WOBURN - Three "approval not required" (ANR) plans for the approximate 55 acres of land owned by the city of Boston in West Woburn were endorsed by the Planning Board this week basically freezing the single-family home zoning designation for three years.

Though one Planning Board member opposed cited philosophical objections with the possible development of the land given the wording of the will of Mary P.C. Cummings deeding the land to the city of Boston, Planning Director Edmund Tarallo said that if the lots meet necessary requirements (most notably having 100-foot frontage) there wasn't much the board could do.

The board concurred and voted, 5-1, to endorse the three plans.

An attorney representing the city of Boston said there are no definitive plans for the three parcels with the city of Boston only looking to keep its options open.

The filing of the ANR plans pre-dated a zoning change approved by the City Council changing the zoning of the land from single family (R-1) to open space, thus freezing the R-1 zoning designation for three years.

While the will of Mary P.C. Cummings donates the land to the city of Boston for recreation uses, the city of Boston is currently considering whether the will will allow it to sell the land and use the funds for recreation purposes in the City of Boston.

Officials from Boston are reportedly considering using funds from the sale of the Woburn parcel to assist with the development of the Rose Kennedy Greenway above the new underground section of the central artery in downtown Boston.

Officials in Burlington are also keeping a close eye on the proceedings as some 160 acres of the "Boston property" off Cambridge Road and Cambridge Street is in Burlington.

Under the ANRs presented the to the Planning Board this week one parcel off Willow Street would contain two lots, each containing about two acres, with adequate frontage on Willow Street.

A second parcel designated as 228 Bedford Road, said Tarallo, was a little more complicated as it was broken into three lots with only two having frontage. The third would require frontage from the Burlington parcel, it was noted.

The second parcel endorsed contains much of the 55-acre parcel.

The Planning Board endorsed the plan with a notation that the piece of land without frontage was "non-buildable" under current conditions.

The third ANR plan endorsed is also off Bedford Road and contains two lots, each with adequate frontage on Bedford Road. Tarallo said each of the two lots were just under an acre.

Planning Board member David Edmonds, voting against endorsing all three parcels, said though all the legal requirements are being met he felt the trust "clearly" never intended the land to be used as a subdivision of homes.

Tarallo said that if the board decided to not endorse the three plans, the city of Boston would have other options. But he reminded the board that the issue of the will was not before them and that the only issue was whether the lots meet certain requirements, like adequate frontage.

Attorney Kathryn Murphy, senior counsel with the law firm of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge, representing the city of Boston, said there are no definitive plans at this time with the city of Boston simply looking to keep its options open.

The city of Boston is reviewing its options consistent with the will of Mary Cummings and wants the flexibility to review uses allowed under the R-1 zoning designation in Woburn.

Planning Board Chair Michael Maher noted the board was in the odd position of two weeks ago voting in favor of the zoning change to OS and this week in the position of having to endorse the ANR freezing the R-1 zoning designation for three years.