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Letter to the editor: Why the Oriole Landing project is important for Lincoln

To the editor:

The Lincoln Housing Commission and Affordable Housing Trust are co-sponsoring the Oriole Landing Project at Town Meeting on Saturday, March 24.

The project, located at 1 Mary’s Way and presented in Warrant Article 30, is the result of a truly collaborative effort over the past six months involving multiple town boards and committees, Civico Development, and extensive public input. Because of these efforts, we believe Oriole Landing will benefit the residents of Lincoln in the following ways:

  • It will significantly increase the town’s inventory of affordable rental housing. As 15 (25 percent) of Oriole Landing’s units will be set aside as affordable, the state Department of Housing and Community Development will count all of the project’s 60 units towards Lincoln’s subsidized housing inventory (SHI). This will fulfill Lincoln’s Chapter 40B requirements for the next several decades while also meeting Lincoln’s high standards for responsible development and protecting our town’s rural character.
  • It will provide a diversity of housing opportunities our town currently lacks: moderately priced one- and two-bedroom apartments to appeal to young professionals and “empty nesters” looking to downsize and stay in Lincoln.
  • The 15 “affordable” units will be for households earning up to 80 percent of the area median income. Of these units, 10 will be reserved as “local preference” for Lincoln residents, employees of the town or local businesses, and families with children in the Lincoln Public Schools.
  • Oriole Landing will enable the town to fulfill one of the long-term goals identified in the Housing Commission’s 2014 Housing Plan: expanding our housing stock to serve a broader spectrum of Lincoln residents.

Lincoln’s SHI is anticipated to fall below 10 percent in 2020, making the town vulnerable to 40B high-density housing developmens similar to projects under consideration and/or construction in Weston, Wayland, and Sudbury today. In fact, at least four prior developers made inquiries with the town about the six-acre Mary’s Way property since it was listed for sale, discussing developments ranging in size from 125–250 units.

To arrive at where we are today, many town boards and committees, through multiple public forums, hearings, and informational sessions, have worked diligently to identify and address the many concerns and issues raised about this project, including: 

  • Traffic — The town conducted an independent peer review of the traffic study performed by Civico and as a result, a condition of the project will include a “no right turn” restriction during peak commuting hours to help mitigate the potential traffic impact to the neighborhood. Additionally, neighborhood feedback has made it clear that there are already existing roadway and pedestrian safety issues which the Board of Selectman have committed to prioritize in addressing. Civico has also pledged $25,000 to the town’s Complete Streets program to be targeted for this neighborhood.
  • School enrollment — Civico estimated nine to 16 new school age children while the town’s own independent peer review of the fiscal impact and project finances estimated seven7. Our school administrators state that enrollment constantly fluctuates for a wide variety of reasons. They are confident that Oriole Landing’s contribution to the student population will be well within what the school system already experiences annually, and which it has both the expertise and resources to respond to.
  • Financial contribution — The Affordable Housing Trust will support this project with a $1 million loan to secure a permanent deed restriction that ensures that all 60 units at Oriole Landing will remain on Lincoln’s subsidized housing inventory in perpetuity. Lincoln’s peer review consultant has reviewed the project finances and determined that this sum is important to the project’s overall financially viability.
  • Historical Commission — Civico and the Historical Commission have agreed that the historic home on the property (Dexter C. Harris House, c. 1870) will be relocated and restored for use as a garden house.
  • No variation from submittal — If approved, the project cannot be substantially changed in the future without requiring another Town Meeting vote (which needs a two-thirds approval), ensuring the property must be developed in accordance with the will of the town.

The Housing Commission’s 2014 Housing Plan’s goals included providing housing for young couples, empty nesters seeking to downsize, those who work in town, and those connected to Lincoln in other ways. Oriole Landing will enable the town to create moderately priced local housing opportunities in a cost-efficient manner, rather than pursuing the inefficient and expensive task of incrementally increasing Lincoln’s subsidized housing stock to keep pace with new home construction.

If approved, the Housing Commission and Affordable Housing Trust will be able to turn their focus toward other important housing initiatives, such as working with the South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee to explore housing opportunities in the Lincoln Station area.

You have an important role in determining the shape and direction of Lincoln’s future. Please join us this Saturday at Town Meeting, participate in the discussion, and vote. Lincoln’s Board of Selectmen, Housing Commission, Affordable Housing Trust, and Planning Board have all endorsed this project. We ask that you support it too, by voting “yes” in favor of Warrant Article 30. See the websites below for more information.

Sincerely,

James Craig and George Georges
Co-chairs, Lincoln Affordable Housing Trust

Allen Vander Meulen
Chair, Lincoln Housing Commission

Pamela Gallup
Lincoln housing consultant

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Upcoming public hearings

The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. to review an application for Site Plan Review. The applicant, Joachim Fruebis of 58 Weston Rd., proposes to construct a new home on an undeveloped lot.

The Historical Commission will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. to consider the application of Hytho Pantazelos for a request to extend the 12-month delay to demolish the structure at 12 Woodcock Lane.

The Zoning Board of the Appeals will hold a public hearing on Thursday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m. to hear and to act on a petition by Mary Kostman, 131 Tower Rd., for a special permit for an addition of an art studio, open air deck and screened porch.

