HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960-10-241
PL-U7TTNG `'OVDD T°TTFT PTIG
October 21t, 1960
A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning
Board was held on Monday, October 244 1960 at 7:30
n.m. in the Poard's office, Town Office Building.
Present were Chairman Burnell, members Grindle,
Mabee, Meyer and Soule, and Planning Director Snow.
8pnroved by the Board were the minutes of
Its September 19 and 26 and October 3 and 10, 1960 MINUTES
meetings.
Also approved for payment were the follow-
ing bills which had been presented: Minute -man Pub- BILLS
lications, Inc., advertising --X3.67; Fred Stone,
Inc., white prints --',121}.18.
Read to the Board and considered by it were
notices of petitions to be heard by the Board of
Anneals on November 15, 1960. With the exception
of the Grigor petition it was decided to take no
action on those to be heard. In regard to the
named petition, Mr. Snow was asked to obtain addi-
tional information for consideration by the Board.
With reference to the Ehlers petition which
was 7ranted by the Board of Appeals, read to the
Board were letters from the Board of Anpeals, dated
October 18 and 20, in which it was stated that Mr.
Ehlers intended to enter his property from the upper
end of Wachusett Drive and preferred not to have the
lower end surfaced. It was also stated that in all
future cases concerning subdivisions of land on
either accepted or unaccepted streets the Board of
Appeals was going to adopt the procedure of referring
the petitions to the Planning Board and act on said
petitions after the Planning Board had made its find-
ings in each case.
With reference to Mr. Jaquith's discussion
with the Board on October 17 in regard to the nossi-
bility of rezoning Kingston Homes' land for commer-
cial use, Mr. Snow exhibited to the Board a plan of
the land which would be involved. It was noted that
the plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington and
Woburn, T_1ass.'', dated April 22, 1959 and prepared by
MacCarth^ Engineering Service, Inc. accompanied Form
A application #59-33.
BOARD OF
APPEALS
KINGSTON HOMES
INC. RE-
ZONING
PROPOSAL
Mr. Snow called the Board's attention to his
reply to Miss Williams' letter of October 5, 1960 SENIOR
inquiring about matters relative to the use of the LIVING, INC.
land Senior Living, Inc. owned in the vicinity of
10--1-60
-2-
Cottage Street. (See addendum.)
Read to the Board and approved by it was the '
SCHOOL SITFS draft of a letter to Roland B. Greeley with reference
COMMTTTFE to his letter of May 21, 1960 in regard to school
sites. (See minutes of May 23, 1960 planning Board
Meeting.) Mr. Snow was asked to prepare a sketch
plan to accompany said letter, the plan to show the
land involved in the proposed study to which refer-
ence was made in the letter. (See addendum.)
Read to the Board and approved by it was the
CRPNDALL LAND draft of a letter to Mr. Lynch, attorney for Mr. and
FOR RECRFA- Mrs. Newton V. Crandall, in regard to the planning
TIONAL Board's offer that the town acquire a portion of the
PURPOSES Crandall land for school, playground and recreational
purposes. (See addendum.)
From 8:30 to 9:50 p.m. Mr. Stanley Tregalis
REZONING
of Countri*-wide Offices, Inc., Mr. Richard H. Lovell
PROPOSAL
of Rackemann, Sawver & F rewster, Mr. Charles Kenny
-
of C. 7.1, Whittier Fc Bro., Mr. Bernard Roberts of
COUNTRY-'r12DE
Newton, and Mr. Norman C. Mair, attorney for Mr.
OFFICES, INC.
Roberts and his brother, met with the Board to dis-
cuss further the proposal to rezone the Roberts
brothers' land southeasterly of the intersection of
Routes 2 and 128 (see minutes of September 191 1960).
'
Mr. May said that he did not think the group repre-
sented could come to the Board with a petition in
which all property owners abutting the Roberts' land
would request a zoning change to C 3 use of the area
bounded by 3-oring Street, Routes 2 and 128 and the
Waltham city line. Mr. May reported that only three
of the six property owners would state that they were
In favor of rezoning. He also reported that Mr. and
Mrs. Snodgrass and Mr. and "yrs. Morlev, of 163 and
165 Spring Street, respectively, did not object to
the rezoning of the area described except that they
did not want their land rezoned.
