HomeMy WebLinkAbout1961-02-13 PL^-:NPTG BOAPD MEATI TG
February 13, 1961
regular meeting of the Lexington Planning
Board was held on Monday, February 13, 1961 at 7 :30
n .m. in the Planning Board office, Town Office Build-
ing. Present were Chairman Burnell, members Grin dle,
Meyer and Soule, end Planning Director Snow. Town
Counsel Stevens met with the Board from 9:15 until
10 :00 p .m. to discuss several matters being currently
considered by the Board.
The Foardread with great pleasure the
announcement of the marriage of the Planning Board' s
secretary, Mrs . Louise M. Baker , to Mr . Kenneth F.
Macomber on February 10, 1961. Members of the Board
asked Mr . Snow to extend to Mrs. Macomber the Board ' s
congratulations and best wishes .
The Board approved the minutes of its January MTNUTFS
23, 1961 meeting.
Considered next was the following Form A
anplicati.on for determination of Planning Board FORM A
jurisdiction :
P61-3, submitted February 10, 1961 by Mary S.
Condinho, William Condinho, Agent ; plan en-
titled_ "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass . ",
Scale : 1" = 40 ' , dated Feb . 1, 1961, Miller
Nylander, C .F. ' s & Surveyors .
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was
unanimously
JOTFD: that the Lexington Planning Board determines
that the plan accompanyi..ng Form A apnlica-
ti_on "61-3 roes not require approval under
the Subdivision Control Law, and that said
elan be so endorsed.
The attention of the Board was calledto a
cony of the Town Counsel ' s letter, doted February CENTRAL
10, 1961, to the Selectmen informing them that the SCHOOL AND
trustees of Tufts College had released to the Town PECRFATION
all conditions, prescriptions and limitations as to AREA
the use of the parcels of land that were conveyed
to the Town by Augustus F. Scott in 1914 and 1915,
the instrument setting forth said release being
dated February 1, 1 °61 and recorded February 10 in
the Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds .
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In connection with said release Mr. Snow gave
H.856 a report of the public hearing held in the State House
by the Committee on Towns of the Massachusetts Legis-
lature on House Bill No. 856, said bill authorizing a
town to use for school, nalyground or recreational pur-
noses and for all nurposes incidental thereto the parcels
of land. in Lexington given to the Town by said Scott by
two deeds . Mr . Snow said he had been informed that after
the executive session the Committee had reported favor-
ably on the bill.
Distributed to the Board were copies of Articles
ARTICLES FOR 48, .°, 50 and 51 which had been inserted in the warrant
WARRANT of the Annual Town Meeting, Art . 48 at the request of
the Board of Appeals , and. Articles LE°, 50 and 51 at the
TOWN request of the Planning Board. Tt was decided to hold
MF2ING on March °, 1°61 at 7 :30 n .m. in Fstabrook Hall a pub-
lic hearing on the proposals to amend the Zoning By-law
as set forth in said articles .
Mr. Snow exhibited for the Planning Board 's
BOARD OF information plans accompanying the Bianchi. , Lange and
APP"'ALS Millican petitions to be heard by the Board of Appeals
on February 28. The Board took no action in regard to
the Millican petition .
Later in the meeting the Board discussed the
Bianchi and Lange petitions which sought Board of
Anneals permits for apartments for housekeepers in
the Bianchi. and Lange residences presently under
construction on Tufts Road. Mr . Stevens expressed the
opinion that both proposals were obviou.slz* violations
of the intent of the zoning by-law. He stated that
preservation of single familir residential districts was
so basic to the veru concept of zoning that if apart-
ments were allowed in residences as nronosed, zoning by -
laws might as well be abolished. The Board decided to
oppose vigorously the granting of the Bianchi. and Lange
petitions . Ur. Soule was asked to appear at the hear-
ing in regardto said petitions and to express the Plan-
ning Board' s views.
Read to the Board was a letter, dated February
WP.LTHAM ST . 10, 1261, from the Chairman of the Board of Anneals in
GAFDFTN regard to the Vine Brook Fealty Trust site and building
APA"TMFMT nlans which had been submitted to the "lanning Board
DTSTPICT for consideration on February 2, 1061. Mr. Snow re-
ported that his examination of the building and site
plans indicated that they were not in form for construc-
tion purposes although obviously they met the Planning
Board' s recommendations as to exterior building designs
and the locations of buildings, parking areas, etc . He
stated that there were minor grading nroblems which would
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be created if the plans were followed as drawn and
pointed out the lack of sufficient snot elevations
to enable a contractor to set grades for all walks
and paved areas . He also noted the lack of drain
data and relationship of drains to the elan and nro-
file of "merson Road as shown on the Vine Brook
Leadows Section 2 definitive subdi.vision plan
approved by the Planning Board on January 23 , 1061.