 

Planning Board, Selectmen endorse Oriole Landing

The Planning Board voted unanimously this week to recommend passage at Town Meeting of a measure that would give preliminary approval to the Oriole Landing mixed-income housing project.

In its recommendation, the board included several conditions that will be reflected in conditions for any future approval of the developer’s formal application. If the Town Meeting measure (which would create a development district within the North Lincoln Overlay zoning district and also approve a preliminary land use plan) passes by a two-thirds majority, Civico Development must then come back to the Planning Board within two years to obtain a special permit and site plan review.

In the first portion of the board’s public hearing on March 6, neighbors protested the 60-unit proposal on a number of fronts, saying the project is too large, will cost the town money due to increased school enrollment from tenants, will significantly increase traffic in the neighborhood, and will allow the town to dispense with any future efforts at increasing affordable housing in town.

At the hearing continuation on March 20, Andrew Consigli of Civico detailed changes in the proposal that resulted from community input at various meetings and open houses. The original proposal called for a four-story building of rental units (15 percent of them affordable) plus a condo building. The plan now calls for no condos and two 30-unit rental buildings of two and a half to three stories, with 25 percent of the units deeded as affordable. Consigli noted that this adjustment was made possible by the promise of a no-interest loan of $1 million from the Lincoln Housing Commission. The sum does not need to be repaid to the town unless the affordability deed restrictions are terminated for any reason in the future.

Rather than tearing down the 1870s Dexter C. Harris house on the property, Civico has pledged to spend up to $100,000 to relocate the house between the two rental buildings and repurpose it as an open three-season indoor space for gatherings or studio use.

In response to traffic concerns, Civico agreed to a left-turn-only restriction out of the Oriole Landing driveway onto Mary’s Way from 6:30-9:30 a.m. on weekdays. The company also agree to donate $25,000 to Lincoln’s Complete Streets program to improve street safety and accessibility for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. (Last fall, the town received a $400,000 state grant for 10 projects that must be completed by September 2018.)

In their March 19 vote to endorse the Oriole Landing project, the Board of Selectmen specified that the $25,000 should be used if possible to create a roadside path along Old Concord Turnpike near the development. The Department of Public Works is also planning to paint a center line on Mary’s Way. In addition, Consigli said he was looking into the idea of offering a fee-based shuttle service between the development and the Alewife MBTA station.

“It’s a better plan from when we first came in with,” he said.

The town hired Lynne Sweet of Newton-based LDS Consulting in Newton to look at Civico’s fiscal impact statement. Her report estimated a net positive fiscal impact to the town of about $114,000 annually—just under the $115,000 predicted in the analysis commissioned by Civico.

“The margins are very slim for this project,” Sweet said of the development’s projected finances. Because of the reduced density from the original plan and things like the LEED certification, “the numbers are really tight; there’s not a lot of wiggle room to add more costs,” she said in concluding that the $1 million loan is in fact necessary to make the project financially feasible.

“For me, this was a difficult decision,” said Planning Board member Lynn DeLisi after the vote.  “I was very impressed with Civico and how they interacted with the community, but on the other hand, I have great sympathy for the neighborhood. Cathy O’Brien made some very good points.”

O’Brien, who lives on Cambridge Turnpike and whose mother Mary’s house abuts the development site, raised numerous objections at the earlier public hearing. On March 21, she confirmed on LincolnTalk that she was the source of a town-side mailing that reiterated those objections and urged residents to vote “no” vote at Town Meeting.

“Neighborhoods are personal—it’s where we live,” Selectman Jonathan Dwyer said earlier this week when Selectmen unanimously voted to endorse the project. If voters approve it, “we need to help the neighborhood get that it needs to help them live with it.”

Selectmen James Craig and Jennifer Glass also expressed sympathy for the neighbors, who have had to live alongside two construction projects at The Commons as well as the Route 2 project in recent years. However, they couldn’t pass up an opportunity to guarantee the town’s state-mandated affordable housing minimum for years and thus avoid a much larger 40B housing project that could bypass local zoning restrictions. Weston and Wayland are both facing the real prospect of “unwanted large-scale developments that are really going to change the fabric and essence of those communities,” Craig said.

Letter to the editor: Civico expresses appreciation to community

To the editor:

In advance of Town Meeting being held this weekend, we would like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to the Lincoln community. Since October 2017, Civico Development has been out in the community discussing the merits of our proposed Oriole Landing project. Throughout this time, we have learned about what the community refers to as “the Lincoln way” through hard questions, meaningful debates and fruitful discussions. Whether at a public meeting in the Donaldson Room, a community open house at the town library, or a conversation at the transfer station, the passion and pride of the townspeople were clearly evident.

Through a collaborative approach working with the HOW Group, Planning Board, Housing Commission, Housing Trust, Historic Commission and all of the various town departments, the process has been a positive experience for our team. We appreciate the organized and “attention to detail” manner in which the town officials led meetings and conducted the public process.

We have heard the concerns regarding density and height, historic preservation, school impacts, fiscal benefits, traffic concerns, and neighborhood impacts, and have responded. We hope our responses have clarified and resolved your questions in a meaningful way.

