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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1961-12-18I PLAN-7TYG BOARD MEETI`G December 18, 1961 On Mondav, December IA, 1961 at 7:40 n.m. the Lexington Planning; Board held a re7ular meet- ing in its office in the Town Office Building. Present were Chairman Soule, members Bryson, Grindle, Mabee and Mever, 4'lanning Director Snow and the secretary, Yrs. Yaco"ber. The P,oard approved the minutes of its Nov- M?T?UTES ember 20k 1961 Planning Board. meetlrF The Board also annroved for navment the followin7 bills which had been submitted: Samuel BILLS P. Snow, car allowance for December, 1Q61--$25.00; Louise Y. Macomber, extra secretarial service for December 11, 1961--15.00; Collins Typewriter Co., Tvpewriter service --t9.10; Minute -man Prblicat_i_ons, Inc., advert!sinrp--tlt.90. Considered next were the followinP Form A apnli.cations for determination of Planning; Board FOPMS A ' jurisdiction: 1=61-76, submitted Dec. 15, 1061 by James N. Cosgrove; plan entitled "A Pesurvey and Subdivision of a Portion of Land Court Case No. 6686, Land in Lexington, Mass.", Scale: 1" = 401, dated Dec. 15, 1961, Miller F Nylander, C.E."s & Surveyors. #.61-77, submitted December 15, 1961 for Edwin A. Wheeler by Donald J. Reardon, agent; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lex- in7ton, '.Mass.", Scale: 1" = 3010", dated Dec. 13, 19612 Donald J. Peardon, Surveyor. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: that the Lexi.n.7ton Planning Board determines that the plans accompanvina Form A applica- tions #61-76 and #61-77 do not require annroval under the Subdivision Control Law, and that said plans be so endorsed. ' The twenty -day appeal period having; expired and no anneal havinc been taken, the Board endorsed the "Tillinghast 'states" definitive subdivision plan wrich had been annroved by the Bo^rd on 7ovem- ber 27, 1961. TTLLI7GFAST ESTATES 12-18-<,l Read to the Board was a letter, dated LONGFELLOW December 1", 1061, from James F. Farmer request - ESTATES ing that the time within which the Board should SFC. 2 act on his aonlication for approval of Longfellow Estates Section Two subdivision olan be extended FARMER further to and i.ncludina January 2, 1961 to allow additional time for arrangement of a performance guarantee. Ur on motion being duly made, and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: that nu.rsuant to the written request from the anniicant the time of annroval of the definitive subdivision plan entitled "Long- fellow Estates Section Two Lexinr7ton, Mass.", and dated Jan. 1961, be and hereby is further extended to and including Janu- ary 2, 1061. Also read to the Board was a letter, dated ROADSTDE December 12, 1061, from the chairman of the Board STArTDS of Selectmen, said letter beinrs accompanied. by the Building Inspector's report in regard to road- side stands. It was noted th?t this report supple- mented the Buildinn Insnector's letter of ',?ovember 15 to the Selectmen recommend1n7 the adontion of a policy for the enforcement of the Zoning Bz,*-law in regard to the sale of produce at these stands. (See minutes of Planning, Board meeting of November 20, 1061.) Mr. Snow was asked to prepare for the Plan- ni.ng Board's consideration a report to the Board of Selectmen In regard to the problems the Build- ing Insnector raised. The attention of tie Board was called to a SHADE STREET cony of an Exercise of Option instrument which had OPTION been executed b,T the Board of Selectmen on Tecember 'rXh",CISED 11, 1061 with referencetto obtaining rights for the nvroose of otzblic travel in a stria of land on Shade Street. (See minutes of Plann4n7 7oard meet- ing of December 19, 1061.) From 8:00 to 9:10 n.m. Mr, C. T. Morris of ITEK Itek Cornoration anal. "4r. Raymond A. Bowers of the REZO7TrG firm of Fulmer R- Bowers, architects of Princeton, PrO"OSAL N.J. came to the meeting for the nurnose of dis- cussing Ite1-'s nronosal for rezoning for a special commercial district land bounded by State Routes 2 and 128, Snri.ng Street and the Lexi.nrrton-Waltham line. (See minutes of November 20, 1061 Planning Board