These matters were discussed. with Town
Counsel Stevens later in the meeting with special
reference to the Planning Board ' s letter of June
20, 1060 to Mr. Arthur G. Manaselian, architect .
(See minutes of Planning Board meeting of June 20 ,
1960 . ) It was particularly noted that there was not
included in the set of building and: site plans as
submitted a building location plan . It was decided
therefore not to write a final report on said plans
until the following meeting* of the Planning Board.
Mr . Snow was asked in the meantime to confer with
the building inspector and the Superintendent of
Public 'storks and inform Yr . Manaselian of all the
info.rm^ti.00 which had to be added to the set of
-dans before being acted upon by the ?Planning Board.
' The attention of the Board was called to a
letter, dated February 10, 1961, from the Chairman REZ0NiNG
of the Board of Selectmen to the Chairman of the PROPOSALS
Planning Board with reference to a joint discussion COMMITTEE
held. on February 1 between the two boards in regard
to the formulation of a -joint committee of four to
screen rezoning urorosals before the 'Planning Board.
was asked to study the same, ( See addendum. ) The
Chairman asked ''Sr , GTrindle and Mr . Soule to serve
on said co imittee.
After Mr . Stevens left the meeting the Board
gave final consideration to the application for MINUTE MAN
tentative approval of the Minute Man Higblands Sec . HIGHLANDS
4 preliminary subdivision plan . Attention was SEC . 4
called to a letter dated February 7, 1961, notify-
ing the Planning Board that the Board of Health did CARRIG
not approve of said subdivision at this time. Unon
motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously
VOTED : that the nrcliminary subdivision plan en-
titled "preliminary Plan Minute Man High-
lands, Section 4 in Lexington , Mass . ", dated
January 6, 1061, which was submittedto the
Board by James A. Carrig on February 1, 1961,
accompanied by an application for tentative
approval of preliminary plan, Form B, dated
January 31, 1961, be and hereby is disapproved
for the reason that said subdivision has only
one means of access ,
It was decided to write Mr . Carrig a letter
informing him of the Plennin » Board ' s action in regard
to his elan and also pointing out that a sewer would
have to be installed in the whole subdivision, access
for water and sewer provided, a trunk sewer installed
along the general location of Clematis Brook and a
street arrangement developed which would avoid exces-
sive excavation as in the case of "C" Street shown on
the plan . Mr. Snow suggested that after he completed
his studies for the development of the areas adjacent
to the proposed location of Emerson Road from I-iawthorne
Road to Adams Street and from East to Woburn Streets,
he undertake a detailed study of the area adjacent to
the proposed location of Worthen Road from ra.rrett Road
to the Cambridge-Concord Highway. He suggested that
this information be included in the letter to Mr.
Carrig.
The meeting adjourned at 10 :1 p.m.
ked&C444CA
Levi C�. Burnell
Chairman
ADDENDUM
February 10, 1961
Mr. Levi G. Burnell, Chairman
Lexington Planning Board
Lexington 73, Massachusetts
Dear Mr. Burnell:
As a result of the joint discussion of the Planning Board
and the Board of Selectmen last week (Feb. 1) Alan Adams
and I have been appointed the two Selectmen to serve with
two members of the Planning Board on the screening commit-
tee which was agreed upon at that time .
Are we in agreement that the purpose of the committee is
to encourage or discourage new business enterprises for
Lexington . ^l1 inquiries, whether to the Planning Board,
Selectmen or individual members, requiring rezoning for
suggested use, are to be: referred to and screened by the
committee before the Planning Board is asked to giv them
further time and study.
The committee is also to review as soon as possible the
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pronosals which have been received recently enough to b e
cons _derea 'actlve, .n
The nur. nose of this screening committee isnot to encourage
exploitation of Lexington but to encourage desirable enter-
prises to approach us with reasonable plans. Many town
have set un special committees to search out "customers"
but this is not our idea.
We have all been anoroached individually concerning one
project or another. If all projects can have their
initial presentation to this screening; committee much
time shall be saved for every*one, and Lexington should
benefit .
Very truly yours,
/s/ ?uth Morey
Chairman
RM:m
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