HomeMy WebLinkAbout1940-07-01-STM-min 546
TOWN WARRANT
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex, ss .
To either of the Constables of the Town of Lexington, in said
County, Greeting:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are
directed to notify the inhabitants of the Town of Lexington
qualified to vote in elections and in town affairs, to meet in
the Cary Memorial Building, in said Lexington, on Monday, the
1st day of July, 1940 at eight o'clock P. M. , then and there to
act on the following articles:
Article 1. To receive the reports of any Board of Town
Officers or of any Committee of the Town and to appoint other
Committees.
Article 2. To see if the Town will vote to abandon any right
or easement, if any, taken by eminent domain by the Town in an
order of taking of land at Butterfield's Pond recorded with
Middlesex South District Deeds Book 6279, Page 318, to include in
the storage basin when the water of Butterfield's Pond is raised
to a level not exceeding 176 feet above mean sea level any part
of the land of George E. Ham not taken in fee simple by the - said
taking, or act in any manner in relation thereto.
Article 3. To see if the Town will amend the vote of the
Town. Meeting of August 8, 1938 under Article four of the warrant
for that meeting relating to construction of a storage basin at
Butterfield's Pond as part of the Vine Brook Development, by
striking out a limitation to -310,000 . for land and flowage rights
acquired, or act in any manner in relation thereto.
Article 4. To see if the Town will authorize the Selectmen
to install street lights in the following unaccepted streets:
Candlewick Close; Fottler Avenue.
Article 5. To see if the Town will vote to make a further
appropriation for the purchase of a Town ambulance, and provide
such funds by transfer from Available Funds, or take any other
action in relation thereto.
Article 6. To see if the Town will accept a gift of money
to be applied toward the purchase of an ambulance. -
Article 7. To see if the Town will vote to transfer to
Excess and Deficiency Account the unexpended balance in the
account for Public Welfare Accounts Payable - 1939 Bills - or
take any other action in relation thereto.
Article 8. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Lexing-
ton Zoning By-Law and Map by inserting in Section 3 (b) , after
R. 2 Districts, 10, - the words
R.3 Districts .
1. Northeasterly by land of the Colonial Garage,
Inc. , 160 feet, northwesterly by land now or late of Hutchinson
and by land now or late of MacKay, 267 feet, southwesterly by
Vine Brook Road, 160 feet, southeasterly by land of the Colonial
Garage, Inc. , 265 feet;
or act in any manner in relation thereto .
Article 9. To see if the Town will vote to make a further
appropriation for the Engineering Department Expenses account
and provide such funds by transfer from available funds or take
any other action in relation thereto.
547
And you are directed to serve this Warrant seven days at
least before the time of said meeting as provided in the By-Laws
of the Town.
Hereof fail not, and make due return on this Warrant, with
your doings thereon, to the Town Clerk, on or before the time of
said meeting.
Given under our hands at Lexington, this eleventh day of
June , A. D. 1940 .
ARCHIBALD R. GI RO tUX
WILLIAM G. POTTER SELECTMEN
ERROL H. LOCKE OF
A. EDWARD ROWSE LEXINGTON
GEORGE W. SARANO
June 22, 1940
CONSTABLE I S RETURN
To the Town Clerk,
I have notified the inhabitants of Lexington by posting
printed copies of the foregoing Warrant in the vestibule of
the Town Office Building, and twelve other public places in the
Town, and by mailing a printed copy of the same to every reg-
istered voter in the Town nine days before the time of said
meeting.
Attest:
PATRICK J. MAGUIRE
Constable of Lexington.
548 C.51
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING HD JULY 1, 1940
Meeting called to order by the Moderator, Robert H. Holt,
at 8:10 P.M.
There were 157 Town Meeting Members present.
The warrant for the meeting was read by the Town Clerk,
James J. Carroll, until upon motion of Selectman A. Edward Rowse,
duly seconded, further reading was waived. 8:11 P.M.
The Town Clerk read the Constable' s return of the warrant.
Art. 1, George C. Sheldon, Chairman of the Appropriation
Committee, presents report which was voted to be accepted and
placed on file. 8:12 P.M.
Art, 2. Presented by the Town Counsel, Sydney R. Wright-
ington.
