The Lincoln Squirrel

News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

My Turn

My Turn: An explanation of the ballot vote on community center

By Lynne Smith

At Town Meeting on March 23, the Community Center Building Committee will present slides illustrating a new building proposed to house the Council on Aging & Human Services, the Parks and Recreation Department, and the LEAP after-school program. While the renderings of any new building are always exciting to preview, I caution you not to get too excited. 

At $24 million, the building is expensive. I recently received my paper ballot and looked at the March 25 election question we will vote on if the community center vote passes at Town Meeting. Here is what it says:

Question 1:

Shall the Town of Lincoln be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition Two-and-One-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued for the purpose of paying the costs of designing, renovating, rebuilding, constructing, equipping, and furnishing a new Community Center to be located in the Hartwell Complex of the Ballfield Road school campus, Lincoln MA, including payment of costs incidental or related thereto?

Yes___      No____

The language baffled me: it did not mention the $24 million cost and it seemed to suggest a tax increase was somehow “exempt”! 

As I read the warrant prepared for Town Meeting by the Finance Committee and discussed it with my husband, we came up with this explanation:

  • Proposition 2½ limits the amount our tax levy can increase each year (2.5%) without requiring an override with a supermajority of voters.
  • But the law provides for so-called “exclusions” for capital or debt to allow residents to vote for one-time projects that are outside (above and beyond) of the Prop 2½ levy limit. 
  • Those exclusions require a supermajority vote at Town Meeting (March 23), as well as a simple majority at the ballot box (March 25).

So residents voting yes on this ballot measure are permitting a one-time exemption (exclusion) from the 2.5% annual levy limit increase imposed by Prop 2½. The fact is, this one-time exclusion will result in taxes over the next 30 or so years during which the bond is repaid. The $94 million school was also a one-time exclusion. We aren’t calling it an override even though it will increase our taxes and draw down our stabilization fund. Instead, it is an exclusion.

But wait, there’s more!

To minimize a residential tax increase for the community center, the Finance Committee recommends using $2 million of tree cash that would otherwise go to our stabilization fund plus $4.75 million from the current stabilization fund balance (see the bottom of page 2 of the warrant book.)

In total, $6.75 million from saved taxes will be used to fund the community center. The stabilization fund is used for unplanned but necessary expenses and the so-called free cash comes from the 2.5% tax increase that Lincoln residents pay every year, whether or not the budget requires it. We are paying it forward! Despite raiding both the free cash and stabilization funds, the cost of the debt for a new community center building will increase our taxes substantially.

While I appreciate the efforts of the Finance Committee to fund all the projects we ask for, I am definitely voting no at Town Meeting and on the paper ballot on March 25. I would rather use our stabilization fund to adapt existing buildings for new uses, not demolish serviceable ones.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: “No for now” will lead to “yes together”

By Lynne Smith

Many people in town are aware of the emotions around the Housing Choice Act proposed zoning amendment. These emotions are a testament to the fierce love we have for Lincoln. We cherish its past, appreciate its current beauty, and imagine a rejuvenating future that builds on our values. People on both sides of the issue share these feelings but disagree over the path.

We all want to:

  1. Comply with the HCA
  2. Add new multifamily units at lower prices than existing housing
  3. Protect retail business and parking at the mall
  4. Minimize environmental impact and preserve green space
  5. Continue Lincoln’s practice of 15%+ affordable housing
  6. Recognize Lincoln’s past success in developing 800 multifamily units (40% of our existing housing)

I believe we all want to be thoughtful and thorough about this momentous decision.

One of the main issues that deserves further discussion is this: A yes vote at Town Meeting would permit 100 units of housing* to be built at the Lincoln Mall. The Rural Land Foundation, owner of the mall, has shown a preliminary plan with 40 units, but has stated that allowing only 40 units is “not economically viable.” Where would the additional 60 units be built? Unfortunately, due to the finite space available at the mall, the likely outcome would be the replacement of retail space with housing units — the demise of Lincoln’s retail center.

We are fortunate to have Lincoln resident Ben Shiller, an economics professor, engaged with this issue. He has created a video that explains the problems with large-scale development of the mall and you can watch it here.

Ben Shiller is part of a data-driven grassroots organization that has been analyzing the HCA rezoning since last September. This group has coalesced as the Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives, LRHA, which corrected flaws in the initial zoning proposed by the Planning Board. LRHA has put together an informative website that describes and illustrates HCA issues. You can review it here before making a final decision.