The question was asked of the Board if it was
still of the oninimn that said entire area of about
60 acres should be develoned as a unit. Mr. May
stated that the reason for asks ng the question was
that he thought a second exit to the Roberts land
could be obtained through the Greene property if both
parcels were zoned together as a C 3 district. He
said, however, that before an -r dickering for an exit
were done an expression was wanted from the Board in
regard to the matter. Mr. May also said that all
owners would sell their property but at fantastic
prices. He stated further that because this was so
,
he thought the area would have to be developed piecemeal
unless trere was a buyer with sufficient financial re-
sources to acquire all the properties involved. mhe
Board indicated that It had not changed its opinion
Oct. 24,1960
' that the entire area should be developed as a unit
but would consider the matter once again.
Mr. Burnell pave a report of his conversa-
tion earlier in the evening with Mr. and Mrs. John
L'. Bye who wish to have lot 10 located on the south-
westerly corner of Lincoln Street and Marrett Poad
rezoned for commercial uses for the purpose of con-
verting the existing barn on said lot into a busi-
ness establishment for a "Putnam Pantry Candies and
Ice Creams" store. The matter was taken under ad-
visement.
From 10:00 to 10:30 o.m. Mrs. Morey, Chair-
man of the Board of Selectmen, met with the Board
to discuss several matters. Of particular interest
was her letter of September 29, 1960 to.the Board
in regard to changing the name of a portion of
Alcott Road. Afterwards the Board discussed the
matter further. It was• pointed out that in any
street numbering and naming one of the basic theo-
ries set forth is teat streets which are more or
less in alignment should carry the same street name.
It was decided that in view of the fact that through
some misunderstanding Mrs. Morey had mace a committ-
' went at a public hearing that the section of Alcott
Road in the Burnham Farms, Section 2 subdivision
would not be renumbered and that the name of the sec-
tion of Alcott Poad in the Burnham Farms, Sec. 5 sub-
division could be changed, the Board decided it would
in this case only make an excention to its policy
of renaming sections of streets as noted above and
change the name of Alcott Road in the Burnham Farms
Section 5 subdivision to Holmes Road.
The Planning ^oard adjourned its meeting at
10:45 p.m.
/q, In 61,
Irving H. Mabee, Clerk
ADDENDUM
Mr.. Poland B. !"rreeley, Chairman
School Sites Committee
1359 Massachusetts Avenue
Lexington 733 Massachusetts
Dear Roly:
-3-
October 211, 1960
REZONI7G
PPOPOSP_L
BYE
raNMI]WWI ` f ; 9i
BURNHAM FARMS
SECS. 2 & 5
HOLMES ROAD
to -%4-6o -4-
In reviewing its records the Planning Board finds that it ,
overlooked replying to your letter of May 211 1960 although
It is understood that Mr. Snow acknowledged it orally stat-
ing that the Board had a different point of view than the
one set forth in the fifth point in 'your letter.
The Board believes that the general area in the vicinity* of
Follen Hill is the best location for a school site. It is
thought, however, that the land lying across the lower end
of Moreland. Avenue, this portion of the way being a paper
street, or the higher land of Carri( just to the south of
this paper street should be the location for the site
rather than part of the tract. the Town voted to acquire from
the Tower estate. It is Mr. Snowts recommendation that the
northerly portion of the Tower tract be left largely as a
natural area and the southerly portion be used as a play-
ground and nlayfield and as the location for a portion of
Worthen Road. Later on, in connection with a study of the
entire area which needs to be made, Mr. Snow can study in
more detail the comparative values of land for a school site
in the Follen Hill vicinity.
Sincerely,
LEXINGTON PLANNTTNG BOARD
/s/ Levi G. Burnell, Chairman
October 14, 1960
Miss Constance '^Ti lliams, Clerk
Senior Living, Inc.
264 Bosrlston Street
Boston 16, Massachusetts
Dear Miss %ril_11.ams :
"our letter of October 5 to me ]-as been referred to and
discussed by the planning Board. in reply tb ,your inquiries
it is our opinion that the unnamed way on wlrl ch the lots 20 to
24 inclusive front is only a naner street. If, as you sug-
gest, Senior Living, Inc, should acquire lots 17,
18 and 19
and combine them with those now owned by the corporation, it
would on1Tr have a frontage of 71.07 feet on Cottage Street.
