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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1961-05-25-BOS-min 515 :1 ► SEL�F� TMEN S HEARING NG May 25, 1961 The Board of Selectmen held a hearing in Estabrook Hall, Cary Memorial Building, on Thursday, May 25, 1961 at 8:00 P.M. Mr. Adams, Chairman pro tem, Messrs . Ferguson, Richards and Cole were present . Mr. Carroll, Superintendent of Public Works , Mr. Robert Higgins, Assistant Town Engineer, Messrs . Soule, Grindle , Meyer, and Mabee of the Planning Board., Mr. Snow, Planning Director, and the Executive Clerk were also present . The Chairman explained that the hearings were being held for the purpose of making and establishing layouts of the two streets to be pres: nted to the Hearing Special Town Meeting on June 19 for acceptance by the Summit Rd . Town. He stated that notices of the intention of the Buckman Dr . Board to pass orders for the extensions and layouts had been delivered by the Constable to all property owners as they appear on the most recent tax list. He explained that the hearings are a part of the legal process involved when the Town accepts streets, and after acceptance , the Town becomes liable for the maintenance and repair; that no funds would be requested at the June meeting for con- struction. The Chairman advised th,. t this was an informal meet- ing for the citizens and only the Town Meeting members could decide the matter . He explained that plans were available and Mr. Carroll and Mr. Higgins would answer engineering questions . He also explained that the streets would be constructed under the betterment act . The Chairman explained that those who wished to be recorded in favor would be given an opportunity to speak, and then those who wished to be recorded in opposition would be given an opportunity to speak. He asked each speaker to give his name and address for the record. The Chairman explained that in 1947 when a water main was put through Buckman Drive , it was also extended into the Fern Street-Moreland Avenue area and at that time , the Board of Selectmen took a water easement from Mr . Luongo. He said that in the records were several conversations to the effect that some day that shoilld be connected, and ever since that time, it was always felt that a connection should be made as a matter of safety. He stated that the Planning Board has a regulation to the 516 effect that there should be no dead end street over 500 feet, and explained that within the last few years there have been petitions from the people in the Fern Street, Moon Hill area requesting a second exit . He said that there had also been petitions from people on Buckman Drive opposing it . The Selectmen turned the petitions over to the Planning Board last spring for study and he read a letter from the Planning Board dated Marph 7, 1961, recommending that the Selectmen prepare for the next Town Meeting a layout for the Buckman Drive ex- tension and also the extension of Summit Road to Fern Street . He explained that was the reason for the hearing this evening in anticipation of the June 19 Town Meeting, and again stated that no funds would be requested at this time . He said the Board would hear first from those in favor. Mr. George L. Francis, 36 Moreland Avenue , asked if the money had already been provided, and the Chairman replied in the negative . He explained that funds will be requested at the Annual Town Meeting, if the streets are accepted, and they will be in a contract after the Annual Town Meeting. Mr. Alfred E. Oliva, 20 Buckman Drive , asked if funds for sewers would be used, and the Chairman replied in the negative . He explained that the money for street construction is for street construction only, and that the s ewer appropriation is separate . Mr. Harold Roeder, 6 Churchill Lane, said he under- stood both streets would be constructed at the same time if they are accepted. The Chairman said if approved, they would be under . the same contract. Mrs. Walter Arnold, 79 Buckman Drive , asked about the possibility of extending Moreland Avenue down into the meadow. Mr. Carroll explained the problem of connecting Worthen Road to Route 2 has been plaguing the Town and an effort has been made to obtain an answer from the State as to what is going to be done with Route 2 at Pleasant Street . He reported that a meeting has been scheduled for next week with some State officials but he did not know if an answer would be forthcoming. He stated that it could be five or ten years before the Town knows exactly what is going to happen before Route 2 is widened and the connection made . He said he hoped to obtain information as to where the Town can bring Worthen Road through and when it has been brought through, there is no reason why Moreland Avenue could not connect. 