HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-10-02PLANNING BOARD MEETING
October 2, 1979
The meeting of the Lexington Planning Board was called to order at 7:33 p.m.
by the chairman Dr. Friedman with members Sandy, Nichols, Wheaton, planning
intern Asen and secretary Mrs. Snow present. Also in attendance was Ruth
Morey, Chairman of the Board of Appeals.
Ron Colwell, realtor, was present to request the view of the Board on PLEASANT ST.
development of land at 103 Pleasant Street. The lot in question has a totalCOLWELL
of 304 feet of frontage on Pleasant Street and Worthen Road. It was proposed
to create two house lots with a, common driveway off Pleasant Street and a"rat
tail" strip to provide frontage on Worthen Road for the rear lot. The Board
was generally opposed to the concept and stated preference for formal subdi-
vision procedures, with construction of a road to serve the rear lot.
Ruth Morey was present for discussion of interagency procedures regarding B/A
rehearings on denied petitions to the Board of Appeals. Dr. Friedman's REHEARING
September 28, 1979, memo on the subject was noted. Discussion followed PROCEDURES
on continuation of the less formal Planning Board/Board of Appeals approach
to decision on allowing rehearings. It was noted that the new Zoning Act
(Section 16) specifically requires Planning Board hearing with advertisement
and notice to abuttors to consider the significance of changes in new sub-
mittals prior to Planning Board action on such requests, in addition to formal
B/A hearings. The Planning Board was in general agreement that this pro-
cedure, as advised by Town Counsel in his letter of September 12, 1979, must
be followed. Re -petition will be discouraged but formal hearing procedure as
' outlined above will be followed from this time on.
Letter from Lloyd Taylor, dated September 17, 1979, requesting Planning Bd. EMERSON RD.
initiation of an Article to rename Emerson Road near Maureen Road was RENAME
noted. A meeting of the residents of Emerson and nearby Maureen roads,
and Ted Freeman, developer ,of adjacent proposed Ridge Estates II subdivision,
will be scheduled for October 22, for discussion of the matter and
the choice of names. It was felt that the name chosen for Emerson Road should
be the same as that of the subdivision road in Ridge Estates II, since the
two will connect. "Prescott Road" was suggested. Engineering Dept. will be
alerted concerning the consecutive numbering of the two streets.
Draft rejection of the Ridge Estates II RO subdivision plan was reviewed.
It will be _redrafted to include reference to Engineering comments on
design standards and the date of the Subdivision Rules and Regulations
which were in force when the plans were submitted.
.RIDGE EST.II
RO PLAN
REJECTION
Dr. Sandy's draft letter to the Board of Selectmen regarding improvement STREET
and acceptance of Garfield Street and Sunnyknoll and/or Vaille Avenues at ACCEPTANCE
the 1980 A.T.M. was reviewed and unanimously approved as amended.
At 9 p.m., CBD Committee members John Crowe, Ron Levy, and Barry Orenstein CBD COMMITTEI
met with the Board for discussion of the future of Lexington Center in the
light of information gained at the three CBD meetings held with citizens,
merchants and Lexington Center landowners. Because of diversity of opinion
' among the three groups regarding adequacy of parking, it was agreed that a
parking survey,and a comparison of the one undertaken in 1974, would be help-
ful. Parking lot identification by signs was seen to be lacleixig, as well as
pedestrian access from the various lots to the stores. Temporary use of the
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10.2.79
' railroad right-of-way for parking is to be investigated. It was agreed that
the following steps will be taken: Lexington Center merchants who have
moved from the center in the past five years will be identified and inter-
viewed if possible; an inventory will be taken of total existing retail
parking per 1,000 square feet of gross retail floor area in Lexington
Center and other towns; a search will be made for Lexington residents who
qualify as experts in this field and who will be asked to volunteer as
consultants. Robert Sacco, President of the Chamber of Commerce, will be
invited to attend the next meeting of the CBD Committee with the Planning
Board on November 5.
Discussion was resumed on the Mystic Valley Mental Health petition to the M.V.M.H.
Board of Appeals for expansion of facilities at Bedford Street. Mrs. PETITION
Wheaton's memo dated September 28, 1979, reporting on the current scope of TO B A
operations, extent of staffing and clients, and parking provisions at
M.V.M.H.was reviewed. Question arose as to future use of the expanded
building in residential zone if M.V.M.H. relocates in the Town. It was
agreed that the Planning Board recommendations to the B/A dated September 24,
1979,should be revised by adding recommendation for increased parking and
possible move to another location. Mrs. Wheaton's partial draft letter to
the B/A was read aloud, and the Board was asked for its view on the number
of parking spaces needed. Justification for a total of 75 spaces will be
included in the letter.
Dr. Sandy's draft letter to Superintendent Lawson, School Department (see SCHOOL POPULA-
' minutes of September 24) requesting computer information on the number of TION INFO
school aged children in certain developments was reviewed and unanimously
approved as written.
The meeting adjourned at 10:55 p.m.
Frank Sandy, Clerk