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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1963-01-14PLANNING BOARD MEETING January 14, 1963 On Monday, January 141 1963 at 9:40 D.m. the Lexington Planning Board held a regular meet- ing in its office in the Town Office Building. Present were Chairman Grindle, members Campbell, Mabee and Meyer, and Mr. Snow, Planning Director. Considered first and approved by the Board were the minutes of its meeting of Dec. 27, 1962. Read to the Board was a letter, dated Jan- uary 10, 1963, wirtten by Mr. Stephen T. Russian, attorney for Antonio Busa, requesting another ex- tension of time within which the Board must act upon the application of Mr. Busa for approval of the Green Valle7,Section 7 definitive subdivision plan. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: that pursuant to the written request of the ' applicant the time within which the Lexing- ton Planning Board must act on the applica- tion for approval of the definitive subdivi- sion entitled 'Green Valley Section Seven Lexington, Mass.", dated July 6, 1962, be and hereby is further extended to and in- cluding February 18, 1963. With further reference to the above-named subdivision and the nronosed sale of tax title lots on Circle Road to the Busa Realty Trust (see min- utes of Planning; Board meeting of November 20, 1961), Mr. Snow reported that Mr. Stevens had in- formed him that there now had been obtained from the Land Court certificates of title for lots 191 to 196 inclusive, 200 to 205 inclusive, 236 to 238 inclu- sive and 242 to 246 inclusive as shown on L. C. Plan 6807 but that certificates.of title for lots 239 to 241 inclusive could not be obtained by the Town at this time for the reason that notices of foreclosure had only been filed in the Registry of Deeds and not In the Land Court. Mr. Snow said he understood that In view of the Town not being able to sell all tax title lots on Circle '3oad to the trust ^fir. Stevens ' would confer further with the trust's attorney about acquiring lots 239, 240 and 241 and about entering into an agreement to sell the trust the lots to TAX TITLE LOTS CIRCLE ROAD 1-14-63 -2- which the town did have title on Circle Road upon I completion of the construction of this road to town specifications, In partial response to the Selectmen's STREET letter of January 3, Mr. Snow presented for the ACCEPTANCES Planning Board's consideration the draft of a letter to the Selectmen recommending that there be placed on the warrant for the 1963 annual town meeting for acceptance as town ways a list of streets which had been completed satisfactorily under the subdivision control law. The Board approved the draft and it was signed by the Chairman. (See addendum.) Considered also was a letter, dated December GLEN ESTATES 31, 1961, from the Wa7mint Realty Trust to the Planning Board stating that it was understood the WAYMINT required work in the Glen Estates subdivision had REALTY TRUST been completed satisfactorily and requesting that arrangements be made for the submission to the trust for execution a grant of utilities in the subdivi- sion. In connection with this request and one to Mr. John Carroll for a letter stating that said work has been completed satisfactorily, there was distri- buted to members of the Board conies of Mr. Carroll's reply of January 7 to the trust. In view of the ' situation set forth in Mr. Carroll's reply, a letter to the trust was drafted by the Planning Board. (See addendum.) From 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. members of the School SCHOOL Sites Committee, Mr. Gordon E. Steele, chairman, SITES, Mrs. Ruth Morey and Mr. Charles T. Abbott met with the Board to discuss two sites the committee was recommending the town acquire. Mr. Steele stated the Committee proposed to insert articles in the warrant for the 1963 annual town meeting for this purpose and asked for Planning Board support for these proposals. The first site comprised an area of about 20 to 25 acres for an elementary school, playground and other public purposes to be located southwest- erly of Reed Street in the southerly corner of the so-called Meagherville subdivision. Several sug- gestions were offered in regard to modifying the proposed boundaries of the site. Mr. Snow was asked to prepare a description of the