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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1968-12-23PLANNING BOARD MEETING ' December 23, 1968 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board in its of- fice was called to order by the chairman, Mrs. Riffin at 7:30 p.m. with members Clarke, Fowle, Worrell and planning director Zaleski present. The minutes of the Planning Board meeting on December 16, MINUTES 1968 were read and approved. The plan submitted with Form A Application #68-34 was re- FORM A #68-34 viewed by members of the Board and it was noted that a variance READY -JEAN RD. has been granted by the Board of Appeals on October 25, 1955 for the erection of a single-family building on lots 8B and 9. Upon a motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: that approval under the Subdivision Control Law is not required of a plan entitled "Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", dated December 3, 1968, by Miller & Nylander C.E. or Surveyors (Jean Rd.) with respect to Jean Rd., Lots A and B only. Ap- proval is required for Aaron Rd. and for any lots fronting thereon. A note to that effect was added to the endorsement. The letter from the town counsel relative to the reduc- OAK PARK I tion and substitution of security for Oak Park I subdivision was read and noted. It was decided to take no action pending a review and a new request by the developer. The letter from the town engineer reporting the completion MAUREEN ROAD of Maureen Rd. (Ridge Estates Subdivision) and recommending (RIDGE EST. SUB.) the reimbursement of the developer in the amount of $9967 was read and upon a motion duly made and seconded, it was unanimously VOTED: 1. To authorize the release of all securities now held by the town to ensure the construction of ways and utilities in the Ridge Estates subdivision upon the execution by the de- veloper of a grant of utilities in a form satisfactory to the town counsel. 2. To recommend to the selectmen the payment of $9967 to the developer, Buss Realty Trust, as recommended by the town engineer, for construction in excess of that needed to serve the subdivision alone, as provided for by Chapter 570, Acts of 1962. The letter to Planning Board nominees to the Design Ad- DESIGN ADVISORY visory Committee was reviewed and approved with substantial COMMITTEE changes. December 23, 1968 -2- The draft of the annual report was reviewed next and ap- ANNUAL REPORT proved with numerous modifications (see appendix to these minutes). No action was taken on the request for the release of FORBES RD. surety for Forbes Rd. in the absence of a recommendation from the town engineer. At 9:00 p.m, the Conservation Commission (Mrs. Frick and CONSERVATION Messrs. Sussman, Brown and Totman and the secretary, Mrs. COMMISSION Shriber) met with the Board. Mr. Sussman streesed the de- sirability of cooperation and coordination in matters of con- cern to both bodies. For the purpose of discussing land acquisition the Board voted unanimously to go into executive EXEC. SESSION ses*Lon to discuss matters which, if disclosed, could adversely affect the financial interests of the town. The executive session was dissolved at 10:10 p.m. and the Board resumed open meeting. The planning director reported on a plan entitled "Plan FORM A #68-35 of Land in Lexington, Mass., Whipple Hill," dated December 13, WHIPPLE HILL 1968 by J. J. McSweeney, Town Engineer. The town counsel had requested that the plan be endorsed on December 18, because a delay could result in the town losing state reimbursement. After obtaining approval from Mrs. Riffin and Mr. Lund (other members not being available) the planning director endorsed the plan with a notation "Since the parcel marked "17.06 Acres" shall be added to other land of the Town of Lexington and not used as a building lot, approval under the subdivision law is not required." The Notices of Board of Appeals hearings on January 7, B/A HEARINGS 1969 were read and noted. The sketches of possible vehicular access from Marrett ACCESS TO PRO - Rd. to the proposed junior high school prepared by the plan- POSED JR. HIGH ning director were reviewed and it was decided to advise the selectmen that the Planning Board believes such access to be feasible and desirable, that it shouldn't extend far into the land, though it would of necessity encroach on the site of the future hockey field. The Board recommends that the possi- bility of widening Marrett Rd. to provide a left turn waiting lane at the school be taken up with the State Dept. of Public Works. A modified sketch of the possible access may be sub- mitted. The resume of Roe P. Hendrick, traffic consultant, was ROE P. HENDRICK noted and placed on file. The meeting adjourned at 10:50 p.m. F,11,,; -i- 47%X Francis T. Worrell Clerk 1968 Annual Report of The Lexington Planning Board In 1968 Lexington continued its health growth, as regards both re- sidences and commercial and industrial buildings. The number of new buildings each year is decreasing slowly, but this is more than compen- sated for by the higher value of the new construction. However, this annual increase in valuation is not sufficient to offset the rise in the cost of Town services, especially of education and public building con- struction. As a result our tax rate continues to climb and, according to the Massachusetts Taxpayers Association, is the highest among a group of comparable cities and towns along the Route 128, exceeding the average by about $10. In June 1968, the town meeting approved a new format of the zoning by-law prepared by the Planning Board. No other major zoning amendments were adopted by town meeting in 1968. Probably the most significant development follows the recommendation in the 1967 report of the Planning Board that the town study what it can do to help the plight of the under -privileged in the slums of metropolitan Boston. A Commission on Suburban Responsibilities was created by the Selectmen in 1968, with the former Planning Board chairman, now Selectman, Roland B. Greeley serving as chairman. At the recommendation of this Com- mission the Planning Board has made a study of various possibilities of providing more housing for low or moderate income families, both on scattered sites and in apartments. The 1969 town meeting will be asked to rezone an area across the railroad from the Muzzey Jr. High School for federally or State -supported moderate -rent apartments. To make the town eligible for several types of federal aid and to ensure that programs to help low and moderate income groups will not harm the quality of living in Lexington, the Planning Board is preparing a "Workable Program for Community Improvement" on request of the Commission on Suburban Responsi- bilities and with the full support of the Selectmen. To ensure that exist- ing substandard houses are rehabilitated