Throughout the process, we have gained the support and endorsement of the Planning Board, Housing Commission, Historic Commission, and the Board of Selectmen. This Saturday we hope to gain the support of the community through approval of a bylaw amendment to establish a North Lincoln Planning Development Overlay District and a Preliminary Development and Land Use Plan. If you have any remaining questions before Town Meeting, we will also be holding a community open house this Thursday from 4:30–8:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Please come by and enjoy some snacks and refreshments.

We hope to see you on Saturday at Town Meeting, and if approved, we look forward to working with the community through the site plan permit process.

Sincerely,

Andrew Consigli
Civico Development

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Some background on the Historic District proposal

(Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Lincoln Review and is reprinted with permission.)

What if a species of tree appeared to be threatened with disease, let us say, on your property. Should you be worried? How would you assess the situation? What could be done? How would you measure the loss? If we alter the scenario and describe the pending loss as not of trees but as part of Lincoln’s history, architecturally and culturally, we can see the ideas behind a forthcoming town initiative.

At Town Meeting on March 24, the town will be asked to consider an initiative: the addition of 18 Modern houses located throughout town to Lincoln’s existing Historic District, and the creation of a new Historic District with 11 houses in the Modern neighborhood of Brown’s Wood. For several years, the Historic District Commission (HDC) and the Friends of Modern Architecture (FoMA) have been working on this initiative with owners of Modern houses who are voluntarily participating. Its purpose is to help preserve and protect the defining characteristics of Modern buildings, structures, and neighborhoods, and in doing so, to sustain the treasured look and feel of the town. According to the Massachusetts Historical Commission, “the strongest form of protection is a local historic district created through a local bylaw or ordinance.” The Massachusetts Historic District Act provides for the addition of noncontiguous houses to a local district.

A little background: the HDC is an official Lincoln board. It came into being with establishment of Lincoln’s Historic District by vote of the town in 1981. Its members are appointed and have oversight over the Historic District, which currently consists of 73 properties in four areas: Lincoln Center, Woods End, Codman Farm, and Cory-Brown-Hunt on Conant Road.

According to Lincoln’s bylaw, the HDC is “intended to preserve and protect as a permanent legacy the significant historical areas and distinctive architectural characteristics of the town of Lincoln in their settings.” This is achieved through guidelines in the bylaw for buildings and structures within the district. HDC members are responsible for approving requests for permanent exterior alterations above grade and visible from a public way, and new construction and demolitions; and for determining the appropriateness of a requested change in relation to the historical and architectural significance of the building or structure and its site.

The HDC can issue a certificate of nonapplicability for ordinary maintenance and a certificate of hardship in certain instances when refusal of a request would create a hardship for the applicant. Certain alterations and additions, itemized in the bylaw, are excluded from consideration. This bylaw would govern the Modern house being added to the Historic District; the new Brown’s Wood Historic District would have several additional provisions developed in consultation with the members of that district.

FoMA, a local nonprofit organization, was founded in 2005 to promote greater awareness and appreciation of Modernism’s contribution to Lincoln’s architectural and cultural history. FoMA encourages efforts to preserve this legacy for the town and for future generations of homeowners.

Modernism in Lincoln

Modernism refers not to a specific style but an international idea. Dating from and reflective of the post-World War I period, Modern architecture uses mass-produced materials and scientific and engineering innovations in an effort to improve living and working conditions by providing fresh air and light in efficient, affordable designs. Modernism values honesty of structure and purpose expressed through simplicity of form, direct use of materials, open floor plan, large glass windows which foster connection between interior and exterior, and design specific to site.

In Lincoln, Modernism has a long and distinguished history. Lincoln became an important incubator for Modern residential design beginning in the late 1930s. The first Modern residence in town was completed in 1937. During the 1940s and especially post-World War II, Lincoln grew rapidly. The town’s proximity to Cambridge and Boston, and the educational and cultural opportunities those cities offered, attracted a population drawn to and interested in participating in Modern ideas and ideals. Many architects were attracted to Lincoln and found residential commissions. Some architects also joined with local residents to work with innovative town planning, including the development of several Modern house neighborhoods in town.

Woods End Road, the town’s first Modern neighborhood, became part of the town’s Historic District in 1981. Other Modern neighborhoods dating from the 1940s to 1960s include Old Concord Road, Brown’s Wood, Twin Pond Lane, Tabor Hill, Woodcock Lane, Rockwood Lane, Stonehedge Road, and Hiddenwood Path.

Although other towns possess important Modern houses or neighborhoods, Lincoln has an inventory of considerable breadth and influence. From 1937 to 1969, over 300 Modern residences as well as civic, cultural, and commercial buildings were constructed in Lincoln. This collection of Modern houses uniquely includes 14 pre-World War II houses, some of which were designed by architects for their families.

Following World War II, academics and professionals moving into town as well as local residents commissioned Modern houses, and, as before, architects also designed for their own families. The local, nationally and internationally recognized architects who have practiced in Lincoln include J. Quincy Adams, Lawrence Anderson, Walter Bogner, Marcel Breuer, Earl Flansburgh, Walter Gropius, Henry Hoover, Carl Koch, Thomas McNulty, Cyrus Murphy, G. Holmes Perkins, Walter Pierce, Constantin Pertzoff, Frances Quarton, Lucy Rapperport, Mary Otis Stevens, and Hugh Stubbins. Through their academic work and teaching, architectural firms, publications, and extent of commissions, their influence frequently extended well beyond Lincoln.

