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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1963-10-07PLANNING BOARD MEETING ' October 7, 1963 The Lexington Planning Board held a regular meeting in its office in the Town Office Building on Monday, October 7, 1963 at 8:00 p.m. Present were Chairman Mabee, members Bryson, Campbell, and Greeley, and Mr. Snow, planning consultant. Mr. Thomas A. Napoli of 73 Middle Street met with the Board for the purpose of exploring the possibility of rezoning his land, the former Scheibe property, numbered 376 Lincoln Street, and that of his mother, numbered 73 Middle Street, from residential use to farm use only. He said he was interested in having this done in order to reduce present assessment on said properties. It was pointed out to Mr. Napoli that if such a re- zoning proposal were feasible and did take place there would be no assurance that the Assessors would reduce the valuation of these lands by any substantial amount. Mr. Napoli was then asked if he would consider selling to the town the building rights in the lands he was interested in, it b being explained to him how this could be done under a town con- servation commission and how there could be then a substantial de- crease in the valuation of the properties involved. He said he ' did not want to do this for the reason he wanted to be able to change the zoning of the land back to residential use any time he no longer wanted to farm the land. It was pointed out to Mr. Napoli that this would be difficult to do. From 8:20 to 10:40 p.m. Mr. Henry W. Hardy of Needham and Town Counsel Legro met with the Board to serve as consultants in regard to the Board's proposed amendments to Lexington's zoning by-law. Three general proposals were discussed, a revision of uses in A 1 districts, a revision of a portion of Section 14 of said by-law involving roadside stands and the sale of Christmas trees and wreaths, and a complete revision of uses and regula- tions pertaining to business districts and uses. Mr. Hardy was informed either verbally or by drafts and outlines what the Board had in mind in regard to each of these matters. At the conclu- sion of the conference it was agreed that Mr. Hardy would meet again with the Board on October 14 and at that time have ready for consideration a preliminary draft of proposed amendments to the zoning by-law. From 10:40 to 11:05 Pim. Mr. John J. Carroll, Lexington Supt. of Public Works, met with the Board to exhibit and dis- cuss preliminary advance prints of the final design for the in- terchanges on State Route 2 in Lexington between Routes 128 and Watertown Street. The State Department of Public Works proposal to have a ramp between Route 2 and relocated Concord Avenue con- nect to the latter was considered unsatisfactory. It was decided to try to obtain a redesign of this intersection so that Spring REZONING PROPOSAL NAPOLI PROPOSED ZONING AMENDMENTS ROUTE 2 10-2-63 -2- Street connected directly to Route 2 going east by a ramp and Concord Avenue entered the ramp at right angles. Before proceed- ' ing with this matter further and considering again the proposal to rezone the land on the south-westerly side of Route 2 in the vicinity of Spring Street, Mr. Snow was asked to prepare for the Planning Board a revised map showing the proposed ramps and rights- of-way in relationship to existing property lines and topography. Considered next with Mr. Carroll was the letter, dated WORTHEN ROAD October 1, from the Board of Selectmen with reference to a bill - in the sum of $16,50..59 from The Vine Brook Realty Trust, this VINE BROOK being the amount as developer of the subdivision, Vine Brook REALTY TRUST Meadows Section Two, claims is due the trust as reimbursement for the cost of constructing Worthen Road and for municipal services in the road of a greater width or size than would be required to serve the subdivision alone. After due consideration and upon motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: The Lexington Planning Board recommends that the sum of sixteen thousand five hundred and four dollars and fifty- nine cents--($16,501.59)--be paid to the Vine Brook r Realty Trust as reimbursement for the cost.of_construct- ing Worthen Road, and for municipal services in said road of greater width and size than would be required to serve alone the subdivision entitled "Vine Brook Meadows Sec- ' tion Two Lexington, Mass.", dated June 12, 1960, said payment to be made upon completion to the satisfaction of the Lexington Superintendent of Public Works of the re- quired work to be done in Worthen Road as shown on said plan, and upon the granting to the town of Lexington of the utilities in said road as shown on the aforementioned plan. Mr. Snow was requested to draft for the chairman's sig- nature a letter to the Selectmen replying to theirs of October 1 and incorporating the above vote. (See addendum.) From 11:05 to 11:15 p.m. Mr. Robert H. Kingston of the LONG RANGE Appropriations Committee met with the Board to discuss the FINANCIAL conclusions the informal study committee had reached in regard PLANNING to the need of long-range financial planning in Lexington. (See COMMITTEE minutes of May 27, 1963.) He said it was the concensus that the responsible agencies