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

land use

State of the Town meetings look to the future

There will be a two-night State of the Town meeting via Zoom in mid-November with an overarching theme: “What should Lincoln be like in 2050?”

“Lincoln’s boards and committees are focused on work that will have long-term implications for and impacts on our town. There are conversations about housing, education, human services, multi-modal transportation, diversity and equity, land use, and climate change (to name but a few),” the Select Board said in their most recent newsletter. “Many topics are interrelated and require us to think about our values, envision the future, and weigh (sometimes difficult) tradeoffs. We need your ideas, insights, questions, and dreams to guide our work as we draft the plans, policy proposals, and budgets that you will vote on at subsequent Town Meetings.”

Residents are invited to read and respond to a “Letter to Our Grandchildren” by the 1971 Planning Board excerpted in the Select Board newsletter that outlined issues of the day including zoning, housing prices, roadside paths, and even trash (“We wonder whether you will have solved the problem of solid waste? Maybe our best hope is that you will be wise enough to produce less of it…”).

Discussion questions for today include:

  • How would you describe Lincoln in 2022? (housing, transportation, human services, education, diversity & equity, town governance, land use practices, energy consumption, etc.)
  • What is your vision for 2050?
  • What would you include in a new “letter to our grandchildren”? What actions do we need to take to fulfill your vision? What are your top priorities?

Send a few words, a few paragraphs, photos, poetry or whatever conveys your ideas using this form. The deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 1.

The State of the Town schedule and topics of discussion are listed below. The links can also be found on the town’s SOTT web page.

Monday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. — Night 1 (Zoom event — register here)

  • Community Center Building Committee
  • Council on Aging & Human Services
  • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Anti-Racism (IDEA) Committee

Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. — Night 2 (Zoom event — register here)

  • Planning Board
  • Conservation, Rural Land Foundation/Lincoln Land Conservation Trust
  • Green Energy/Climate Action
  • Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee

Officials mull revised Housing Choice Act guidelines

Lincoln now has a clearer idea of what it will have to do if it wants to comply with a state law that requires towns with public transportation stops to allow a significant amount of multifamily housing.

Lincoln was one of dozens of Massachusetts towns designated by the ​​Housing Choice Act (HCA) as an “MBTA community” by virtue of its commuter rail stop. The draft guidelines released earlier this year by the Department of Housing and Community Development would have required Lincoln to allow 750 units of multifamily housing within half a mile of the train station (15 units per acre over 50 acres) without requiring a special permit or zoning variance or amendment. Site plan review based on general design guidelines, traffic circulation, and screening would be allowed as long as those conditions do not make it “infeasible or impractical to proceed.”

As hoped, the revised guidelines allow some flexibility for towns that don’t have 50 acres of buildable land within the prescribed radius because of wetlands, obstructing physical features, or issues with water supply or Title V septic regulations. Based on that, Lincoln now has 42 or 43 acres of land that are subject to the rules, Paula Vaughn-MacKenzie said in a presentation to the Select Board and Planning Board last week.

A somewhat complicated formula under the new guidelines indicates that Lincoln would be required to allow either 692 or 563 units in one or more multifamily zones, depending on whether or not the Hanscom housing units are counted (an as-yet-unanswered question). The state is allowing MBTA communities to split the multifamily zone into two parcels, so part of the district could be in another part of town such as North Lincoln which already has denser housing (though at least 20% of the acreage must be within the half-mile MBTA radius). 

Other details:

  • A municipality may establish sub-districts with different density requirements and limitations provided the district as a whole meets the requirement.
  • Any development must comply with Title V septic and the state Wetlands Protection Act even if compliance means the development will be less dense than 15 units per acre.
  • Developers must provide water and septic treatment for any approved units. 
  • There may not be any age restrictions or limitations on the size of units, the number and size of bedrooms, or the number of occupants in a unit.