and no slums are created, a part- time housing inspector under the Director of Public Health will be required. The Urban Beautification Committee, established on recommendation of the Planning Board, has continued its work and will present a final re- port to the 1969 town meeting. It is expected that a procedure for a continued review by architects and landscape architects resident in Lex- ington of all design and beautification work (such as shade tree planting and subdivision layouts) will be recommended. During the year the Planning Board received considerable professional assistance from the executive committee of the Design Advisory Group, an informal organization of Lexington architects, landscape architects, en- gineers and planners. Besides being actively involved in drawing up and implementing plans for revitalizing Lexington Center, the executive com- mittee, consisting of Norman Fletcher, Chairman, Walter Pierce, Hideo Sasaki, and Donald Graham, reviewed a number of subdivision proposals for the Board, particularly those incorporating planned unit development (cluster zoning) in which common land is made available for public use. -2 - The Groyp's advice has also been used in establishing regulations govern- ing the construction of nursing homes. The development of guidelines by which to judge the acceptability of proposals for various types of apart- ments and other multiple dwelling units is another area where the Planning Board will soon ask for study. The Design Advisory Group is now taking steps to form itself into a more cohesive body that can be even more ef- fective in providing the expert help that has proved so beneficial to the Town. In 1967 the Planning Board stated that good design requires that eventually every arterial and, so far as possible, every collector or con- nector street have a sidewalk on each side, and that most local streets have a sidewalk on one side. In 1968 the Board made an inventory of ex- isting sidewalks on arterial, collector and connector streets and recom- mended to the Selectmen a five-year sidewalk construction program, divided into three categories according to the degree of need or importance. An interim "Open Space and Conservation Plan" was prepared by the Planning Board in cooperation with the Conservation Commission to serve as a guide for the evaluation of proposals for the preservation of open space. Copies of the plan have been distributed to town committees con- cenred and it is hoped that a greater number of copies will be printed for distribution in 1969. An integrated plan for a 100 -acre tract of land lying north of Hayden Ave. was proposed by the Planning Board to provide both open space and revenue-producing industrial research and office park land. According to this proposal, land along Hayden Ave. for a depth of 750 feet is to be re- zoned for office and research park use with the remainder of the tract abutting the Woodhaven development off Spring St. and residential areas on Valleyfield St. to serve as a green belt buffer.. Another study by the Planning Board concerned the zoning controls for nursing homes and similar institutions. It involved a series of meetings with representatives of medical, welfare, planning, architecture, real estate, and other fields and a public hearing. This study was requested by the 1968 town meeting and the 1969 town meeting will be asked to vote on the proposals that evolved from the study. In 1968 the Planning Board approved five subdivision plans comprising 42 lots served by 0.65 miles of new streets to be built by the developers. One subdivision was disapproved. Preliminary approval was given to three more subdivisions, including the so-called Drummer Boy land off Bedford St, opposite Hartwell Ave. which will ultimately provide about 100 new re- sidential lots. Two additional preliminary subdivision plans are pending. The planned unit development ("cluster" subdivision) concept continues to be popular. Six out of seven eligible subdivisions use this concept which permits the reduction of individual lot size from 30,000 to 20,000 sq. ft. with no increase in the number of possible lots and reserves 25 or more percent of the remaining land for recreation and conservation. The ap- proval of six subdivisions (final and preliminary), would secure over 31 acres of land as permanent open space at no cost to the town. -3 - At the present time there are 26 approved subdivisions in Lexington in various degrees of completion. $471,600 in bonds and other types of security is being held by the Town to ensure the construction of ways and the installation of utilities in these subdivisions. The question of how to provide safe, convenient streets for the 16,000 vehicles of Lexington residents, for people working or shopping in Lexington and for other visitors and tourists, while keeping excessive traffic off residential streets, remains high on the list of problems. Some answers may come from an on-going study by a consultant of the Bed- ford St. - Hartwell Ave. -Wood St. area. A major percentage of all traffic moves along the north -south axis between Bedford, Hancock, Maple streets and Route 2. The town center, Massachusetts Ave., Waltham and Pleasant streets carry the brunt of this through traffic, but will not be capable of safely handling it much longer because of the 4-5x annual increase. The Planning Board is therefore asking for a study of the possible solu- tions, including the diversion of traffic, the improvement of existing road or the construction of new roads. A related problem is the provision of adequate and convenient park- ing space in the center. This can be done by extending the existing parking lot between Muzzey and Waltham streets and by acquiring land for another parking lot between Clarke and Muzzey streets. As the problem of central cities, such as Boston, become more acute, ' the pressure is increasing for federal or State authorities to provide large-scale suburban housing for the poor, overriding local home rule and zoning powers and disregarding financial consequences. It is essential to study what a suburb, such as Lexington, can do and to work with federal and State agencies to ensure that the residents' knowledge of local condi- tions is fully utilized in finding the best solutions. The Planning Board believes that economic and political conditions will bring about major changes in the existing system of land use controls; it is essential that the citizens show understanding and willingness to cooperate in the face of this challenge. In this manner Lexington should be able, despite all changes, to preserve the attractive characteristics which have made it one of the most desirable communities in the metropolitan Boston region. LEXINGTON PLANNING BOARD Natalie H. Riffin, Chairman Evert N. Fowle Eric T. Clarke Erik Lund Francis T. Worrell 1