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

land use

Property sales for September 2021

15C South Commons — Christine Lundblad to Anne Lovell for $549,000 (September 28)

16 Bypass Road — McLean Hospital Corp. to Scott Rodman for $850,000 (September 2)

23 Bypass Rd. — McLean Hospital Corp. to Yu Liu and Lujia Zou for $2,178,000 ( September 3)

5 Mary’s Way — Mary O’Brien Trust to Cheryl O’Brien and James Durkin for $570,000 (September 1)

12 Acorn Lane — Marcus Lincoln to Christopher Coke and Tania Abedian for $1,285,000 (September 30)

123 Chestnut Circle — William A. Galup Jr. to Robten Realty Corp. for $400,000 (September 8)

 

South Lincoln treatment plant has capacity for more development

The first phase of an engineering study of the wastewater treatment plant near the mall shows that it’s working well and has additional capacity to handle some commercial or residential development in the area.

The plant in the field about 1,500 feet north of the apartments was built in 1975 to serve the Lincoln Woods apartments and the businesses in the mall. It’s now owned and operated by TCB (The Community Builders), which is paying part of the cost of the Wright-Pierce study. The town needs to know the status of the plant to make informed decisions about rezoning South Lincoln to allow for more types of development.

The plant is “a little long in the tooth” and the building used mainly for records and water testing is in bad shape and needs to be replaced soon, said Kevin Olson, senior project manager at Wright-Pierce, as he presented Phase 1 of the study to the Planning Board meeting on October 5. However, after visiting the plant and looking at maintenance records, the plant is “performing well and is not overloaded,” said his Wright-Pierce colleague Adam Higgins.

The plant’s state permit allows it to handle up to 26,000 gallons per day of wastewater, though its average annual flow is less than half that. “There’s still available treatment capacity and flow capacity,” Higgins said.

Assuming the plant is maintained but not substantially upgraded or replaced, it will cost about $311,000 for work that should be done within the next five years and another $121,000 (in 2021 dollars) for work done in five to 15 years, according to the study.

Phase 2 of the study will look at whether the plant can handle flow above 26,000 gallons per day (gpd) for which it’s permitted, alternative treatment methods with a life-cycle cost analysis, and a recommendation on how to proceed, both with flows and treatment type.

“The increase in flow will likely be cut off at 40,000 gpd, but we’re waiting for input from the Planning Board and SLPAC [the board’s South Lincoln Planning and Advisory Committee] if more is desired based on wanting additional commercial/residential development,” Higgins said in an email. 

The Phase 2 report is due in early December, with a report to the Planning Board expected shortly before Christmas.

Neither the board nor SLPAC has voted on how the cost will be divided between the town and TCB if plant upgrades are desired, “but my expectation is that whoever does the development will pay for any required treatment plant work or expansion,” board Chair Margaret Olson said. “That being said, the town does need to know what can be done and what it would cost before investing large amounts of staff and volunteer time into proposing changes that would require wastewater treatment.”

Residents slam South Lincoln survey at forum

Current zoning in South Lincoln (left) and the changes that were proposed in 2020 (click image for larger version).

Residents at a September 28 public forum to discuss the results of a survey on the future of South Lincoln criticized the study as being biased toward development and asked for another survey done by an objective professional.

The survey was open from May 14 to June 30, and data and comments from the 790 responses were released in August. Results indicated that residents have mixed feelings about South Lincoln. There was no consensus on whether the village center should change, and respondents wanted both a viable commercial center and perhaps some moderately priced housing but also wanted to maintain the town’s rural character.

“People want more benefits but not the things that could lead to those benefits,” observed resident Jen Morris.

“Welcome to our world,” quipped Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson.

Potential drivers for change include a new state law that will require areas near MBTA train stations to allow denser housing, though the specific details and any penalties for noncompliance are still unclear. The state aims to encourage more housing construction along with public transportation use, but since most of the daily commuting by train to Boston ended due to the pandemic, the viability of South Lincoln as a commuter point is also unclear, with or without new housing nearby.

