(Editor’s note: this article was corrected and updated on May 25.)
The Special Town Meeting on Wednesday, June 25 will have up to five warrant articles — two each on the Farrington/Panetta proposal and on the community center, and one on an expected citizens’ petition.
The meeting will start at 6:30pm; barring something unforeseen, officials expect to get everything done that night. Everyone is hoping not to repeat the Special Town Meeting on Dec. 2, 2023 to vote on the Housing Choice Act measures, which stretched to 11:30pm and led to the creation of the Town Meeting Study Committee and purchase of voting clickers.
One of the warrant articles may be passed over, depending on the construction bids for the community center, which will be opened on May 29. If the low bid is higher than the $24 million budget, the town will have to find more money for the project to go ahead — either through a town fund transfer if the shortfall isn’t substantial, or a debt exclusion if more is needed. A debt exclusion measure would require a two-thirds majority at Town Meeting for approval as well as a simple majority at the ballot box at a special election the next day (Monday, June 26).
There will be a hybrid joint meeting of the Select Board, Finance Committee, and Community Center Building Committee on Monday, June 2 starting at 6:00pm to discuss funding strategy if the bids come in over budget. The agenda has not yet been posted but the Zoom link is here.
Farrington/Panetta
Two other warrant articles pertain to the Farrington/Panetta proposal. The first will ask for two separate zoning changes. One would allow a transfer of $950,000 already in the town’s Community Preservation Act fund to Farrington Memorial, which owns 75 acres. That sum is part of $3.1 million that will go to the organization from the CPA fund as well as the City of Cambridge, and private donations to the RLF. Farrington will retain ownership of the land and get a new access road from Page Road, but 65 of those 75 acres will have a permanent conservation restriction and trail easement held by the town.
In a separate deal, developer Civico will pay $3.1 million in a single transaction for three lots that currently have houses. Two parcels (2.8 acres and 3.2 acres) are now owned by the Frank J. Panetta Trust and a third 14.1-acre lot is owned by the Paul Panetta Trust. The second warrant article seeks a zoning change to allow construction of a cluster of 20 new starter homes and the other to allow Gerard’s farm stand and garden center to continue operating on the former Panetta land.
The company plans to build and sell the homes individually to future buyers individually. The town is not involved in the financial negotiations for this transaction, and no town money will be used for land acquisition or housing construction.
After the housing is built, no major changes or additions to the Civico land can be made without the agreement of all the homeowners as well as Town Meeting, because the town is approving this specific development under the North Lincoln Overlay District. See this RLF public outreach slide deck for more details as well as maps and drawings.
Other warrant articles
A fourth warrant article will seek approval to increase the town’s fiscal 2026 reserve fund “to address a couple of late-occurring budget challenges,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins said at the May 19 Select Board meeting. Those preliminary additional costs include $270,000 for remediating contaminated soil at the former Strat’s Place playground, which will be repurposed for Magic Garden; $172,000 for snow and ice mitigation; and about $100,000 for veterans’ benefits
“These amounts are preliminary and we will have a better view of the potential recommendation on June 10,” Finance Committee chair Paul Blanchfield said. Voters OK’d an increase to the fund balance for FY26 to $849,000 in March. The reserve fund is part of the general fund and is intended to cover “extraordinary and unforeseen” needs of the town and schools.
The final Town Meeting article(s) will be a vote on at least one citizen’s petition. One has already been submitted and it’s at least possible there will be more, as the deadline for getting a petition with the required 100 signatures to the Town Clerk’s office isn’t until Tuesday, May 27 at noon.
Comment on the Farrington/Panetta Proposal:
The Farrington/Panetta proposal presents a complex trade-off between conservation and development, but several red flags demand scrutiny. While the goal of preserving 74 acres of conservation land is commendable, the project’s reliance on rezoning and high-density housing raises concerns about transparency, environmental impact, and fairness.