Certain houses in Lincoln already have a measure of protection, a basis on which the HDC would like to build through this initiative. For instance, the 1937 home of Henry Hoover and the 1963 home of Earl Flansburgh are under the Preservation Easement Program of Historic New England (HNE). In addition, HNE owns the property of Walter Gropius and maintains the residence as a house museum. The Gropius House is also on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as a designated National Historic Landmark, and is within the Woods End area of the Historic District. The residence of Marcel Breuer likewise is within the Woods End area of the Historic District. Three Modern houses are within the Lincoln Center area of the Historic District, and two more Modern houses are protected by a Lincoln Rural Land Foundation conservation easement governing the buildings’ envelope.

The HDC and FoMA believe that more examples of Modern architecture in Lincoln warrant the attention and protection the Town’s Historic District bylaw can provide. They therefore ask for town support of the proposal outlined above, believing it can provide the town and interested homeowners a significant mechanism by which examples of the important architectural and cultural period of Modernism in Lincoln’s history can be protected for the future.

—Andrew C. Glass and Lucretia H. Giese, for the HDC and FoMA

Neighbors protest Oriole Landing plans

Civico Development’s landscaping plan for Oriole Landing (click to enlarge).

Neighbors of the proposed Oriole Landing mixed-income housing development offered impassioned protests over the plan at a March 6 Planning Board public hearing that continues on Tuesday, March 20 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.

If approved, the project would guarantee that Lincoln will have well more than the minimum 10 percent affordable housing units required to block a 40B housing development, which would be allowed to bypass many town zoning regulations. The first steps are “yes” votes at Town Meeting on March 24, one to approve the preliminary site plan and the other to make a zoning change to allow the development. The developer would the have to return for Planning Board approval of a final site plan incorporating traffic, parking, landscaping, drainage and septic, etc.

The existing 1870s Dexter C. Harris house on the property will be relocated to stand between two 30-unit residential buildings and serve as a garden house with a large unfinished space inside for gatherings or possible studio use, said Andrew Consigli of Civico Development.

Current plans call for 60 one- and two-bedroom units (25 percent of them affordable) ranging from 644 sure feet to 1,142 square feet in two three-story buildings. The company originally hoped to include 12 condominiums as well, but backed off due to community concerns, Consigli said.

The Garland Road/Deerhaven Road neighborhood stands to see significantly increased traffic during the morning rush hour, according to traffic engineers, who suggested that to minimize this impact, the town might prohibit a right turn from the development onto Mary’s Way in the morning, or make Mary’s Way one way westbound.

Seeking to allay fears that the development would cause a surge in school-age children, Lincoln Public Schools Administrator for Business and Finance Buck Creel explained that changes in class size happen every year when kindergarteners enter school or new families move into town. “We’re used to this phenomenon, these bulges moving through the boa constrictor,” he said. The development will not have any units larger than two bedrooms.

Creel also disputed the notion that mixed-income housing would be more likely to attract families with special-needs children whose more expensive education the town must pay for. The proportion of children from Lincoln Woods who require special education is the same as that for the rest of the town, and none are on out-of-district special-ed placements, he said.

Neighbors unhappy

Nonetheless, the development would mean more noise, heavy equipment and loss of open space in a part of town that has already seen construction of The Commons and its recent extension, as well as the Route 2 project. “All of these projects have impacted us on a daily basis for past 10 years,” said Cathy O’Brien of 3 Mary’s Way. “How would you feel if another developer came to your neighborhood knocking on your door and saying ‘Here’s another two years’?”

O’Brien also questioned why the town was “trying to steamroll this” in a quick time frame. “The town must be trying to exploit some sort of a loophole… there’s some shenanigans or someone is in somebody’s pocketbook,” she said.

In addition, the development is far larger than what’s needed to meet the affordable housing minimum, and the narrow roads and lack of roadside paths are not conducive to more housing in that area, O’Brien said. However, she strongly argued against making Mary’s Way one-way or a cul de sac.

The recently completed Route 2 project “granted us a gift” that resulted in residents on the south side of Route 2 finally being able to turn right or left onto the Mary’s Way access road rather than directly onto the highway. “You’ve given us a neighborhood,” she said. “For you today to take that away is absolutely ludicrous and unfair.”

Orchard Lane resident noted that the area between Crosby’s Corner and Bedford Road is about to get more traffic when the Birches School opens. “It just feel like one section of town for the past 50-plus years has been burdened,” she said.

The Housing Options Working Group was formed a year ago to try to find new affordable housing opportunities in Lincoln, but “it seems the town stopped looking once they saw Civico,” said Commons resident David Levington. “If something seems too good to be true, it probably is… it seems to me we’re acting too quickly.”

But BJ Sheff, a Housing Commission trustee, disputed that notion. “We have looked at every single parcel as it has come up [for sale] in town. This is not new, not coming out of left field,” she said. When the Oriole Landing property came on the market, “instantly we had developers saying they could do a 40B and get 160 or 200 units on it. This was something we had to run with when we finally saw it.” The town had in fact tried to buy the property itself but “couldn’t get anywhere,” she added.

Resident Sara Mattes also warned that “the town needs to indemnify itself against these projections” with the developer if the number of school-age children moving is is significantly higher than expected. “We don’t want to go into Town Meeting with these things unanswered.”

