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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1967-07-24PLANNING BOARD MEETING ' July 24, 1967 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was held on Monday, July 24, 1967 in its office, Town Office Building. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Greeley at 7:30 p.m. with members Fowle, Lund, Riffin and Worrell, and Planning Director Zaleski present. Minutes of the meeting of July 10, 1967 were approved. 1 Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Board unanimously VOTED: 1. To extend the time within which the Board must act on the definitive subdivision plan of Bushnell Rd., entitled "Loring Hill Estates, Section V" to August 29, 1967, as requested by the applicant, William Sullivan. 2. To authorize its Planning Director, Alexander V. Zaleski, to authorize the preparation of a Covenant and other instru- ments for the approval of the Bushnell Rd. subdivision and to notify the Town Clerk and others of the approval of the subdivision upon the satisfactory completion by the appli- cant of all Planning Board's requirements. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Board unanimously VOTED: 1. To extend the time within which the Board must act on the definitive subdivision plan of Carnegie Place, entitled "Ingleside" to August 29, 1967, as requested by the appli- cant, Emilio Spagnuola. 2. To authorize its Planning Director, Alexander V. Zaleski, to authorize the preparation of a Covenant and other instru- ments for the approval of the Carnegie Place subdivision and to notify the Town Clerk and others of the approval of the subdivision upon the satisfactory completion by the applicant of all Planning Board's requirements. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, the Board unanimously MINUTES BUSHNELL RD. LORING HILL ESTATES, SEC.V CARNEGIE PL. INGLESIDE VOTED: 1. To extend the time within which the Board must act on the definitive subdivision plan of Conestoga Rd., entitled "Wood- CONESTOGA RD. side Acres" to August 29, 1967, as requested by the appli- WOODSIDE ACRES cant, Ernest E. Outhet. 2. To authorize its Planning Director, Alexander V. Zaleski to authorize the preparation of a Covenant and other instru- ments for the approval of the Conestoga Rd. subdivision and to notify the Town Clerk and others of the approval of the subdivision upon the satisfactory completion by the appli- cant of all Planning Board's requirements. ' The Board then met with Mr. Chester Lidberg relative to plan submitted with Form A #67-30, dntitled "Subdivision Plan of Land, Lexington, Mass.", dated July 19, 1967 by Henry F. Bryant 7-24-67 -2- & Son, Inc. The Board pointed out that the plan as submitted FORM A did not qualify for endorsement since one of the two lots had ' LIDBERG only about 71 feet frontage on Emerson Rd. and suggested alter- nate methods for the subdivision of Mr. Lidberg's land. There- upon Mr. Lidberg withdrew the plan and agreed to study other ways of subdividing. Upon a motion duly made and seconded the Board VOTED: to authorize and request the Town Counsel to prepare the BRIGHAM RD. necessary instrument for the release of Lot #6 Brigham Rd. in the Hancock Estates subdivision. Messrs. MacAuliffe and Hutcheson of Cabot, Cabot and C. C. & F. Forbes met with the Board and submitted Form A #67-31 for the FORM A endorsement of plan entitled "A Subdivision of Land Court Case No.15874 Land in Lexington, Mass.", dated June 26, 1967, Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors. The plan was reviewed and en- dorsed by members of the Board. Mr. Otis Brown and Attorney F. Conroy met with the C 4 - OFF Board and presented preliminary subdivision plans for the land WORTHEN RD. off Worthen Rd. recently rezoned to C 4. The plans were de- scribed by Mr. Brown and discussed briefly by the Board. Mr. A. Busa and Attorney H. Stevens met with the Board LAND OFF relative to the tentative subdivision plans for land off East EAST ST. St. Mr. Lund left the meeting at this time to attend a hear- , BUSA ing in the Selectmen's office re: the deposit of fill in the Lincoln St. playfield area. Several alternate layouts for the subdivision were dis- DESIGN AD- cussed. After Mr. Busa and Mr. Stevens withdrew, Mr. Fowle VISORY recommended that the services of the Design Advisory Group be GROUP enlisted in the design of this and other potential subdivi- sions, such as the Drummer Boy land. Mr. Lund returned from the meeting with the Selectmen LINCOLN ST. and reported that the Selectmen decided to go ahead with FILL placing of fill over the objections of some residents. The School Committee, the Recreation Committee and Mr. Lund for the Planning Board supported the Selectmen. Plans submitted with Forms A, as listed below, were re- viewed by members of the Board and upon a motion duly made and FORMS A seconded it was unanimously voted that approval under the Sub- division Control Law is not required for these plans, which were then endorsed by members of the Board. #67-27, submitted July 19, 1967 by Harmon White for B.Franklin Benjamin Franklin Homes; entitled "Plan of Pipeline Homes Easement owned by Humble Oil & Refining Co.," dated June 5, 1967, revised 7.7.67, Gale Engr. Co., Inc. ' 7-24-67 Mt12 9667-28, submitted July 20, 1967 by Ernest E. Outhet, ' entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", dated Outhet June 8, 1967, by Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors. #67-29, submitted July 20, 1967 by Ernest E. Outhet: entitled "Plan Showing Sewer Easement in Land owned by Outhet Boston Edison Co. in Lexington, Mass.", dated