HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960-10-31 Planning Board Meeting
October 31, 1960
A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning
Board was held on Monday, October 31, 1060 at 7 30
n .m. in the Board' s office, Town Office Building
Present were Chairman Burnell, members Mabee, Meyer
and Soule, and Planning Director Snow
Approvedby the Board were the minutes of MINUTES
its October 17, 1060 meeting
Also aonroved for payment were the follow-
ing bills which had been presented: Samuel P Snow, BILLS
car allowance for October, 1°60-- 20 .00 Graphic
Reproductions, Inc . , white prints--61.95
Considered next were the following Form A
applications for determination of Planning Board FORMS A
jurisdiction
#60-82, submitted October 28, 1960 by West-
chester Estates, Tnc , George J. DeVries,
Pres . ; Ulan entitled ' Plan of Land in Lex-
ington, Mass ", scale 1 in = 40 ft, dated
nctober 27, 1960, Fred A. Joyce, Surveyor.
3; 60-83, submitted October 28 , 1960 by
Stephen Pussian , Atty. for James E. Storer;
Plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington
Mass ", dated Oct . 10, 1960, scale 1" =
40 ' , Miller F- Nylander, C .E, ' s "K Surveyors
#60-84, submitted October 2g, 1960 for Grey
Nuns Charities, Inc . by John J. Curran,
Attorney, plan entitled "Plan Showing Loca-
tion of New Building at Pelham Road Lexing-
ton, Mass . for Grey Nuns Charities , Inc . ,
scale 1 in = 40 ft, dated September 1,
1960, Powland F. Barnes E& Co. , Civil Engrs
P60-85, submitted October 31, 1°60 by
filliam I. Burnham, elan entitled "Plan of
Land in Lexington. Mass .", scale 1" = 40 ' ,
dated Sent 29, 1060, Miller g Nylander,
C P. ' s & Surveyors.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was
unanimously
VOTED) : that the Lexi.ng^ton Planning Board determines
that the plans accompanying Form A applica-
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tions A60-82, A60-83, ##60-84 and "60-85 do
not require approval under the Subdivision
Control Law, and that said plans be so en-
dorsed.
read to the Board was a notice of a hear-
HISTORIC ing to be held by the Historic Districts Commission
DISTPTCTS on November 2, 1060 . It was decided to take no
COMMISSION action in regard to the annlication to be considered
at said hearing.
Also read to the Board was Miss Murray ' s
T.M.M.A. letter of October 27 stating that there would be
an informational meeting in Cary Memorial Hall on
Thursday, November 10 at 8 00 p m. Mr Snow
pointed out that there would be that same evening
a public hearing in Estabrook Hall at 7 30 p.m.
in regard to the laying out of Worthen Road.
Likewise read to the Board and duly noted
SENIOR was Miss Williams ' letter of October 26, 1960 in
LIVING, reply to Mr. Snow 's letter with reference to
INC Senior Living, Inc . proposal for a small garden
apartment or boarding house. (See minutes of
October 24, 1960 Planning Board meeting )
From 7:55 to 8 40 n .m. Town Counsel Stevens
CENTRAL SCUOOL met with the Board to discuss several matters of
AND current interest. Especially noted was Mr. Stevens '
RECREATION statement that he had obtained an informal agreement
PROJECT from the trustees of Tufts University that they
would release the restrictions on the Scott property
to enable the town to develop the proposed central
school and recreation project in accordance with the
preliminary plan which had been nreviously approved
by the Board on September 19, 1960
The Board endorsed the Country Club Manor,
COUNTRY CLUB Sec . 1 definitive subdivision plan which was given
MANOR SEC 1 to Mr. Stevens to use in the preparation of a
grant of easements instrument and for recording
POND REALTY when said instrument had been nronerizr executed by
TRUST the Pond Realty Trust
Messrs Mears, Harding and Guinan, trustees
LEXINGTON of the Lexington Golf Club, met with the Board
GOLF CLUB from 8.40 to 10 00 p.m to inquire about the plan-
- ning Board ' s proposal for an intra-town road from
WORTHEN ROAD Route 128 through a Bart of the Club ' s land across
PROPOSAL Hill Street to Torthen Road. Mr. Snow exhibited a
plan of this proposal, said plan being entitled
"Proposed Location Worthen Road Mass. Ave to Route
128, ' prepared for the Board by its staff August 5,
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1958 t° Speaking for the Board Mr . Snow discussed
this plan in a general way in relation to (1) Pond
Realty Trust 's nlans for developing the former
Magnuson and MacPhee properties adjacent to the
northerly boundary of the Club ' s course, (2) Mr
John A Bellizia ' s proposal for extending Pine
Meadows Golf Course, ( R) possible acquisition by
the Lexington Golf Coub property fronting on Hill
Street and the recommended location of Worthen Road,
(5) suggestions for a long-range redevelopment of
the Club ' s course, and (6) willingness of the Board
and its staff to cooperate with officials of the
Golf Club and assist in carrying out general pro-
posals as shown on said plan .
