The three lots owned by the Plauts are outlined in blue (click to enlarge).

The Planning Board voted 4-1 last week to approve a proposal to clear-cut and replant several acres of undeveloped land between Old Winter Street and Trapelo Road.

Representatives of Timothy and Madeleine Plaut, who own three lots totaling 8.5 acres, presented a proposal in March to clear about one-third of the land, regrade part of it for a driveway, plant new native trees and shrubs, and create a meadow in preparation for building a single-family house. The board specified that “to the extent possible,” construction and delivery vehicles must enter and leave the property from the Trapelo Road side of Old Winter Street and that the applicants build a temporary turnaround for that purpose. They had originally hoped to gain temporary access from Silver Hill Road, but the Conservation Commission denied that request since the route would traverse wetlands.

In their written decision, the board also required the applicant to mark every tree six inches or larger in diameter that they intend to cut down, and to have a site visit with Planning Department staff before tree removal begins.

At the board’s April 22 meeting, member Susan Hall Mygatt voted against the proposal, arguing that the clearing and replanting portions of the proposal do not conform to Section 17.7.4a of the town zoning bylaw that says that “the landscape shall be preserved in its natural state insofar as practicable by minimizing any grade changes and vegetation and soil removal.” The plan calls for cutting down 137 mature trees and planting 268 new trees of varying sizes as well as shrubs and ground cover. 

“It’s a question of what you consider the ‘natural state’,” board co-chair Gary Taylor said. “I would consider this to be preserving the natural environment of Lincoln.”

“I don’t think it meant it should be preserved as of the date that bylaw was enacted. I’m not an originalist; I think landscapes change,” Mygatt responded. “It’s going to be beautiful, but it’s just inconsistent with the bylaw.” Also, she added, “It’s such a huge project that while I believe [the Plauts] have the vision and financial capability to pull this off, if we’re wrong, it’s one heck of a mess on that property… I just think it’s an unnecessary risk to take.”

“If I’m an abutter, this is the next best thing to [having it be] conservation land. It’s better than three McMansions,” board member Rob Ahlert said — a sentiment that was echoed by two of those abutters.

Although the board approved the plan, they also agreed that the town needs more teeth in controlling what can be done to the landscape of private property. “I think we need to revise our bylaws and come up with something about taking down trees,” co-chair Lynn DeLisi said — something that the Tree Preservation Study Group is already working on.

But others at the meeting objected more strenuously. The intent of the zoning bylaw is to “preserve the current ecosystem,” said Barbara Peskin, who envisioned “children seeing wildlife running for their lives.

“I think this is an ecological disaster,” Vicky Diadiuk said. “Property rights are not as important as the welfare of the community. We’re talking about a common resource we’re about to devastate… it’s unworthy of the town of Lincoln. Stop studying and start passing laws that protect our environment. You’ll be gone by the time you finish talking about it.”

A sketch of what the starter homes might look like (click to enlarge). See the April 27 Lincoln Squirrel article for more project illustrations.

The Planning Board got more details this week on the Nature Link project proposed for Page Road/Route 2 land, including information on sizes and estimated prices of the homes.

The Rural Land Foundation is asking voters at a Special Town Meeting on June 25 to approve rezoning and funding measures that would allow the town to purchase 77 acres of land now owned by the Frank Panetta Jr. Trust and Farrington Memorial. Oriole Landing developer Civico, which is providing $3.3 million of the $6.4 million total land purchase cost, hopes to build 20 tightly clustered single-family condominium homes on some of the parcel, while most of the rest will become town-owned conservation land. Farrington Nature Linc would remain as is, though with a new access road from Page Road.

To make it happen, voters must approve a change to the existing North Lincoln Overlay District for the proposed housing and another to preserve the existing Gerard’s Farm Stand on Route 2, as well as a $950,000 appropriation from the town’s Community Preservation Act fund. Another $800,000 from the City of Cambridge and $1.35 million in private donations to the RLF will round out the total.

The three houses now on the Panetta land will be razed. In addition to 17 small starter homes ranging from 1,650 to 2,000 square feet, the development will include three 4,500-square-foot homes on the southeast corner of the site. Andrew Consigli of Civico estimated that the starter homes will sell for under $1 million while the three larger homes would fetch $1.5 million to $2 million. Three of the starter homes would be income-restricted.

Because it will be a condominium complex, owners will not be allowed to make substantial changes to their homes without consent of the entire condo homeowners’ association. The RLF will have right of first refusal if Farrington Memorial ever decides to sell their parcel, which will have deed restrictions so Farrington Nature Linc can continue to operate on part of the land and “make small additions to their footprint” in the future if desired, said Geoff McGean,  Executive Director of the RLF, which is distributing this brochure touting the project.

If all goes as planned, the deal will conserve the largest remaining parcel of undeveloped and unprotected land in Lincoln. “This is the result of many, many years of negotiation,” McGean told the Planning Board. “It’s a balance of benefits, and all parties involved have made some sacrifices. I can’t emphasize enough that this is a moment in time… it’s not going to be there next year.”

The decision to propose small starter homes rather than townhouses or multifamily housing was based on economics as well as the wishes of the Panettas, Consigli said. The development is modeled after the nascent 40Y state program, though the Lincoln proposal would allow houses larger than the $1,850-square-foot state maximum.

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on June 10. Before that will be public information sessions and site walks as well as presentations to the Conservation Commission, Community Preservation Committee, and Housing Coalition.

Each house will have a two-car garage and a small private yard, and residents will have access to a common green. “It’s going to have a very communal feel,” said Jeremy Lake of Union Studio Architecture & Community Design, which designed the Riverwalk housing in West Concord.

Planning Board member Susan Hall Mygatt was concerned that preserving the commercial farm stand alongside the housing might constitute spot zoning. Director of Planning and Land Use Paula Vaughn-Mackenzie said town counsel was reviewing the issue.

Many attendees at the April 29 meeting expressed support for the proposal. Andrew Glass, chair of the Historical Commission, noted that his group approves about half a dozen teardowns each year, and most of them are small houses. “This will help replenish a form of housing stock in Lincoln that we have seen a great decimation of in the last several decades,” he said.