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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1961-05-01PLANTTI`TG BOARD MEETING Ma., 1, 19 61 A regular meetin�-- of the Lexington Planning Board was held on MondaA,, May 1, 1961 at 7:30 p.m. in the Planning Board office, Town Office Building. present were Chairman Soule, members Grindle, Bryson, Mabee and Meyer, and Planning Director Snow. The Board approved the minutes of its April 24, 1961 meeting. Also approved were the following bills which had been presented for nayment: Samuel P. Snow, c&r allowance for April --120.00 and reimbursement for Urban Land Institute Technical Bulletins -416-50: Lexington Press, office supplies --$2.90; H.B.McArdle, office supplies --13.55. Considered next were the followi_nFr Form a annlications for determination of Planning Board jurisdiction: ' #61-17 (See minutes of April 24, 1961) #61-181 submitted April 25, 1961 for Marie C. and Josenh. M. Maguire by Henry D. Winslow, Attv.; plan entitled "''lan of Land In Lex- ington, Mass.", Scale: 1" = 40', dated Nov. 7, 1960, Raymond C. Pressev, Inc., Reg. Land Surveyors. #61-19, submitted April 25, 1961 by Howard W. Foley; elan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexing- ton, Mass. Owned by: Ravco Realty Trust," Scale: 1" = 601, dated April 13, 19612 Joseph M. Moore, Reg. Land Surveyor. '�61-201 submitted Anri_l 26, 1961 by Albert W. Hanlon by Stephen T. Russian, Atty.; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass. Pronerty of Albert W. Jr. and Virginia L. Hanlon Showing Proposed Subdivision of Lot 23A", Scale: 1" = jots dated March 1961, J. L. Gardner, Survevor. The Chairman reported that during the week there had been drafted on the plan accomx:anving appli- vation f,61-17 the location of an existing house and that after this had been done he and two other members of the Board had. endorsed said nlan. After discussing the matter it was moved, seconded and unanimously MINUTES BILLS FORMS A 7_1_hl -2- VOTFT): that the Lexi.nrton planning Board determines ' that the plan accompanying Form A application #61-17 does not require anoroval under the Subdivision Control Law, and in so determining ratifies the action of a majority of the Board in so endorsing said elan on April 28, 1961. Unon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: that the Lexinrrton Planning Board determines that the plans accompanying Form A applica- tions #61-18, #61-19 and #61-20 do not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, and that said plans be so endorsed. The Board took under consideration the applica- LORING HILL tion of Outhet Realty Trust for approval of the Loring ESTATES Hill Estates Section 4 definitive subdivision plan. SEC. 4 Attention of the Board was called to a letter dated May 1, 1961 from the Board of Health stating that it OUTHET had approved said plan. All matters annearing to be REALTY in order, upon motion duly mare and seconded, it was TRUST unanimously VOTED: that the definitive subdivision plan entitled ' "Loring' Hill Estates Section Four Lexington, Mass." and dated July 24, 1960, which was sub- mitted to the Board by Outhet Pealt.T Trust, Ernest E. Outhet and Kenneth F. Blodgett, Trustees, on February 23, 1Q61, accompanied by an application for annroval of definitive plan, Form C, dated Feb. 21, 1961, be and hereby is approved. A letter, dated P.pril 26, 1961 and addressed HARRTNGTON to the Planning Board was read, said letter having SCHOOL PTA been signed by Fir. Homer J. Hagedorn and several SAFETY other Town Meeting Members of Precinct 1. (See COMMTTTEE addendum.) Mr. Soule stated that he had asked. Mr. Snow to reply to said letter which requested. a meet- ing with the Board. to discuss the situation at the Woburn -Lowell Street i-tersection concerning which the Harrington School PTA Safetv Committee had com- municated with the Planning Board. (See minutes of April 10) 1961 Planning Board meeting.) Mr. Snow's reply of Anril 28 to Mr. Hagedorn's letter was read. (See addendum.) Tn a discussion with Mr.Hagedorn about the matter Mr. Mabee stated that he had em- nhasized that the ultimate solution to the nroblem at said intersection was under the jurisdiction of ' the Selectmen and that the planning Board was only acting in an advisorIT capacity in this matter. Mr. -3- Mabee was requested to draft a letter to Mr. Hagedorn ' setting forth this point, the letter to supplement the Planning Director's communication of April 28. The attention of the Board was called to a communication, dated April 25, 1961, from the Board SPECIAL TOWN of Selectmen advising that Monday, June 19, 1961 had MEETING been set as a tentative date for a special town meeting. At 8:00 p.m. the