Another factor: although Lincoln is generally wary of growing its population, enrollment at the Lincoln School has been declining over the past several years. “We have plenty of capacity in the Lincoln School to accept many additional students and would welcome more students,” Superintendent of School Becky McFall wrote in an email to Olson, who shared it at the forum attended by more than 50 residents via Zoom.

McFall is expected to send a more detailed memo regarding school enrollment in October.

In the survey, 46% of respondents said they supported more affordable or moderately priced housing in South Lincoln, but one-third either did not support it at all, or supported it in a location other than the South Lincoln village center.

“I support activity such as a playground, dog park and community gathering/meeting point, etc., [but] as I have said many times, there is a lot we could do to have a viable town center without adding new rental units,” Planning Board member Lynn DeLisi wrote in the chat area of the Zoom forum.

Also affecting possible development in South Lincoln is the limited capacity of the septic system that currently serves the mall and Lincoln Woods. A study is currently underway by engineers who will make a preliminary report at the Planning Board’s October 5 meeting. And even if the mall were to be redeveloped, there isn’t agreement about what sort of businesses can achieve long-term success there, given the proliferation of online shopping and nearby stores such as Market Basket and Costco, forum attendees noted.

Both the mixed-use zoning that was proposed in early 2020 by the Planning Board and the notion of “if you build it they will come” are “flawed models,” said Richard Ohlsten, adding that many storefronts in the Wayland Center development are still vacant years after completion. “I’m not opposed to development but let’s just do something smart and unique. If we get this wrong, there’s no going back.”

Many brick-and-mortar stores in Lincoln and elsewhere are struggling, “and I don’t know that we can build our way out of it,” resident Sara Mattes said. She suggested looking into subsidizing the types of  businesses that Lincoln wants, or even using Community Preservation Act funds to buy smaller houses and “put into permanent affordability… it’s the kind of crazy forward thinking that Lincoln used to do with land acquisition and preservation,” she said.

Many residents at the forum said the survey questions were skewed and urged the Planning Board to commission another survey, this time using an outside firm. “The survey wasn’t designed to hear from those of us who are opposed to development,” said Barbara Peskin.

Mattes suggested framing questions in terms of what tradeoffs people are willing to make to achieve certain objectives. “The information generated in the survey has been questioned, and to use it to guide or direct any potential change, some of us feel, is not appropriate,” she said.

Property sales in August 2021

81 Lincoln Rd. — Jan E. Nyquist Trust to Michael and Leah Bloom for $3,110,000 (August 27)

148 Sandy Pond Rd. — Marilyn Kasputys to Kenneth Lepage and Marianna Parker for $3,150,000 (August 26)

0 and 100 Lincoln Rd. (two parcels) — Laura Sander to John Riley and Evelyne DeLori for a total of $1,455,000 (August 19)

10 Beaver Pond Rd. — Philip Greenspun for Anne Buxton Sobol Trust for $1,750,000 (August 16)

51 Page Rd. — Charles Staples Trust to Charles O. Staples Trust for $747,500 (August 12)

64 Trapelo Rd. — Philip DeNormandie Trust to Mark and Machiko Hewitt for $975,000 (August 10)

124 Chestnut Circle — Luiz de Oliveira to Norra S. Kinne Trust and Aaron W. Kinne Trust for $700,000 (August 4)

100 Concord Rd. — Gregory Gale to Risa Lavelle for $863,000 (August 2)

Three adjoining parcels sold on August 2:

  • 131 Weston Rd. — Berryfield LLC to Berryfield Farm LLC for $2,736,155
  • 133 Weston Rd. — George W. Berry to Berryfield Farm LLC for $4,888,845
  • 0 Weston Rd. — George W. Berry Trust to George W. Berry Trust for $4,888,845

