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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1975-07-23-DAC-newsletterJS MonNIN Town of Lexington, Massachusetts - p PLANNING BOARD APA11L 19 - � Kenneth G. Briggs July 14, 1975 Planning Director 1975 NEWSLETTER LEXINGTON D ESIGN ADVISORY GROUP Annual Meeting ToWN OFFICE BUILDING Lexington, Mass. 02173 6171862- 0500 1Ext. 17 The annual meeting of the D.A.G. will be held on Wednesday, July 23, 1975, at 8:00 p.m. in the Planning Board Office, Room G -1. All local architects, planners, landscape architects, and other environmental design professionals are invited. The agenda will include announcements, general discussion, and nominations for two new members of the executive committee (the Design Advisory Committee). Current members of the Design Advisory Committee are: Robert A. Bowyer, Planner John L. Davies, Architect (1974 -75 Chairman) John Frey, Landscape Architect Richard Magnuson, Landscape Architect Gary Marshall, Architect Richard Rogers, Landscape Architect John Davies and Bob Bowyer have completed their three year terms on the Committee, and will be resigning. Richard Rogers has agreed to serve as Chairman for 1975 -76, pending his formal election by the members of the new D.A.C. Nominations to fill the two vacancies will be received at, or prior to, the meeting, and the candidates will be formally appointed by the Planning Board. So far, the name of Robert Bradley has been-submitted and a planner is being sought to fill the second vacancy. Any names of professionals not already listed on the D.A.G. roster should be recorded at the meeting. There is no consent implied by being on this list, nor any obligation to participate, nor any responsibility implied for the actions of the D.A.C. or its members. The roster is simply an informal directory of design professionals living in Lexington, and serves as an address list for periodic mailings. Activities during 1974 -75 The members of the Design Advisory Committee sit, on a rotating basis, as advisors to the Planning Board in matters of urban and environmental design, with each member sitting for two months out of the year. The Chairman, in addition to his duties as a member, is a liason person through whom the Planning Board can request advice in matters involving a particular design specialty which may be represented on the larger Design Advisory Group. In May of this year, such a request was issued for designers with specialized knowledge in the areas of street standards, parking, recreation planning, and subdivision regulation. The list of specific projects on which the Design Advisory Committee worked with the Planning Board during the last year includes the following: Mark Moore land on Bedford Street: Members of the Committee supported the proposal to mix single- family and two - family buildings under a condominium ownership. Kitchen and Kitchen land on Hartwell Avenue: Members of the Committee offered suggestions to the developer to make the proposed office building more com- patible with the contour of the land, avoiding an unnecessary and unsightly retaining wall, and recommended that the Board allow a side -yard variance in order to make this possible. As part of the same series of discussions, Com- mittee members urged the Planning Board to induce the developers to maintain the alignment and elevation of Hinchey road through the industrial site, and save the row of mature oaks, now lost, which lined the road. Catch Penny Motel: Members of the Committee reviewed the plans for the pro- posed motel expansion, and advised the Planning Board that, in their opinion, the expansion would produce negligible peak -hour traffic, but that the Board should require the developer to include major tree plantings in his design. The Planning Board's recommendation to the Board of Appeals included this suggestion, with minimum tree sizes and spacing suggested. United States Postal Service: Members of the Committee attended a series of presentations by the Post Office to the Board. In relation to the Waltham Street site in particular, the Committee opposed the project on land use grounds, and suggested re- consideration of other sites. If the Post Office were to have exercised its rights to over -ride local control, however, the Committee suggested a re- design of the access road to bring the entrance point further from Allen Street. On an issue of this importance, the Chairman polled the Committee mem- bers and opposition was unanimous. Haroian Land: The developers presented to the Planning Board a design which, for cost reasons, was quite different from the plan presented at Town Meeting for zoning approval. The Board requested a review of the design by the D.A.C., and members of the Committee met informally on two occasions with the planning director, the developer and his architect. The atmosphere of these meetings was extremely constructive and a number -of design changes were discussed and adopted into the final plan. Long Range Goals: The Planning Board requested representation from the D.A.C. on the Town's Goals and Objectives Committee. This Committee consists chiefly of the Chairman of Town Board's and Dick Rogers, as next year's D.A.C. Chairman, has agreed to serve as the D.A.C. representative on this new Committee. Future Activities In addition to the regular contribution of advice to the Planning Board, the D.A.C. has the opportunity to work in other ways, such as the new Long Range Goals Committee, and from time to time there is the possibility to enlist participation from the larger Design Advisory Group, as with the Planning Board's request for help on its specialized citizen committees. The Committee during 1974 -75 has enjoyed a very close working relationship with the Planning Board and with Ken Briggs, and it is hoped that as this relationship continues, new opportunities will open up for design professionals to contribute their point of view to Town affairs. LEXINGTON DESIGN ADVISORY GROUP Annual Meeting, July 23, 1975 The Chairman announced the nomination of Robert Bradley, architect, and Gordon Brigham, planner, for the Design Advisory Committee, and the election of Richard Rogers as DAC chairman for 1975 -76. The names of Leon B. Groisser, structural engineer, and Reginald H. Hall, civil engineer were suggested for inclusion in the DAG roster. A number of suggestions for improved functioning of the DAC and DAG were discussed, including the following: The desirability of a review of the 1968 ( ?) by -laws and following them more closely, particularly in relation to meeting schedules or, alternatively, revising the by -laws in the light of recent experience. The desirability of a second general meeting of the DAG after Labor Day. The need for a follow -up to the May 12, 1975 mailing to the DAG which requested group participation in the citizens committee being formed to study planning issues. The need for civil engineers DAG members in order to offer advice on streets, drainage, and other standards. The desirability of a method of assigning project responsibility within the DAC, rather than relying completely on monthly rotation. (Mr, MacKenzie agreed to arrange for the Planning board minutes to be distributed to the 6 DAC memebers each week in order to facilitate this) I V J ti �1