Board held a public hear- ing relati,,Te to the application for approval of a subdivision of the nronerty of Turning Mill Asso- ciates, Inc., to be known as "Middle Ridge Section Six Lexington, Mass.", situated easterly of Turning Mill Road and. bounded in part by Sections 2, 3, and 4 of the Middle P.idge development, Route 128, and the Burlington town line. Six persons attended the hearing. The Chairman read the notice of the hearing as it had been sent to all the owners of property abutting on the proposed subdivision and as it had been published in the Apr -1 13, 1°61 issue of the Lexington Minute -man. He explained the procedure ' to be followed and called upon Fugene C. Roberts TTI, renresenting said cornoration, to present his plan. Mr. Roberts noted that the proposed subdivi- sion consisted of an unnamed street approximately 2636 feet in length on which there fronted 32 lots. Tt was noted that the nroposed way was in the form of a loon road connecting to Turning Mill Road. Members of the Board inquired as to the nronosed use of parcel 92 and a means of access thereto. Mr. Roberts indicated that he had not decided what he was going to do with the land. Mr. Walter E. Steeves of 36 Highland Avenue presented plans and deeds purporting to show that he owned a parcel of the land to be subdivided, said parcel being approximately 87 feet wide and abutting his land in Burli.nF.ton. Mr. Steeves said it was not possible for his attorney, Joseph F. HcEvoy, Jr. to appear in h.i.s behalf and to present his case. Mr. Roberts said this was a matter of which he was unaware and that his attornesT and Mr. McEvoy would have to discuss the problem of title Mr. Steeves claimed to his parcel of land. ' Mr. and Mrs. Tdilliam 0. Wiles of 176 Burlington Street asked to see the parcel of land which. they owned between Route 128 and the land to be subdivided MIDDLE RiDGE SFC. 6 TURNING MILL ASSOCIATES HEARTNG by the Turning Mill Associates. Mr. ?oberts pointed I out said parcel showing it to be only an estimated 234 square feet in area. There being no further questions or discus- sion the hearing was closed at 8:25 p.m. and the sub- division Plan taken under advisement. Chairman Fisher and Mr. Russian of the Stand - STANDING ing School Building Committee met with the Board from SCHOOL 8:25 to 9:10 p.m, to inform the Planning Board of the BUILDIr?G Committee's preliminary studies for an elementary COMMTTTEF school on Middleby Road and for an addition to the present Hig1- School. Mr.Fisher said that the Com- mittee was considering constructing at one time all the facilities needed for a future high school, said facilities to be in the form of a campus type school. He said it was the Committee's present thinking to use temporarily one of the buildings of the complex for an elementary school nostponing for a number of years the construction of a school at the Middleby Road site. In reward to the Planning Board's recommend- ation to acquire for playground and other purposes part of the Jackson land at the end of Clarke Street, ' Messrs. Fisher and Russian stated that they believed the Committee was in favor of the acquisition of the triangular parcel now unoccupied and at a later date the land on which greenhouses were located so that Parker Street could be extended in such a manner as to a,onnect with the end of Muzzey Street as shown on one of the planning Board's preliminary studies for the Central Pla7ground Area. They said also they could see no objection from the Co-mi_ttee's stand- point to the Planning Board's proposal that a por- tion of Middleby Road be relocated on town land be- tween Vine Brook and Outlook Drive. Read to the Board and considered by it was HANSCOM FIELD- the draft of a letter to Whitman & Howard: in reply ROUTE 128 to that firm's inquiry of April 6, 1901. (See ACCESS ROAD addendum.) Considered next was a letter, dated April FOLLI,rd HILL 252 1961, from the Board of Selectmen with refer- FSTATFS ence to a written request from Mr. and Mrs. Fugene PFC7?rATION W. Pike of 10 Churchill Lane to acquire as an APFA addition to their nronerty a portion of the land which the Town was acquiring from the Tower Es- tates for playground and recreational purposes. It was recalled that this matter had been brought to , the attention of the Board once before by the Town ' Counsel when preliminary negotiations were being undertaken to acquire the remaining undeveloped land from the Tower Estates. At that time the Board had indicated that it was not in favor of selling the parcel shown on the.plan accompanying the letter from Mr. and Mrs. Pike. It was noted that the parcel of Pike land acquired from Moulton as well as a portion of the adjacent Moulton land to b e acquired ultimately Is part of the proposed Follen Hill area which would extend all the way to Follen Road. Mr. Snow was asked to draft for the Board a letter to the Selectmen setting forth the Board's recommendations. T'.