17 Stonehedge — Joseph Soucy to Daniel L. Gombos Trust and Julia S. Gombos Trust for $1,810,000 (August 2)

Property sales in July

8 Hawk Hill Rd. — Matthew Bellias to Robrecht Thoonen and Patricia Nobre for $1,500,000 (July 29)

82 Virginia Rd. #B409 — William Stanton to Kathleen Kellett for $399,000 (July 29)

24 Beaver Pond Rd. — Astrid Glynn to Astrid’s Hillside Acre Realty Trust for $1,425,000 (July 28)

28 Old Concord Rd. — Keith Gilbert to Richard and Andrea Patton for $3,200,000 (July 28)

105 Trapelo Rd. — Elizabeth Tylko to Ross Tucker and Hilary Dionne for $1,425,000 (July 28)

28 Windingwood Lane — Elizabeth Whitman Trust to John Rizzo and Donna MacDonald for $725,650 (July 28)

158 Bedford Rd. — Norris Kalisch to Kimberly Kerr and Rita Sherrer for $993,000 (July 28)

208 Concord Rd. — Alexis Borggaard to Ian McMahan and Lee Mei Yan for $1,150,000 (July 23)

264 Lincoln Rd. — Linda Karman to Christine Size and Kelley Kerber for $795,000 (July 23)

15 Goose Pond Rd. — Salvatore S. Pivitera Trust to Roberto Santamaria and Maureen Masterson for $1,400,000 (July 23)

15 Deer Run Rd. — Vincent Cannistraro to Lu Li and Qi Xue for $2,250,000 (July 19)

25 Baker Farm Rd. — Paola M. Rossoni Trust and Peter Rossoni to Peter and Gemma Rossoni for $886,722 (July 19)

5D South Commons — Cherilyn Bruno Lynch Trust to Jeffrey Miller and Jennifer Brown for $560,000 (July 19)

46 Greenridge Lane — James Echmalian to Jean Granick for $585,000 (July 19)

67 Lincoln Rd. — John O’Connor to Stephen Edsall and Janice Owen for $1,500,000 (July 16)

344 Hemlock Circle — Jeffrey Patterson to Lev Lipkin for $730,000 (July 15)

140 Lincoln Rd. — Melody Elliott to John and Diana Cowles for $440,000 (July 14)

23 South Great Rd. — David Skok to Christine Fletcher for $5,800,000 (July 13)

179 South Great Rd. — Dorothy R. Bockoven Trust to Ardit Kotoni and Caroline Keefe for $830,000 (July 12)

111 Tower Rd. — Forrest St. Clair to Satayan Mahajan for $2,175,000 (July 9)

235 Aspen Circle — Anne K. Meade Trust to Christine Sarkisian and Anton Marc for $672,567 (July 9)

46 Round Hill Rd. — Myra Green to Stephanie Delacroix and Jeffrey O’Dell for $1,850,000 (July 1)

47 Old Concord Rd. — Phillip and Suzanne Reynolds Ayoub for $1,425,000 (July 1)

Survey shows mixed feelings about boosting development in South Lincoln

(Image by upklyak – freepik.com)

Lincoln residents want to keep the post office, restaurants, and some retail offerings in South Lincoln, but they also want to retain the town’s rural character, according to results of a survey released last week.

The Planning Board, which launched the survey in May, will host a discussion of the results on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. The agenda and Zoom information will be available on the town calendar and the board’s web page prior to the meeting.

For the last two-plus years, the Planning Board has been considering changes to the zoning in the area around the Mall at Lincoln Station and the commuter rail station. The goal is to encourage more diversity in housing in that area as well as commercial activity, services, and amenities in and around the mall.

One of the drivers is a measure passed by the state in 2020 that, among other things, requires towns with a commuter rail station or other public transit (“MBTA communities”) to allow multifamily housing by right within half a mile of the station or lose access to various state grants. The specific implications for Lincoln are unclear because details still being worked out at the state level, but all towns are considered to be in compliance for now.