July 17, 1967, by Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors. The Board voted to re -endorse the plan 9667-12 submitted May 12, 1967 by Dorothy J. Pihl entitled "A Compiled Plan of Pihl Land Land in Lexington, Mass.", dated May 10, 1967, by Miller & Nylander, C.E.'s & Surveyors, which was endorsed by the Board on May 29, 1967 and amended thereafter. The definitive subdivision plans of Birch Hill Estates BIRCH HILL EST. were endorsed by the Board. In reply to Town Engineer's request for a list of prop- erties to be acquired by the Town in 1968 it was decided.to LAND FOR include the Augusta land, land at Lawn Ave. and several par- ACQUISITION cels in the C.B.D. with the understanding that additional parcels will be added later. The Board then adjourned for a meeting with the Board of Selectmen in executive session to discuss matters the pre- EXECUTIVE mature disclosure of which could adversely affect financial SESSION interests of the town. Following a discussion of parking areas in C 2 districts the Planning Board resumed its meeting in its office. Notices of Board of Appeals hearings to be held on July 25, 1967 were read and noted, as follows: Anthony R. Cataldo Perry A. Miles Carl & Leota Janke Wm. F. Schreiber It was decided to request that Anthony R. Cataldo be re- stricted to operations commonly considered appropriate. Revised preliminary sketch of Center Estates off Bed- ford St. submitted by Mark Moore was considered by the Board and it was the consensus that the preliminary sketch can serve as a basis for the final plan. The Planning Director was asked to distribute copies of E. Kula's letter relative to the purchase of open space south of Woodhaven to the members of the Board. (See addendum.) BOARD OF APPEALS Hearings Cataldo PRELIMINARY PLAN OFF BEDFORD ST - MOORE CONSERVATION LAND KULA - WOODHAVEN ' The Planning Director reported that the classifica- tion by the Board of the southwesterly one-half of Denver St. DENVER ST. is not an acceptable street was questioned by a builder be- cause sewer had been installed in portions of it. Since this part of Denver St. is not improved for vehicular and 7-25-67 -4- pedestrian travel and has no water service pipes, the Board TAX TITLE decided to abide by its original classification. , LAND The letters prepared by the Planning Director comment- ing on requests to the Selectmen for the sale of town -owned land to Elks (off Concord Ave.), Neal (Spencer St.) and Chisholm (Wood St.) were approved, as was a letter to the Town Counsel relative to the proposed recodification of the Zoning By -Law. Letter to the Selectmen relative to the study of Great GREAT MEADOWS Meadows was approved by the Board and signed by the Chairman. (See addendum.) INGLESIDE The Board executed the release of Lot #31 in the Ingle- side subdivision prepared by the Town Counsel. It was decided in conjunction with filling and grading LINCOLN ST, the Lincoln St, playfield area (Center Playground) to urge PLAYGROUND the adoption of an overall plan for recreational facilities, parking and driveways in the area to ensure efficient and con- venient development. (See addendum.) The meeting adjourned at 11:40 p.m. v vert N. Fowl , Clerk ADDENDUM Planning Board Town of Lexington Lexington, Mass. Gentlemen: July 14, 1967 On several occasions during the past few years, residents of the Woodhaven area have appealed to the Planning Board and to the Conservation Commission for help in preserving the residential characteristics of the south west part of Lexington. Specifically, we have asked for the assistance of the Planning Board in opposing the rezoning of various parcels of land from R 1, and we have asked the Conservation Commission to consider the purchase of conservation land in this part of town. Each succeeding town meeting has shown that the pressures for rezoning of land in this area continue unabated. Continued construction on existing C 3 land in this area, the change in appearance of the area associated with the widening of Route 2, and the Planning Board -supported rezoning of the back side of Fuller's Hill, have increased the arguments of those who desire 1 7-25-67 -5- to see further industrialization in this part of town. Unless action is taken ' soon, these pressures plus the normal inflationary trends in land values will permanently ensure that none of this land will be available to the town for conservation purposes. We feel that the key parcel of land at this time is the Hinds' property, and we are requesting your assistance and that of the Conservation Commission in acquiring it or a major portion of it for conservation purposes. This is a parcel of land of 40 to 45 acres, running from Hayden Avenue to the backside of lots on Woodcliffe Road in Woodhaven, and bordered in the west by the Burroughs and Kennecott developments, and on the east by land of Del Guardio and some tax title land on Valleyfield Street. This is the land which was the proposed site of the Hawthorne garden apartment development of the General Investment and Development Co. Since there is no town owned recreation or conservation land in this part of Lexington, this parcel has served the residents of Woodhaven for many years as a substitute. It is a heavily wooded area, hilly in one corner and swampy in another, and is bisected by Old Shade Street and the trunk sewer. It is used by the children as a play area, and by adults who desire to walk in the woods where they can see wild flowers, birds and small animals. With suitable snow conditions, we have used it for cross country skiing, and others have ice skated in a swampy portion of the