The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

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Codman Harvest Fair is this Sunday

Children of all ages and their families are invited to Codman’s annual Harvest Fair on Sunday, October 6 from noon–4 p.m. There will be games and activities for children, a skillet and hay bale toss for adults, the annual Rooster Run, Codman’s own burgers and hot dogs on the grill, and the Reasons to Be Cheerful Chillwagon! Bracelets for children’s games are $20 for members, $25 for non-members — and every bracelet gets a free ice cream. Entry is free for all, with treats, lunch and more for sale, including tickets for the Pig Roast and Barn Dance Harvest Feast on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 5–9 p.m. — click here for tickets.

Blessing of the Animals at St. Anne’s

On Sunday, Oct. 6, St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church will will honor St. Francis, patron saint of animals, with a Blessing of the Animals at the 10 o’clock service with Holy Eucharist and Choir. Animals on leashes or in carriers are welcome, as are photos and stuffed animals. Other services on that day are Holy Eucharist at 8 a.m. and a Contemplative Eucharist at 5 p.m.

What Park & Rec / COA activities do you want?

The Lincoln Council on Aging (COA) and the Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) invite residents of all ages to fill out a short survey on what programs and services you’d like now and in the future.

The short survey asks you a few simple questions about yourself and how you currently get information about COA and PRD programs and services, and your preferences for learning about what the two departments offer.  You may then choose activities in the areas of arts and humanities, community events, education/science/nature/technology, fitness, health/nutrition, legal/financial/benefits, music/dancing, social/supportive/recreational, social service programs, and trips.  The survey also asks about barriers to using COA and PRD programs and services and any additional comments you may have.

Fill out the survey online or pick up a paper survey at Parks and Recreation, Bemis Hall, Town Offices, or the library, then return them to either the COA or PRD. Please complete the survey by October 31. For more information, please call Carolyn Bottum of the COA at 781-259-8811 or Dan Pereira of the PRD at 781-259-0784.

L-S School Committee meet-and-greets

The Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee will hold public input events on the following dates:

  • Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 9–10 a.m.: Listening coffee with LSSC members Carole Kasper and Kevin Matthews at the deCordova Cafe
  • Thursday, Oct. 10 from 8–9 a.m.: Parent coffee with Superintendent/Principal Bella Wong on in L-S Conference Room A
  • Thursday, Oct. 24 from 6:30–7:30 p.m.: Listening coffee with LSSC members Ellen Joachim & Candace Miller in the Goodnow Library conference room (21 Concord Rd., Sudbury)

Upcoming deCordova offerings

Nature, Sculpture, and Movement Meditation with Jamie Hunt
Sunday, Oct. 5  from 10 a.m.–noon
To attune to the summer landscape, Jamie will weave together nature-based meditation practices, movement meditation, and observation of art in the Sculpture Park. We will explore several meditations to open our sense of awareness and deepen our appreciation and experience of deCordova’s sculptures. For ages 12+. $24 for members, $30 for nonmembers. Click here for tickets.

Ceramic Workshop: Ornamental Form, Surface, and Texture in Garden Sculpture
Saturdays, Oct. 5 and 12 from 10:30 a.m.–noon 
Create a unique sculpture for your own garden inspired by deCordova. In this two-part workshop, build and decorate a small garden sculpture that will stand the test of time and weather. All levels welcome. No ceramic experience necessary. For ages 16+. $85 for members, $95 for nonmembers. Click here for tickets.

The Aesthetics of Nature: Cyanotype Workshop with Kyle Browne
Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 
Artist Kyle Browne invites you to take a closer look at the aesthetics of nature through a focused exploration of the “All the Marvelous Surfaces” exhibit, walking through the deCordova grounds, followed by creating a cyanotype from natural materials. Participants will reflect on the practice of aestheticizing nature as well as design and print with natural materials to create a personal artwork. Click here to sign up.

Ceramic Sculpture Workshop: Expressive Vessels, Forms and Environments
Wednesdays or Thursdays starting October 30 or 31 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. 
Create unique vessels and sculptures for your home or garden in this six-week course. Sessions will introduce new techniques, projects, and concepts inspired by museum exhibitions and installations in the Sculpture Park. No experience necessary; for ages 16+. Click here to sign up.