In addition to the continued public hearing, Civico will host three more public forums on Thursday, March 15 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library; Friday, March 16 with the Council on Aging at 1 p.m. in Bemis Hall; and Thursday, March 22 from 4:30–8 p.m. in Bemis Hall.

Selectmen split on water bottle ban but reject legal-fee petition

The Board of Selectmen voted 2-1 to endorse a plastic water bottle measure that will be up for a Town Meeting vote on March 24. They also voted unanimously to remove a citizens’ petition seeking reimbursement for legal costs incurred by a group of residents fighting the McLean Hospital proposal on Bypass Road.

In November 2016, the Zoning Board of Appeals denied McLean’s request to use a single-family house for an outpatient facility, saying it did not meet the criteria for an educational use, which would have been permitted under the state’s Dover amendment. McLean filed suit in state land court against the town and the ZBA, and a group of residents represented by attorney Michael Fee petitioned to intervene as co-defendants. Some of those residents recently submitted a Town Meeting citizen’s petition asking the town to reimburse them for $112,000 in legal fees incurred in the court battle.

The residents originally intervened because they felt the town would not adequately represent their interests, which were more specific than those of the town—thwarting McLean Hospital’s plans for a specific property, as opposed to merely upholding the authority of the ZBA and town town’s zoning bylaws in general. They argued at last week’s Board of Selectmen meeting that the residents’ and town’s interests were identical once the trial had begun, but selectmen and special counsel Jason Talerman disagreed.

Talerman also told the board that the state’s anti-aid amendment prohibits public funding for private individuals and organizations that are not working under town control. If a town hires a private contractor for something like snow plowing, “you as community have to be able to control those services,” he said. In the McLean case, the town can’t be responsible for covering the cost of an attorney who reports only to private residents and not the town, he added.

Although the town has received some “incidental benefit” from the work of the residents’ attorney, the funding issue is “fairly clear because of the lack of [town] control,” Selectman James Craig said. “I feel the neighborhood is going to crucify me for this, but it’s more the duty I feel to the town as a whole.”

Selectman Jennifer Glass worried about setting a precedent if the funding request were allowed to go forward. Selectman James Dwyer agreed, saying, “I just think our hands are tied.”

Plastic bags and bottles

Selectmen voted unanimously to endorse a citizen’s petition to ban retail distribution of thin-film plastic grocery bags but were divided over sales of single-serving plastic water bottles.

There are actually two Town Meeting articles relating to the bottles—one submitted by the Lincoln-Sudbury Environmental Club and the second by resident Jim White, co-owner of Lincoln Kitchen and the recently closed Trail’s End Cafe. White’s measure is more far-reaching as it would prohibit use of the disposable bottles anywhere on town property in addition to banning their sale.

Although he was “fully supportive” of restricting bottle sales in general, “I was struck by the overwhelming sense of a fair playing field for our businesses,” especially Donelan’s, “our most critical [Lincoln mall] anchor tenant operating on such thin margins,” Craig said.

Glass and Dwyer supported the measure, however. “I hope this will spread geographically and give retailers cover,” eliminating the advantage of driving to a neighboring town to buy disposal water bottles, Dwyer said. He acknowledged that Donelan’s is “a huge benefactor to this town,” especially with contributions to the July Fourth celebration, “and I’m hoping this is not going to adversely affect them.”

Selectmen voiced doubts about how White’s measure would be enforced if approved. After voting 2-1 to endorse the students’ proposal, White asked the board not to take a formal position on his alternative measure.

Correction

In the February 22 articles headlined “Property sales in January,” an incorrect sales price was given for three parcels on Huckleberry Hill sold to Ramana Lagemann. The total price was $2.1 million. The article has been updated to reflect this correction.

Trail’s End Cafe to close after this week

Trail’s End Cafe is closing after this week, and there are no immediate plans to offer breakfast fare at its nearby sister restaurant, Lincoln Kitchen.

In a February 26 post on the LincolnTalk email list headlined “Exciting News from Lincoln Kitchen,” general manager Manny Rodriguez announced that Matt Molloy had been named as the new culinary director for Lincoln Kitchen and the Trail’s End restaurant in Concord. Both restaurants as well as the Trail’s End Care are co-owned by Lincoln residents Jim and Carol White. Near the end of the email, Rodriguez said that Trail’s End Cafe would close on March 2.

“It really didn’t work out for us. We enjoyed doing it, but financially it doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Jim White said in an interview with the Lincoln Squirrel. “The cafe is a small business, and as we’ve learned, what it offered in the way of breakfast food and sandwiches competed with Donelan’s. I think we should provide to the town a really first-class lunch and dinner restaurant, and Lincoln Kitchen really is that option.”

Trail’s End Cafe opened in October 2016 and Lincoln Kitchen opened almost exactly a year ago. They replaced the Whistle Stop, which closed in July 2016, and AKA Bistro, which shut its doors two months earlier. In August 2016, the Whites and their daughter Elizabeth Akehurst-Moore signed leases on both South Lincoln properties, which are owned by the Rural Land Foundation.