1Dr. Robert J. Brennan, 21 Buckman Drive , asked what the meaning was of public safety that the Planning Board set forth. Mr. Soule replied it was public safety as regard to dead end streets . He said the Planning Boa 'd has set a policy on subdivisions whereby no street shall be ex- tended more than 500 feet without a second means of ac- cess . He said if some accident should block the road into the 500 foot area, it would be well in the interest of public safety to have an egress for fire apparatus, ambulance andsnow plows . Mr. Donald R. Grant, 22 Summit Road, said that no funds would be requested for construction at the coming Town Meeting and asked how much money would be requested under these articles for engineering services or acqui- sition of land. Mr. Carroll replied that as he understood the Board' s decision, only a small amount would be appropriated at this time for land acquisition. He said the total amount did not have to be appropriated to acquire the land. Mr. Grant asked what the estimate for land acquisition was . Mr. Carroll replied that Summit Road is alreadyJaid out, a layout has been recorded and the land acquisition would be small, He explained that onuckman Drive the Town would probably have to pay for two fifty-foot lots owned by Mr. Luongo Mr. Grant asked if any estimates had been made of the cost of constructing Buckman Drive . Mr. Carroll replied it would cost approximately 11 ,000. Mr. Grant asked about the cost of constructing Summit Road.. Mr. Carroll replied that it would cost about *13,500 for the 700 foot section. He said he also felt that a water main should be installed in Summit Road at an estimated cost of $4,000, totaling *17,500. He said he recommended to the Board that if this road is constructed, the existing section of Summit Road, a public way at the present time , should be widened and that will cost an estimated *8,000 or a total of *25,500. Mr. Grant asked the Planning Boad why it was nedes- sary to create two additional accesses to the Monn Hill area. Mr. Soule replied that the Planning Board' s recom- mendation would not create access to the Moon Hill area alone but to the other area from Dawes Road on. Mr. Grant asked if it was the area served by Fern Street and Moon Hill . 518 CD mw Mr. Soule replied it is to open an access to the Moon Hill area and another to the Follen Hill area which has 1300 feet of road down to a dead end. He said originally one connection had been proposed but at a':< meeting of the people on Follen Hill, there was a traffic objection and the Board felt that two means of access would tend to spread the traffic and reduce it on Buckman Drive . Mr. Grant asked if Mr. Soule would be prepared to re- commend to Town Meeting, in order to prevent all of the in- creased flow of traffic on Buckman Drive, that the Town should spend $25,000. Mr. Soule said the population is now almost up to 29,000 and growing to 50,000 or 55,000. He said in the future these connections would have to be made in order to have a free flow of traffic through the Town. He said people like to live on dead end streets that are quiet, but for the interest of progress and free circu- lation of traffic throughout the Town, these connections will have to be made . Mr. Grant said that Mr. Carroll expects in five years it might be possible to determine where Worthen Road is going. He asked why it is necessary at this point to lay out and construct Buckman Drive and Summit Road at the same time , particularly with the cost of each. Mr. Soule replied it is to get rid of 1100 feet and 1300 foot dead ends. Mr. Grant said Summit Road is not a deadeend except at the last portion. Mr. Arthur Anthony, 33 Summit Road, had to leave the meeting and asked to be recorded in opposition. Mr. Grant asked if the Planning Board had given any consideration to the effect the law permitting fire trucks and ambulances the right to go on private lawns . Mr. Soule replied that-the Board had considered that but does not consider it good policy to run public vehicles on private property. He said the streets should be accepted, plowed, and have free access for emergency equipment. Mr . Grant disagreed. Mrs . Jan Leyenaar, 30 Mor-. land Avenue , asked the present width of Fern Street at its narrowest width. Mr. Carroll replied that it is somewhere around fifteen feet. Mr. Douglass A. Allred, 38 Summit Road, said the length of the two proposed streets is about 200 feet and 700 feet, a ratio of about three to one . He said he gathered from $4,000 for Buckman Drive and $13,000 for Summit Road, that the expected road building program 519 would have the same degree of diffinity . Mr. Carroll replied that there would be more diffi- culty in building Summit Road. Mr. Allred asked if there was any ledge on Buckman Drive , and Mr. Carroll replied in the negative . Mr. Allredsaid that Sum -it Road has about 1,000 cubic yards of ledge to be removed. He said the cost of removing that had been omitted from the cost of