involved - Appropriations and Capital Ex- penditures Committees and Planning Board insert an article in the Warrant for the next town meeting to see if the town would vote to create a long-range financial planning committee and appropriate funds --$3,500 to $5,000 --for the expenses of the com- mittee. Mr. Kingston said that such expenses would involve the preparation of a report, the hiring of clerical help, and en- ' gaging the services of a consultant. He said it was proposed that the consultant only organize the formal procedures under which the committee would work and advise it from time to time, the com- 10-7-52 -3- ' mittee itself doing all other work such as assembling data and preparing the report. In regard to the report itself Mr. Kingston said it was proposed to divide it into two sections, the first to be an arbitrary model predicting long-range financial needs based on present operating expenses, assessments and capital improvement estimates, the second section to set forth predictions based on various assumptions. The Board considered next a reply to a letter, dated October 1, from the Selectmen requesting that all articles to be inserted in the warrant for the special town meeting in November be sub- mitted to the Board of Selectmen on or before Monday, October 21. From notes dictated by the Board, Mr. Snow was asked to prepare for the chairman's signature, a reply to the Selectmen's letter. (See addendum.) Read to the Board were two letters it had received, one dated September 29 from William Roger Greeley, and a second PROPOSED dated September 30 and signed by Mr. and Mrs. James 0. Maxner GARDEN APART - and Mr. and Mrs. Reuben L. Seth in regard to the proposal to re- MENT DISTRICT zone the latter's land for garden apartment use. (See addenda; - see also Planning Board minutes of September 9 and 23, 1963.) LEXINGTON Attention was also called to a,letter, dated October 7, 1963, HOUSING from the Maxners and Seths accompanied by a petition certified AUTHORITY by the Town Clerk as being signed by 224 registered voters of ' Lexington requesting a public hearing in regard to the proposal to rezone said land for such use. The Board approved for payment a bill submitted by Samuel P. Snow in the sum of $280.00 for professional services to the BILL Board for the period September 23 through October 5, 1963. Considered next were the following Form A applications for determination of Planning Board jurisdiction: FORMES A ##63-62, submitted October 7, 1963 by Guy Franschelli; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington -Mass.", scale: 1" = 501, dated Aug. 26, 1963, Charles F. Kennedy, Reg. Land Surveyor. ##63-63, submitted October 7, 1963 by First Parish Church, Norman T. May, Agent; plan entitled itA Compiled Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", dated Oct. 3, 1963, Scale: 1" = 40', Miller & Nylander, C.E.ts & Surveyors. ##63-64, submitted October 7, 1963 by Moore Realty Trust; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", Scale: 1" = 30t, dated Oct. 4. 1963, Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors. It was decided to take no action on application ##63-64 until further information was obtained in regard to the plan 10-7-63 -4- accompanying said application. It was then moved, seconded and unanimously I VOTED: that the Lexington Planning Board determines that the plans accompanying Form A applications #63-62 and #63-63 do not require approval under the subdivision control law, and that said plans be so endorsed. In response to the Planning Board's request of September FORM A 9 (see Planning Board minutes of said date) Mr. Snow presented DOYLE for the members' consideration the draft of a letter to Mr. Charles P. Doyle, Esq. with reference to Form A application #63-54. Mr. Snow said that he had shown the draft to Town Counsel Legro and that it met with his'approval. Thereupon the Board approved said draft which was signed by the Chairman. (See adden- dum.) The Board decided to hold its next regular meeting on October 14, 1963. Thereupon the meeting of October 7 was ad- journed at 11:45 p.m. v�seP3i�:�apb`- , Clerk ' KXirnTTT�t')� iT-�� n �n n October 11, 1963 Board of Selectmen Town Office Building Lexington, Mass - 02173 Re: Vine Brook Meadows, Section Two Gentlemen: Reference is made to your letter of October 1 to this Board con- cerning Vine Brook Realty Trust's bill seeking reimbursement for this town's share of the cost of constructing Worthen Road and installing municipal services therein in the section of said road in the subdivision known as "Vine Brook Mdadows Section Two." This is to advise you that the Lexington Planning Board at its meeting on October 7, at which a quorum was present and acted throughout, it was unanimously VOTED: The Lexington Planning Board recommends that the sum of , sixteen thousand five hundred and four dollars and fifty- nine cents--($16,504.59)--be paid to the Vane Brook Realty 10-7-63 ' Trust as reimbursement for the cost of constructing Worthen Road and for municipal services in said road of greater width and size than would be required to serve alone the subdivision entitled "Vine Brook Meadows Section Two Lexington, Mass.", dated June 12, 1960, said payment to be made upon completion to the