Harvard’s Lessig to give Bemis Free Lecture

The Bemis Free Lecture Series presents “They Don’t Represent Us: Reclaiming Our Democracy,” a talk by and conversation with Lawrence Lessig, the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard University, on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. In his talk, he will make the case that our government “does not represent us” and that reform is both essential and possible. Lessig ran for president in 2016 and has advocated for campaign finance and electoral reform with a Second Constitutional Convention.

Volunteers, donations needed for diaper drive

The Metro-Boston Diaper Drive organized by Lincoln mothers Kim Jalet and Kerstin Sinkevicius, will run October 5–20 and needs volunteers to manage collection boxes at collection sites in Lincoln and surrounding towns. The diapers will go to recipients of WIC (Women, Infants and Children) aid, which does not cover the cost of diapers.

All diapers will be donated to the Somerville WIC office, which serves Lincoln as well as Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Watertown, Belmont, Bedford, and Lexington. Donors can also visit the Diaper Drive website for links to their Amazon and Target registries for sending donations directly to the WIC office. Volunteers will:

  • Obtain a box big enough for diaper donations, wrap or make it look presentable in some other way, affix a flyer, and bring it to one of the local collection sites by Friday, Oct. 4:
    • Lincoln: Lincoln Public Library, Smith School,  Lincoln Country Day School, Lincoln Preschool
    • Bedford: Bedford Free Public Library
    • Lexington: Lexington Children’s Place, The Waldorf School of Lexington (pending approval for box), Lexington Bright Horizons
  • Leave your name and number with someone at the collection site so they can contact you to empty the box if it fills during the drive (but this is rare).
  • After the drive ends, pick up the diapers and deliver them either to the Lincoln home of one of the organizers, or directly to the WIC office in Somerville. 

Anyone interested in managing a collection box or approaching area stores for in-kind diaper donations should email Jalet at jaletkl@gmail.com.

Lincoln Nursery School schedules open house

Thinking about preschool for next year? Lincoln Nursery School (LNS) is hosting its annual Open House on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 9–11 a.m. where families can visit the classroom studios and talk with teachers and current parents. Children are welcome. LNS is a parent cooperative established in 1944 and inspired by the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, and is located at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum.

Learn about ranked-choice voting at house party

There will be a house party on Sunday, Oct. 20 from 3–5 p.m. to learn about ranked-choice voting (RCV) and have some fun testing it out. RCV allows voters to rank candidates on a ballot in order of preference. The system is already in place in Maine and in Cambridge (for city elections), and Voter Choice MA is gathering signatures to put it on the statewide ballot. Please RSVP to Selectman Jennifer Glass at jlrglass@mac.com.

Allendorf to perform at next LOMA night

Ric Allendorf

Ric Allendorf is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, Oct. 21 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7–10 p.m., and he’ill perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. A meticulous finger-style guitarist and captivating vocalist, Ric is a frequent performer at Club Passim and other venues, and last year he released his debut album, “Take It All In.”

Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

Domestic violence survivors to share stories

To commemorate National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable will gather to honor the stories and reflections of survivors who have experienced domestic violence in their intimate relationships on Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 3–4:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the Sudbury Police Department (75 Hudson Rd., Sudbury). There will be a panel presentation by survivors from area communities and the advocates from The Second Step who support them.

Benefit at deCordova for breast cancer awareness

Join Emerson Hospital at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum for “An Evening of Inspiration” to support breast cancer awareness on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 5:30–9 p.m. The event will feature Ann Jillian, a three-time Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress and breast cancer survivor raised in Cambridge. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, drink tickets and a complimentary gift. Tickets are $25 with all proceeds supporting patients who are undergoing treatment for breast cancer. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit emersonhospital.org/inspiration or call Julie at 978-287-3221.

SJC rules against town in McLean Hospital case

Overruling an earlier Land Court decision, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that a McLean Hospital residential facility for young men on Bypass Road property does in fact constitute an “educational use” of the property and is therefore not subject to town zoning regulations that would normally apply.