the road construction . Mr. Carroll stated that it had not . He explained that Summit Road has been broken down into two costs ; one , the wooded section and one, the section not wooded. He stated that it would cost about $25 a foot to construct the section through the woods and about $15 a foot for Buckman Drive , for instance . He explained when the higher cost--is spread over the entire length of the now private way of Summit Road, then the cost per foot is reduced . Mr. Allred asked for an idea of what the estimate is for removing the ledge . Mr. Carroll replied that he has not estimated it and stated that he has made numerous estimates on street construction and usually makes them higi enough. He said the amount of money he has requested is sufficient . Mr . Allred said he could understand the need for entrance and egress and he could see there would be a reasonable need for a second means of access from the Moon Hill area, but he failed to understand how it applies to the Summit Road extension. He said it seemed to him that a second means of egrees somewhere else would be much better . He said it would appear that the only reason for the extension of Summit Road was to ease a traffic problem and asked Mr. Soule if that was correct . Mr. Soule replied it is used in conjunction with Buckman Drive as a means of egress and secondly, to ease the flow of traffic . Mr. Allred asked if the major ree-son was to ease the flow of traffic, and Mr. Soule replied that he would not pin Summit Road as the re ;.son being only for access, but would say it was in conjunction with free flow of traffic throughout the Town. Mr. Allred said with access from some other end, the free flow of traffic would be adequate and it would seem better to widen Fern Street. The Chairman explained at this point that both Summit Road and Buckman Drive would be constructed under the Betterment Act. 520 Mr. John F. Groden, 12 Summit Road, asked if any study had been made regarding the cost of an access from Moon Hill to Pleasant Street and secondly from Moreland Avenue to Blossom Street or Moreland Avenue to Route 2. The Chairman explained that coming up from Pleasant Street, Millican Road would be very costly. • Mr. Groden said he meant the existing Allen Street, and the Chairman explained that it was too far away. He said it must be a mile away and no estimate has been made on that . Mr. Rotdnno, 48 Summit Road, inquired when benefit would be derived by the people in the Follen Hill and Buckman Drive areas . Mr. Soule replied that there are eight families on Dawes Road; seventeen on Buckman Drive , eight on Lantern Lane and three on Philip Road, a total of thirty-six . families in a singe access area . Mr. Rotunno asked what the benefit was, and Mr. Soule replied that he would go back to the free flow of traffic benefit . Mr. Rotunno asked where the people on Buckman Drive and Summit Road would go when they go out those roads and what would they benefit . Mr . Soule replied that emergency equipment could be 111 brought in. Mr. Rotunno said that Moreland Avenue is a dead end street with less access than there would ever be for any- one on Summit Road. and Buckman Drive, yet the Planning Board would divert them to a free access highway. He asked if a traffic study had ever been made as to the flow of traffic off Fern Street, Summit Road and Buckman Drive . The Chairman replied that he did not think such a survey has been done. Mr. Peter A. D'Arrigo, 1 Lantern Lane , said it is not exactly a dead end street, that there is another access . He said they could go up Locust then to Follen. Mr. Alan S. Hodges, 21 Dawes Road, Chairman of the Follen Hill Estates Association, said he was representing eighty families on Buckman Drive who have been opposing this for two years . Last year, a petition was submitted opposing the extension , with 400 signatures. He said there are sixty-three children fifteen years of age and under, living on Buckman Drive and the three adjoining streets . There are no sidewalks and people walk in the streets . He said the traffic on Follen Road was heavy because of its convenience as a short cut. He said if Buckman Drive is opened up, the increase in traffic would 111L 521 produce a higher accident potential and increase the hazards at the intersections of Marrett Road and Follen Road; and at Locust Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue . He said the association was aware of the desire for additional access, but would like to refer to Article 19 in the Warrant of the last Town Meeting providing for plans to lay out a sewer main between Pleasant Street 1 and the Woodhaven area. He stated that construction is expected to start in 1962, to be followed by the extension of Worthen Road across the same area providing a more feasible and less hazardous access road to the area in question . He said in the meantime , there are two