(Editor’s note: mousing over phrases in italics show where the specified language can be found in the Zoning Bylaw, General Bylaws, and Historic District Bylaw.)
Residents will be asked to approval several changes to town rules on zoning and historic districts at next Saturday’s Annual Town Meeting.
Solar energy
In Article 28, the Planning Board is seeking to change the zoning bylaw on [simple_tooltip content=’page 53 of the Lincoln Zoning Bylaw‘]solar energy systems[/simple_tooltip] in three ways. The most important change would allow the sale of energy to the grid or another third party — a necessity for the school project’s solar energy plans.
The change would mean that property owners (whether private or public, as in the case of the Lincoln School and the mall in South Lincoln) can enter into a Power Purchase Agreement (meaning they don’t have to front the cost for designing and installing the solar array) and can sell any excess electricity they generate.
If approved, the amendment would also add requirements for stand-alone canopy/carport structures, and for surety for abandonment and removal of commercial solar systems.
Zoning
The amendment to Article 29 concerns property that’s taken by [simple_tooltip content=’page 2 of the Lincoln Zoning Bylaw‘]eminent domain[/simple_tooltip]. The current law says that when nonconforming lots are decreased in size, they lose their nonconforming protection. The proposed change would allow an exception for property that’s gotten smaller as a result of a taking, acquisition by, or donation to the town or other governmental entity for a public purpose — such as for the recent Route 2 project. Without this amendment, those property owners wouldn’t be eligible for a special permit to make changes but would instead have to get a Zoning Board of Appeals variance, “which is a much bigger lift,” noted Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson.
Article 30 on the warrant is being passed over, but that amendment would have established a Parking Benefit District affecting usage of fees collected from nonresidents at the commuter lot. The change would mean that a portion of parking fees for parking lot maintenance, beautification, lighting and roadway, public realm, and biking and walking improvements.
However, a recent grant is enabling a study of the town’s commercial parking lots and commuter lots to determine opportunities for shared parking and commuter lot capacity. “We want to study it a bit further and take advantage of that grant and come back with a better proposal,” Olson said.
Historic properties
Article 31, proposed by the Historic District Commission and Friends of Modern Architecture, would add two properties (8 and 18 Moccasin Hill Rd.) to the [simple_tooltip content=’page 60 in the Historic District Bylaw‘]Brown’s Wood Historic District.[/simple_tooltip] Being part of a Historic District 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.
Definition of demolition
The proposed amendment to Article 32 aims to clarify that encasing a substantial portion of a roof or building within another building or structure is an effective demolition under the [simple_tooltip content=’page 46 in the General Bylaws‘]demolition bylaw.[/simple_tooltip] “The question has arisen from time to time particularly from homeowners who are interested in building an entirely new roof structure over an existing roof structure,” said Lincoln Historical Commission Andrew Glass. “At the same time, the commission wanted to clarify for homeowners that routine repairs such as replacing siding or roof shingles are not subject to the demolition bylaw.”
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