Art, 2. WHEREAS the Town by an order of taking dated Feb-
ruary 13, 1939 and recorded with Middlesex South District
Deeds, Book 6279, page 313, took by eminent domain the
right to flow the water of Butterfield's Pond over
certain lands therein described to a level of elevation
not exceeding 176 feet above mean sea level to provide
a storage basin for flood flows of Vine Brook; and
WHEREAS the Town by an order of taking dated Feb-
ruary 13, 1939, and recorded with Middlesex South
District Deeds, Book 6279, page 318, took title in fee
simple to certain lands bordering upon the said Butter-
field's Pond, including land of George E. Ham, and in
the said latter taking also took the right and easement
to mAintain a dam or dikes t+ create a storage basin
for flood flows of Vine Brook and to change the direc-
tion, volume and rapidity of flow of surface or under-
ground
water flowing into or out of Butterfield's Pond
and to change and regulate the elevation of the surface
of the water in said pond but not exceeding the level
of 176 feet above mean sea level; and
WHEREAS it 'f)Ps been contended by the said Ham that
the said latter taking includes an easement to extend
the flower of the storage basin of the said pond to a
level of 176 feet on other land of the said Ham not
Included in either of the said takings; and
WHEREAS the actual construction of the public
works for which said taking was made includes two
small dikes shown on the plan referred to in the said
takings, which dikes limit the area of the said pond
when raised to a level of 176 feet so as to exclude
from the said storage basin any part of the land of
the said Hata not so taken in fee; and
WHEREAS the Superintendent of the Highway Depart-
ment having charge of the lands and easement so taken
has notified the Selectmen that it was not the inten-
tion of the Town by the said takings to include the
remaining land of the said Han in the said storage
basin and that any right to use said other land of
Ham for a storage basin that may have inadvertently
been so taken is no longer required for public purposes:
VOTED: That the Town authorize the abandonment
of any right or easement, if any, acquired by the Town
by the said taking recorded in Book 6279, page 313, to
include any of the land of the said Ham not taken in
fee by the said taking in the area of the said storage
basin when the water of Butterfield's Pond is raised
549
to a level not exceeding 176 feet above mean sea level,
and specify that no minimum amount be paid for such
abandonment other than the cancellation by the owner of
the land in question of nry claim for damages for such
alleged taking.
Carried Unanimous 8:17 P.M.
Art. 3. Presented by Town Counsel, Sydney R. Wrightington,
Art, 3. WHEREAS, at a town meeting held August 8, 1938 under
Article 4 of the warrant for that meeting, the following
vote was duly adopted:
"Article 4, VOTED: That the Selectmen be authorized on
behalf of the Town to purchase or take by eminent domain
lands or the right or easement in lands to construct at
the outlet of Butterfield! s Pond at Lowell Street a dam
to create a storage basin for flood flows of Vine Brook
and the right to flow the land under and adjoining the
said Butterfieldls Pond and its tributaries to the level
of elevation one hundred and seventy-six feet above mean
sea level, and that the Selectmen be authorized in the
nsme of and on behalf of the Town to execute contracts
for,the construction of such a dam and appurtenant works,
and that for that -Purpose the sum of . 300000.00 be appro-
priated, of which -h00000.00 shall be for land and flow-
age rights acquired.";
And WHEREAS the Town desires to eliminate from the
said vote the restriction on the amount payable for land
and flowage rights acquired,
VOTED:-That the said vote of August 8, 1938 be
amended by striking out the words, "of which 1;10,000.00
shall be for land and flowage rights acquired, " but
except as so amended, the said vote is hereby ratified
and confirmed.
Carried Unanimous 8:19 P.M.
Art, 4. Presented by Selectman Archibald R. Giroux as
follows:
Art, 4. TOTED: That the Selectmen be authorized to install
street lights in the following unaccepted streets:
Candlewick Close; Fottler Avenue,
Carried Unanimous 8:20 P.M.
Art, 5, By Selectman Archibald R. Giroux,
Art, 5. VOTED: That a further sum of 125,61 be appropri-
ated 'or the purchase of an ambulance to be ',mown as
the Veterans l Memorial Ambulance, this amount to be
added to the appropriation made at the Annual Meeting
held on April 8, 1940 for the purer-lase of an ambulance,
and tliis sum to be provided by transfer from the Excess
and Deficiency Account,
Carried Unanimous 8:21 P.M.
Art, 6. Selectman Archibald R, Giroux moves for indefinite
postponement,
Carried Unanimous 8:21 P.M.