The September 23 decision is the latest chapter in the saga of McLean’s attempt to use the residential property as an expansion of its 3East transitional facility on the Belmont campus. The Bypass Road facility would house 12 boys aged 15–21 with “extreme emotional dysregulation” and give them classroom training in dialectical behavior therapy, teaching them social and emotional skills including mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and behavioral flexibility. Nearby homeowners said the residents posed a possible danger to the community.

The hospital argued — and neighbors disagreed — that the proposed use was primarily educational rather than medical or therapeutic in nature, meaning it qualified for zoning relief under the state’s Dover amendment, which allows exceptions for educational and religious uses of residential property. Appeals and other legal maneuvers followed.

Last year, the Land Court ruled in the town’s favor, saying that “the primary and predominant purpose of the (McLean) program is the treatment of a serious medical condition” — a decision that led to the current appeal.

Timeline of the case:

    • May 2016: Based on an opinion by town counsel Joel Bard, Daniel Walsh, Lincoln’s building inspector, says McLean Hospital’s proposal for bypass Road qualifies under the Dover amendment’s “educational use” clause and is permitted.
    • September 2016: A group of residents with homes near the Bypass Road property appeal the building inspector’s decision to the Lincoln Zoning Board of Appeals. The ZBA holds several public hearings on the matter.
    • November 3, 2016: The ZBA rules that the proposed use is not primarily educational and that McLean Hospital’s plans for the property are not allowed.
    • November 15, 2016: McLean Hospital sues the town and Walsh in Land Court.
    • October 22, 2018: the Land Court rules in the town’s favor, saying, “the primary and predominant purpose of the 3East Boys Program is the treatment of a serious mental condition.”
    • December 2018: McLean Hospital appeals the Land Court decision to the Supreme Judicial Court.
    • September 23, 2019: The SJC reverses the Land Court ruling, saying the Bypass Road proposal does in fact qualify for zoning relief under the Dover amendment.

“We conclude that, although not a conventional educational curriculum offered to high school or college students, the proposed facility and its skills-based curriculum fall well within the ‘broad and comprehensive’ meaning of ‘educational purposes’ under the Dover Amendment,” the SJC opinion reads.

The court relied heavily on an earlier case involving the town of Weston and Regis College. Regis claimed its plans for Regis East, a 362-unit on-campus retirement village, qualified as an educational facility by virtue of the fact that residents had to enroll in at least two courses per semester. In its 2012 decision, the SJC ruled that any Dover-qualifying use must have an “educationally significant goal that must be the ‘primary or dominant’ purpose for which the land or structures will be used.”

The Weston ZBA had unsuccessfully argued that  “the educational aspects of the project were mere ‘window dressing’ for what was in truth a luxury housing development,” according to a review of the case. However, despite its victory, Regis later dropped plans for the complex.

In this week’s McLean ruling, the SJC also noted that the Lincoln Residence, an existing transitional McLean transitional residence for adults in Lincoln at 5 Old Cambridge Turnpike in Lincoln, is a “protected educational facility.” Also, the fact that the Bypass Road facility would have medical staff on site is irrelevant, since public schools also have nurses, the court said.

“Despite the outcome, we are grateful to Special Town Counsel Jay Talerman who, along with Attorney Michael Fee on behalf of the Bypass Road neighborhood, worked to receive a favorable judgment at the Land Court and provide a vigorous and skillful defense before the SJC,” the Board of Selectmen said in a statement.

The board also thanked Special Town Counsel Jay Talerman for providing “a vigorous and skillful defense before the SJC,” and town boards for “their efforts to respond to McLean’s original application in a fair and professional manner.”

The town’s legal expenses in connection with the McLean case total $49,900 thus far. Selectmen will meet in executive session on Friday morning to discuss the decision.

Representatives of McLean Hospital and the Bypass Road residents could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

News acorns

Panel on Palestinian issues this Saturday

The GRALTA Foundation will host a meeting of the New England Network for Justice in Palestine on Saturday, Sept. 28 in Bemis Hall at 2 p.m. Speakers will include:

  • Anat Biletzki, professor of philosophy at Quinnipiac University and a founder of the Israeli human rights NGO B’Tselem, will discuss, interpret, and forecast the ultimate outcome from Israel’s Sept. 17 election.
  • Nidal Al Azraq, executive director of 1for3.org, will talk on “Hope and Struggle Under Military Occupation,” covering changes he recently encountered among Palestinian civil society in the West Bank.
  • Ayman Nijim, Solidarity Program Officer for the Middle East at Grassroots International, will discuss grassroots organizing and lobbying initiatives in the U.S.
  • Fidaa Ataya, a Palestinian actress, filmmaker, and traditional storyteller, will screen her 10-minute film “The Shepherdess” and tell a traditional Palestinian story.