^e Board's attention was called to a com- munication, dated Anril 28, 1961, from Mr. T. H. Barnard, District Engineer of the North Division of the -IT .E. Tel. & Tel. Co., suggesting a system whereby notification could be sent the company of the approval of new subdivisions as a possible loca- tion for placing telephone wires underground. The Board approved a draft of a reply to Mr. Barnarc's letter. (See addendum.) ' Exhibited was a preliminary plan accompan- ied by an application which had been submitted May 1, 1961 showing the nroposed subdivision of the Walnut Farm. Trust stivated on the Potter land front- ing on Walnut Street and Concord Avenue. Fr. Snow said that he had referred the -clan to the Town En- gineer for recommendations and would also make some of his own for consie'erntion by the Planning Board. Read to the Board was Mr. Norman T. May's letter of May 1, lcl?61 with reference to a rezoning nronosal for land on Snrin g Street. (See addendum: also see minutes of the. April 17, 1961 Planning Board meeting.) The Board discussed the proposal in some detail and asked Iir. Snow to prepare for the Board's consideration at its next meeting a re- ply to -4r. 'iay's request of April 17 for a decision by the Board in regard to said proposal. In nreparation for an informal meeting on May 7 with the orinclnal property owners i_- Lexing- ton's M 1-Li_rht manufacturing district, the Board discussed various nrorosals for developing a com- prehensive plan for the entire area between Wood and Bedford Streets, Route 1281 and the Bedford town line. Tn connection therewith there was dis- cussed the Dreliminary information which had been obtained in regard to relocating a section of the -5- N.E. TEL. & TEL. CO. SUBDIVISIONS WALNUT FARM TRUST REZONING PROPOSAL COUNTRYl},IDE OFFICES, INC. M 1 DISTRICT Boston Edison Company's transmission lines across the M 1 district. The Board requested Mr. :Snow to write to the Company asking for a preliminary estimate of the construction costs which would be involved in re- locating a section of said transmission lines. The Planning Board meeting was adjourned at 11:00 P.M. %_T? obert EVMe--�rer, Clerk ADD17TDUM 379 Woburn Street Lexington, Mass. April 26, 1961 The Planning Board Mr. Pichard IT. Soule, Chairman Lexington, Massachusetts Gentlemen: We believe the traffic, safety, parking and zoning situation at Countryside to be sufficiently complex as to require considerable attention. As Town Meeting "Members of Precinct One we wish to offer our support to ,you in ,your study of the Countryside area. Tf we can help, we wish to do so. We were active in the collection of signatures on the petition form forwarded to you last month by the Chairman of the Harrington School PTA Safety Committee and we have met together since then to consider prac- tical suggestions for private, municipal, county, and state action in this shopping center. :Je would very much appreciate obtaining your views as to which of the exi.stinF problems cannot be solved by public action, and to discuss the feasibility of such specific sug- gestions as have been collected. Mav we have the priv- leae of meetine with you in the near future? P.S. You may reach us Homer Hagedorn. Sincerely-\rOurs, Homer J. Hagedorn Franklin C. Hodson Philin `Marshall Sumner E. Perlman by getting in touch William Hammer Nancy D. Hudson Jack L. Mitchell Marlin E. ?Jhi_tnev wi th 1 C 1 1 1 5-1-61 April 28, 1961 Mr. Homer J. Hagedorn, 379 Woburn Street Lexington 73, 'Nass. Dear Homer: -7- Mr. Soule asked me to acknowledge the letter of April 26 signed by you and other Town Meeting Members of Pre- cinct 1 in reference to the situation at Countryside. I feel I express the T�oardls sentiments In welcoming your sunnort in the studv of the situation and anv recommen- dations Voir group has to offer to remedy the existing conditions. As to meeting wits the Board, T am sure it would be most pleased to have your group do so, probably some Monday evenin- late in May. Last Monday evening the Board re- ceived a marked print of a elan stowing conditions sur- rounding the Lowell-;^Ioburn Street intersection but has not as yet viewed the existing conditions on the ground using this plan. T have not vet studied the problem in detail myself. The Board has a few urgent matters on Its schedule at the moment and as soon as these have been taken care of T will telenhone you to arrange a mutually agreeable meeting date. Sincerely v ours, /s/ Samuel P. Snow Planning Director