If the town eventually does not comply with the HCA, it will lose eligibility for three categories of state grant programs including MassWorks, a major infrastructure program that has provided million of dollars  to other area towns in recent years. Lincoln has never applied for money from this program, “but it is an amazing source of funding,” Vaughn-MacKenzie said. “That is something to be taken pretty seriously.” Among the possible future Lincoln targets for MassWords grants: stormwater improvements, Ballfield Road septic improvements (if needed) in support of a community center, water main replacements, and MBTA station upgrades.

More ominously, a town’s compliance with the HCA may “inform funding decisions” for other state sources, she added. Lincoln received about $570,000 in various types of state funding in 2021. The law will “have a significant impact on the town, whether we choose to comply or not,” Planning Board member Margaret Olson noted last winter.

The town must submit an action plan and timelines by Jan. 31, 2023 and be ready to apply for final compliance (e.g., with new zoning rules drawn up and ready for a town vote) by Dec. 31, 2024. A working group with members from relevant boards will be created to meet the first deadline and chart the process going forward.

Lincoln has already had many discussions about allowing dense housing and mixed-use development in South Lincoln, “and this is looking not inconsistent with what the town has already talked about,” Olson said last week. “It isn’t as onerous as it sounds. We don’t have to produce housing, just zoning.”

The town won’t need to rezone single-family neighborhoods to do this, but instead focus on areas that already have multifamily zoning, she added. “I don’t think we need to panic. I don’t know exactly what it is yet, but there is a path.”

Property sales in August 2022

7 Todd Pond Rd. — Carolyn Birmingham Trust to Nora Iluri for $1,752,00 (July 27)

46D Indian Camp Lane — Benjamin Herzig to Sungil Jung and and Yurim Yi for $322,295 (July 20)

143 Chestnut Circle — Donald Kennedy to Gloria Dimambro for $760,000 (July 15)

338 South Great Rd. — Stephen Amelia to Wajdi and Polina Kanj for $1,950,000 (July 13)

48 Conant Rd. — Meghan K. Lytton Trust to Jonathan Sheffi and Judyta Frodyma for $2,650,000 (July 12)

54 Conant Rd. — Meghan K. Lytton to Marit van Buuren and Willem Ruben for $1,625,000 (July 8)

23D South Commons — Philip Loheed to Rudolph Huspas for $678,910 (July 7)

0 Conant Rd. — Martha Davis Trust to Jame and Camilla Ross for $1,300,000 (July 1)

Property sales in June 2022

75 Todd Pond Rd. — Samuel Newell to Yuval Kohavi and Elise Goldman for $2,518,000 (June 1)

247 Lincoln Rd. — Bruce MacNeil to Sean Armstrong and Leslie Hill for $1,496,000 (June 1)

16 Minebrook Rd. — Sungik  Paik to Filip Zembowicz and Helen Havlak for $1,836,000 (June 3)

39 Weston Rd. — Maxwell Semler to Gail O’Keefe and Samuel Melton for $1,800,000 (June 7)

91 Tower Rd. — John V. Kania Trust to Shergul Arshad and Sophie Dixon for $1,516,900 (June 13)

0 Tower Rd. — John V. Kania to Shergul Arshad and Sophie Dixon for $95,000 (June 13)

23 Sandy Pond Rd. — Thomas G. Murdough III to Sycamore Rows LLC for $2,000,000 (June 15)

191 Concord Rd. — Douglas Stinson to Jason and Tessa McLure for $1,437,000 (June 15)

58 Trapelo Rd. — Diamond Capital Inc. to Reese and Reagan Mozer for $2,300,000 (June 21)

33 Page Rd. — Ronald Marcks to Kevin Guarnotta and Laura Cuozzo-Guarnotta for $1,850,000 (June 22)

1 Forester Rd. — Christopher Mano to Lawrence and Amanda Leef for $1,810,000 (June 22)

21 Oak Meadow Rd. — Mark Hochman to Matthew and Asli Grace for $1,075,000 (June 28)

241 Aspen Circle — Robert A. Lemire Trust for Maureen Harmonay for $750,000 (June 30)

245 Lincoln Rd. — Kennie Huber to John and Victoria Cooper for $1,000,000 (June 30)

22 Warbler Springs Rd. — Mahmood Ghaffari to Eight Lakes LLC for $3,150,000 (June 30)

ConCom approves new rules for town’s conservation trails

Maps showing the trails currently open to bikes, the proposed expansion, and the compromise presented on June 1 (the area outlined in yellow would not be open to bikes). Click to enlarge.