There will be time for audience Q&A.

Lincoln Dems to discuss strategies for 2020

The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee will meet to launch plans for the 2020 election on Sunday, Sept. 29 from 4–5:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Residents are invited to contribute their thoughts on the issues and recommendations for action at the Massachusetts Democratic Convention (see the Lincoln Squirrel, Sept. 18, 2019). Facilitating discussion on the following topics will be:

  • Jerry Gechter and Jennie Morris — Green New Deal, climate change, sustainability
  • Ginny Welles and Joan Kimball — Building bridges, not walls; the real facts on immigration
  • Alisar Cohen and Travis Roland — Unpacking race in politics
  • Sasha Golden and Barbara Slayter — Addressing the racial wealth divide
  • Alex Chatfield and Chris Loschen — Spotlighting the work of coalitions and allies

News acorns

Join Sept. 20 climate strike via 9:09 Lincoln train

On Friday, Sept. 20, many members of the Lincoln community plan to attend the Boston Youth Climate Strike at Boston City Hall and will board the 9:09 am train at Lincoln Station (see this letter to the editor). Around the country and around the globe, young people and their adult allies will be leaving school and work to raise their voices to protect the Earth’s climate from further damage by fossil fuel emissions. St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church invites anyone who is planning to take the 9:09 train to join us for a brief Liturgy for the Climate at Lincoln Station beginning at 8:45 a.m. as clergy and congregants offer prayers of blessing for the Earth and acknowledge the climate emergency threatening the future of humanity. See Massachusetts Mothers Out Front for more information on the Boston Youth Climate Strike.

Water Commission seeks new member

The Water Commission is seeking interested volunteers. The commission ensures that the town’s drinking water meets all applicable federal, state and local laws and standards, as well as ensuring that the system revenue covers system operations, debt service, and reserves. The deadline for submittals is Friday, Oct. 4. Send letters of interest to Peggy Elder, Administrative Assistant in the Selectmen’s Office, elderp@lincolntown.org. For information or an application, call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601.

Drumlin Farm gets $20,000 grant from foundation

Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary has receive a $20,000 grant from the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation to support its full suite of Leaders in Environmental Access for All (LEAF) programs for children up to age 18. Programs include specialized field trips and guided programs, vocational internships, staff training, and adaptive curriculum and equipment for special-needs students participating in Drumlin Farm programs.

“Funding will allow us to continue our robust vocational internships opportunities, grow our adapted curriculum based environmental education programing, and implement a variety of staff trainings on disability and inclusivity,” said Drumlin Farm Education Manager Jennifer Feller.

Talk on women’s suffrage in Mass.

The Lincoln Historical Society  presents Barbara Berenson, author of Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement: Revolutionary Reformers, on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 1:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Massachusetts was at the center of the national struggle for women’s suffrage; in a 1915 referendum, the men of Massachusetts voted two-to-one against woman suffrage. Nonetheless, in a remarkable reversal, Massachusetts ratified the 19th Amendment within three weeks after it was approved by Congress. Berenson is also author of Boston in the Civil War and is senior attorney at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Walk to benefit SVdP and Lincoln food pantry

Come on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10–11 a.m. to St. Julia Church (374 Boston Post Rd, Weston) for a walk to raise awareness for people in need in Lincoln and Weston, and to benefit the work of our local Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) conference and the food pantry. Suggested donation $10 per person or $25 per family. This will be an easy walk along the new rail trail with an ice cream social at 11a.m. at St. Julia Church. SVdP provides emergency financial help to residents of Lincoln and Weston and operates a food pantry at St. Joseph Church in Lincoln that serves clients from both towns. 