I’m voting no for now to get to yes together! We should pause before taking the irreversible step of voting yes on Article 3 at Town Meeting on March 23. It will pass if only a simple majority of voters who attend the Town Meeting in person vote in favor. This could leave much of the town deeply dissatisfied with the result as well as with the process for the development of the proposed zoning, which was rushed through ahead of the legally permitted timeline without adequate time for public input to be received and incorporated.

Lincoln has until December 2024 to submit the HCA proposal. With a nine-month runway, a collaborative working group could craft a proposal that would pass with a substantial majority. An ideal plan would allow representatives from the LRHA and from a working group appointed by the Select Board to sit down together, analyze the data, iron out differences, and create a better choice with more public input. Much work has already been done and residents are more informed. A direct dialog with reasonable people on both sides could quickly lead to a consensus. I believe this group could arrive at a first draft by the end of May, revise and share it with residents over the summer months, and then present it in September, well before the state mandated deadline of December 31, 2024.

Members of the Planning Board and the Select Board have said we have time to get this right:

Jim Hutchinson, Select Board (March 7, 2024)

“If you like Option C, you should be comfortable voting for it, but if you don’t like it and want us to go in a different direction, we’ll get everyone back to the table and come up with a compromise to consider before year end.” 

Ephraim Flint and Lynn DeLisi, Planning Board (March 6, 2024):

“…we need more time to bring people together to discuss a compromise solution that most residents of town can agree on. This too could be done by forming a new subcommittee of the Planning Board to help obtain consensus between opposing views.”

Please join me in making sure that we take the necessary time to unite our town and to get the HCA Right. Vote “no for now.”

*Current proposal zones the mall’s four acres at 25 units per acre.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Vote yes for the community center on Saturday

By Rhonda Swain

Why should you vote in favor of the proposed new Community Center at Lincoln’s upcoming Town Meeting? We on the board of the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging (FLCOA) consider these to be compelling arguments in support of the proposal:

  • The community center will be available to everyone in Lincoln, from children to seniors. It will be a welcoming place to find community, whether you are a longtime resident or a newcomer to town.
  • The space envisioned for the community center has been designed specifically to meet the needs of the Council on Aging and Human Services (COA&HS), the Lincoln Extended-Day Activities Program (LEAP), and the Parks and Recreation Department. By providing a new facility, thoughtfully designed, we allow the staff of each of these organizations to do their best work.
  • In addition to providing programming and office space for the COA&HS, LEAP, and Parks and Rec, the community center will be a place for many other town organizations (Girl and Boy Scouts, Garden Club, Lincoln Family Association, etc.) to meet both formally and informally, affording opportunities for intergenerational activities that are much more difficult without a common meeting space.
  • Building a new community center to replace the pods that have served us well beyond their intended useful lives will complete the renovation of the school campus, which is a centerpiece of the life of the town, by adding a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient community center to our state- of-the-art school building. This investment would be in keeping with the environmentally conscious and future-oriented thinking that has been a hallmark of Lincoln throughout its history.

The board of the FLCOA has voted to show our commitment to the new community center by making a contribution. Over the past 40 years, generous donors have entrusted us with gifts and bequests which we have managed prudently. We feel fortunate now to be able to donate $1 million to the community center project. We will also continue to work with the community center funding group to raise additional private funds for the project.

Please join us in seizing this opportunity to build a community center that will be a source of pride for the town of Lincoln — not just for those of us here today who hope to enjoy it, but for generations to come.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Meet your Article 3 neighbors before you vote

By Barbara Peskin

(Editor’s note: this article was revised on March 19 to add words that were missing at the end of several sentences.)

Whether you are a No for Now, Heck Yeah, or Undecided for the pivotal rezoning vote on March 23 at Town Meeting, I hope you will make the effort to understand the implications of your vote by taking a walk around the 38 properties which would be rezoned under the proposed HCA zoning amendment, properties which include 190 residential homes. These properties are listed below. On your walk, note that each of these properties would be rezoned at a density of 8-25 units per acre.

Codman Road District properties (proposed new density: 10 units/acre):

  • Single-family: 168 Lincoln Rd, 34 Lewis St, 72 Codman Rd, 78 Codman Rd, 84 Codman Rd, 86 Codman Rd, 90 Codman Rd, 94 Codman Rd, 98 Codman Rd 104, Codman Rd, 108 Codman Rd.
  • Town-owned or business: DPW (30 Lewis St).