However, if it were found that the corporation owns the fee
in the said unnamed way, the frontage on Cottage Street would
then be increased by at least the way's width, i.e., 25 feet.
Of course, as you realize,this is insufficient frontage under
the zoning by-law to erect either a garden anartment building
or a building to be used as a boarding house. '
In regard to the idea of petitioning the Board of Anpeals for
a variance to build a boarding house for older people, I would
be inclined not to do so until fhad determined, first, if
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' there was a need for such a building and, second, if the
existing site were the best one which could be obtained
to serve this purpose. It is my opinion that there is
very little, if an,,, need in Lexington for a boarding
house such as you have in mind. However, should it be
determined that there is such a need, I would choose an-
other site for the house other than the one wrich Senior
Living, Inc. now owns unless, as I discussed with you
originall7,T, the corporation acquires all the property in
the Cottan-e Street area and redevelops it as a private
project.
My reason for making this statement in regard to the pres-
ent site is based on my belief that those who would be
paying for board in a house to be managed by Senior Living,
Inc. would seek better environmental standards than those
whi.ch now exist in the Cottage Street area. In my opinion,
at least a drastic conservation program is needed to im-
prove, the area. The people living there now can neither
afford such. a program nor a much simpler one which would
in7.=olve only the paving of the street under the Betterment
Act. '^Tithout a better approach to the present Senior Liv-
ing site, I doubt if it is one on which it would be desir-
able to build a boarding house.
dhile the above views are personal ones, I hope they will
be of some value to vou. No doubt you will want to obtain
the opinions of other residents and those serving in various
official capacities. If there is any way I may be of fur-
ther assistance, I shall be pleased to do so.
Sincerely,
Isl Samuel p. Snow,
Planning Director
October 26, 1960
Mr. Daniel A. LTmch
1130 Park Sau^re Buildin-.
Boston, 714-ssachusetts
Dear Tir: Lunch
^fter TTr. Snow and I met with you on September 26, we dis-
cussed with the Planning; Board the details of our confer-
ence in rer;ard to the Town acquiring Parcel B 1 shown on a
plan entitled "Portion of Newton V. and Josephine D.
' Crandall Land ?ecommended for Acquisition for. School, Play-
ground and ^ecreation Purposes," dated September 23, 1960,
and prepared for the Board by Mr. Snow. We reported that
as authorized by the -'.oard the following offer made to you
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was that the Town acquire said Parcel B 1 for 63000 and '
other considerations, these being the abandonment of the
existing drain and public travel easements across Parcel A 1
and that portion of the sewer easement across said parcel
northerly* of and ten feet distant from and parallel to the
center line of the Vine Brook sewer. We also reported that
you had said that Mr. Crandall wanted in addition the abate-
ment of the Middleby Road sewer betterment against his prop-
erty and a connection without an7T charges to the Vine Brook
Sewer. It was further reported to the Board that we said
in reply that we did not believe the Board would agree to
recommend Mr. Cr.andall's request, and that in the Board's
opinion Parcel B 1 was not worth more than that which the
Board offered for the reason that the Town presently has
the right to construct a road over the existing easement.
The Board has considered the matter and believes its offer
eminently fair. The Board's offer is based on the rreneral
value of real estate in the vicinity, the existing ease-
ments across the Crandall land, the existing conditions of
Parcel B 1 and the absorption by the Town of about `,500 of
the sewer betterment which would be apportioned against Lot
B 1. In addition the location of the driveway as shown on
the plan entitled "Recommended Acquisition of Land for
School, Playground and Recreation purposes," dated September
7, 1Q60, was done with every thought in mind of increasing '
the value of the Crandall property. Taking all these points
into consideration the Board considers its offer equitable.
It will be greatly appreciated if you will discuss this
letter with Mr. and Mrs. Crandall and inform the Board of
their decision in regard to the Board's offer. The Board
would like to make a decision of its own in regard to the
matter so that final plans may be prepared for Lexington's
Central School and Pecreation Area.
Yours very truly,
LEXINGTON PLk!,fifING BOARD
/a/ Levi G. Burnell, Chairman