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PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
MEETING OF JUNE 3, 1982
The business meeting of the Lexington Planning Board, held in Room G-15, Town
Offices, was called to order at 9:45 p.m. by the Chairman, Mr. Sandy, with members
Nichols, Smith, Sorensen and Uhrig, and Planning Director Bowyer present. Earlier
in the evening the Board had conducted a public hearing in Cary Memorial Hall on a
petition to rezone the Muzzey School property to the CD district. After the con-
clusion of the public hearing, the Board reconvened in Room G-15 for its business
meeting.
DETERMINATION OF PLANNING BOARD APPROVAL
89. Barberry Road, Lots 66-A and 64-A, Form A-82/4
The Board reviewed a plan of land off Barberry Road, near Stonewall Road, which
proposes to move the present lot line of Lot 66-A 25 feet into Lot 64-A in order
to permit a proposed addition to have a 20 foot side yard. On the motion of
Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Nichols, it was voted unanimously:
1) The plan entitled "Compiled Plan of Land in Lexington, Mass.", dated May
24, 1982, by Miller and Nylander Company of Lexington, Mass., certified
by Donald J. Forand, registered land surveyor, with application form
A-82/4, by Samuel Berman, 11 Barberry Road, does not require approval
under the subdivision control law; and
2) that a notation be placed on the plan that "Lot 64-A does not comply with
the current provisions of the Lexington Zoning By -Law for lot area and
may not qualify as a building lot for zoning purposes"; and
3) that the Planning Director is authorized to sign the plan in behalf of
the Board after the notation is placed on the plan.
SUBDIVISION OF LAND
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Hearings:
Mr. Bowyer reported that definitive subdivision plans had been filed for the
Blossomcrest Tract and for the land off Grove Street (the Grove Street land is
proposed to be developed by Oscar Cormier). it was agreed to schedule a public -
hearing on the Blossomcrest Subdivision for Monday, June 28, at 8:00 p.m. Mr.
Sorensen said he did not like the idea of considering a subdivision plan while
there is litigation pending against the Town on another subdivision plan on the
same land.
It was agreed to defer scheduling a public hearing on the Cormier Subdivision as
Mr. Sorensen pointed out the definitive subdivision plan should not be entertained
until the Board of Appeals had filed its decision on the special permit for the
cluster subdivision.
1
Minutes of June 3, 1982 2
291
82. Proposed Fee Schedule
Mr. Bowyer distributed a draft of a proposed revision to the subdivision "Rules
and Regulations" dealing with the fee schedule. It was agreed to defer this dis-
cussion until another meeting when more time would be available.
83. ARTICLES FOR 1982 TOWN MEETING
Article 53, Muzzey Junior High School: The Board discussed the proposed CR dis-
trict for the Muzzey School property which had been the subject of the public
hearing earlier in the evening. John Gallagher and Donald Ross of Elgin Associ-
ates, Donald Gillespie, architect for the development, and Susan Adler, Assistant
to the Town Manager were present
Each member commented on the proposal and mentioned points that should be made in
the planning Board's report. Mrs. Smith said she could not support a commercial
use because it would not be contiguous to any other other commercial use and would
be a leapfrogging of the land use pattern. She thought commercial use would place
enormous pressure on the residential area between Muzzey Junior High and Lexington
center and that the Town would be forced to develop some type of transition zone.
She did not see any benefit to the Town because there is ample office floor space
being developed already in the. Town and we should not compete with the private
sector. She thought there should be further investigation of the point raised at
the hearing that there should be a multi -service human services center oriented to
senior citizens in the buidling.
Mr. Sandy thought the long term tax benefit to the Town would be negligible. He
was concerned about office employees driving to Lexington center for lunch and
other business, creating a need for additional parking, causing the Town to spend
much more money to provide parking. He thought the development should be evalu-
ated as if it were a purely private development, without the Town's participation.
He thought that would receive practically no support in Town Meeting. He did not
think that an opportunity for the Town to receive a large amount of money was
sufficient justification for a commercial rezoning.
Mrs. Nichols said she thought the proposal was spot zoning - a commercial use com-
pletely surrounded by residential uses. She said the Town's need is housing, not
commercial office space. She indicated other public uses such as recreation or
cemetery land, or retaining the site for future school use because of its central
location; all should be considered.
Mrs. Uhrig was concerned about introducing a change in use through zoning.She
would not be opposed to razing the building.
Mr. Sorensen was concerned about the sheer number of cars. He thought the build-
ing should be viewed as an opportunity to investigate types of housing not now
available in the market.
Mrs. Smith noted that the Board of Selectmen have not had an overall policy for
the five surplus school buildings, whether to sell or lease the buildings, whether
to sell or lease the land or both, and there have not been guidelines for the
individual buildings. She advocated a thorough study of the potential use of the
building for a variety of types of housing, and for multiple use, including re-
taining some parts of the building for public use.
Minutes of June 3, 1982 3
289
Mr. Sorensen was concerned about linking the senior center to the private reuse of
the building. He thought the senior center was enough of an issue to be a separ-
ate subject, handled by a separate committee.
There was -confusion as to the amount of floor space in the building and how the
parking ratio was developed. Mr. Ross said there were about 72,000 square feet of
net floor area to be used in the building, of which 63,500 square feet would be
used for the commercial use. The parking ratio was derived from the number of
spaces available and the amount of commercial floor space.
On the motion of Mr. Sorensen, seconded by Mrs. Smith, it was voted unanimously to
LO have the Planning Director prepare an unfavorable report, in draft form, for re-
view at the meeting of June 7. It was agreed to limit the report on Article 53 to
® the CD, commercial, proposal. The question of alternative uses for the property,
which received considerable discussion in the public hearing, is best left to a
Q separate report.
m
Q The meeting was adjourned at 11:17 p.m.
Karsten Sorensen, Clerk