The attention of the Board was called to a
copy of the Town Counsel ' s letter of October 24, LAND FOR
1960 to the Board of Selectmen with reference to a RECREATION
forty foot wide strip of land, known as Parcel B, PURPOSES
extending from Peacock Farm Road to the land ac-
quired by the Town from Hillcrest Village, Inc. in TARBELL AVE-
1059 Tt was noted that the acquisition of this PEACOCK FARM
additional niece was authorized under Article 38 of ROAD SCHOOL
the Warrant for the 1Q60 Annual Town Meeting. In AND RECREA-
his letter Mr Stevens advised that title to the TTON STTE
parcel was acquired by the Town by deed dated Octo-
ber 11, 1060 and recorded in Middlesex South District
Rerristry of Deeds on October 20, 1060 as instrument PEACOCK
No. 2R0 The elan referred to in the deed was re- FAPMS,SEC.S
corded at the same time as elan `To. 1566 of 1960.
(See minutes of March 14, 1Q60 rlanning Board meeting
The Board ' s attention was also called to a
cony of the Town Counsel 's letter of October 21, MAC KEEN
1060 to the Town Clerk with reference to an instru- PROPERTY
ment dated September 8, 1060, wherein Adrian E. -
MacKeen, Jr. and finita B. MacKeen conveyed to the EMERSON
Town a parcel of land, with building thereon, said ROAD
building being numbered 572 Massachusetts Avenue
and situated in East Lexington . The instrument was
recorded in Middlesex South District Registry of
Deeds on September 8, 1960, Book 9671, Page 1L8 and
the plan referred to therein was recorded at the
same time as Plan No. 1386 of 1960, Book 9671, nage
118 It was noted the acquisition of the property
for the future location of Emerson Road was author-
ized by the vote adopted under Article 41 of the
Warrant for the 1960 Annual Town TeetinF. (See
minutes of January 11, 1060 Planning Board meeting. )
Mr Nickerson ' s letter of October 26 to the
Planning Board with reference to the Cataldo peti- BOARD OF
tion was read The Board considered said petition APPEALS
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and drafted a reply to Mr Nickerson ' s letter.
(See addendum. )
Taken under consideration next were the ne-
GRIGOR titions to be heard by the Board of Appeals on
November 15 With the exception of the Grigor pe-
tition it was decided to take no action on the
petitions to be heard on said date Mr. Snow was
asked to bring to the next meeting of the Board
additional information in regard to said Grigor
petition.
GREEN VALLEY The anplication of Antonio Busa for approval
SEC . 6 of the Green Valley, Sec . 6 definitive plan, dated
Sept. 20, 1060, was duly accented and a public hear-
BUSA ing in regard to said application scheduled for
Movember 21 at A 00 n.m.
With reference to the anplication of Vincent
EMERSON Ippolito for approval of the definitive plan en-
GARDENS titled "Emerson Gardens Section One Lexington ,
SEC . 1 Mass. ", dated September 12, 1060, it was decided
not to accept said application as having been duly
LONGO- sutmitted for the reasons that the anplication was
IPPOLITO incomnlete and that Mr. Inpolito was not the owner
of all the land included within the proposed sub-
division shown on said plan . Mr Snow was asked to
confer with Mr Edward T. Martin, Mr. Inpolito' s
attorney in regard to this case
Mr. Jilbur M. Jaquith ' s letter of October
LAND FOR 27, 1960 to the Planning Director was read Mr
RECREATION Snow was asked to view the Barnes property and to
PURPOSES recommend to the Board that portion of said prop-
- erty he believed it was desired to acquire for
BARNES recreational purposes (See minutes of October 10,
1960 planning Board meeting )
Considered next was the October 2R, 1060
REZONING letter of John F. Dineen, Attorney for Mr. and Mrs .