According to Rodriguez’s email, Molloy has 20 years of experience including acting as the longtime Chef de Cuisine at Lumiere in Newton, executive chef at Beacon Hill Bistro and The Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington, and a chef instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Boston. He is leaving his current position as a chef at a software company in Lexington.

“Hiring Matt Molloy really was independent of the closing of the cafe,” White said. “Our chef in Concord left and we really need a chef of Matt’s caliber to be responsible for the menus in Lincoln Kitchen and Trail’s End Concord as well as Concord Market, which will have a lot of prepared foods.”

The 15,000-square-foot Concord Market is under construction in Millbrook Tarry between Keyes Road and Lowell Road in Concord, a commercial plaza owned by the Whites that is also home to the original Trail’s End, and is aiming for a mid-July opening, he said. “Obviously it’s taking a lot of resources and it requires a lot of attention. It’s a major operation. I think the cafe in Lincoln is a nice little spot, but it’s too small for us to really be worth our effort.”

Molloy will start work on March 5, but White said he didn’t know when diners might see changes in the restaurants’ menus.

Council on Aging activities in March

Lincoln Trad Jazz Band
March 2 from 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Come hear the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band on Friday, March 2 at Bemis Hall. Enjoy old-time trad jazz that will have you up on our feet dancing and your hands a-clapping!

Painting in pastels with Juliet
March 5 at 10 a.m.
Express your vibrant self with the brilliant colors of pastels with Juliet Rago. She will begin with a short introduction to drawing for those who feel they need it. The class will meet from 10 a.m.–noon on March 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, and 23 at Bemis Hall. No experience is necessary. All materials furnished. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. Limit of six. Cost is $40.

Lincoln Academy with Karin Flynn: A family divided by the Berlin Wall, 1961–1989
March 5 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, March 5 at 12:30 to hear Karin Flynn discuss “A Family Divided by the Berlin Wall, 1961–1989.” Karin will talk about the effect of the Berlin Wall on her family and how they held together despite political pressure trying to divide them. She will also read a few of her poems and tributes to people who helped her and her two brothers when they decided to come to the US and become American citizens. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome!

World hand drumming
March 6 at 9:30 a.m.
Hand drumming is a fun way to express yourself and enhance well being. Come learn the joy of drumming with acclaimed drummer Mike Connors from the Concord Conservatory of Music on 12 Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. beginning March 6. Cost is $156. Sign up now by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. No need to bring a drum.

Piano class with Wanda Paik
March 6 and 20 at 10 a.m.
Dust off your piano music books, and come to the piano class at the COA led by Wanda Paik. This class is open to all pianophiles, whatever your level, to play, share, and learn more about how to play and practice to help reach your goals. This class will meet for 6 sessions, every first and third Tuesday of the month (March 6 and 20) from 10–11:15 a.m. at Bemis Hall.

Mindfulness walks in nature
March 6 at 1 p.m.
Early spring can be a very special time to connect with nature through walking in a mindful way. Join naturalist John Calabria for a series of walks in some of Lincoln’s most beautiful places on Tuesdays March 6, April 3, and May 1 beginning at 1 p.m. Where the walks will take place are to be determined. Unplug, disconnect from the world for a while and let our senses come alive in nature. These are co-sponsored by the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and the COA. For more information, including locations of the walks, go to lincolnconservation.org. If there’s snow on the ground, you may wish to bring pull-on grippers, walking sticks, or walking poles.

Surviving and thriving through life’s challenges
March 7 at 9:30 a.m.
No matter what your phase of life or what you have encountered in life, you can learn and apply the scientifically proven tenants of Positive Psychology to become more resilient and happier. Come to the COA at 9:30 on Wednesdays, March 7 and 21 and then every other Wednesday to learn practical strategies, share practices, build connections and support each other. Facilitated by Alyson Lee, social worker, life coach, certified and licensed facilitator of positive psychology. Funded by the Friends of the COA.

Declutter and get organized
March 7 at 10:30 a.m.
Decluttering and getting organized can seem overwhelming, but you can do it with some help. Come to a new decluttering group facilitated by Pam Mizrahi on March 7 from 10:30–11:30 a.m. at Bemis Hall to talk about why we clutter and learn strategies.

Selectman drop-in
March 7 from 2–3 p.m.
Drop by and visit with a member of the Board of Selectmen. Bring your ideas, feedback, questions, or favorite Lincoln anecdote. Whether you stop by for a minute or stay for the hour, the selectmen hope to see you between 2–3pm on Wednesday, March 7 at Bemis Hall.

Caring for loved ones at home after death and green burial
March 9 at 10 a.m.
For millennia families have cared for loved ones at home after death and buried them directly in the earth with simplicity and dignity. You can do the same today. Come to Bemis Hall on March 9 at 10 a.m. to hear Peg Lorenz  discuss reclaiming these beautiful traditions. Did you know that embalming is not required; the deceased can be kept at home (two to three days is usual); a family can do the paperwork and transport the deceased; a cement vault is not required by law; both cremation and conventional burial have serious environmental consequences. Get the information you need to make an informed decision.

Proposed Town Meeting plastic water bottle and bag ban
March 6 at 3:10 p.m.
Students from the L-S Environmental Club will be at Bemis Hall on Tuesday, March 6 at 3:10 p.m. to discuss the two proposals they are sponsoring at the Annual Town Meeting to ban plastic bags and plastic water bottles in Lincoln. Get information about the impact of plastic water bottles and bags in our environment and why the students are proposing the bans, ask questions, and give your thoughts and ideas.