meeting.) Mr. Bowers exhibited a drawing of the land -C- 1 1 1 L-1°-61 -3- it was cesired to have rezoned and of a small por- ' tion of the Clevite Corporation narking area located adjacent thereto. He nointed out where it was nro- nosed to construct a road from said nark -ng area to the access road to the area nronosed for rezoning. Mr. mowers also exhibited a three-dimensional model of the area showing the existing tonography, nronosed lotting, two buildi.ng.s and terraced narking spaces for a recommended development for Countrywide Offices, Inc. and an access ro c to Snrinm Street - all nart of a nronosed comnlex comnrisinfr, a special commercial dis- trict. 1°1r. Morris showed on the model the location of the 18 acres of land the Itek Cornoration had under optinn to nurchase, 5 acres of which he stated said ecrnoration wished to develon and 13 acres of which would be for another firm. Mr. Bowers pointed out how the overall develonment of the comnlex would be located on the westerl- slope of 'Fuller's Hill at the ton of w,_ch would be a screen nlantinT to separate the devel- onment from the residential section (along Srrin?* Street) on the onnosite side of the hill so that ner- sons driving; along Concord Avenue would see only said resident'al section and persons travelinq Route 12F would see only the nronosed commercial section. Most of the discussion about the proposed dis- trict centered around the access to it. Mr. Morris said that the second means of access the Board was seekin7 could eitrer be a private way or one dedicated to public use, teat either one world be acceptable to Itek. Fe said that he believed any access problem could be solved if ever1rone, including the Clevite Cor- noreti.on, came to an agreement on the solution. PTr. Morris was informed that the solution he was offering indicated a dead-end street about 1300 feet in length instead of the maximum of 500 feet which Lexinrrton's subdivision rules and r.eFr.ulations required. He was also told that the Board understood he was ^oing to present a solution snowing; two defi- nite means of access, both of which could be accented ways and not one which could be used only in an emer- r;ency. Mr. Morris stated that he thought that the Board was seeking only a second access which would not ordinarily be used but one which would be used as an emergency exit only, He stated further that If the Board was seeking two means of access onto a public way from any point within the tract of land Itek had unser option then It was his judgment that the only way these could be nrovi.ded would be to connect to ' the Clevite land which .,n turn would connect with a public way. -3- 12-18-')1 A number of road patterns and r>ossible loca- tions for a recognized second means of access onto Spring Street were discussed. It was pointed out that it was the Board's wish to create an access solution and suPfieient site control without destroy- ing the topographical features and other values of the area involved. Mr. Morris surrested that there might not be a compromise solution to the -problem. Fre said that there was one very simple solution - that of not develonins* the land either residentially or commercially. If this were the Town's wish, he said itek would look for another site. Mr. ""orris com- mented that he thought the land had a very good po- tential revenue for the Town and that for the good of the community it ought to develop this and all other land so that it generated the maximum tax revenue. Mr. Snow asked bow it was pronosed to develop the five -acre site for the Itek Cornoration building shown on the rreliminary site plan which Fulmer and Bowers had prepared. Fre nbinted out,trat in its re- norts in regard to nrevioua solutions for the devel- opment of the site the Planning Board had expressed Its concern about destroying the values referred to above. Mr. Bowers said that the corporation head- ' quarters building would be located somewhat as shown, a parking lot located on a lower level and a `tlevela- tor" used to connect the two elements. Mr. Morris said that there were man-�T solutions to the problem and that the site presented no problem that