Letter to the editor: Lincolnites attend a compelling Democratic convention

To the editor:

Lincoln’s delegates were (front row, left to right) Jerry Gechter, Joan Kimball, Sasha Golden, Barbara Slayter, and Jennie Morris; and (back row, left to right) Alex Chatfield, Travis Roland, Chris Loschen, Alisar Cohen, and Virginia Welles (click to enlarge).

Spirits were high last Saturday as some 4,000 Democrats gathered at the Massachusetts Democratic Convention in Springfield. Representing Lincoln were six delegates, four alternates, and one youth delegate, an activist senior from Lincoln-Sudbury High School.

Shannon Liss-Riordan and Steve Pemberton (candidates for U.S. Rep. Ed Markey’s seat in the primary) emphasized women’s rights, early childhood education, and getting corporate money out of politics. Others including current Reps. Lori Trahan, Seth Mouton, and Ayanna Pressley (via video) focused on fairness and addressing the dilemmas of our increasingly inequitable society.

There were many others with compelling personal stories and political objectives, but three speakers in particular stirred the crowd to cheers and chants as they vigorously waved signs with the speaker’s names: Maura Healey, Ed Markey, and Elizabeth Warren. All three electrified the MassMutual Center with calls for making “a democracy that works for all Americans” (Healey), implementing “big structural change” (Warren), an economy that does not “deny, deprive, and devalue” (Markey), and sharing a common recognition that “Mass Democrats don’t agonize, they organize.”

The final speaker was a compelling presentation by Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, who praised Massachusetts for its strong gun laws and touted the organization’s six million members determined to make a difference on gun violence. The plenary session concluded with affirmation by the delegates of 11 resolutions across a broad variety of political, social, and economic topics.

The afternoon breakout sessions featured panelists including State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Joe Kennedy, and Framingham’s Mayor Yvonne Spicer as well as experts on the issues under discussion:

  • climate change, sustainability, energy, and the Green New Deal
  • realities of the immigration process
  • racism in American politics
  • narrowing the racial wealth divide in the Commonwealth
  • building coalitions and partnerships in the fight for Democratic values.

Lincoln delegates dispersed themselves among these sessions to glean new ideas and action agendas on each of these topics.

There will be a discussion of the convention and actions proposed for the 2020 elections on Sunday, Sept. 29 from 4–5:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall, facilitated by Lincoln delegates Alisar Cohen, Ginny Welles, Travis Roland, Alex Chatfield, Sasha Golden, Jerry Gechter, Jennie Morris, Chris Loschen, Joan Kimball, and Barbara Slayter.

Sincerely,

Barbara Slayer and Joan Kimball
Co-Chairs, Lincoln Democratic Town Committee

Public hearings coming up

Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board of the Appeals will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. to hear and to act on the following petitions:

  • Johan Pontin, 19 Bedford Rd., for renewal of a special permit for an accessory apartment.
  • Adam Sodowick and Isabelle Lousada, 233 Old Concord Rd., for a special permit to renovate entryway, add a new screened porch and deck, and install kitchen addition to the existing structure.

Planning Board

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10 to review an application for a sign permit. The applicant, Quinn Chan, proposes to add a sign for his business at 152 Lincoln Rd.

Public hearings coming up

Historic District Commission

The Historic District Commission will hold a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3 to review the application of Geoffrey Hargreaves-Heald of 24 Sandy Pond Rd. of to repair or replace four columns on the front porch, replace decking and repair any structural issues as necessary.

Historical Commission

The Historical Commission will hold a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3 to consider the application of Roy S. MacDowell to demolish the house at 19 South Great Rd.

Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board of the Appeals will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. to hear and to act on the following petitions:

  • Johan Pontin, 19 Bedford Rd., for renewal of a special permit for an accessory apartment.
  • Adam Sodowick and Isabelle Lousada, 233 Old Concord Rd., for a special permit to renovate entryway, add a new screened porch and deck, and install kitchen addition to the existing structure.

Planning Board

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10 to review an application for a sign permit pursuant to Section 16.5 of the Zoning Bylaw. The applicant, Quinn Chan, proposes to add a sign for his business at 152 Lincoln Rd.