Lack of Public Engagement: The Select Board’s decision to fast-track this Special Town Meeting—without requiring resident signatures or adequately notifying abutters—sets a troubling precedent. If this project truly benefits Lincoln, why the rushed process and minimal outreach? The community deserves time to evaluate such significant changes.
Developer Windfall: The same private developer C behind past Lincoln projects stands to gain enormously (estimated $25M+ in revenue) while contributing just $3.3M for the land. Using public conservation land for septic systems and access roads effectively subsidizes private profit. Why was no competitive bidding process pursued?
Environmental Risks: The plan’s large-scale septic system, placed at a high elevation near protected wetlands, threatens the Cambridge watershed. Clearing forest for housing contradicts Lincoln’s conservation values. Alternatives—like improving Farrington’s existing Route 2 access for a fraction of the cost—appear underexplored.
False Dilemma: The foundation R backing this deal claims the “conservation effort collapses without these homes,” but this seems misleading. The Panetta land has independent value, and other funding (from Cambridge, private donors) already exists. Tying conservation to high-density development feels like a manufactured crisis.
A Better Path Forward:
Delay the Vote: Allow thorough public review, including independent cost/impact studies.
Explore Alternatives: Upgrade Route 2 access ($250K) instead of sacrificing land to development.
Ensure Fairness: If housing is unavoidable, open the process to competition to secure the best deal for Lincoln.
This isn’t just about one neighborhood—it’s about whether Lincoln will uphold its zoning and environmental standards or let exceptions erode them. Let’s demand a solution that prioritizes conservation without compromising transparency or ecological integrity.
The Farrington/Panetta proposal is to change the zoning at the end of Page Road to build 20 condos less than 100 yards from my nonprofit rewilding project, TendingYourYard.org
They are using conservation of the Farrington Trust land as a Trojan horse to turn the end of Page Road into a condo suburb of Waltham which will grossly disturb my conservation garden.
We fully support the conservation of the land of Farrington Trust but this is a separate issue and only used to drive a developer wedge into the Lincoln community. Please turn out to vote against the Farrington Trust condo development project. We should address Farrington Trust needs as a completely separate project.
Protect Lincoln’s Future: Vote NO on June 25
The proposed Nature Link Project isn’t just about 20 luxury homes—it’s about backroom deals, developer windfalls, and a dangerous precedent that threatens Lincoln’s conservation lands forever. Here’s why you must VOTE NO:
1. A Process without public Input
The Select Board bypassed public input, calling this meeting without notifying abutters.
Critical details (like 20 homes on 6 acres) were hidden until weeks before the vote.
No competitive bidding—Civico gets yet another no-bid deal, just like Oriole Landing and the Mall.
2. Civico’s $25M Revenue—Paid for by Lincoln
Zoning override: From 3 allowed homes to 20 (a 667% density increase).
Public land subsidizes private profits: Civico uses conserved land for septic systems, saving millions.
Who benefits?
14 new houses of Market value (~$1.2M+) for wealthy buyers
Only 3 “affordable” units ($400K—still unaffordable for most)
$25M+ windfall for Civico, while Lincoln bears the risks.
3. A Dangerous Precedent for Conservation Land
First time ever: Conserved land used as developer infrastructure (septic/access).
Violates Article 97: MA law requires conserved land be used only for conservation—not private profit.
Slippery slope: Approve this, and every protected parcel becomes a target for exploitation.
Already happening: 3 more developments are citing this project to push their own overrides.
The State Threat? A Myth.
Lincoln already meets affordable housing requirements (13% vs. state’s 10%).
Towns like Weston & Dover (below 10%) have resisted overdevelopment for decades.
No emergency: This is a manufactured crisis to rush through a bad deal.
There’s a Better Way
True conservation using existing funds
Route 2 access upgrades for just $250K (vs. 20 homes)
Moderate development (5-7 homes, not 20)
This Affects Every Lincoln Resident
If we allow one developer to rewrite our zoning laws, who’s next? Public land must never become private infrastructure.
Vote NO on June 25
Lincoln Station, 7PM
Spread the word—our town depends on it.
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John Li