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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1963-08-12PLANNING BOARD MEETING ' August 12, 1963 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was held in its office in the Town Office Building on Monday, August 12, 1963 at 8:00 p.m. Present were Chairman Mabee, members Bryson, Campbell, Greeley, and Meyer, and Mr. Snow, planning consultant. From 8:00 to 8:20 p.m. Mr. Stephen T. Russian met with the Board. He informed the Board that he and Messrs. Donald K. Irwin and Norman T. May owned the property numbered 24-26 Muzzey Street. Mr. Russian noted that this property was in a residential district but also within the area recommended by the Board as part of an expanded central business district. He asked if the Planning Board intended to recommend to a town meeting in the near future that this area be rezoned for general business use. Mr. Russian pointed out the reason for asking the question, namely, that he and his law partner, Mr. May, were in need of larger offices, that the lease on their present office space expired in February or March, and that they wished to move into expanded quarters at 24- 26 Muzzey Street. RUSSIAN MEAGHERVILLE SCHOOL SITE PINE MEADOWS COUNTRY CLUB Mr. Russian was informed that the Board did not plan to make such a recommendation until arrangements could be made first to acquire the land needed.for a larger municipal parking area between Waltham and Muzzey Streets. Thereupon, Mr. Russian said the owners of 24-26 Muzzey Street proposed to petition the Board of Appeals for a variance to use said property for office use. He said if the variance were granted, the owners would enter into an agreement to grant to the town a good portion of the rear land of said property for municipal parking purposes. He asked if the Planning Board would be inclined to support such a variance. The matter was taken under advisement. Mr. Charles T. Abbott of the Lexington School Sites Com- mittee met with the Board from b:20 to 8:35 p.m. to discuss the committee's recommendations in regard to the proposed Meagher- ville school site and recommendation. Mr. Abbott presented a print of a plan entitled "Plan of Proposed Elementary School Site Garfield St. Lexington, Mass.", dated August 8, 1963, and pre- pared by Charles H. Cole II for the Committee. He pointed out on the plan a proposed school site of about 17-3/4 acres, marked as "Lot A," and a second area of about 25 acres, marked "Lot B," for use as a town recreation reserve. Mr. Abbott said that the com- mittee was in favor of making "Lot B" available for lease as additional golf course land but was not in favor of selling it for such a purpose. The Board thanked Mr. Abbott for the com- mittee's recommendation which was taken under advisement. ' In preparation for a meeting which the Board of Select- men had requested later on in the evening, the Planning Board RUSSIAN MEAGHERVILLE SCHOOL SITE PINE MEADOWS COUNTRY CLUB 8-12-63 aiscussed three matters and took the following positions in regard to the same. 1. In regard to roadside stands which the Board of Appeals ROADSIDE wished to discuss jointly with the Planning Board and Board STANDS of Selectmen, it was the concensus that tihe administration df the zoning by-law having to do with stands was a matter of interpretation, and that of special concern was the pro- vision of adequate automobile parking, the limitation of the number and size of signs, and the sale by the owners of the stands of predominantly home-grown products. 2. In regard to Mr. Kenneth P. Kelly's request to purchase TAX TITLE LOTS from the Town lots20and 21, Block 16, in the so-called Meagherville subdivision, it was decided to reaffirm the EARL STREET - Board's recommendation made at its meeting on July 15, 1963 KELLY and to show the Board of Selectmen the aerial photographs and maps of the Board of Assessors upon which the Planning Board's recommendation was based. 3. In regard to Mr. Eugene F.-Delfino's request set forth in REED STREET letters dated September 25, 1961 and July 173 1963s to the Board of Selectmen to purchase from the Town lots 77 DELFINO and 78, Block D, on Reed Street, it was decided to recom- mend that said lots be sold to Mr. Delfino subject, for a period of 99 years from the date of sale to Mr. Delfino, to the restriction that, for purposes of building, all of lots 77 to 80, inclusive, Block D, are to be combined to- gether to form one lot and that no more than one dwelling, together with customary accessory buildings, shall be erected or placed on the combined lot. (From 9:30 f,0 10:10 p.m. the Planning Board met with the Board of Selectmen to discuss the above-mentioned matters. See minutes of the Board of Selectmen's meeting of August 12, 1963 for a record of the joint conference which was held.) MINUTES The Planning Board considered and approved the minutes of its meetings of July 1, 8, and 15, 1963, The Board approved for payment the following bills BILLS which had been submitted: Royal McBee Corp., electric type- writer less trade-in for old manual typewriter --$358.10; Samuel P. Snow, ,professional services, July 15 through August 9, 1963--$120.00; Samuel P. Snow, .reimbursement for car mileage for official planning board work, June 17 through August 9, 1963--$25.50; A. T. Johnson Co., drafting supplies - $5.31. As a project separate from regular services commis- sioned by a letter, dated June 12, 1963 (see minutes of Plan- ning Board meeting of June 8, 1963), the Board voted to -2.- 1 11 F 8-12-63 -3- authorize Mr. Snow to make the necessary arrangements to have the ' latest revision of the Lexington Zoning By-law reprinted and to prepare for reproduction a zoning map to be printed at the same time in accordance with his verbal agreement to do this work for $180.00. Considered next were the following Form A applications for determination of Planning Board jurisdiction: #63-51, submitted August 5, 1963 by T & N Realty Trust; plan entitled "A Subdivision of Land Court Case No.27677 Land in Lexington, Mass.", Scale: 1" = 40', dated April 22, 1963, Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors. #63-52, submitted August 9, 1963 by Norman T. May for First Congregational Society; plan entitled "A Compiled Plan of Land Lexington, Mass.", Scale: 1" = 401, dated July 25, 1963, Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors. #63-53, submitted August 9, 1963 by Spring Street Trust; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", Scale: 1"-= 401, dated