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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1964-12-21I PLANNING BOARD MEETING December 21, 1964 The Lexington Planning Board held a regular meeting in its office, Town Office Building, on Monday, December 21, 1964. The meeting was called or order by Chairman Meyer at 8:00 p.m. with members Bryson, Campbell, Greeley, and Riffin, and planning director Zaleski present. The Board met with the Selectmen and the Chamber of Commerce regarding the studies for the Lexington downtown shopping district. Mr. Meyer stated that the Planning Board had no objection to contracting for planning studies for this purpose using 701 funds. Mr. Greeley offered a suggestion that wholly town -paid study may be preferable because it would avoid delay and red tape incident to the use of Federal funds. The Selectmen voted to insert an article in the warrant for the annual town meeting to appropriate the funds for the CBD studies without specifying whether Federal funds would be used. Mr. Kolovson read and distributed a memorandum outlining the views of the Chamber regarding such future studies.- The Board then returned to its office. CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT MINUTE MAN HIGHLANDS, SEC -4 GIRRAC REALTY The Board then discussed the approval of the Minute ' Man Section Four subdivision with Mr. Donald E. Legro, Town Counsel. Covenant and grant of easements executed by Girrac Realty Trust were viewed by the Board and upon a motion duly made and seconded it was unanimously VOTED: to approve subject to the terms and conditions of the Covenant given by the Trustees of Girrac Realty Trust on December 21, 1964, a definitive subdivision plan entitled "Minute Man Highlands Section Four," dated October 17, 1964, by Albert A. Miller and Wilbur C. Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors, being a modification of a definitive subdivision plan of the same title dated August 21, 1961, revised May 16, 1962 and approved May 16, 1962; and further to modify the Planning Board approval of said definitive subdivision plan entitled "Minute Man Highlands Section Four Lexington, Mass.", dated August 21, 1961, revised May 16, 1962 by adding to the condition "that no building or structure shall be built or placed upon the following lots: lots 159- 165 inclusive, lots 174-186 inclusive, lots 197-213 inclusive, lots 222, 227 and 228 without a prior con- sent of the Board of Health" the following: "unless the level of the finished cellar floor of any such building or structure is at least as high as the elevation of the top of the street drain in that portion of the street on which such lot abuts, there is placed under such floor a layer of stone not less than twelve inches CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT MINUTE MAN HIGHLANDS, SEC -4 GIRRAC REALTY 12/21/64 -2- in thickness, and there is installed in such cellar a ' sump pump that is connected to the street drain in accordance with the By-laws of the Town of Lexington." The Board then met with Mr. Charles E. Downs, LONG RANGE Planning Consultant, to discuss a possible long range finan- FINANCIAL STUDY cial study for the town. Mr. Meyer explained the townts - position regarding the study being based on the fully devel- CHAS. DOWNS oped town and working backwards to connect to existing condi- tions. Mr. Downe said that he understood that Lexington wanted more significant and sophisticated study than a mere capital budget program. The Capital Expenditures Committee joined the meeting at this point. Mr. Downe stated that this type of study was essentially a part of the Master Plan ex- ploring the potential development of a community and the ways to approach it. A general discussion of various aspects of the financial study followed. Dr. Harrington, D.M.D., next met with the Board and REZCNING PRA- outlined a proposal to rezone lot 17 Waltham St. opposite POSAL Park Drive, owned by Dr. Fred Hastings, for a professional or medical building housing four doctors' offices. Lot 17 is HARIICNGTON located south of the Arts & Crafts Society building and is just beyond the proposed business district boundary as outlined in the Summary Report, Phase I. Dr. Harrington asked for the opinion of the Planning Board. Mr. Greeley stated that he was ' opposed to any extension of the business district beyond the Arts & Crafts building. Mr. Meyer and Mr. Bryson agreed with Mr. Greeley. PINEWOOD SEC.1 The Board next voted to release to Gerald Shirley the surety on Pinewood Section One (Dewey Rd.) as requested by SBIRLEY the applicant and recommended by the Town Engineer, all work in this subdivision having been satisfactorily completed. ESTABROOK Upon a written request of Harold C. Wilson, appli- GARDENS cant, the Board voted to extend the time within which it must take action on Estabrook Gardens (Hadley Rd.) Sec. l WILSON subdivision to and including January 4, 1965. Reviewed next by the Board was the following Form FORM A A application for determination of Planning Board jurisdic- tion: #64-62, submitted by Robert K. and Patricia J. Garrity; plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", dated Dec. 1964, John J. Sullivan, C.E. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, it was VOTED: that the above plan accompanying Form A #64-62 does not require approval under the subdivision control law. The plan was endorsed by members of the Board. 12-21-6b ' Attorney,F. Crafts Jr. and Mr. J. Manley next met with the Board and outlined a proposal to rezone the land within the triangle formed by Hartwell Ave. and Hinchey Rd. to accommodate a Volkswagen agency. The possibility of rezoning to T 1 and permitting car sales in T 1 was dis- cussed. The Board felt that such rezoning should be pre- sented on citizens' petition but that the Board should assist in formulating the amendments regardless of what the final recommendations of the Planning Board may be. It was decided that the planning director will help Mr. Crafts to prepare the wording of the article. The letter from Selectmen inviting the Planning Board to a joint meeting on December 28, 1964 was read. Since the Board does not meet on that date, Mr. Bryson volunteered to go with Mr. Greeley as alternate. Letter from Appropriations Committee approving the additional $325.00 for 1964 Planning Board expenses was read and noted. The proposal to rezone a