Among the survey data points:

  • 47% of respondents wanted to see changes in South Lincoln, while 17% did not and 36% weren’t sure.
  • The most important goals for respondents were retaining a village center with commercial businesses (80%) and supporting their economic viability (76%), followed by maintaining the town’s rural character (72%), minimizing environmental impact (70%), and ensuring accessibility for all ages and abilities (68%).
  • The features that garnered the most support were a post office (91%), retail offerings such as a grocery store (88%), and restaurants and entertainment (76%). The only feature that had more opponents than supporters was additional parking (29% to 19%, with 51% neutral).
  • 24% wanted no additional housing in the village center, while 27% preferred 50-100 units and 26% weren’t sure.
  • In a post-pandemic environment, 47% said they planned to use the commuter rail one to five times a year, while 7% said they would take the train three to five times a week and 31% said they never would.
  • The biggest factors influencing the responses were concerns about the environment and an increased focus on climate change and sustainability, followed by the increased cost of housing in the region.

The number of people who filled out the survey isn’t clear, but 91% said they own their own home, and about the same proportion are in their 40s to 70s.

Many respondents included long and thoughtful comments with their responses (the compilation is more than 80 pages long). Those comments skewed heavily toward not wanting additional development and wanting to maintain the town’s rural character. Some accused the survey writers of being pro-development and not recognizing the quality of commercial and pedestrian/bike-friendly amenities already in place. Several also called for a restaurant with a more family-friendly atmosphere and menu.

A sampling of comments:

  • “I am not sure higher-density housing near commuter rail will support persons with modest incomes to live in Lincoln as commuter rail schedules/fees are not aligned with all needs/income levels of workers.”
  • “I don’t shop at Donelan’s: limited variety, low quality, high price. Retail is struggling everywhere as people have shifted to shop on line. Only personal services (P.O., salon, dry cleaner) and fresh items will draw shoppers.”
  • “Need a family-friendly moderately-priced restaurant that serves lunch and dinner and is long term!”
  • “Don’t spend any taxpayer money on changing the town center. Leave it alone. We just spent $93 million on schools.”
  • “I want to discourage further growth in Lincoln. I’m perfectly happy to travel to other towns to keep Lincoln small and rural. If I wanted a town with more development, I would move to one.”
  • “Changing the town, in which homeowners have chosen to buy property based on the rural, undeveloped character, in order to promote the political goals of a few, is problematic.”
  • “It is essential that Lincoln broaden its population by including affordable one- or two-bedroom apartments in a dense and sustainably constructed housing development that is within walking distance of the MBTA and the mall. The DPW should move to the current site of the transfer station.”
  • “Turn the village into community/town use.”
  • “Really am not sure why a small group of development-minded people keep pushing for these changes… as with so much planning in Lincoln, it seems completely ill advised and a project that the next generation will regret for years to come.”
  • “One of my worries is that increased density will require municipal sewer and/or force us to join the MWRA for water. Lincoln’s rural character is maintained in part by the need for sufficient acreage per dwelling so that the land can support the burden we put on it. Municipal sewers would make out current zoning no longer justifiable and could threaten the rural. character of the town.”
  • “If we don’t change something, we will keep losing businesses and the town center will be a shell of itself.”
  • “The Town of Lincoln must develop a larger commercial base for the town. The taxes charged for residential homes are becoming unsustainable.”
  • “I’m strongly in favor of changes to the center to increase housing density and shopping options even if it means more vehicle traffic — and I live on Lincoln Rd.”
  • “It is not clear that residents in any new housing near Lincoln Station would drive less than other residents. It seems reasonable to assume that increased density will come with an increase in cars, especially in a town like Lincoln that simply cannot provide enough resources within walking distance to anyone.”
  • “We need to fill the vacant properties we have in South Lincoln before we begin to expand commercial/multi-use development. In expanding available housing units, is there a proven, commensurate uptick in local commercial patronization? ”
  • “I want the rural town I bought into. Just because someone got their MS in town planning doesn’t mean we have to change out the town to stroke their edifice complex. Biased questions — should have a column for ‘leave what we bought into alone’.”
  • “Lincoln is long overdue to add business and cultural opportunities and help reduce the tax burden on its residents. Soon only the ultra-rich will be able to afford living in Lincoln.”
  • “Too many apartments and condos already.”