April 27, 19633 Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors. It is rioted that the plan accompanying application #63-52 was not complete. It was decided, therefore to defer action on said application. Mr. Snow was asked to confer with the person who prepared the plan having him make the corrections and additions necessary before the next meeting of the Board. Thereupon, it was moved, seconded and unanimously VOTED: that the Lexington Planning Board d etermines that the plans accompanying Form A applications #63-51 and #63-53 do not require approval under the Subdivision Control Law, and that said plans be so endorsed. Read to the Board was a letter, dated August 2, 1963, from Mr. John J. Carroll, Lexington Superintendent of Public Works, advising the Planning Board that the required work in the Adams Estates, Section Two subdivision had been completed to his satisfaction. (See addendum.) Mr. Snow said that he had examined the files and conferred with the Town Counsel in regard to this case, and that all matters appeared to be in order for the Board to release the certified check being held as security to complete the required work in this subdivision. Thereupon, it was moved, seconded, and unanimously VOTED: to release as security for the performance of the agre- ment of John W. Castoldi, Inc., dated September 27, 1960, ' in reference to the subdivision entitled "Adams Estates Section Two Lexington, Mass." the certified check, dated September 28, 1960, drawn by said corporation on the FORMS A ADAMS ESTATES SEC. 2 CASTOLDI d-12-63 Newton Waltham Bank & Trust Co. and payable to the Town, , of Lexington. There was exhibited to the Board various letters and ADAMS ESTATES instruments in connection with Mr. John W. Castoldi's verbal SEC. 3 request that the Board release from the covenant executed by the subdivider in connection with the Adams Estates Section Three CASTOLDI subdivision all the lots therein and to accept in substitution, therefor an agreement and a performance bond secured by a deposit. All matters appearing to be in order, it was moved, seconded, and unanimously VOTED: that the Lexington Planning Board release all the lots shown on the subdivision plan entitled "Adams Estates Section Three Lexington, Mass.", dated December 203 1961, from the provisions as to sale and building specified in the covenant executed by John W. Castoldi, Inc., dated October 29, 1962) in return for an agree- ment, dated August 8, 1963, to complete the work in said subdivision and a bond secured by a deposit of $10,000 by John W. Castoldi in the form of savings bank book No. A14315 of Newton Waltham Bank and Trust company. Considered next were the notices of petitions to be heard BOARD OF by the Board of Appeals on August 20. The Board decided to APPEALS take no action on the petitions to be heard having acted pre- ' viously on the only two petitions in which it had an interest, namely, Emerson Gardens Realty Corp. and Niles, Inc. (See minutes of Planning Board meetings of July 15 and 29, 1963.) The Board's attention was called to the fact that it CONSERVATION had overlooked acknowledging receipt of Mr. Stephen F. Ells' COMMITTEE letter of July 2, 1963 in regard to conservation commissions and the Board's interest in them. From notes dictated by the Board Mr. Snow was asked to draft for the Chairman's signa- ture a letter to Mr. Ells. (See addendum.) Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to go EXECUTIVE into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing, deliber- SESSION ating, or voting on a matter, which, if made public, might ad- versely affect the public security, the financial interest of the Town, or the reputation of any person. After due consideration of various applications and possible candidates for the position of Senior Planner, the Board coted to adjourn its meeting, the time being 11:15 p -m. Prior to adjourning, the Board decided to hold its next meeting on August 26, 1963. Joseph A. Campbell Clerk 1 D :J 8-12-63 ADDENDUM Planning Board Town Office Building Lexington 73, Massachusetts Re: Adams Estates, Section Two' Gentlemen: Reference is made to my letter to you advised that the work of spreading the division has now been completed. -5- August 2, 1963 of June 22, 1960. Please be loam on the lots in the sub - At the present time the work in the entire subdivision has been com- pleted to my satisfaction. JJC/ccd cc: John W. Castoldi Mr. Stephen F. Ells 110 Shade Street Lexington, Mass. Dear Mr. Ells: Very truly yours, /s/ John J. Carroll Supt. of Public Works & Town Engineer August 15, 1963 The Planning Board has asked me to extend to you its apologies for overlooking responding before this to your fine letter of July 2 to the Board in regard to conservation commissions and problems relating thereto in Lexington, and for not in brming you of the Board's action in regard to the matters involved. Copies of the material you left with the Board on July 1 were dis- tributed to those members who were absent on that date, copies of your letter were made for all members of the Board, and at the Board's meeting on July 15 when all members were present a thorough discussion of the problems involved was held. As a result of this discussion action was taken as noted in the enclosed copy of a letter, dated July 26, 1963, to the Board of Selectmen. In regard to the last sentence in the second paragraph of the letter to the Selectmen, the Planning Board supports the principle of either elim- inating or raising the limitations on the use of funds for acquisi- tion of land, easements, etc. for open spaces and also supports the idea of increasing the amount of funds contributed by the State for such purposes. In regard to providing recreation and open space in subdivisions, a matter you discussed in your letter, the Board has had before it over the years very few subdivisions of sufficient size to justify setting aside any land therein for recreational or open space use. On the whole, even in small subdivisions, subdividers have been 8-12-63 -5- most helpful in granting to the town small parcels to be added to ' existing town -owned land being assembled for recreational use. In practically all instances this land is for the benefit to all Lexing- ton residents and not just those in an adjacent subdivision. For this reason it is questionable as to whether or not recreational land should be paid for by those who purchase lots in subdivisions di- rectly adjacent thereto. Sincerely, /s/ Samuel P. Snow Planning Consultant D