PROPOSAL John E. Bye with reference to their nronosal to re-
- zone Lot 10 at the corner of Lincoln Street and
BYE M?arrett Road' for commercial purposes. It was de-
cided to inform Mr. Dineen that the Board was not
in favor of the rezoning nronosal for the reason
that the proposed use was of a general business
nature and not one to serve nrimarily local neigh-
borhood use, that there was in the Board ' s opinion
insufficient land for narking in connection with
said nronosed use, and that Lot 10 was located at a
danc'erous intersection ( See addendum. )
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5
rollowi.ng a general discussion of various other
matters of current interest before the Board, it ad-
journed its meeting at 10 :45 p .m.
Irving ;T. Mabee, Clerk
November 1, 1960
Board of Appeals
Town Office Building
Lexington 73, plass
Gentlemen
In reply to Mr. Vi.ckerson ' s letter of October 26, the
Planning Board has considered the petition of Robert
rataldo for a variance to subdivide lot 1 fronting on
both 'leston and Lincoln Streets into two lots. It is
the understanding of the Planning Board that said lot
can be subdivided without the need of granting a vari -
ance for the reason that both streets on which the lot
fronts are nublic ways However, in reviewing exist-
ing conditions as shown on the accompanying plan, it is
noted that lot 1 has about 8710 square feet less than
needed to divide it into two house lots each of which
would have a minimum of '0,000 square feet of area as
required under. the Zoning By-law
After the State Department of Public works makes a
taking 50 feet wide for the relocation of Poute 128,
there will be only about 25, 690 square feet of lot 1
to subdivide If a variance were granted with the idea
of creating two lots for residential purposes, the lots
would have an average area of 12, 845 square feet The
lot fronting on Weston Street would have about 90 feet
of frontage and would be about 72 feet wide at its
greatest width. The lot fronting on Lincoln Street
would have 75 feet of frontage and would have its great-
est width along the frontage street
It is pointed out that the original tract of land
bounded by Weston and Lincoln Streets and Route 128 had
only enough land for four house lots under the present
II zoning by-law In view of the fact that the Board of
Appeals rranted a variance to subdivide the tract into
five residential lots, it is difficult to see how any
hardshin would be involved if the petition being consid-
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ered were denied The Planning Board believes this to
be true especially because it is the Board' s recollec-
tion that the reason for leaving the long lot adjacent
to Route 128, i . e. , lot 1 as it now exists, was that the
land comprising said lot was not buildable.
Sincerely yours,
LEXT7rrTO7 PLANNING BOARD
Enc . Levi G Burnell, Chairman
Letter prepared by the Planning Board
at its meeting on October 31, 1460 and
signed in the absence of the Board' s
Chairman and Vice-Chairman on November 1
4 November 1Q60
Mr John K. Iineen
Tdeston, Patrick F- Stevens
84 State Street
Boston 9, Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Dineen'
I have been asked by the planning Board to reply to your
letter of October 28 with reference to the proposal of
Mr. and Mrs. Bye that there be rezoned for commercial pur-
poses lot 10 in the Barrymeade Farm subdivision At its
meetings on October 24 and 31 the Board considered this
proposal and at the later meeting decided that the Board
was not in favor of the proposal for the reasons that the
proposed use was of a general business nature and not one
to serve primarily local neighborhood use, that there was
in the Board ' s opinion insufficient land for parking in
connection with said proposed use, and that lot 10 was
located at a dangerous intersection
It is understood that Mr. Burnell informed Mrs . Bye of
the Board' s decision. At the same time it was indicated
that the Board was in favor of such an enterprise locat-
ing in Lexington and it was suggested to her that she
discuss the matter with me This she did on November 3
at which time I informed her of my knowledge of local con-
ditions and various plans which might affect her business
in the Future On the basis of this information I sug-
gested other locations where I thought it m` o:ht be more
advisable to establish the business she has in mind. I
also introduced her to a person who I think has the very
best knowledge of land values and development in Lexington
and vicinity and who ought to be able to find a very de-
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sirable location for her enterprise .
If there is any other information you woule like to have
me furntsh , eo not hesitate to let me know.
Sincerely,
/s/ Samuel P. Snow
I'lanning Director