boundaries he would recommend. Mr. Snow said he would discuss the matter with the Town Counsel. ' The second site consisted of about 16 acres of the rear portion of Judge Cotton's land situated 1-14-63 ' on Marrett Road. Mr. Steele said this and per- haps some of the adjacent lands of Ashley and Steeves was recommended as a junior high school site. The low, wet character of the latter lands were discussed as well as the relation of the over-all site to the nronosed location of the ex- tension of Worthen Road. 1 1 -3- At 9:00 p.m. Mr. Frederick J. Conroy, attor- ney for Mr. and Mrs. Ned S. Rasor of 80 Marrett Road came to the meeting wishing to discuss the possible acquisition by his clients of a parcel of town -owned land fronting on Follen Road and abutting the former Moulton land. The Board indicated that it was in- terested in acquiring a portion of the former Moulton land for public recreational purposes and suggested that Mr. Conroy arrange with Mr. Snow for an appoint- ment to discuss the matter further at another meeting of the Board. From 9:05 to 9:50 p.m. the following persons met with the Board to discuss the proposed rezoning of land in the vicinity of Spring Street for commer- cial uses: Messrs. Francis A. Gallagher., Michael J. Lynch, Philip Gallagher, Jr., and Robert C. Snod- grass, respectively, of 151, 153, 160 and 163 Spring Street; and Mr. Edwin M. Sadler, 3 Kensington Avenue, Woburn, representing Mrs. Florence Baldwin. Mr. Francis A. Gallacher acted as spokesman for the group which he said represented all 22 Lexington property owners In the Spring ."Itreet area south of Route 2. Mr. Gallagher said the property owners, in complete cooperation, had developed what they con- sidered to be a solution to the Spring Street zoning problem. He asked that the Board place an article in the warrant for the 1963 annual town meeting to re- zone all the land between Route 2, Route 128, the Jaltham city line and the general location of the Algonquin gas line. Mr. Gallagher said that if the Board would do so, the Roberts brothers and. Mr. Greene would not have separate articles placed in the warrant for the rezoning of their properties. Mr. Gallate er said that the group believed that if the Board only presented at the annual town meeting an article to rezone just the 33 acres of the Roberts brothers land the residential property owners would be left In a bad situation in regard to selling their residences or developing the remaining vacant land for residential use. He requested that the Board let the group know of its decision before the MOULTON LAND FOR RECREATION PURPOSES am SPRING ST. REZONM. G PROPOSAL 1-14-63 -4- end of the evening so that if the Board did not wish to ' include an article for the rezoning of land on both sides of Spring Street the group could make arrangements the following morning to obtain necessary signatures for. the placing_ of its own article In the warrant and the holding of a public hearing. The group was shown overlay sketch plans which PROPOSED the Board had been studying and discussing earlier ROUTE 2- during its meeting. One plan showed how the south - SPRING ST. easterly quadrant of the proposed Route 2 -Spring; Street INTERCHANGE interchange could be designed in a manner satisfactory to the Five Fields residential area and the Planning Board to provide for a road connection from Spring Street to ?Route 2 and Concord Avenue. A second plan showed how the above scheme would allow the establish- ment of four 5 -acre lots on the easterly side of Spring Street each having 300 feet of frontage, would avoid cutting through the juniper hillside for a Concord Avenue connection, and would preserve as a permanent open space and as a buffer the hillside, fields and swamp land between these four lots and the Five Fields resi- dential area. After the group left the meeting, the Board gave further consideration to over-all Spring Street ' land use problems. Tt was the concensus of the mem- bers present that the Board would: (1) place an article in the warrant for the annual town meeting to see if the Town will rezone from residential use to a com- mercial district all the land between the Waltham city line, Route 128, Route 2 and a line easterly of the proposed relocation of Snring Street bo provide a row of five -acre lots fronting on the easterly side of