. The Board be- lieves th^t the sign proposed in no way serves the irter- ests end convenience of the residents of the immediate neighborhood and recommends denying the petition. Sincerely yours, LEXINGTON PLANNING BOApD /s/ Thomas S. Grindle, Vice Chairman July 11, 1060 Mr . Paul J. McCormack 1779 MassachusettssAvenue Lexington 73, Mass . Tear ^'Ir. McCormack' In further reply to your letter of April 27, 1060 and the Planning Board' s reply of June 6, the Board has now received reports from appraisers in regard to a re-exam- ination of that eight-acre portion of land owned by you and Mr. Brun which the Recreation Committee and the Planning Board have recommended be acquired for Public recreational purposes The location of said portion is substantially as shown on the attached sketch. On the basis of these appraisals the Board is now pre- pared to recommend to the Town the payment of 112,000 for said portion . If you find this price acceptable, the Board is prepared to negotiate such matters as the price of the option, period of the options and the date of de- livery of the deed. The Planning Board will then ask the Town Counsel to prepare and submit an option instrument. Very truly yours, LECINGTON PLANNING BOARD /s/ Thomas S. Grindley Vice Chairman Fnc cc : with enclosure to Harold E. Stevens I