Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1971-11-03PLANNING BOARD MEETING November 3, 1971 The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by the chairman, Mrs. Brown with members Clarke and Lund, planning director Zaleski and secretary Mrs. Snow present. Mr. Frank Sandy of CLC also attended. Mr. Walter O'Connell, Town Manager, met with the Board at this time. A MR. 0 CONNELL draft of a letter from the Planning Board to the Conservation Commission CONSERVATION was reveiwed. The Conservation program involving a 3 year plan regardingPROGRAM capital requests as proposed by the Planning Board was explained to Mr. O'Connell and the need for citing specific parcels discussed. A joint meeting of the Conservation Commission, Capital Expenditures Committee and the Planning Board will be planned. It was voted to send the above- mentioned letter to the Conservation Commission. Mr. O'Connell will transmit to the Planning Board a confidential copy of the Conservation Commission land acquisition proposals. Information compiled by Mr. Zaleski regarding the proposed Capital CAPITAL BUDGET Budget request for the Recreation Committee was referred to and the RECREATION essence of it described to Mr. O'Connell. The Town Manager suggested that the agency to be contacted about appropriations for purchase of land is the Capital Expendi res Committee, since they are reviewing the budget. The Board agreed to do so. Mr. Fennessey's working paper on recreation needs in Lexington was dis- RECREATION cussed. It was voted to distribute copies of this report to the TMMA NEEDS-FENNESSEN Land Use Committee, the Recreation Committee and Mr. O'Connell, for in- ternal use only, and with a notation that this report does not reflect Planning Board policy. Mr. Zaleski's memorandum regarding the proposed new policy on overdue O'DUE SUBDV. subdivisions was referred to. The status of Vinebrook I & II and POLICY Ingleside subdivisions was reviewed briefly regarding the implementation of the policy. Mr. O'Connell expressed approval in principle of this new policy, making no comment on methods to be used. Wetland protection and the need for provision in the Building By -Law BLDG. BY LAW for soil tests, elevation figures and the waterproofing of basements in AMENDMENT dwellings were discussed. A meeting of the Planning Board and the WETLAND PROT. Board of Health will be scheduled to discuss proposals for wetland protection, the condition of the pond at Ingleside subdivision and to review certain powers of the Board of Health relative to subdivisions which the Planning Board does not have. The progress of plans and activities of the Bicentennial Committee, BICENTENNIAL which holds weekly meetins, was discussed briefly. COMMITTEE Mr. O'Connell informed the Board of the content of Senate Bill 1626, SENATE 1626 ' which would make mandatory the approval of special housing districts in HOUSING towns having less than 1,500 residents per sq. mile. The consequences of passage of this bill were discussed at length and it was voted to -2 - write to Rep. Cole, Rep. Cusack and Senator MacKensie expressing Planning Board opposition to the proposed legislation. Copies of this letter will be sent to planning boards in several surrounding town and to Mr. S. Ells, legal counsel to the Governor's Council. An invitation to the Planning Board from the Lexington Interfaith Corp. to LEX. INTER - attend a meeting on Nov. 11, 1971, was read by Mrs. Brown. Mr. John Carney,FAITH/LOW- Director of the Office of Community Housing Assistance, will speak on low MOD.INC.HSG and moderate income housing. Mr. O'Connell informed the members that Mr. Greeley will be officially R. GREELEY appointed as a member of the 1975-76 Celebrations Committee (BicentennialBICEN. COMM. Committee) in the near future. Mr. O'Connell left the meeting at 9:05 p.m. Upon a motion duly made and seconded it was VOTED: DRUMMER BOY To extend to January 3, 1972, inclusive, the time within which the TIME EXTENSION Planning Board must act on the definitive subdivision plan entitled "Drummer Boy, Lexington, Mass.", dated August 18, 1969, revised to Sept. 1, 1970, as requested by the Oneida Corp., applicant. A draft of a letter to JoJen Realty Trust, disapproving the Idylwilde IDYLWILDE subdivision was noted ,and the matter explained to those present. Upon DISAPPROVAL a motion duly made and seconded it was VOTED: ' To disapprove the definitive subdivision plan entitled "Idylwilde Farms", dated Dec. 29, 1969, and May 12, 1970, by Erich W. Nitzche, Reg. P.E. and L.S., JoJen Realty Trust, applicant. The reasons for the disapproval are as follows: 1. The drainage system shown on the plans is not satisfactory and does not meet the requirements of the "Rules and Regulations Govern- ing the Subdivision of Land in Lexington, Mass.", Section 3.1, 6.6 and 7.5. Se also the report of the Engineer to the Board of Health dated Feb. 6, 1970. The Town of Lexington has installed a drain culvert adjacent to the proposed subdivision, but the applicant has failed to revise the plan to provide the required velocity of flow and proper connection to the culvert. 2. The applicant has withdrawn the plans for revision in October of 1970 and has not resubmitted them. 3. A permit required under the provisions of G.L. Ch. 1319 S. 40 has been applied for on October 27, 1969, but never received to our knowledge. See Sec. 3.3 of the "Rules and Regulations" referred to above. The planning director was authorized to send by certified mail a Certif- icate of Disapproval to JoJen Realty Trust, accompanied by a letter ex- pressing Planning Board reluxtance to take this necessary action and the ' willingness to reopen the subdivision, if resubmitted. The minutes of the Planning Board meeting of October 25, 1971, were approved as written. 1 PJ 1 A memorandum from the Town Engineer recommending reduction of bond in the Village Circle subdivision was read and the matter discussed. Upon a motion duly made and seconded it was VOTED: The construction of ways and the installation of utilities in the Village Circle subdivision having been partially, but not fully, completed to the satisfaction of the Planning Board, the obliga- tions of the developer under the terms of the Agreement of August 31, 1970, and the security furnished to guarantee the performance there- of are hereby reduced from $30,000 to $15,000. This vote is conditional upon $5,000 of the remaining security being provided in the form of a bankbook or other negotiable security. 3 VILLAGE CIRCLE BOND RED. The inquiry of Dr. Howard Smith regarding the conversion of a garage on H. SMITH his property on Woodberry Rd. into living quarters for rental was con- WOODBERRY RD. sidered. As no plan has been provided as yet, the discussion was post- poned. Dr. Smith will be contacted regarding provision of a plan and will be invited to meet with the Board if he wishes to do so. The Board of Health is to be invited to meet with the Planning Board on BD. OF HEALTH Monday, December 6, 1971, for a discussion involving subdivision re- PL. BD. MTG. view and investigation in the light of Mass. Supreme Court decision in 12/6/71 the Natick case, watershed protection legislation and Spagnuola's pond off Carnegie Pl. A reply by Mr. Zaleski for the Traffic Committee to the Selectmen's request for comments on a summary map prepared by BTPR seen by those attending the BTPR meeting on Oct. 5 was read. TRAFFIC COMM. BTPR MAP An invitation to attend the Vine Brook Housing for the Elderly VINE BROOK groundbreaking on Nov. 8 was noted. Mr. Zaleski offered to attend since HSING/ELDERLY the Board members were unable to attend GRNDBREAKING Plans offered by Charles Willis, architect, for low cost housing were C. WILLIS discussed briefly. Tom Holzbog, DAC, commented on the plans. Mrs. BrownLOW COST HSING suggested that the Lexington Minute Man may wish to use Mr. Willis as a subject of a human interest story. The meeting adjourned at 10:05 p.m. q'o'n-al`dM. Graham Clerk