Lincoln Road/Lewis Street District properties (proposed new density: 11 units/acre):

  • Multi-family: 8 Ridge Road (4 units), 7 Ridge Road (3 units), 20/26 Lewis Street (3 units), 140 Lincoln Road/Ryan Estate (25 units).
  • Two-family: 1 & 3 Lewis Street, 5 & 7 Lewis Street, 14 & 16 Lewis Street, 22 Lewis Street, 154 Lincoln
  • Single-family: 136 Lincoln Road, 148 Lincoln Road, 150 Lincoln Road.
  • Town-owned or business: Joseph’s, Church, 152 Lincoln Road (real estate/dental office building), red 3-S building, Station Park, Food Project, Save-a-Tree, Clark Gallery building, 9 Lewis Street, 146A Lincoln Road.

Lincoln Woods District properties (proposed new density: 8 units/acre):

  • Multi-family: 40 apartments and 94 townhouses located at 1-95 Wells Road.

Village Center District properties (proposed new density: 25 units/acre):

  • Town-owned or business: Doherty’s, resident parking lot, the mall, commuter parking lot, two small town-owned lots adjacent to the railroad tracks.

Here’s why I am voting No for Now. We are close to a solution, but we need more time, and we have more time. The town will be able to comply with the HCA by the deadline of December 31, 2024.

Flaws in the proposed zoning bylaw
  • A three-family home can be eight times bigger than a one-family home on the same size lot. This can easily be fixed by scaling the footprint allowed for buildings with fewer units. Other towns have done this in their HCA bylaws (see image at right).

    An illustration of building massing under the current R1 zoning (top) and the proposed HCA zoning amendment (bottom). Click image to enlarge.

  • We need more green space and tree protection. Other towns include green space and tree protection in their bylaws. Design guidelines are not sufficient protection.
  • Proposed 15-foot setbacks on Lewis Street should be larger; Lewis Street has 11 homes and only one building set back as close as 15 feet. Why didn’t the Planning Board incorporate the input of Lewis Street residents on this?
  • Proposed setbacks on both sides of Lincoln Road (25 feet on one side and 15 feet on the other) mean we could lose the sun-filled tree lined heart of Lincoln. The current buildings are comfortably spaced from each other, and Lincoln Road does not feel crowded by buildings. Imagine 40+ units at the mall, set back only 25 feet from Lincoln Road, with the existing large trees removed or damaged from the new construction, opposite a large apartment building across the street, also set back only 15 feet from Lincoln Road. Note that 55 units could be built on the 5+ acres across Lincoln Road proposed for rezoning (including the St Joseph’s Church parcel and adjacent properties).
  • Concentrated development in our Village Center will increase the heat island in the center of our town.
  • Development of current single-family homes is likely to occur. Owners who want to stay in their homes may change their minds when multistory buildings rise up next door, and developers offer generous prices to purchase their property.
There is a chance to do better
  • Many more people are engaged in the process now than when the districts proposed for rezoning were selected by the Housing Choice Act Working Group appointed by the Select More minds, more hearts, more residents are now aware of the implications of the proposed rezoning and are seeking input to arrive at a better solution.
  • With the new state law, the mall can be rezoned to permit multifamily housing with a 50% vote outside of the requirements of the HCA. Lincoln could determine the appropriate density number, the percentage of units that would be affordable, and the amount of parking required for commercial uses. Such a rezoning would need a 50% vote, not a two-thirds vote. The RLF would have time to present a concept plan and explain the financial requirements for economic sustainability, and the town could engage with the RLF in a partnership which would be beneficial to all.
  • After testing out Option C with the Planning Board’s proposed bylaw amendment, residents are now better informed, and understand the importance of finding at least one other parcel outside of the Lincoln Station area to accomplish HCA compliance.

Please join me in voting No for Now, and then let’s unite Lincoln and work together for a better solution.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: How attractive is Lincoln’s village center to developers?

By Tom Walker

Setting aside the RLF mall, how financially attractive is developing multi-unit housing in Lincoln’s village center? This is an important question that keeps coming up and has been raised again most recently on LincolnTalk. Some research I did back in November to inform my own choice before the State of the Town meeting may add some useful information to the ongoing conversation.

In November, I reached out to a developer I know who’s been involved in small and large projects around Boston for many decades. My concern was that if Lincoln’s village center is financially very attractive to developers under the HCA, it probably would make sense to err on the side of constraining multi-unit housing development opportunities there (i.e., zone for fewer units). My research led me to a different conclusion.

