Here is a roundup of selected items from Town Meeting. You can also read stories about the Oriole Landing vote and the “Welcoming, Safe Community” resolution. Tomorrow we’ll have a story on the school and community center updates. For background, see the roundup of links to relevant Lincoln Squirrel stories on various topics, as well as the full warrant.
Town budget
Voters unanimously approved a fiscal year 2019 budget of $37.68 million. The town portion represented an increase of 3.5 percent over the current budget. Almost 11 percent of revenue ($4/1 million) in the new budget comes from free cash (money appropriated but not spent last year). Click here for a summary of the fiscal 2018 budget, valuation and taxation provided by the Assessor’s Office.
Education — The Lincoln Public Schools portion of the budget was up 2.5 percent at $11.46 million. Lincoln’s share of the Lincoln‐Sudbury Regional High School ($3.8 million) represents a 9 percent decrease from the fiscal 2018 approved budget but a 3 percent increase over the actual expenditures this year. Lincoln’s share based on enrollment at the high school is dropping from 13.5 percent to 13.0 percent.
Capital items — Sixteen purchases recommended by the Capital Planning Committee totaling $687,070 were approved. The largest single dollar amount was for the Lincoln Public Library, which asked for $305,000 for a new air conditioning system that suffered repeated failures last summer, necessitating closing the library on some hot days.
Fire engine — Town Meeting also approved spending $600,000 on a new fire engine, though this is also subject to ballot approval in the town election on March 26. The 10-year-old vehicle, the town’s primary fire engine, was found to be unsafe to drive due to chassis failure caused by road chemicals. “This corrosion accelerated greatly beyond anyone expectations,” and other towns are having similar issues, said Fire Chief Steve Carter. The Fire Department is working on a new preventative maintenance program and will have all new vehicles inspected annually by the vendor.
Debt stabilization fund — Voters approved adding $771,977 to the debt stabilization fund, bringing it to a total of $5.52 million, some of which will be used to soften the impact of upcoming bonding for a school and community center.
Community Preservation Act items — CPA spending for historic preservation, open space, recreation and housing items totaled $1.07 million. This includes $100,000 for a conservation restriction on the adjacent Boquist properties at 241 and 247 Old Concord Rd. which border Fairhaven Bay and have conservation land on either side. The arrangement includes a potential trail easement to the water as well as preservation of the Modernist house at 241 Old Concord Rd.
Historic Districts
Seventeen Modern homes have joined the Lincoln existing Historic District in various parts of town, and another 11 comprise a new Brown’s Wood Historic District on Laurel Drive. Adding one’s home to a Historic District is voluntary, but provides some measure of protection for the essential character of the exterior appearance of the house that might otherwise involve creating an expensive deed restriction. Click here to see a map and list of addresses in the districts.
Site plan review
Under the “big house” rule, properties had to undergo site plan review if the buildings on the lot (including the garage) exceeded 6,500 square feet—and the requirement was permanent, meaning any future work such as landscaping, minor additions, fire or tree damage had to come back to the Planning Board for approval. This created two classes of properties: one subject to site plan review and others not, if they were built before the law was passed in the early 2000s, even if they include more than 6,500 square feet.
“The Planning Board sees a steady stream of things that are very minor,” said board chair Margaret Olson. “This chews up immense amount of planning staff time with zero value to the town.” Voters approved a zoning bylaw change that would “sunset” the ongoing site plan review requirement after five years.
For properties that undergo site plan review, the measure removes the requirement that the public hearing be advertised in a newspaper, which adds weeks of delay (though all abutters are still notified by mail). The homeowner also does not have to have a preliminary meeting with the Planning Board before the public hearing in most cases, as “these are 100 percent duplicative,” Olson said.
Three former Planning Board members had concerns about the sunset provision. The language “is much too broad and could lead to many unintended consequences,” said Bob Domnitz. He urged the board to rework it for a vote at the special Town Meeting on June 9 because “once we open that door, we won’t be able to close it.” Nonetheless, the measure passed with only a handful of nay votes.
Plastic grocery bags
Stan Solomon argued that the measure to ban retail distribution of plastic grocery bags was “misaimed” because grocery stores take back plastic bags, and those that are discarded are burned for electricity at a trash-to-energy plant along with the rest of the trash. “There is not one piece of plastic in Lincoln that is wasted,” he said. However, Bob Schudy responded that “it’s not trash to energy, it’s trash to carbon dioxide.” Another resident said she would stop shopping at Donelan’s if the ban passed, but it did so easily. The rule does not apply to plastic bags for dry cleaning, meat, produce, or newspapers.
Plastic bottles
The Lincoln-Sudbury Environmental Club returned with last year’s proposal to ban retail sale of single-serving plastic water bottles in town, following the example of Sudbury and Concord. The Board of Selectmen were split 2-1 on endorsing the measure, with Selectman James Craig worried about the financial impact on Donelan’s.
“I consider this as a matter of intergenerational responsibility,” said Alex Chatfield. “Reducing and eliminating consumption [of plastics] is the solution, not recycling.” Another resident proposed an amendment that would change the focus of the ban from plastic bottles containing water to those for sugary drinks, but her motion was defeated and the ban passed. Residents voted to pass over an alternative ban proposed by Lincoln Kitchen co-owner Jim White that would have prohibited bringing single-use water bottles onto town property.
Community choice aggregation
Residents approved a measure proposed by the Green Energy Committee that will enable the Board of Selectmen to pursue a contract that would aggregate the electricity load of Lincoln homes and businesses. Eversource is required by law to go out to bid for electricity suppliers twice a year on fixed dates, so contracts are short and not necessarily favorable to customers. Under an aggregation program, the town (alone or with other towns) could vary the length and timing of contracts with electricity suppliers with an eye for more favorable conditions and longer-term price stability. Several towns including Lexington, Acton, and Arlington offer this option. Eversource would still transmit and bill for electricity, and individual residents can opt out of the aggregation program any time.
Gas leaks
Voters approved a citizen’s petition sponsored by Mothers Out Front aimed at persuading utilities to fix leaks of natural gas, a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Utilities pass on the cost of unaccounted-for gas to consumers, but the citizens’ petition directs the Board of Selectmen to endorse House Bill 2683/Senate Bill 1845, which would provide an economic incentive to gas providers to develop improved technologies and practices for transportation, distribution, and storage. The long-term goal of Mothers Out Front is to “ensure a swift, complete, and just transition away from fossil fuels.”
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