part of the land known -3- REZONING PROPOSAL VOLKSWAGEN HARTWELL AVE. as Swenson Farm off Marrett Rd. and Allen St. to A 1 was REZONING PROPOSAL discussed nest. It was the opinion of the Board that such rezoning is not in the best interests of the Town CATALDO and cannot be justified by a gift of the remainder of - the land to the town. (See addenda.) MARRETT - ALLEN The Planning Board Annual Report draft was re- viewed by members of the Board and it was decided to, ANNUAL REPORT expand it by including the purpose and substance of Planning Board actions as well as the statistical data. Planning Board Highlights were reviewed next and approved with modifications to be made by the Planning Director. Minutes of Planning Board meeting of December MINUTES 1964 were approved as read. The meting adjourned at 11:55 p.m. Qa,lj 13. Qt Roland B. Greeley Clerk ADDENDA CONCLUSION AND RECOMIENDATIONS - SWENSON FARM 1. The rezoning of 40 acres of Swenson Farm to A 1 would 2. 1 -21-64 -4- result in somewhat higher revenue to the town than from 75 acres of I single family homes. This gain vr,uld be partially offset by greater demands on town services. The town would also benefit from the gift of about 35 acres of high land, worth not less than $100,000, and including about one-half of the pine grove. The other half of the pine grove is already on Franklin School land. 3. Land use and zoning must not be planned on the basis of how much the town can get from a deal, but rather on basis of uses suitable to the character of the town and of the neighborhood. The parcel of land in question is located well within single residence district and is not near shopping, transportation and churches and therefore best suited for single family residences and not for apartments. 4. Alternate solutions include: a. Cluster development at no increase in density. b. Planned unit development including rezoning of part of 40 acres for apartments, and provision of neighborhood shopping facilities and parks within the area. This would require additional study. c. Acquisition by the town of the remainder of the pine grove (about 5 acres at a price of not less than $10,000/acre). I A. V. Zaleski L ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD FOR THE YEAR 1964 In accordance with Section 1, Article %VII of the General Ey - Laws Laws of the Town of Lexington, the Planning Board hereby submits its Annual Report for the year 1964. The Planning Board held 41 meetings and 21 public hearings on subdivisions, street name changes, and zoning amendments, as required by State laws. As a result of proposals sponsored by the Planning Board, eleven zoning amendments were adopted by the Town Meeting as follows: Definition of "Story" amended - Sec. 2 (k) Definition of R 1 districts amended - Sec. 4 (a) Land at Shirley St. rezoned to A 1 district - Sec.4 (g) 7 Institutional uses in R 1 districts revised - Sec.4 (a) 7.c. Storage and distribution permitted i CM 1 - Sec -5 (f) 2.c. Height of office buildings in C 4 districts - Sec -5 (j) 2.a. Height of office buildings in C 4 districts - Sec -7 (a) Regulations for institutional uses in R 1 districts - Sec.8 (a) 5 Yar ds in C 2 districts next to A 1 districts added - Sec.8 (c) Security gates permitted in C 4 districts - Sec 8 (j) l.b. Temporary reduced parking by Board of Appeals - Sec.14 (h) ' Two zoning amendments were defeated, Spring St. rezoning to C 3 and Worthen Rd. rezoning to A 1. Five zoning amendments were submitted by citizens' petition and one of them (addition to C 2 district on Worthen Rd. - Sec.4 (d) 5 ) was adopted by the Town Meet- ing. Nine new subdivisions involving 81 lots and 5557 ft. of streets were acted upon by the Planning Board. They include: Pinewood, Section 1 (Dewey Rd.) Country Club Manor, Sec. 2 (Vaille Rd. et al) Sanderson Rd. extension Mohawk Drive off Oak St. Juniper Place extension Jackson Estates (Brigham Rd.) The Orchard, Sec. 1 (Bloomfield St. extension) Estabrook Gardens, Sec. 1 (Hadley Rd.) Minute -Man Highlands, Sec. 4 revised (Worthen Rd. et al) Eleven more new subdivisions were reviewed by the Board in the prelimi- nary form, a majority of them is expected to be resubmitted in 1965 in the final form for approval by the Planning Board. Sixty-two plans be- lieved not to require approval as subdivisions were reviewed by the Planning Board and endorsed, unless determined to be a subdivision. In accordance with the requirements of the Subdivision Control N Annual Report -2- Law numerous bonds and other securities, furnished by developers to guarantee streets and utilities in subdivisions, were accepted, re- duced or released. The Town now holds $501,000.00 in such bonds and securities for subdivisions. Following the appointment of the new Planning Director in March the following studies were undertaken and completed as a part of the long-range comprehensive plan: population projection, study of re- tail business outlook for Lexington, and a survey of the condition of all streets in Lexington which shall lead to the preparation of a town map showing the status or condition of each street in town. Zoning By -Law and Zoning Map were revised and reprinted. A revision of Subdi- vision Regulations has been completed in draft form and is now being reviewed by the Superintendent of Public Works and by the Town Counsel. A study and analysis of present and future land uses is in progress, the League of Women Voters is assisting the Planning Board in this by making a survey of available residential land. It is the intention of the Planning Board to consolidate these studies and publish them in the form of "Phase Two" of the Summary Report on Lexington's develop- ment. The cost of legal advertising or notices on public hearings and zoning amendments, which is required by State laws add over which we have no control, exceeded the funds appropriated by more than $700.00. Part of this extra cost was met by economies in other accounts, but additional funds became necessary and $325.00 were voted for Planning Board expenses for December. In conclusion, the Planning Board wishes to thank the Board of Selectmen, the Departments and Boards under their control, and all other Town agencies, committees, and civic groups for their coopera- tion and assistance in 1964. LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD Arthur E. Bryson., Jr.'airman Robert E. Meyer • ��� . Nat ie H. Riffin 1 1 1