access roads available for emergency use . Mr. Hodges said that the Planning Board recommended that both roads be extended simultaneously; He said the tax rate has increased 41;5.00 and is expected to increase at least this amount each year in the future and with more important expenditures, such as school construction and sewer extensions, this is a good place to economize . Mr. Michael J. Spinelli, 32 Buckman Drive , said he did not think Buckman Drive was a dead end. The Chairman explained that it is from the inter- section. He said that could be blocked and shut off the area. Mr. George Francis, 36 Moreland Avenue , said this seems to be a battle of the so-called Follen Hill Section vs the Moon Hill area. He said many of the streets in Follen Hill have a second access so they are not looking for another one and op;,ose this . He asked if anyone could set the financial amount of money that would have to be paid for the life of one child or one person. He said there is onlyone way to get in or out of Moreland Avenue and Davis oad . He stated that Fern Street is fifteen feet wide and in the wintertime , with an oil struck parked on the street, it is almost impossible to get by. Two years ago, the 19th of April, there were two buses parked there and he had to wait two hours to get up the street because there was no other way. Mr. Carroll Taylor, 28 Summit Road, said that Mr. Soule had stated there was a desire to eliminate all dead end areas and have free access. He said he was interested in this problem. For many years he has been receiving architectural journals and it has been his observation that in large areas involving cities and towns with Planners, they are trying to create what the Planning Board in Lexington is saying is undesirable . He said it should not be necessary as a matter of policy to go from one area to another . He said it is important for people in each area to have adequate access, but it 522 does not make sense to try and create a free exit road from oneresidential area to another residential area . He said if the Board did not think it was a problem, it should go up there for about an hour some afternoon and see the children in the area. He said the problem should be to get the traffic off the Moon Hili. area. The Chairman explained that this meeting was an informational meeting and Town Meeting will have to make the decisions . Mrs . Emily Clark, 25 Moon Hill Road, said there have been emergencies when the street has been shut off and there was no way of getting out . She said they could not get down through Millican Lane , and on Sunday when the Sacred Heart Church is in session, one cannot get up. The Chairman stated that he lv.d been down and looked at both of these streets and did not believe that either piece of fire apparatus could possibly get through. Mrs. Henry Flynn, 26 Bird Hill Road, said there is no way of getting out except Fern Street and a second exit is needed without any delay at all. Mr. Donald Grant, 22 Summit Road, asked if the • Planning Board had made a survey that would tell how many other dead end roads there are , 1300 feet in length, in the Town. Mr. Soule replied that he did not have the count, but there are others . He asked if Mr . Soule could tell at this point what it would cost the Town to serve all these dead end roads by some other access road, and Mr. Soule replied in the negative . Mr. Grant asked if Mr. Soule could tell the Town how much of the cost would be recovered by betterments and how much would be borneby the Town, and Mr. Soule . replied that he was not prepared to answer that . He said the hearing was on this one project now. The Chairman said the Board would have the answer for the Town Meeting. Dr. Robert Brennan, 21 Buckman Drive , said there has already been a fatal accident at the corner of Buckman Drive and Dawes Road . He said the Moon Hill area has been in existence now for fourteen years and he could think of no dire emergency that has occurred. The Chairman said the Board would have more in- formation pertaining to accidents at the Town Meeting . Mrs . Sanborn Brown, 37 Maple Street, said she has had a long standing theory that children who live on streets with very heavy traffic understand those streets and the children on dead end street, do not. 523 I She said there has been no accident of any kind on Maple Street involving the children in the fourteen years she has lived there and this is because they 4nder- stand the street. Mr. Wilbur L. Peabody, Jr. , 6L Locust Avenue , said the people in both areas chose them because of some particular reason that they wanted to live in that area. In his case , he wanted to live there because it was a dead end . He said Moon Hill was laid out by choice and the poeple made it a dead end. He :. said the talk has been about a hypothetical accident . He stated that the Moon Hill people themselves put