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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1968-11-251 PLANNING BOARD MEETING November 25, 1968 A regular meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was held in its office on Monday, November 25, 1968. Present were Chairman Mrs. Riffin, members Clarke, Fowle, Lund and Worrell, and acting secretary Mrs. Macomber. At 7:30 p.m. Mr. Harry Berglund presented a preliminary plan of Dr. Short's land at the Lexington -Waltham line which is zoned for office building use. This plan showed 130 park- ing spaces but since 4800 sq. ft. of floor space is indi- cated, the required number of parking spaces required would be 480. This could be brought down to 240 to start with by permission of the Board of Appeals. Mr. Berglund thought this could be worked out since two sizeable green areas are shown which could be converted to parking. He will revise the plan and return to the Board at a future date. Mr. Berglund left at 7:40 p.m. The minutes of the regular Planning Board meeting and executive session of November 18 were approved with minor corrections. A preliminary plan of land of Cataldo off Bryant Rd. was examined, and it was recommended that a letter written by Mr. Zaleski to E. Conrad Levy containing suggestions for improvements and mentioning the Hatch Act be approved and sent. Mr. George H. Crawford of Winchester appeared at 8:00 p.m. for discussion re Hayden Woods land. Since the matter discussed would affect the financial interests of the town, it was voted to hold an executive session for this dis- cussion. Mr. Crawford left the meeting at 8:30 p.m. A preliminary plan of Capaldi land at Bates Rd. was reviewed but no decisions reached. A letter to Mr. Frederick Conroy re Jean Rd. stating that Jean Rd. is a legal street and therefore all lots must conform to the present zoning regulations was ap- proved and signed. The Grandview Ave. situation was discussed. The town owns two tax title lots and since the land is high and woodsy, it was suggested the town take the remaining lots by eminent domain. However, since these lots may be building lots and consequently expensive, it was finally decided to suggest to the Conservation Commission that they pursue this matter. BERGLUND MINUTES CATALDO CRAWFORD CAPALDI CONROY-JEAN RD. GRANDVIEW AVE. November 25, 1968 -2- The question of sidewalks was discussed next. Mr. Worrell felt that Cedar St. should be given a higher priority as opposed to some of those scheduled. Some of the streets already have one sidewalk or walking space, or are not in a busy location or near a school. It was decided to study this further to determine the order of importance and to funnel the ideas through Mr. Worrell before the next meeting so he can prepare a statement. At 9:15 p.m. Mr. William Hamilton met with the Board with reference to his proposal for a rezoning on Spring Street for a high rise apartment. He said the reason for a high rise is that the By -Laws allow only 4 to 10 units per building for regular apartments and he needed 17. He said the lot itself was 15-20 ft. below the street and Juniper Hill is 20 ft. above. He feels that the buildings would not project above the hill any more than a single house would and he would like to know how the Board feels about this proposal. Mrs. Riffin said it was the use itself the Board is talking about and it would like to see a good part of this area in conservation and the rest in small family dwellings, in regular or cluster zoning. The survey of Metcalf & Eddy does not show apartments in this area. Mr. Hamilton asked if the Board would support a 221-D3 proposal and Mrs. Riffin said until a hearing has been held by the Board, cannot tell what its position will be. Mr. Hamilton left at 9:30 p.m. Mr. Stafford of Battle Green Real Estate then met with the Board to discuss a 20 -acre parcel of land at Lowell and North Sts. which he wished to have rezoned to apartment use. He pointed out the parcel in Lexington north of North St. and both sides of Lowell St. which involves ten owners. He said they were thinking of high rise, maybe eight, maybe six stories. Mrs. Riffin asked if he knew that the Warrant closes on December 13th, and that the Planning Board has not had an opportunity to study high rise apartments and it must make a recommendation to the Town Meeting, consequently there would not be enough time to adequately consider the proposal. Mr. Stafford said they could wait a year or so, but otherwise he would like to go ahead and get a.5 -acre parcel zoned for apartments in the regular manner. He has an option for this 5 -acre parcel. Be thinks this is the best use of the land due to its proximity to the shopping center, the fact that there is heavy traffic and so cannot be sold to people with small children, and that SIDEWALKS HAMILTON - SPRING