Property sales in June 2021

54 Baker Bridge Rd. — Carroll School to David Mauch for $1,721,000 (June 30)

10 Silver Birch Lane — Benjamin Whittaker to Ryan and Elizabeth Bouldin for $1,400,000 (June 21)

0 Twin Pond Lane (parcel 118-10-0) — Jeffrey C. Birchby Trust to Susan Allen and Michelle Barnes for $625,000 (June 18)

0 Twin Pond Lane (parcel 118-13-0) — Jena Salon-Birchby to Susan Allen and Michelle Barnes for $175,000 (June 18)

11 Huckleberry Hill — Shih Ying Lee to Philip Eliopoulos Trust for $997,300 (June 22)

32B Indian Camp Lane unit B — Patrick McCusker to Oleksandr Dziuba and Yulia Zozulia for $449,000 (June 15)

38 Longmeadow Rd. — John Donahue to Arvind Grover and Carolyn Crandall for $1,695,000 (June 15)

26 Old Winter St. — Aire Maija Schwann Trust to Matt and Jon Anderson-Miller for $1,000,000 (June 9)

207 Tower Rd. — Lincoln LLC to Gabriel Palaez for $1,288,000 (June 4)

2 Giles Rd. — Leslie Kaufmann to Nicole Bensen and Galen Missig for $1,450,000 (June 1)

Plans moving ahead for bike and pedestrian-friendly improvements

Plans for safety improvements to Farrar Road and Route 2A are advancing, and a third project to benefit pedestrians in South Lincoln is out to bid.

The Farrar Road project will create “advisory shoulders” on Farrar Road, which involves painting dashed lines to indicate shoulders. Vehicles can cross the lines to avoid traffic coming from the opposite direction but must yield to oncoming traffic if there are “vulnerable users” (bicyclists, pedestrians, or any other non-vehicle) ahead or alongside.

An example of a sign about advisory shoulders.

Farrar Road was chosen as a pilot by the  Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPEC) in service of its broader goal to make Lincoln’s roads safer for all. If the measure turns out to be successful, other “minor connectors” in town might get the same treatment. There are 17 miles of  minor connectors that offer routes to schools and access to conservation trails but are not major roads.

The lines will advise all road users of the legal rights of way and safe passing distance. “It doesn’t change the way folks should use the road — it’s not like a stop sign or speed limit. It just advises about what’s safe,” BPEC member Bob Wolf told the Select Board at its June 21 meeting. The committee has been working with police, the Roadway and Traffic Committee, the DPW, the Planning Board, and representatives of candidate neighborhoods. Wolf and fellow BPEC member Ginger Reiner presented the idea to residents at one of last November’s State of the Town meetings.

The town has submitted an “application to experiment” to the Federal Highway Administration for the advisory shoulders, which are a relatively recent invention in this country. If all goes well, the painting could take place as soon as September, Wolf said.

Route 2A improvements

Another project in the planning stages is repaving and adding safety features to Route 2A. The current plans (which are at the 75% complete stage) call for traffic islands at intersections, and reconfiguring the Route 2A/Lexington Rd, intersection to make it safe for those approaching on Brooks Road.

MassDOT plans to move the Route 2A/Lexington Rad intersection slightly to the west. The green area is the new roadway.