Art, 7, By Selectman Archibald R. Giroux,
Art, 7, VOTED: That the sum of 67,08, being the unexpended
balance in the account for Public Welfare, Accounts Pay-
able, 1939 Bills, be transferred to the Excess snd Defi-
ciency Account.
Carried Unanimous 8: 22 P.M.
550
t.e.„
Art. 9 , Selectman Archibald R. Giroux moves for indefinite
postponement .
Carried Unanimous 8:23 P.M.
Art, 8. Permission granted Eugene Viano to sit with Town
Meeting Members and speak.
Edward W. Kimball, ChPl'rnan, reads report of Planning- Board,
REPORT OF TFT PIAITITTFC- BOARD COT A PROPOSED A=1TDIElciT TO
PHE L77/777'07 72-77C1 EV-7E7 7: ADPEARS T7DER ARTICLE 8 jT THE -TA:F .
711:77 FOR COBB TO-7 :77- -_ -Tr: TO BE --I'LL0-7_7 11 1940,
A public loeP-ing was held May 18, 1940 after notices were --iven
4n accordPnce with the zonin- by-law and the Plannin- Board Y107 sub
nits a final report with recommendations to the Tom.
The Board received word from the Petitioner early last year that
he mas Proceeding to file a petition for a business zone on Vine :rook
Road, _nt about the same time the Board of Assessors called a conference
7' t'o the 'Planning Beard, Board of Appeals, Board of Selectmen and Board
of TrPde to ure the need o' ' partments in Lexington. The PlanninS
Board proPosed to Yr. Viano that be abandon his efforts to obtain a
business zone, and wait until the Board should have presented to the
Town a plan for special residence zones for apartments . He followed
the Ecards sugge-ztion. The Board presented its plan in Town Meeting,
and the meeting voted in favor of apartment zones, The Attorney General
received a copy of the proposed by-law, and of tie vote of the meeting,
and is wit'looTding approval until the Town asks to apply the new zor-
fn- restriction to a specific Parcel of land,
Meanwhile Mr Viano suggested that he was eady to petition for
such an aPartrient zone, and the Planning Beam designated the area P."
fected, from which owners representing 505 of the valuation must join
in petitions for a zoning chane, The petition was presented and found
to be sufficient and prope .
A hearing was given at which one or two appeared in favor and
sone 32 opposed, The Article -as then inserted in the "'Tarrant for
action by this meeting. Before a vote car be taken the Board must
have submitted its recommendations.
The Board is under mandate to carry out definite instructions
from the Town, The voters in this case have determined already to
provide for the establishment of apartment zones,. The Board finds
the area described in this petition to be suitably located for such
use. It adjoins the Town' s principle business zone, and yet is so
located that there might be maintained upon it an apartrent attract-
f_7e enough in its surroundih;s to command occupants of such P rba--
acter that the property would not tend to become a social menace.
The Board does not pass upon any specific building plans, specifica-
tions or restrictions, This power is given to the Board of Appeal,
The Board does not ignore ne 'Pot t'at iisny citizens in t'ne
neighborhood have registered themselves in opposition, -and have a
right to present their objections and vote accordinc- to those object-
ions,
The Board, however, recommends favorable action.
Sio'ned
Wm, Roger Greeley
Edrard 7-„ Kimball
Lester F, Ellis
Dissenting
June 27, 1940
4551
Theodore A. Custance moves report be accepted and
placed on file.
Carried Unanimously 827
Edard 7. SrKball presents the following vote:
Voted: That the Lexington Zoning By-Lau and Hap be amend-
ed by inserting in Section 3 ( b) , after R,2 Listricts„ 10,-
the words:
R.3 Districts
1. -Zortheasterly by land of the Colonial Garage, Ino .,
160 feet, northwesterly by land now or late of Hatolrinson snd
by land now or late of MacKay, 267 feet, southwesterly by Vine
Brook Road , 160 feet, southeasterly by land of the Colonial Gar-
a7e, Inc., 265 feet.
General discussion by various sTpeakers .
Standing vote tP1Ten as follows:
TIT FAVO-P, TELLERS OPPOSED
21 Walter E. Sands 18
23 Leland H. Emery 54
22 Robert Whitney 0
66 87
Lost 9:35 PM.
Motion made by Selectman Archibald R. Giroux, meeting
be dissolved, seconded and so voted.
Carried Unanimously 9:38
A True Record
Attest:
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Town ..lcrz-