ST. STAFFORD - BATTLE GREEN EST. NORTH STREET LOWELL ST. APTS. November 25, 1968 -3- there are no abuttors or neighbors. Mr. Stafford was again advised that the Board would have to study the matter and after discussion it would ad- vise him of its feeling. After Mr. Stafford left Mrs. Riffin said that the Design Advisory Group was anxious to do some study on the matter of various types of apartments, and it was suggested that they be contacted. A letter to the Selectmen giving an estimate for con- WORTHEN RD. struction of Worthen Rd. and reimbursement to subdividers PEDESTRIAN WAY - for extra construction, also of a pedestrian way between NICKERSON - Nickerson and Estabrook Rds. was read, approved and signed. ESTABROOK Mr. Worrell left at 10:05 p.m. Discussing Mr. Zaleski's memo to the Board re a map HAYDEN AVE. of Hayden Ave. for presentation to town meeting with re- lation to rezoning, it was decided to use a verbal descrip- tion rather than to have a map drawn by Mr. Nylander after considering the cost and time which Mt.Nylander had estimated. A letter to Mr. Harmon White requesting him to furnish WHITE - PEACOCK information for article for the warrant giving the descrip- FARMS tion of portions of easements to be abandoned with grant of new easements in Peacock Farms, was read, approved and signed. It was voted to enclose a copy of Mr. Legro's letter with this. Letter to the Board of Selectmen and Town Engineer re STREET street acceptances in subdivisions approved and signed. ACCEPTANCE It was voted to send a copy of this letter to Mr. Legro. Letter to Mr. Legro asking him to prepare an article BUSA P.U.D. for the warrant to accept the open space in Busa subdivision (Maureen Rd.) was read and approved. It was voted to ask Mr. Legro to prepare an article for BEDFORD ST. CHI the warrant defining setbacks on Bedford St. from the center SETBACK line. A letter from the Building Inspector re occupancy per- OCCUPANCY mits was read and placed on file. PERMITS Certificate of Cor�pliance by Mr. Outhet for Conestoga OUTHET-CONESTOGA Rd. was signed by members of the Board. ROAD A letter from the Department of Natural Resources re LEDGEMONT-DEPT. Ledgemont Laboratories which comes under the Hatch Act was OF NATURAL RES. read and placed on file. November 25, 1968 -4- Minutes of the Selectmen's meeting of November 4, 1968, SELECTMEN'S were noted and placed on file. MINUTES The meeting adjourned at 10:30 p.m. i fjG•Mlvi / • k/7�+uX Francis T. Worrell Clerk EXECUTIVE SESSION OF PLANNING BOARD MEETING November 25, 1968 ' Mr. George H. Crawford of Winchester, owner of a parcel of land in the Hayden Woods area, said he came in for information as to just what the Planning Board desired - he had heard many conflicting stories and wished to have the matter clarified. Mrs. Riffin stated that the Town was interested in acquiring for open space back land of his par- cel as well as several adjoining parcels. It was understood Mr. Crawford owned approximately 14 acres, of which it was desired to rezone, rougly, eight acres. Mr. Crawford asked in what price range the Board was thinking, and was told that the price had not been established but would probably be between $1,000 and $2,000 per acre. Mr. Crawford asked if this was to be a condition for rezoning the front land to CR (C3) and was told that the Board would like to make a plan for the entire area, but cannot do so until it knows what is going to happen to this back land - that it is not likely the town meeting will go along with rezoning unless it has the entire picture. Consequently the Board wishes to know if Mr. Crawford would be willing to sell his back land. Mr. Crawford said he understood the Board's position for the firs time. He thinks N. E. Mutual and Spalding & Sly, who built the Burlington Mall, would be ex- -ellent people to go ahead with the project for which the land would be rezoned, that they could come up with one package which would take care of that area to the satisfaction of all. Mr. Crawford and some of the other owners felt that the proposed 750 ft. line should be moved further back, but the Board felt a sub- stantial amount of land was needed for conservation in that area and that they would not consider moving the line back. There is a considerable built-up residential area north of this land and the only way rezoning could be justified would be by providing a buffer strip and open space. Mr. Crawford said he had come prepared to talk about it but was not yet ready to sign anything. He would not do anything which would hurt any of the other involved. He said they did not want to come in until they had everybody committed and could in with a sensible rezoning proposal, although he was basically agreeable. Mrs. Riffin said she would send hom a copy of the article as written for the warrant. Mr. Crawford left at 8:30 p.m. 1