News acorns

Drumlin Farm makes “Best of Boston”

Boston Magazine’s annual Best Of Boston feature honored Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary as the “Best Family Friendly Activity” in the western suburbs. “Extensive seasonal programming—from beloved “Woolapalooza” sheep-shearing days to strawberry picking—is the pitch-perfect blend of authentically agrarian and totally accessible,” the magazine wrote.  “One visit…and you’ll see why this Lincoln oasis has been a cherished tradition for generations of families.”

Conservation Commission seeks members

The Conservation Commission has one and possibly two openings for new commissioners. The group is responsible for permitting building and other activities that take place in or near wetland areas in accordance with the state act and our local by-law, and members often do site visits on the morning of their meeting to get an accurate sense of the property and issues under consideration. Because conservation is an integral part of many town activities, commissioners are expected to participate as liaisons with other boards or committees such as the Agricultural Commission, the School Building Committee, etc.

Those interested are invited to come to a meeting to see how it functions. The group meets every third Wednesday starting at 7 p.m.; the next few are on September 4, September 25, and October 16. For more information please call the Conservation Department at 781-259-2612.

Town hoping for funds for commuter lot and other South Lincoln projects

An overview of some of the current and future improvements planned for the Lincoln Station area (click image to enlarge).

By Alice Waugh

The town expects to hear within a few weeks about its request for a state grant to fund four roadway projects, including improvements to the unpaved resident commuter lot next to the railroad station in South Lincoln.

Of the requested $400,000 total, $203,000 would pay for paving the lot and improving handicapped parking as well as installing a sidewalk segment, stormwater system, and new signs. The application also seeks about $150,000 to build a 1,700-foot shared-use path linking the pedestrian/bicycle pocket park next to the train tracks to the Codman Road intersection, plus improved crosswalks there.

A third project costing $26,000 would fund alterations to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists at the intersection of Route 117 and Tower Road, and the remaining $20,000 would pay for finishing work on the pocket park with pavers and granite curbing.

A previous $400,000 Complete Streets grant in 2017 funded several projects that are now complete: the pocket park with its bike repair station and informational kiosk, wayfinding signs directing visitors to attractions including Drumlin Farm, repairs to various bike path segments that had been damaged by tree roots, a new sidewalk segment on Lincoln Road near the Ryan Estate, and a crosswalk with flashing lights and a pedestrian island on Route 117 close to the Lincoln Road intersection.

The projects are part of a larger South Lincoln revitalization effort spearheaded by the South Lincoln Planning Implementation Committee (SLPIC). Subgroups of that committee are also pursuing plans to revamp the MBTA station area, and to amend zoning in South Lincoln to encourage different housing and commercial options. SLPIC unveiled its proposals at a public forum in May.

Last year, the town was conditionally awarded $500,000 to design the commuter station improvements, but it’s unclear whether Lincoln will ever see that money. Director of Planning and Land Use Jennifer Burney said town officials are continuing to work with the MBTA and Lincoln’s state legislators, but obtaining funds from a grant or other alternative source would be very difficult because most grants require that the land in question be owned by the town.

Meanwhile, town officials held a kickoff meeting last week with a consultant who will look at options for a system that would allow commuters in the larger lot behind Donelan’s to pay for parking using using either a smartphone app or cash. No changes are expected until next spring because “lots of decisions that have to be made regarding the type of system, the fee (will it remain the same or increase), etc.,” Burney said.

Another area of SLIPC’s attention is the underused green space between the mall and Lincoln Woods. The town has applied three times for a matching grant to pay for work outlined by landscape architect Lemon Brooke LLC but with no luck thus far.

“Because the town does not own this, it’s up to the Rural Land Foundation to decide what they will do. The RLF is working closely with Lemon Brook Design Firm on a design and hopefully in the future we will see some improvements there,” Burney said. Officials are also looking at other sites around Lincoln Station for the playground that was part of that grant application.

Group presents options for property tax relief

(Editor’s note: click here for the complete set of slides and explanatory notes discussed at the Property Tax Study Committee forum.)

By Alice Waugh

To soften the blow of the imminent property tax increase, a town committee has suggested two options: a means-tested circuit breaker program and a residential exemption for certain properties.

