HomeMy WebLinkAbout1961-12-31ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD
I
December 31, 1961
To the Citizens of Lexington:
The physical growth of Lexington continues at a steady pace.
On the average of once every two weeks a preliminary or a
definitive subdivision plan is submitted to the Planning
Board for approval. New subdivisions approved by the Board
during 1961 added 169 lots for single family residential use
and a total of 17,646 linear feet of roadway to the town's
street system. In addition 32 lots for single family resi-
dential use were created on existing ways. The 201 lots
created represent a ten percent increase over those added to
the town last year. Site and building plans were also
approved for the garden apartment districts situated on Wal-
tham and Maple Streets. In the first Instance a total of 08
apartments are scheduled to be constructed; in the second
case, 136 apartments. In summary, provision for 435 dwell-
ing units in Lexington were made by the Planning Board in
1961.
During the past year also the following parcels of land
were acquired by the Town for the location of future streets
or for playground and recreational purposes.
1. A parcel of land about 2.1t8 acres in area, abutting the
town -owned land on Whipple Hill,the parcel --representing
the highest point on Whipple Hill --to be added to and
become part of the so-called Whipple Hill recreational
area.
2. A parcel of land, eight acres in area, abutting the Harring-
ton School, the parcel to be used for playground and recrea-
tional purposes.
3.
Lot 15, Block 13 in the Meagherville subdivision, so-called,
the lot measuring 25 feet by 100 feet to be added to other
town -owned land for future playground and recreational use.
4.
Lot B, Middleby Road, containing 1.15 acres, to be added to
town -owned land to provide a means of access from said land
to be used for playground and recreational purposes.
5.
An exchange of 7 parcels comprising about 8.29 acres of
land between the town of Lexington and the Hayden Recreation
Centre, Inc., part of said land having been previously
granted to the Centre by the Town. The exchange provided
for a location for a portion of Worthen Road, a relocation
'
of a portion of Lincoln Street, and an access between the
central playground land and that of the town -owned land
Annual Report
-2-
presently used as a dump. The exchange also locates and con- '
solidates the Hayden Centre land on one side of Worthen Road
and central playground land on the other. In the exchange the
Centre conveyed to the town about 5.52 acres of land for 2.77
acres received from Lexington.
Summarizing the above information, Lexington acquired during
1961 approximately 18.35 acres of additional land for street,
playground and recreational *purposes.
In addition to these acquisitions there was granted to the
town easements for public travel and other purposes in two
parcels of land situated on Eldred Street. These easements
were obtained for a future street to be located between Grove
and Redford Streets.
The Planning Board held seven public hearings during 1961 on
proposed amendments to the Lexington Zoning By-law. Of these
amendments, the following were acted upon favorably at the
Annual Town Meeting:
1. At the request of the Board of Appeals it was voted under
Article 48 to amend Section 14 of the Zoning By-law to in-
crease the number of associate members of the Board from
five to six. '
2. Upon recommendation of the Planning Board it was voted
under Article 49 to modify the Waltham Street garden apart-
ment district by limiting said district to the southwest-
erly side of Worthen Road.
3. Upon recommendation of the Planning Board also it was
voted under Article 51 to amend Section 8 (g) of the Zon-
ing B7 -law by increasing the minimum narking requirements
in local business districts in order to correct in Dart
the present critical situation in these districts.
At the Special Town.Meeting held in November the following
amendments to the Zoning By-law were also acted upon favorably:
1.Upon recommendation of the Planning Board it was voted
under Article 11 to add to Lexington's special commercial
district by rezoning from single family residential use
about 43 acres of land situated on the southwesterly side
of Marrett Road and the northwesterly side of State Route
128.
2. At the suggestion of the Building Inspector it was voted
under Article 12 to permit the construction of underground
fallout or blast shelters within required yard areas as I
set forth in Section 8 (g) of said by-law.
Annual Retort -1961 -3-
The major project the Planning Board has been concerned with
during this past year has been that of preparing a develop-
ment and rezoning plan for a large portion of the area from
Eoute 128 to the Bedford town line and from a line northeast-
erly of Wood. Street and Bates 'Road to Bedford Street. A pre-
11minary subdivision plan for this area has been designed
using standards formulated in the Board's zoning study of the
area. A cost and revenue analysis based on this study has
been made. From a text prepared by the Planning Board, legal
counsel is revising a draft of a proposed revision to Lexing-
ton's zoning by-law. If adopted, the Board believes the amend-
ment will constitute an important step forward in improving
this town's economic base. As soon as the proposed amendment
is ready in its entirety the Board plans to publish it and
hold public meetings to discuss it.
One matter of great concern to the Board is that of its work
load. For years the administrative and planning activities
of the Board have been increasing in greater volume than it
has been possible to manage. These are two categories of
work to be undertaken requiring two full time positions in
addition to secretarial a nd drafting assistance. A planning
directors for instance, if he is to be in fact directing the
planning of this town, cannot be doing so if he has to act
also as an executive clerk or secretary, draftsman, and/or
administrator. To help relieve this situation the Planning
Board asked last year for funds to provide for a full-time
secretary for the Board and a full-time planning assistant.
The Board's request for full-time secretarial assistance was
granted. In eight months much has been done to relieve the
back -log of clerical work and keep current work up-to-date.
In this regard the Board is very pleased with the sitvat_on.
However, the Planning Board's request for a full-time nla.n-
ning assistant was not granted by the Appropriations Committee
and the Board of Selectmen for the reason that it was not de-
sired to create a new full-time position. Instead, the sum of
money requested for personal services for an assistant was
placed in the Planning Board's general expenses account for
hiring temporary help and consultants. The Board was unable
to find qualified personnel on a part-time temporary basis.
Funds for the employment of consultants (to do the work m ich
could be done by a regular assistant) only last several weeks
at the current professional consultant's rate. As a result
there could not be accomplished many of the projects with
which the Planning Board is confronted.
LEXINGTON PTANNING BOARD
� / /M"Wr,
�'•