Town officials recently offered feedback on the latest round of plans by MassDOT and expects to hear their response in several weeks. Among their requests:

  • Add pedestrian-activated flashing lights at all intersections
  • Add a crosswalk at Brooks Road
  • Add pedestrian islands at certain intersections
  • Make the road shoulders 4 feet wide where practicable

Select Board member Jonathan Dwyer said the town should hear the next response from MassDOT in four to six weeks. The agency has been “accommodating and respectful” to previous requests, he added.

Path in South Lincoln field

A third pedestrian-friendly project that’s currently out to bid is a pathway alongside Lincoln Road from the railroad tracks to the intersection with Codman Road. The paved path would be on the grass north of the stone wall and row of flowering trees and would skirt the community gardens.

The proposed path alongside Lincoln Road in green. The Doherty’s gas station property is in gray.

The project will be funded by a previously awarded grant from a state program to encourage safe travel and connectivity to mass transit for pedestrians and bicycles. The original deadline for completing the work was June 30, 2021, but the town was unable to award the contract through the initial bidding process, so the new deadline for bids is July 30. MassDOT gave the town an extension until November 30 to complete the work, said Director of Planning and Land Use Paula Vaughn-MacKenzie.

Some residents have expressed concern that the path would cut through the community gardens or is intended to promote access to the Codman Community Farm store. But CCF Board President Nancy Fleming wrote in LincolnTalk in May that the path has nothing to do with the store. She also explained and defended driveway work and other changes at the farm.

“For the first time in decades, we are financially stable, our animals are extremely well cared for, and we are plowing resources back into the aging infrastructure of the farm in ways that were impossible just five years ago,” she wrote.

Property sales in May 2021

82 Virginia Rd. #204 — James Brennan Jr. to Christopher J. Voce Irrevocable Trust for $438,000 (May 28)

148 Weston Rd. — Keith McDonald to Robert and Christie Waitt for $1,375,000 (May 26)

38 Round Hill Road — Vaja Koumantzelis to Maureen and Enda Quigley for $1,789,000 (May 19)

52 Greenridge Lane #15A — Elisa Sartori to Amy Sanders for $425,000 (May 14)

14 Greenridge Lane #8 — Jeffrey Childs to Christopher City for $530,000 (May 4)

 

 

McLean Hospital abandons Bypass Road plans

The house at 22 Bypass Rd. (2016 photo) where McLean Hospital had hoped to house boys and men aged 15-21. The adjacent house at 16 Bypass Rd. can be seen at far left.

After years of litigation culminating in a go-ahead from the Supreme Judicial Court for a McLean Hospital facility in Lincoln, the hospital found another location for the services and has put the two Bypass Road properties on the market.

McLean, a psychiatric hospital in Belmont with several satellite locations, purchased two adjacent properties at 16 and 2 Bypass Road in 2016. The facility was intended as a locked residential site for teenage boys and young men being treated for borderline personality disorder using dialectical behavioral therapy to teach mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance.

McLean initially got a building permit from the town under the Dover Amendment, which exempts educational and religious facilities from many local zoning restrictions. Neighbors argued that the intended use was medical and not educational. After several appeals, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in 2019 that the McLean facility did in fact qualify as an educational facility.

But McLean has moved on since then. “For the program we planned to put in there, we found a much better site closer to the hospital, so that turned out to be a good move for us,” said Dr. Philip Levendusky, senior vice president for business development and communications, and director of McLean’s Psychology Department. The Arlington location, which is now in operation, “is a very attractive site and much larger than what we were looking at in Lincoln.”

The new Arlington location is a “free-standing piece of real estate” recently purchased by McLean and is not part of the hospital’s existing 3East campus in Arlington, Levendusky said.

In June 2016, McLean bought 16 Bypass Rd. for $1,024,500 and the larger home at 22 Bypass Rd. for $1,700,000, according to town land records. The hospital subsequently did an $83,000 kitchen renovation at 16 Bypass Rd. but never pulled any building permits for the other parcel. The properties are now listed for sale at $900,000 and $2.26 million, respectively.