land. If acquired, we would suggest that it remain in its present condition, rather than be developed as a formal recreation area. Its value is enhanced by the fact that it is adjacent to the Kennecott R 1 buffer strip, the spacious garden -type land of Kennecott, and the town ' owned tax title lots on Valleyfield Street, which may eventually be developed as a playground. Thus it fits in with the Conservation Commission's concept of a greenbelt through Lexington. Since the time the Conservation Commission was formed, we have made requests thap this land be purchased. In December 1965 we arranged a meeting with the owner, Mr. Hinds, and the Commission. Although Mr. Hinds indicated a willingness to sell all or a portion of this land, nothing came of this meeting or a subsequent contact with the Conservation Commission, presumably because of their activities in other parts of town. Time is running short, and we request your assistance and that of the Conservation Commission in acquiring this land now. Could we arrange a meeting with you soon to discuss this matter? Sincerely yours, /s/ Eric B. Kula 66 Spring St. /s/ Jacqueline B. Davison 86 Spring St. 1 7-%5-67 -6- July 25, 1967 Board of Selectmen Town Office Building. ■ Lexington, Mass. Re: Great Meadows Gentlemen: A study of the future development potential of the Great Meadows and of the surrounding vacant lands is certainly an important and necessary component of town -wide planning studies and as such very much a concern of the Plan- ning Board. It appears to the Board that a somewhat different approach to the study recommended by the joint committee would not only simplify the matter and eliminate the need for State intervestion, but would also define more correctly the geographical and the functional parameters of the study. We believe that such study should not and indeed cannot be limited to the Great Meadows alone and that it should encompass the entire watershed of the Mill Brook, the Munroe Brook and the Arlington Reservoir. We also be- lieve that the study should not be limited to "hydrology," but should in- clude soils, topography, natural resources and land utilization. Such study could be defined as "a study of physical character, drainage, natural re- sources and development potential of the area tributary to Munroe Brook, Mill Brook and Arlington Reservoir, bounded by Woburn St., Mass. Ave., Arl- ington town line and Lowell St." A study of this nature would certainly be the very kind that planning Boards are supposed to undertake under the enabling legislation, so that no special legislation would be necessary. For your information we quote some of the pertinent provisions of General By -Laws, Chapter 41 on municipal , planning: Section 81-C. The planning board "shall from time to time make careful studies and when necessary prepare plans of the resources, possibilities and needs of the city or town ." Section 81-D. A planning board "shall make a master or study plan of such city or town or such part or parts thereof as said board may deem advisable." Section 81-B. (para.2) "Planning boards . their officers and agents may . . . enter upon any lands and there make examinations and surveys." Section 81-I. Gives authority for special studies on matters referred to a planning board by town meeting. The recent study of the central business district provides an example of this type of study of a portion of town. As was the case with the down- town merchants, a separate contract would be necessary between the Town of Arlington and the consultant for additional investigation of the land owned by the Town of Arlington (Lexington contract would cover this land in a lesser detail). There is no reason why the same consultant could not carry out the two studies simultaneously and make the results of both studies avail- able to both towns. The Selectmen or a consultant selected by them could act as Planning Board's agents for this study. The Planning Board would like to discuss the matter of Great Meadows study with your Board and with other parties concerned in the near future, presum- ably in September. yours very truly, LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD /s/ Roland B. Greeley, Chairman i -b7 -7- ' July 26, 1967 Board of Selectmen Town Office Building Lexington, Mass. Re: Lincoln St. Playfield Gentlemen: It is our understanding that it is intended to locate certain facilities for outdoor sports in the Lincoln St. playfield area as soon as possible upon the completion of filling and grading the area. We hope that any playing fields so constructed will be located in accordance with an overall plan for the development and use of the entire Lincoln St. playfield area. If such plan has not been prepared and adopted, the Planning Board urges that this be done before any activity is located there. This will ensure efficient, safe and convenient use of the Lincoln St. area and prevent improper location of activities with respect to each other, parking areas, access points, walks, lighting, etc. Once constructed, playing fields and accessory structures are unlikely to be moved due to expenses and work in- volved, even though it may be found that their location is wrong in the light of subsequent developments. The Planning Board is ready to give its full cooperation and assistance in the preparation of such overall plan, either based on the plan prepared in 1960 by the then Planning Director, or as a completely fresh start. Yours very truly, cc: School Committee Recreation Committee 1 LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD Alexander V. Zaleski Planning Director