Town Meeting resolution on gas leaks
March 9 at 1 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, March 9 at 1 p.m. to hear information about a resolution to be proposed at Town Meeting by Mothers Out Front Lincoln to support a bill before the state legislature, “Protecting Consumers of Gas and Electricity from Paying for Leaked and Unaccounted-for Gas.” If Lincoln passes this resolution, we will join many other Massachusetts towns which have also passed similar resolutions in an effort to motivate the utilities to fix the largest gas leaks.

Lincoln Academy with Steve Low—Jerusalem & At Tuwani: international law & local action
March 12 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to the Lincoln Academy on Monday, March 12 at 12:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall with Steve Low who will discuss “Jerusalem & At Tuwani: International Law & Local Action.” A retired business consultant, Steve Low’s frequent travels to the Holy Land have brought the Israel-Palestine conflict into sharper focus. His talk will address two timely questions: (1) Why is moving the American embassy to Jerusalem so contentious? and (2) Can Lincoln play a role in promoting peace? The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome!

Free elder law clinic
March 12 at 3 p.m.
Got a question about issues such as estate planning, MassHealth, protecting assets for a loved one with a serious disability, guardianship, conservatorship, or probate? The COA is pleased to provide a monthly legal clinic with elder law attorney and Lincoln resident Sasha Golden on Monday, March 12 from 3–4 p.m. at Bemis Hall. There is no charge for the 30-minute consultation, but please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Free wellness clinic for all ages
March 13 at 10 a.m.
PLACE: Lincoln Woods
Meet with a nurse at 50 Wells Rd. in Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, March 13 from 10 a.m.–noon. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.

Explore what’s next in a new group
March 14 at 10:30 a.m.
Explore simple ways to have greater joy and meaning in your life in a new group, facilitated by Pam Mizrahi, that will be held every other Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. beginning March 14 in Bemis Hall. This group will help you discover what is truly important to you and how you want to spend the next chapter of your life. People in the group will share their in-depth knowledge and wisdom, do some brainstorming, and be supported in their endeavor to get more out of life. What you discuss in the group will be confidential.

“The Irish and How They Got That Way”
March 14 at 12:45 p.m.
Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Wednesday, March 14 at the Stoneham Theatre. Trip-goers will attend the matinee performance of The Irish and How They Got That Way by Pulitzer Prize winning author Frank McCourt (Angela’s Ashes). This revue is a celebration of a heritage that confronts adversity with determination, good humor, music, and love of life. It is a fabulous show, with excellent reviews, an uplifting musical that will leave you smiling. A comfortable air-ride bus will leave Donelan’s parking lot at 12:45 p.m., returning at approximately 5:30 p.m. This trip is rated easy, as it entails a short walk from the bus to the theater with no stairs to climb. Complimentary refreshments are served at intermission. The cost of the trip is $29 and is non-refundable. Space is limited. To reserve a seat, send your check made out to “FLCOA Trips” to Virginia O’Brien, 4 Linway Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. Please include your phone number and email address. If you have questions you can call Virginia at 781-259-1291 or email her at vobrien39@yahoo.com.

Coffee with the candidates
March 14 at 1:30 p.m.
On Wednesday, March 14 from 1:30–3 p.m. at Bemis Hall, meet all the Lincoln Sudbury High School Committee Candidates who will speak about the issues facing our High School. Two LSRHS School Committee seats are up for election on March 26. This is your opportunity to meet the people who will be making the decisions that affect your life and that of your family and community before you enter the voting booth.

New group for spouses of veterans
March 16 at 10 a.m.
All spouses of veterans (whether the vet is living or deceased) are invited to join a group to be led by Priscilla Leach, Lincoln’s Veterans Service Officer. We hope that the spouses will benefit from getting to know each other, discussing common concerns, and having fun together. This month’s meeting will be held on Friday, March 16 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall, and subsequent meeting places will be at The Commons and Lincoln Woods. No need to sign up, but if you would like more information, please contact Priscilla at 781-259-4472 or leachp@lincolntown.org.

What you need to know about Oriole Landing and zoning proposals
March 16 at 1 p.m.
Important new changes related to planning and land use will be voted on at Town Meeting. Come find out more and have a chance to ask questions at Bemis Hall on Friday, March 16 at 1 p.m. Planning and Land Use Director Jennifer Burney and Assistant Director Paula Vaughn-MacKenzie will discuss a site plan review zoning amendment. Then, members of the Housing Coalition and Civico Development will give information about a bylaw amendment to establish a North Lincoln Planning Development Overlay District and a Preliminary Development and Land Use Plan. Civico Development is proposing Oriole Landing, a 60-unit mixed-income rental community adjacent to the Rt. 2 interchange, Mary’s Way and the Commons including 15 units (25 percent) reserved for those earning a maximum of 80 percent of the Area Median Income.