satisfaction of the Lexington Superintendent of Public Works of the required work to be done in Worthen Road as shown on said plan, and upon the granting to the town of Lexington of the utilities in said road as shown on the aforementioned plan. Sincerely yours, /s/ Irving H. Mabee, Chairman To the Planning Board, Lexington Dear Sirs: -5- In accordance with your suggestion to the writer at your meeting of Sept. 23, three members of the Committee visited the 7 acre parcel of land at the end of Shirley and Tewksbury Sts. in company with John Christie (land acquisition agent for the Common- wealth, acting for the State Housing Authority) and Charles Cole (representing the owners of the property). Messrs.Cole and Christie discussed proposed terms of sale and Mr. Christie consulted with the committee members and said that he considered the parcel excellent in every way for development as a project for housing elderly people. He figured that $2000 an acre was a satisfactory price. It is our judgment that, if the zone should be changed the State Housing:Authority would approve its acquisition at the above price. Our Committee'is composed of indivi dual.citizens.appointed by the selectmen to investigate and report concerning the probable demand by elderly people for accommodations in such a building or buildings as were described in our advertisements in the Minute Man. This duty we have performed, but we have no understanding of any kind with the Selectmen that any one of us will be appointed to the Lex- ington Housing Authority if such is authorized. Therefore we cannot assure you of any action that this authority will take on this parcel of land. 1 Yours truly, ' /s/ W. R. Greeley 9/29/63 Ohairman of Selectmen's Committee 10-7-63 S. September 30, 1963 ' Lexington Planning Board Lexington Massachusetts Gentlemen: The lot of land sham on a Land Use Plan prepared by Charles H. Cole 2nd A.I.A., Architect, fronting on Worthen Road, Lexington, Massa- chusetts and consisting of slightly over 20 acres in area has been deposited with the Lexington Planning Board with the request that the land be re -zoned from R-1 to A-1 by the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Reuben L. Seth and Mr. and Mrs. James O. Maxner. We, the owners, agree to sell to the Lexington Housing Authority the rear part of this lot of land labelled Lot A for the sum of $2,000. per acre. This Lot A is described as follows: Starting at the intersection of the Southeasterly side of Tewksbury Street and the Southwesterly side of Sargent Street, and proceeding Southwesterly a distance of 975 feet, plus or minus, thence proceeding Northwesterly a distance of 400 feet, plus or minus, thence proceeding Northeasterly a distance of 825 feet, plus or minus, thence proceeding Southeasterly a distance of 300 feet, plus or minus, thence proceeding North- easterly a distance of 155 feet, plus or minus, thence proceed- ing Southeasterly a distance of 120 feet, plus or minus, to the point of beginning. The above description describes Lot A consisting of 7 acres, plus or minus. The data of the legal description of Lot A will be definitely determined from a survey to be made at a later date by a registered land surveyor. We trust that this information will be of use to the Lexington Planning Board. We, the undersigned owners, make this offer for the sale of the above land to the Lexington Housing Authority with the understanding that the remaining land will also be re -zoned as an A-1 or Apartment House Zone. /s/ Reuben L. Seth /s/ Mildred B. Seth /s/ James 0. Maxner /s/ Dorothy R. Maxner October 7, 1963 Mr.Charles P. Doyle 40 Court Street Boston, Mass. , Dear Mr. Doyle: Reference is made to your letter of August 28, 1963 in regard to the 10-7-63 -7- Lexington Planning Board's determination at its meeting of August 28, 1963 that the plan, dated August 22, 1963, accompanying Form A appli- cation #63-54, requires approval under the subdivision control law. The Board determined that the plan required approval for two reasons: first, in subdividing lots 212 and 216, the remainder of said lots do not have the frontage required under the Lexington Zoning By-law; second, the lots so subdivided do not have frontage on (1) a public wap, or (2) a way shown on a plan theretofor approved in accordance with the subdivision control law, or (3) a way in existence when the subdivision control law became effective in Lexington, having, in the opinion of the Planning Board, sufficient width, suitable grades and adequate construction to provide for the needs of vehicular traffic in relation to the proposed use of the land abutting thereon or served thereby, and for the installation of municipal services to serve such land and the buildings erected or to be erected thereon. It is suggested that if, for the purpose of conveyance, you wish to record a plan with the deed referred to in your letter and at the same time have the plan conform to.Lexington's zoning by-law, you can pre- sent another plan to the Board with an application for a determination, said plan showing not only what is on the plan dated August 22, 1963 but in addition the remaining lots 212 and 216 added to and combined with other lots adjacent thereto. Yours very truly, /s/ Irving H. Mabee, Chairman L'