bumps in the road and at that time , did not want free way traffic . This has gone on for many years and the people have lived with it. He said Worthen Road will come along possibly in five years and that seems the most desirable access . Mrs . Frank Totman, 1+6 Moreland Avenue, said she would like th e Boards to see Fern Street in the after- noon when school is out and in the morning. She said an accident has not happened but it could. The Chairman explained that the widening of Fern Street has been looked into and it involves taking several homes . Mr. Winthrop F. Potter, 25 Summit Road, asked the I length of Moon Hill Road up to the traffic circle . Mr. Soule replied that he did not know. Mr. Potter askd what plans had been mace for an access . The Chairman explained that was one of the reasons for the present regulation. Mr. Potter asked if Worthen Road could be built from Moreland Avenue through to Pleasant Street and an exit created from Six Moon Hill area. He said it would be advancing the construction of Worthan Road. He said the problem would be with the intersection of Watertown Street and at Route 2. He said the section through the foot of Moon Hill Road by Beaver Brook is one route Worthen Road could take . If the construction of that part of Worthen Road were advanced, it could give ready access and that seems to be the ultimate plan. The Chairman explained that no one would like to have the road built any more than the Board of Selectmen. He explained that the State has taken some of the land there and entrance is going to be very difficult. Mr. Potter said that if Summit Road is connected through to Moreland Avenue , the traffic congestion at the junction of Summit Road and Fern Street would be a hazard. Mr. J hn Flavin, 34 Independence Road, asked if any 1 plans had Veen made by the Police Department to control 524 an the traffic . He said they could not cope with it now. The Chairman replied that no study has been made and Mr. Flavin said there should be . Mr. George Matheson, 62 Buckman Drive , asked if the Planning Board had given any thought to Millican Road. Mr. Soule replied in the affirmative and stated that it is a ten foot right-of-way with a blind corner on Pleasant Street and does not seem feasible to the Planning Board. Mr. Matheson asked why Millican Road could not be discussed. The Chairman explained that there were construction problems them . Mr. Metheson asked if Moon Hill Road would have an egrees to Worthen Rod, if developed,and Mr. Soule replied in the affirmative . Mr. Matheson asked if the cost had been determined, and Mr. Soule replied that he had no estimate . Mrs . Emily Clark, 25 Moon Hill Road, said she thought there were three houses on both sides of Millican Road and she did not think the street could be widened. Mr. Winthrop potter, 25 Summit Road, said he has lived in the Town for thirty-seven yers and on Summit Road since 1934, and has walked all over the area. He said in the old days, Millican Lane was a right-of-way and shown on an existing map, at least part way, as an unimproved dirt road. He said it is a hard gravel road and until recently, cars did use it . He said since Moon Hill was built, cars have gone down through that lane . He said it is not in use now because one of the abbtters has blocked it . He said it seemed to him that it could be made into an emergency egress from Moon Hill by having the dirt removed. He said there are only three houses on Millican Lane , but there are more than three on Fern Street . The Chairman explained that there has been con- siderable discussion as to the legal status of Millican Lane . Mr. Douglas Allred, 38 Summit Road, asked if the extension of Worthen Road was contingent upon State action in that area. The Chairman replied that he would say 90%, that it is . Mr. Allred said if the road is going in anyway, what would prevent laying it out and constructing it . The Chairman explained that Worthen Road is going through large tracts of land to be built by private developers and it is hoped that as the land is developed, it will be part of the subdivision. He said it has to 525 jointRoute 2. Originally it had been planned to join it at Pleasant Street . However, the State came along and planned to widen Route 2 and made it non access . He said th-t is what stymied the plans for Worthen Roac . He said if the Town can' t go on at Pleasant Street, it must be joined at Watertown Street. Mr . Allred asked if the opening of any private pro- perty would be held up until Route 2 is cleared up and the Chairman replied not necessarily. Mr. Allred requested that the Planning Board investigate the possibility of extending Worthen Road with the Town funds . Dr. Robert Brennan, 21 Buckman Drive , asked if there was any real emergency about this . Mr . Soule replied that he. did not see any real emergency but it is in the current plans of the Town. He