April 26, 1961 11hi_tman & Howard, Inc. 89 Broad Street, Rm. 51), Boston 10, iassachusetts Attention: Mr. F.D.A.King, Jr. Gentlemen: Tn renly to ,your letter of April 6, 1061 the Planning Board is of the opinion that there is badly needed a direct connection to the air base from Route 129 as shown on the nr`nt which ,you submitted with your letter. Fven if such a road were never extended into town, such a road could give considerable relief to Lexington from ?good Street traffic which at present passes to and from the air base via Massachusetts Avenue, thence School Street (or oftentimes throuvh the school ground via Cros- by and Wilson Roads) to.Marrett Road and thence westerly to the Route 2 A - 1.28 ramps or easterly to Waltbam Street. (See enclosed nortion of marked street map.) -1-61 -8- Particularly is there very great need for an easterly ' access from the air base to Route 128 as shown on ,your print if the present air base access road to `-Massachu- setts Avenue is to be eliminated. We are returning herewith one of your prints on which has been marked the approximate location of a road from your interchange locatz_on to our existing Worthen Poad. Al- though it will be some time before this road is construc- ted, detailed consideration was given to one section of i_t in the preparation and anrroval of a subdivision plan and the recorcing of a definit;ve plan of a portion of said subdi.vi_sion encompassing Augustus Road and Hickory Street as marked on the enclosed portion of the Lexington street map. TA1e understand that eventually the 'Mood Street connection to Massachusetts Avenue will be elimi- nated in connection witb the development of the Minute Man National Hi_s for i c Park. If this Is true., a future roadway from good Street to Lexington Center as shown on the map would be badly needed. Very truly vours, LEXI Dr7 TO N P LA "77\TG T30ARD /s/ Richard H. Soule, Chairman Fnc , 2 May 1, 1961 Mr. T. H. Barnard, District Fngineer, N. E. Telephone & Telegraph Company 37 Broadway, Arline -ton 74. Mass. Dear Mr, Barnard: The Lexington Planning Board would like to see all tele- nhone wires underground and so would be pleased to co- onerate with you in setting up a system whereby notifica- tion is sent to you regar.din new subdivisions. The Board believes that perhaps the Telephone Company should be notified of the date that subdivisions !re filed for annroval, the subdivider often having made tentative construction arrangements in advance of Planning Board anproval. For your Information one subdivision plan is being arproved tonight, namely, Loring Hill Fstates, Sec. 43 owned by Outhet Realty Trust, Tbis subdivision will con- sist of an extension of Bask`n Road A second subdivi- sion is about to be ar proved, namely, Middle Ridge, Sec, 4 owned by Turn'ng Mill Associates. This subdiv,sion will consist of a loop road aprroximately 2650 feet in length connecting wits Turninr- Mill Road. At the present time 5-1-61 there are also before the Board for approval in either preliminary or definitive form nine other subdivisions, some covering a considerable area. Tt is suggested, trerefore, that at t*our earliest convenience you tele- phone Mr. Snow and arrange to meet with him for the purpose of discussing any arrangements which you would care to suggest regarding notification of the filing of these and other subdivisions. Yours very truly, LFXTT\TGTOTT PLA',?^?TNCT BOA'PD Isl Tichard N. Soule, Chairman May 1, 1961 Lexin-ton Planr4n7 Board Town Office Building Lexington, Massachusetts Gentlemen; This will confirm my -previous oral statements that the trustees who own the land at the southwesterly corner of Routes 2 and 121 will pay for the cost of any public hearing involving a rezoning proposal for that land. I have estimated to them that the cost will be approximately $250.00 or less and that the money will have to be de- nosited with me in escrow. If ,you estimate it will cost more, please let me know. T am affirming_ to trou that there are in existence four contracts for the r>urchase of the dwellings and land owned by Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Snodgrass and Mr. Moreley, for their properties on Snring Street. The agreements are not In ontion form but are firm contracts requiring a purchase If the land Is rezoned. Fath of tre owners was represented by counsel who has in his possession signed agreements. Four identical agreements were sent to the purchaser forsignatures. They are to be returned this week and delivered to the sellers. T will state before next Mondav that thev have or have not been delivered. I can assure you that the contracts will be absolute by that time. NTM : k 1 Yours very truly, /s/ Norman T. May