After months of debate and hundreds of comments and opinions shared by residents, the Conservation Commission unanimously approved new trail use regulations last week, meaning more trails — about 24% of the total or roughly double what’s currently allowed — will be open to bikes.

The new set of regulations (available in both abbreviated and detailed formats) are almost identical to the amended set proposed by the ConCom in June. The only differences: 

  • Some trails that are actually in Concord (though on land managed by Lincoln) will stay closed to bikes until Concord officials approve.
  • When approaching other trail users, dog owners must leash their dog or hold it by the collar, vs. the last iteration which required only “voice control” of the dog

(The rules linked to above do not reflect these two updates.)

Another new requirement that was the topic of much discussion is that dogs must be leashed on the entirety of Flint’s Pond conservation area to protect the town’s water supply. In addition, groups of five or more bikers must get a permit in advance to bike the trails together.

After getting public pushback in the spring, the commission cut back on the number of trails on Mt. Misery that it had proposed opening to bikes, but the approved regulations still opens substantially more trails in the popular conservation area than were permitted before. This change has been the subject of voluminous and heartfelt debate in LincolnTalk emails and several ConCom public hearings each attended by dozens of residents on Zoom.

“There are very strong opinions, pro and con” about bikes, horses and dogs on Lincoln’s trails,” and “I know we’re not going to make all of your happy tonight,” ConCom chair Susan Hall Mygatt said at the start of the July 13 meeting where the panel finally approved the changes. The approval was made final when the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust’s gave its parallel OK on July 15.

Conservation Department staff will make quarterly assessments of trail conditions and gather user feedback over the next year and report to the ConCom, which can make further changes at any time.

“If we see something dramatic happen, we’re not going to wait a year” to seek more adjustments to the rules, Conservation Director Michelle Grzenda said. Staff work year-round to monitor and maintain the trails, and they can close tails with signs and yellow caution tape when necessary, she noted.

Temporarily withheld from the array of trails newly open to bikes are those in the Adams Woods area straddling the Lincoln/Concord town line just west of the railroad tracks. An 87-acre parcel was transferred in the 1980s from Lincoln to Concord as conservation land, but Lincoln retained sole land management responsibility. Nonetheless, Concord conservation officials want a chance to weigh in.

Several residents who’ve been involved in offering feedback to the ConCom were not pleased with the outcome last week. 

“By opening up half the trails at Mt. Misery to biking officially, I think you’re going to get groups of people on bikes without a permit,” Barbara Peskin said. “The [parking] lot is already maxed out… I just think this is such a wrong thing to do, especially at Mt. Misery.” 

“I think you’re pushing boundaries. The strength and number of pushback [comments] you’re getting on this should be a signal to all of us that the town needs a lot more conversation about this issue of changing policies, and it needs to take place in a variety of arenas,” said Diana Beaudoin. Among her suggestions: studying policies in neighboring towns and allowing the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory committee to “broaden its work” on road safety before changing trail regulations.

Conservation Department staff will put up new signs over the summer, and town rangers will also be on hand to explain and enforce the rules. The department recently hired full-time Land Steward/Ranger William Leona, who will work some weekend hours, and he and Land Manager Ryan Brown will install the signs and help trail visitors understand trail expectations and rules.

“Although William and Ryan will be monitoring all of Lincoln’s conservation lands, specific emphasis and greater ranger presence will be focused on Flint’s Pond and Mt. Misery,” Grzenda said. In addition, the LLCT has funded a part-time seasonal ranger for the first time.