It turned out that my developer contact, who knows Lincoln well, owns several buildings in neighboring towns similar to Lincoln that he is evaluating for development under HCA. He was kind enough to talk me through the detailed financial analysis for one of these buildings and his analysis provides useful insights into the likelihood of development for properties (in Lincoln’s village center. His potential project involves a relatively large building (>100 units) in a town that borders Lincoln. The building provides reasonable economies of scale and already has sewer and water connections, parking, and adequate stormwater controls.

For the Lincoln village center properties, by way of contrast, parcels would need to be assembled to achieve scale economies, sewage treatment is challenging, parking is constrained, stormwater infrastructure is problematic and facing increasingly stringent state regulations. All these issues would make development in Lincoln substantially more complex and expensive.

Even with the economic advantages afforded the multi-unit housing project in the neighboring town development of the project under HCA turns out not to be financially very attractive. This is due primarily to high construction costs — besides high material and labor costs, the developer pointed to other incidental costs, such builders’ insurance, that have risen dramatically in recent years. Affordability requirements imposed by towns add to the cost. High interest rates and a pullback by lenders have also created real barriers to development. The financial analysis ultimately indicates that a developer would be just about as well off leaving his or her money in the bank as investing in this HCA development project.

While this is just one example, it suggests that development in Lincoln’s village center may not be the path to riches for developers that is sometimes claimed. Yes, lower interest rates will improve the profitability of projects. But the remaining challenges of assembling parcels to achieve scale economies, solving the septic, parking and stormwater issues, addressing affordable housing requirements, and navigating the general complexity of Lincoln’s bylaw and design guidelines all make multi-unit housing in Lincoln’s village center expensive and probably less attractive than opportunities for larger developments in other towns in the region.

Given this state of affairs, my own conclusion back in December was that an option providing the largest number of opportunities (Option C) in the village center maximizes the likelihood that Lincoln gets at least some multi-unit housing, although I’m not at all convinced that the economics will result in much actual building. In the intervening months, I’ve seen no information, data, or analysis that changes my view.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Re-elect Gary Taylor to the Planning Board

Dear friends and neighbors,

We are asking for your support and your vote on Monday, March 25 for the reelection of Gary Taylor to the Planning Board.

Committed to forward thinking and planning, Gary Taylor brings significant town board experience and professional expertise to the Lincoln Planning Board. His skills in analysis and resolution of complex issues — as well as his positive approach and collaborative style — have helped Lincoln continue to be a place where we enjoy living and raising our children while upholding values that make us good neighbors in our region and in the world around us.

Gary’s public service to Lincoln has been substantial and lasting. He has proved that he can get things done. He has been instrumental in a wide range of positive changes in Lincoln in three terms on the Select Board, nine years on the Finance Committee, six years on the Planning Board, and leadership roles on the Lincoln Housing Commission and Affordable Housing Trust. Among the town’s accomplishments during his service:

  • Improved Planning Board approval procedures with capable planning staff, thereby moving the board away from micromanaging individual property plans
  • Adoption of the state’s most strict environmental building code
  • Creation of more than 100 new affordable homes that not only served our residents but also blocked housing developers from using state law 40B to ignore local zoning
  • Conservation of large, key open spaces to connect wildlife corridors and recreation
  • Development of The Commons in Lincoln senior living facility, with an affordable component, so older people who need support can remain in Lincoln or move near their children
  • Computerized the town’s accounting and integrated budgeting with the schools

Gary is not a one issue candidate. Future projects* need his skills in analysis and resolution of the many associated complex issues:

  • Responding to the state Housing Choice Act calling for denser “by right” housing near our commuter rail station and our small commercial center
  • The design and funding of a new community center
  • Proposed expansion of private jet services at Hanscom Field by MassPort
  • Preparing for crowds coming to Minuteman National Historic Park for our nation’s 250th Celebration and for proposed repaving of Rte. 2A
  • Planning for climate initiatives such as electric charging stations and solar arrays

Gary’s considerable professional training and experience add to his value on the Planning Board. With degrees in law and in finance and planning management, he has provided expert testimony in high-stakes energy-related litigation and is co-founder of an economic consulting firm that grew from two people to 400 with 14 offices in the U.S., Europe, China and Australia. He currently is a senior advisor to Massachusetts Sen. Mike Barrett on energy issues.