Lincoln Academy with Jonathan Ammen—Acupuncture and traditional Asian medicine: overview, modern research, and integration
March 19 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to the Lincoln Academy on Monday, March 19 at 12:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall with Jonathan Ammen who will discuss “Acupuncture and Traditional Asian Medicine: Overview, Modern Research, and Integration.” Acupuncture and traditional Asian medicine have become popular and enjoyed increasing acceptance in the western world over the last two decades. Today, many hospitals and academic medical centers are integrating acupuncture services with conventional care. This talk will include a quick overview of traditional Asian medicine followed by an up-to-date chronicle of the science behind acupuncture, how it works and what it can treat. Jonathan Ammen has practiced and researched traditional Asian medicine for 37 years. He currently sees patients and conducts research at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Lexington, and Peabody. The lectures last about an hour, including a Q&A period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Senior dining is free in your birthday month
March 20 at 11:30 a.m.
Lincolnites 60 and older are invited to enjoy a delicious gourmet meal with new friends and old at 11:30 on Tuesday, March 20 at St. Anne’s Church. Please reserve by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. The cost of each meal is $5. Caregivers are welcome to come with those for whom they are caring. Let them know when you call if you need transportation or a seating partner. The lunch is co-sponsored by the COA, the Friends of the COA, Minuteman Senior Services, Newbury Court, St. Anne’s, and the Lincoln Garden Club. Enjoy a lunch free during your birthday month—just let them know!

Coffee with artist Owen Beenhouwer
March 20 at 2:15 p.m.
Come have coffee with Lincoln artist Owen Beenhouwer on Tuesday, March 20 at 2:15 p.m. to celebrate his exhibit of photographs in March and April in the Bemis Artists Gallery. Born in Amsterdam, Owen has lived in Lincoln for 45 years, as well as New York City and four other New England states and taught architectural design at the University of Washington. Owen has done photography in black and white, then color, then slides, and now digital. He has been fascinated with patterns and structure and their beauty, both in nature and man-made, and urban oddities including water tanks, and reflections. So come see shots of buildings, bridges, stairs, flowers, glass and windows, overhead wires and more.

Coffee with the candidates
March 23 at 10 a.m.
Get to know the candidates running for local offices at the March 26 election by coming to Coffee with the candidates Ask them your questions, and hear their approaches to the issues facing our community. Come to the Bemis Hall on March 23 at 10 a.m. to meet with candidates for Lincoln offices including Board of Selectmen, Board of Assessors, Board of Health, Housing Commission, Parks and Recreation Committee, Planning Board, School Committee, and more. This is your opportunity to meet the people who will be making the decisions that affect your life and that of your family and community before you enter the voting booth.

Donating your stuff locally after you declutter
March 23 at 1 p.m.
Your 2018 decluttering resolution can be easier than you think. Come learn the best choices for giving your possessions a local home while making great strides to de-clutter your home at a panel discussion on March 23 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Hear about the transfer station with Laura Berland, the library book sale with Sally Kindleberger, Old Town Hall Exchange with Dot Taylor, and Household Goods Recycling in Acton with Linda Svetz.

Lincoln Academy with Evelyn Harris—Music: understanding the art of repetition
March 26 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, March 26 at 12:30 to hear Evelyn Harris discuss “Music: Understanding the Art of Repetition.” Evelyn Harris invites you to spend an hour with her as she discusses (mostly performs) music by four different composers (Beethoven, Liszt, Debussy, and Gershwin) and their creativity regarding repetition. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Access investment information free through the library
March 27 at 2:15 p.m.
Did you know that all you need to access subscriptions of investment information worth hundreds of dollars for free is a library card? Having a card allows you to get information at your home computer on mutual funds and stocks from Morningstar, Valueline ratings, reviews of stocks, and more! Find out what’s available in the Minuteman Library Network databases and how to use them when Lincoln Reference Librarian Laura Paryl comes to Bemis Hall on Tuesday, March 27 at 2:15 p.m.

The Fireside Chat: coping with grief, sadness and disappointment
How do you handle grief or deep sadness, disappointment? Do you have any strategies to share, or tips to help others who may be struggling? Come to the Fireside Chat on Wednesday, March 28 from 10–11:30 at Lincoln Woods and engage in a lively conversation. Sharon Antia will facilitate the discussion.

School Building Committee update
March 30 at 10 a.m.
Please join the School Building Committee on March 30 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall for an update on the latest building concepts and cost estimates as well as a review of the SBC’s presentation at Town Meeting. The gathering at Bemis provides another important checkpoint for our community in moving collectively closer to a town-wide vote on June 9 for a preferred school building concept. For the latest information on the Lincoln School project, visit www.lincolnsbc.org. Questions or comments, email us at SBC@lincnet.org.

Healing motion for life: a free movement workshop
March 30 at 1 p.m.
Being in touch with the way our bodies move, and working to keep our movements unrestricted and fluid help bring health and clarity to every aspect of our lives. Join Susanne Liebich on Friday, March 30 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall to experience a variety of sustainable exercises including expressive movement, breathing and relaxation in a program sponsored by Deaconess Abundant Life Services and Newbury Court. Susanne’s movement practice helps you achieve body awareness, presence, physical strength, balance, focus, and serenity.

The International Museum of World War II in May
In May, the COA will have a trip to the International Museum of World War II in Natick with lunch at a delicious Thai restaurant. The museum hosts over 500,000 artifacts, letters, and documents including the famous enigma machines, letters, diaries, magazines, photos, secret items used by the resistance, and much more. Check the April COA newsletter for more information.