“I am excited that we are now going to be able to articulate our expectations of how we can enjoy these trails together,” Mygatt said after the vote. “And I am confident that we will be very satisfied by how this works out — not perfectly satisfied, but very satisfied.”

Property sales in May 2022

8 Reiling Pond Rd. — Ruben J. Azocar to Gautam and Kanupriya Goel for $1,625,000 (May 26)

64 Baker Bridge Rd.— Meghan Lytton to Ehren and Angel Nogueira for $1,850,000 (May 4)

25 Huckleberry Hill — Daniel Doyle to Jessica  Ching Ko and Aaron Q. Beck for $3,150,000 (May 5)

231 Aspen Circle — Harold S. Smith Trust to Margaret McNair and Nicholas Bridges for $785,000 (May 6)

12 Browning Lane — John B. French Trust to Deena Berton and Stephen Odio for $1,788,000 (May 10)

69 Todd Pond Rd. — Margaret M. Stathos Trust to Stephanie Stathos and Stephen Smith for $1,250,000 (May 12)

8D North Commons — Mary Ellen Barbiasz to Anthony and Susan Soldi for $490,000 (May 19)

18 Juniper Ridge Rd. — David J. Cancian Trust to Benjamin and Aminah Herzig for $1,630,000 (May 20)

0 Twin Pond Pane — Susan Allen to City of Cambridge for $200,000 (May 25)

136 Chestnut Circle — Nancy McDonald to H. Arlene Morgan for $582,000 (May 31)

 

Property sales in April 2022

31 Old Concord Rd. — James Dwyer to 31 Old Concord Rd. LLC for $675,000 (April 15).

16 Todd Pond Rd. — Gabriela Traynor to the Jeannie T. Lee Trust and the 16 Todd Pond Road Realty Trust for $2,875,000 (April 22).

Property sales in March 2022

144 Lincoln Rd. — Lincoln Rd. Realty LLC to L.A.M.B. Trust for $735,000 (March 1)

82 Virginia Rd. #203 — Rose Ishii to the Herbert Haltiwanger Trust and K. Fischer Trust for $435,000 (March 8)

247 Old Concord Rd. — Wallace Boquist to James and Anne Hutchinson for $1,000,000 (March 14)

41 South Great Rd. — James LaPlante to 41 South Great Road Trust for $2,850,000 (March 17)

22 Silver Hill Rd. — Cothbo Limited Partnership to David Winston for $600,000 (March 24)

140 Lincoln Rd. — Ryan Estate #11 LLC  for Catherine Dyl for $475,000 (March 31)

123 Chestnut Circle #3 — Robten Realty to Pamela Banks for $880,000 (March 31)

Property sales in February 2022

21B South Commons — Alison Siemiatkaska to Jared Laliberte for $244,720 (February 9)

82 Virgina Rd. #406 — Janet A. Branch Trust to John and Elizabeth Maciolek for $196,500 (February 1)

Mary’s Way — Civico Oriole Lincoln LLC to ND Lincoln LLC for $32,375,000 (February 1)

Property sales in January 2022

1 Harvest Circle — BSL/BN Groves CCRC LLC of Lincoln to NELP-Commons LLC of Topsfield for $70,852,153 (January 6)

14 Todd Pond Rd. — Rodger Weismann Jr. to Eric and Sarah Ward for $3,215,000 (January 6)

146B Lincoln Rd. — Stephen Smith to Janet and Meagan Maloney for $515,000 (January 10)

263 Lincoln Rd. — Gail J. Matot Trust to Fan Ye and Xueyuan Wu for $1,500,000 (January 11)

19 Oak Meadow Rd. — Robert Valleau to Arjun and Anupam Mathur for $1,520,000 (January 19)

8 Boyce Farm Rd. — Anson James to Seth and Tracy Grandeau for $1,180,000 (January 26)

6 Short Hill Rd. — Mildred Cooper to Burton Hanley for $995,000 (January 28)