this street; (2) place another article on the warrant to see if the Town would first acquire as a permanent open space and buffer strip the land between the pro- posed commercial district and the Five Fields residen- tial area; and (3) seek a favorable decision from the Massachusetts Department of Public Works for a ramp from Spring Street directly to Route 2 in the south- easterly quadrant of the proposed Route 2 -Spring Street interchange so as to eliminate the use of Con- cord Avenue as hart of the interchange. In making the decision to place a rezoning article on the warrant it was understood that this action in no way committed the Board to support the article at the town meeting. It was the consensus that any recommendation in regard to this article would depend upon wr ether or not, (1) a ramp onto !route 2 is ' obtained; (2) land for a buffer strip is acquired, and 1-14-63 -5- (3) the juniper hill is preserved, in that order. ' Mr. Trindle telephoned Mr. Francis Gallagher informing him of the Board's decision to place the rezoning article on the warrant with the understand- ing that in doing so the Board was in no wad* commit- ting itself to support the article. The attention of the Board was next called to two petitions for public hearings filed during the day by Merk Moore, Jr. Both petitions were certified by the Town Clerk as having the signatures of over 100 voters registered in Lexington. Both -petitions were concerned with amendments to the zoning by-law; one to add a lot at the northerly corner of Bedford Street and Larchmont Lane to an adjacent local busi- ness district, the second to allow mrden apartment buildIn gs in local business districts. Mr. Snow reported that Mr. Moore had requested an appointment W tr the Board to discuss the neti- tions. An annointment was arranged for 9:30 p.m. on January 21 when the Board would hold its next formal meeting. ' An informal work session for the Board was scheduled for Saturday, January 19 at 10:00 a.m, in the Board's office. The Board adjourned its meeting at 10:45 n.m. i Thomas S. GrIndle, Chairman ADDENDUM January 14, 1963 Board of Selectmen Town Office Building Lexington 73, Mass. Re: Street Acceptances Gentlemen: In response to your letter of January 3, 1953, the Planning ' Board recommends that the followin7 streets be placed on the warrant for the 1963 annual town meeting for acceptance. The work on these streets under the subdivision control law has 1-14-63 M been accepted by the Sunt, of Public Works, grants of easements and utilities therein have been obtained, and I performance guarantees have been released. Street Plan of Brown Road All Lillian Road Green Valley, Sec. 6 Roosevelt Road Marrett Gardens, Sec. 2 Oxbow Road Battle Green Village, See. 3 Constitution Road Battle Green Village, See. 3 Freemont Street Battle Green Villane, Sec. 3 Baskin Road Loring_; Hill Estates, Sec. 4 Jeffrey Terrace All Burroughs Road Burnham Farms, Sec. 5 Alcott Road Burnham Farms, Sec. 5 Bowser Road Bowser Saddle Club Estates Todd Road Bowser Saddle Club Estates Saddle Club Road Bowser Saddle Club Estates Fulton Road Oak Hill Estates,Sec. 2 Dougles Road Oak Hill Estates, Sec. 2 Cooke Road Oak Hill estates, Sec. 2 S-ncerely yours, LEKINGTON PLANV_rtTG BOARD Is/ Thomas S. Grirdle, Chairman January 15, 1063 Mr. Richard G. Mintz Waymint Realty Trust Rm. 400, 50 Federal Street Boston 10, Massachusetts Re: Glen Estates Subdivision Dear Mr. Mintz: In rer_ly to your letter of December 31, 1962, the 'Planning Board requested informally from Lextnerton's Superintendent of Public Works a letter stating that the required work in the Glen Estates subdivision had been completed to his satisfaction. What was received was a con -7 of a letter, dated January 7, addressed to the Trust with reference to the work and conditions in the subdivision. In view of the situation set forth in Mr.. Carroll's letter, the Plan- ning Board does not plan at this time to arrange for the submission to you for execution a grant of utilities in the subdivision. The Board will be pleased to do so, how- ever, as soon as notification is received from Mr.Carroll that the required work in the subdivision has been completed to his satisfaction. Yours very truly, ' LEXINGTON PLATTNING BOARD Isl Thomas S. Gri.ndle, Chairman cc: Mr.Esrold E. Stevens Mr. John J. Carroll