said the plan was started, he believed, in 1948, and it is now 1961. The Board is just getting around to it . The Chairman said that the Board of Selectmen did feel it is an emergency. He said there have been a number of petitions that the Board feels cannot be ` ignored, but if the Town Meeting decided not to vote it, the Board could not do anything about it . He stated that petitions have been presented from both sides and they cannot be ignored. Dr. Robert Brennan, 21 Buckman Drive, said he has lived there since 1954 and there has been only one peti- tion. The Chairman stated that there have been a number of letters and, speaking for himself, he has always felt there should be an exit there and this was long before any houses were built there . Mrs . Mary Dentler, 99 Follen Road, said she thought the full responsibility of the problem rested with the Planning Board. She said she could not imagine a dexelopment being approved with only one exit . Mr. Harold Roeder, as Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, said he believed that the section of Moon Hill Road does need two exits for that area. He stated that he has been on the Board for about thirteen years -nd is not saying that the solution is Summit Road or Buckman Drive and has been over the entire area with the Board.. He said last night the Board' s attention was called to the fact that it is possible to get into the area at the end of Summit Road . If something could be done down there the Fire Department could get the ambulance and fire trucks in there . He explained that IIthe Fire Department has keys to many of the public • Buildings, and suggested that possibly this way could be 526 °'' ran Ywd blocked off and the Fire Department be given a key so it could get through there . In the meantime , it would give the Planning Board an opportunity to find out what is going to happen before a substantial amount of money is spent . Mr.Rottunno, 48 Summit Road, said that there is an entrance at Fern Street and Summit Road. He stated that Summit Road is used because it is one very diffi- cult street to get off of. He said he was sympathetic . with the problem but he thought the Planning Board has more studying to do . He stated that his father, a planner, has looked at this and thinks more study should be done . He said there is a problem that must be resolved by good planning. Mr. Rottunno suggested that an emergency road be put through. He said there is a driveway there and a rock pile that has to come out . He and Mr . Allred talked to one of Mr. Carroll ' s men who said it would cost $1.00 a square yard to take the rock pile out of there . He suggested that the Board take a look at this for an emergency entrance . He said there would be no objection on his part or on his parents ' part and they would permit vehicles to go through there on an emergency. He said the people on Moreland Avenue have the right of protection that all the rest of the people on other streets have . He said he was willing to permit the property to be used for the benefit of his neighbors in Moon Hill. Mr. John Wilson, 62 Fern Street, said that rock pile was on his"property. He stated that he put it there and let these people come out onto his driveway. He said all the property there belongs to him, down to his post on the corner of Moreland Avenue and to the Town stone at the e.nd of Fern Street. Mr. Ernest Smith, 50 Fern Street, said the real emergency is not fire engines, but the children who have to go up there every day because the is no sidewalk. • Mrs . Mary C . Bermingham, 26 Bird Hill Road, said she represented Mrs . Rees, 14 Bird Hill Road, who wished to be recorded as being in favor of an access. Mrs . Wintrhop Potter, 25 Summit Road, said basically the Planning Board is assuming what is wanted is a gridiron. They say it is not an emergency. She asked why the Plan- ning Board assumed that this lb better than isolated neighborhoods . She said the people here agree that Moon Hill should have another access and she asked if the Planning Board felt there should be a gridiron all over Town. The Chairman said the question would be noted. The Chairman read a letter from Mr . Aiden L. Ripley opposing the proposed layouts . II 527 The Chairman took a standing vote and asked all thosein favor of the proposed layout of Buckman Drive and Summit Road to raise their hands . Twelve people were in favor. He then asked for those who opposed, and seventy-five people opposed. Mr . Winthrop Potter, 25 Summit Road, said that in view of this vote he urged the Selectmen that neither article be inserted in the warrant, substituting an article for an appropriation to have a competent Town Planner or Engineering firm make a study of the entire area and make the best solution to the problem. The hearings were declared closed at 9:35 P.M. A true record, Attest : ,Eke i Clerk, Select en o ✓ 'y • 1