the Itek Corporation had not encountered nreviousltr and solved. Mr. Morris added that when a subdivision -plan such as was being submitted net the Planning* Board require- ments and was nut into effect, the Board as a body of nlanning officials crossed its fingers and honed that the integrity of the neonle involved would develop somethi.n7 of which all concerned could be proud. Mr. Soule stated that the Board would take the wrole matter under consideration pointing out that it needed a great deal of studv. Thereunon Messrs. Bowers and Morris left the material they had submitted for further consideration. Mr. Gordon Steele, Chairman of the School SCHOOL Sites Committee, next met with_ the Board to discuss SITES the location of five sites which the Committee be- COMM?TTFE lieved would take care of future school needs. Fre stated, that elementary schools were needed in the Meaghery lle area on land larf;el7r owned by the Town, ' in the vici_ni_ty of the nronosed '+lorthen-T-4arrett goad intersection, easterly of Laconia Street, and below Follen Hill where the "paper street" section of More- land Avenue was located. He said that the latter site mi_Fb t oossibly serve as a junior hi_rx± school site as mi FTht the area in tre vicinity of the Manle Street- T'merson Road intersection. He asked that the Roard review these recommended sites and inform the Committee of its oninion of them. Mr. Steele stated that the Committee's main con- cern was the procedure to be followed in acquiring the sites, the de7ree to which the Planning Board could assist the Committee in acqui.r.ing these sites and in obtaining* options, and whose duty it was to do this work. Mr. Steel was advised that it was the Committee's function to maze recommendations as to sites for schools and_ to obtain ontions on land it recommends be acquired. Mr. Soule sv"7ested that members of the Committee find out who owned the land wi^i.ch it was recommended be ac- quired, hire someone to determine how mutt the sites were worth, and insert articles in the warrant for action b� the Town T'eeting. Mr. Steele left the meeting at 9:40 n.?n. Mr. Snow presented the draft of a letter which he ' had prepared for the Board's consideration, said letter beincr addressed to tre Hartwell Lexington Trust in re- gard to entrances to the 7vstem Development Corporation lot on ?7artwel_1 !venue, The Board approved the letter which the CY-ai_rman signed, (See addendum.) liven to the Board were conies of r.1r. Renry ?^l, ITardt*'s letter of December 15 to the Plannin7 Director and the attached outline of nossi_ble provisions for C 3, CN -1, and CM -1 districts in Lexin7to.n. Members of the ''oard a7,reed to review the material .^.nd to in- form Tir. . Snow o f their comments In regard to the same so that he mi^ht confer with Mr. Hardy for the nurnose of expandinc^ the outline into a text. HA" T TA E'LL LEXPTGTO7, mpi?ST 14 1-C 3 DISTpICT "FZOT?TTTG PR0P0SAL liven to the Board were conies of a letter, dated. December 1, 1061, from Chief Engineer McCarthy WORTHEN of the Mass. Dent. of Public 'corks to the Chairman of ROAD the Board of Selectmen in reFrard to provisions for the construction of Wortren Woad and its connection to Rte. 2. (See addendum.) P?r. Snow informed. the 'hoard that It was his understanding that Mr. Lester R.L.Olson of said denartment world meet informally with the members of the }oard of Selectmen and "lanninC Board to discuss the matter further, bri_nrI ng with him all his studies of the Route 2 relocation and wieeni_n7 and its connec- Arli_nrton town line to "oute 128. tions from the 12-1°--61 Read to the Board were notices of heti-tions BOARD OF to be heard by the Board of Anneals on January o, , APPEALS 1462. It was eecided that at this time no act on would tae taken on the netitions to be heard. The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m. TP-b�ertF. Meyer, Clerk ADDF7DTTM December 13, 1961 Hartwell Lexington Trust, c/o Cabot, Cabot R- Forbes Assoc., Inc. 60 State Street Boston, Mass. Gentlemen: Some time dur.n,7 the second week of October there was ' left in this office a set of clans for the System De- velonment Cornorati.on