The Property Tax Study Committee was formed last winter amid worries that some homeowners will not be able to afford the tax increase that was approved to pay for the $93 million school project. Figures released in February projected an average increase of 12.7% for fiscal 2020. The group has been gathering information for several months on the financial demographics of property owners, what tax mitigation programs currently exist, and what other towns and the state have done to help squeezed taxpayers.

As it tried to gauge financial need in town, the group found that about 25% of Lincoln households are defined as “cost-burdened” when it comes to housing costs, meaning they pay more than 30% of their income for housing. The town’s stock of affordable housing will increase once Oriole Landing opens, but there is currently a three-year waiting list for affordable rental units in Lincoln Woods, Selectman Jennifer Glass said at the committee’s June 18 public forum.

The most heavily used tax relief program in Lincoln is the senior/veterans work-off program whereby qualified residents can earn reductions of up to $1,500 by working for the town, Glass said. Homeowners and renters 65 and older can also qualify for the state’s Senior Circuit Breaker Tax Credit program. Residents can also receive financial, food assistance, and social services from other town programs. The St. Vincent de Paul/St. Joseph food pantry is serving about four times as many clients as in 2011, and the Parks & Recreation Department has also seen an increase in demand for financial aid, Glass said.

Expanded circuit breaker

One option is for the town to expand on the state circuit-breaker program, which aims to ensure that residents over 65 do not pay more than 10% of their income on property taxes. That program, which is available to both renters and homeowners who meet income, asset and property value limits, has a benefit limit of $1,100. However, in towns like Lincoln with high property values and taxes, that benefit is often not enough to bring the tax bill down to 10% of income.

Three area towns — Sudbury, Concord, and Wayland — have applied for permission from the Commonwealth to create extension programs to bridge that gap. Such programs require approval from the legislature as well as Town Meeting. (Click here for a comparison of state and town programs.)

In Lincoln, 577 of the 1,940 single-family residences qualify for the existing state circuit breaker by virtue of having owners 65 or older who have lived in town for at least 10 years. The property tax committee estimated that anywhere from 224 to 466 properties might qualify under a circuit-breaker extension program, depending on income and assets.

Residential exemption

The second option, a residential tax exemption would make property taxes more progressive and to try to preserve moderate-income housing by providing tax relief regardless of age or income. In this scenario, the Board of Selectmen would set an exemption of zero to 35% of the town’s average property value. That exemption would be translated into a dollar amount and become a fixed deduction from the assessment of every owner-occupied residential property.

The effect would be to reduce taxes on eligible properties with valuations below a given “break even” point. For 2019 in Lincoln, anyone with a home value under $1.14 million would pay less and the rest would pay more. It would not apply to commercial properties or to developments, such as Lincoln Woods, that are not owner-occupied.

Unlike the circuit-breaker extension programs, a residential exemption would not require new revenue, but it would shift the tax burden to more expensive properties. “As you go up to the more expensive homes, it goes up quite dramatically,” Glass noted.

Because the deduction would reduce the amount that can be taxed, the tax rate would have to increase on the remaining property value in order to raise the total levy amount needed to fund the town budget. For example, with a 5% exemption, the tax rate per $1,000 of property value would need to increase to $16.50; with a 35% exemption, it would have to rise to $22.20 per $1,000 (for fiscal 2019, it’s currently $14.03 per $1,000).

Sixteen cities and towns in Massachusetts have residential tax exemptions ranging from 10% to 35%. They include cities with a large commercial tax base (Boston and close suburbs) as well as several towns on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard with expensive vacation homes that are not owner-occupied year round.

Lexington studied the residential exemption idea but decided against it. There is often resistance to the fact that it is not means-tested, and that there can be significant additional tax burden on higher value properties, Glass said. It might also hurt renters when their landlords pass on the tax increase in the form of higher rents for market-rate units.

Other possibilities for tax relief include prioritizing and funding other supports such as social services and rental assistance, Glass said. (Click here to see a comparison between the circuit breaker and residential exemption concepts.)

The committee will give another report at the State of the Town meeting on November 2 and may recommend a measure for voters at the Annual Town Meeting in spring 2020. In the meantime, the group urged residents to share thoughts and reactions by taking this online survey. The feedback form will stay open until the next forum in the fall on a date to be announced.