buildi.n7 on Hartwell Avenue. It was noted that Lexington Planning Board annroval was desired for the entrance onto Hartwell Avenue and the driveways sl -own on the site plan of said set of plans. So that no delay might be encountered in the construc- tion of the nronosed laboratory and office buildinrr a build_i_n�, nermi-t was issued at the sugnestion of Mr. Snow, Lex_nnton's Planning Director. Since that time, however, no formal request has been made by renresent- ati.ves of Cabot, Cabot 8- Forbes for an-oroval of drive- way entrances to Hartwell Avenue. In order to close its files in this case there is attached herewith a plan entitles "An-oroved Driveway Entrances to System Development Cornoration Lexinnton, Mass.", and dated December 18, 1961. This elan shows two entrance locations whish the Plannin? Board has annroved. The Board would rather limit the number of driveway entrances to one in a lot of this size. In no case will they arnrove the three entrances shown on your site nlan, dated October 1�, 1961. `'ou will note that the northeasterl-v entrance has been changed from a lis to a 90 denree an^,le to facilitate use of the left-hand turn when the nronosed Route 12P interchange ' is built north of 'Tool Street and also to facilitate left-hand turnin^- when the nronosed wideninf* of Hart- 12-18-61 -7- ' well Avenue takes place. TTnless we hear from you to the contrary we will assume that the attached elan meets with your arnroval. `Fours very truly, I,ITTGTOTT PLA-- BOARD me . cc: Buildinm Inspector Isl Richard F. Soule, Chairman December 1,1961 7-vth l'°ore7'r, Chairman Ioard of Selectmen Lexin-ton, Massachusetts Lear Mrs. Morelr: ' Your letter of 'Tovember 13, 1061, referring to subjects di.scussed at the meetln� for nroposed Worthen Road, which was held in this office on October 31, 1061, has been re- viewed. It is verified that the Department will agree to the following-rovislons regarding^ the construction of Worthen Foac and i_ts connection to Route 2, if the Town of Lexing- ton would officially accent these conditions: 1. A grade ser oration with suitable ramps to Route 2 would be constructed at a location between Wellington Lane -ne Blossom Street, the exact location to be determined after further studies are completed. 2. 'ralthm Street would be retained in its present loc^.tion with bridges built at Route 2 bg the De- partment, but the ramps to Foute 2 would be eliminated. 3. The Federal Aid Secondery System on Piassachusetts Avenue, Pleasant, ';TatertoT�m and '!altham Streets will be revised and a new route requested on the location of rronosed ;.lorthen Pose 4. `.Torthen Road from Farrett Road to Foute 2 will either be constructed bg the Town or Included in future Chanter 90 ' programs. If it is built under the Chapter 90 program, the Department would consider rrovidinlr* the engineering work for this section if requested by the Town. Tn the 12-1"-61 _P_ event the construction of this highway precedes the re- ' construction of Porte 2, the Denartment will nermit a temporar7T access at grade to Route 2 at a point to be selected after comnleti_on of further enr^ineerin studies. 5. The nrorosed interchange faith Poute ?, i_ncluding ramps, will be constructed by the Denartment along_; with the re- construction of Route 2 at no expense to the Town 6. The remaining section of `orthen Poae fro, Route 2 to Waltham Street at the 1-Taltram Citsr Line will be con- structed by the Denartment with State Hands. The Depart- ment will provide all the enFineerI ng work necessary in - clueing la-vout plans. These la�*out clans when completed by the Department will be filed by the Town of Lexinmton and all land damages will be assumed by the Town. As the engineering for the reconstruction of Porte 2 -is now being formulated, it i_s requested that if the conditions set forth in this letter are acceptable to the Town that an official approval by the Board of Selectmen be srbmitted to this Denartment. Conferences will then be held between the engineers of the Town and envineers of this Denartment to determine tre exact location of 14orthen Road. Very truly yours, ' Isl F. J. McCarth7 Chief Engineer 1