Abigail Adams
Sarah Andrysiak
Chris Andrysiak
Dea Angiolillo
Ken Bassett
Laura Berland
Sarah Bishop
Rebecca Blanchfield
Paul Blanchfield
Pam Boardman
John Bordiuk
Rory Bordiuk
Janet Boynton
Stephen Brand
David Briggs
Elaine Briggs
Julie Brogan
Erica Bronstein
Kim Buell
Larry Buell
Brian Burns
Karen Carlson
Ted Chan
Alex Chatfield
Deb Choate
Buzz Constable
Rosamand Delori
Alice DeNormandie
Penny DeNormandie
Tom DeNormandie
Jona Donaldson
Brianna Doo
Betsy Doorandish
Ramin Doorandish
Anne Doyle
Rachel Drew
Nataly Dvash
Jeff Eaton
Andy Falender
Jon Ferris
Kristen Ferris
Caroline Fiore
Mike Fiore
Nancy Fleming
Jim Fleming
Rainer Frost
Martha Frost
Amy Funkenstein
Andy Gnazzo
Mark Goeteman
Josh Grindley
Sandy Grindley
Gina Halsted
Tom Haslett
Emily Haslett
Alan Hein
Nancy Henderson
Jim Henderson
Ruth Ann Hendrickson
Lis Herbert
Zach Herbert
Ruth Hodges
Shira Horowitz
Sue Howland
Tony Howland
Chris Hug
Ken Hurd
Pam Hurd
Kimberly Jalet
Brian Jalet
Bryan Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly
Jon Kelman
Joan Kimball
John Kimball
Chris Klem
Sue Klem
John Koenig
Steve Kropper
Bob Kupperstein
Patrick Lawler
Judith Lawler
Jesse Lefkowitz
Barbara Leggat
Jackie Lenth
Karin Levy
David Levy
Paula Light
Jonathan Light
Rosemary Lloyd
Lew Lloyd
Mary Helen Lorenz
Sara Lupkas
Scott Lupkas
Rick Mandelkorn
Nancy Marshall
Peyton Marshall
Rachel Mason
Lucy Maulsby
Chris McCarthy
John Mendelson
Ellen Meyer Shorb
DJ Mitchell
Matt Mitchell
Richard Mollica
Staci Montori
Buffer Morgan
Terri Morgan
Jennie Morris Gundy
Patty Mostue
Brooks Mostue
Jayne Mundt
Rachel Neurath
Richard Nichols
John Nolan
Trisha O’Hagan
Barbara O’Neil
David O’Neil
Katherine Page
Eloise Patterson
Jeff Patterson
Lisa Paul
Terry Perlmutter
Ginger Reiner
Kurt Reiner
Dana Robbat
Joe Robbat
Cathy Rogers
Allen Rossiter
Selina Rossiter
Lucy Sachs
Surendra Shah
Kathleen Shepard
Ray Shepard
Paul Shorb
Barbara Slayter
Vicky Slingerland
Tucker Smith
Jonathan Soo
Kara Soo
Nancy Soulette
Sue Stason
Bill Stason
James Stock
Susan Taylor
Pam Thayer
David Urion
Allen Vander Meulan
Peter Von Mertens
Tom Walker
Katy Walker
Ben Wells
Jeani Welsh
Susan Welsh
Blandyna Williams
Fred Winchell
Claire Winchell Manning
Krystal Wood
Jen Zeis

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Jennifer Glass for Select Board

By Jonathan Dwyer

Many times, I have witnessed Jennifer’s wisdom, skill, and thoughtfulness from the upper rows of the Harriett Todd Lecture Hall in Donaldson Auditorium, from the seat beside her at our board meetings, in the parlor room at Bemis Hall, and on the grass at Pierce Park. She is everywhere in town, and wherever she goes, she is taking care of business and bringing people together. 

I remember in 2012 when Jennifer was chair of the School Committee, she pursued the most fiscally responsible decision the town could make: a $49 million school project that would only cost the town $29 million after state funding. Her knack for designing inclusive processes that promote community input showed in the many forums and charettes ahead of the town vote for the project. That vote failed, but Jennifer immediately invested effort, resourcefulness, and persistence into restarting the process.

Incredibly dedicated, she volunteered for School Building Committee #2, that resulted in the recently finished school project. I remember watching Jennifer and her committee colleagues, over many cycles and numerous hours, debate options for reducing inflation-driven cost projections back in line with budget. 

Concurrently with SBC #2, she was on the Select Board where she led the town’s Property Tax Study Committee. Anticipating that school building costs might exceed the financial means of some residents, this committee researched ways to provide relief. The committee’s proposal was approved at Town Meeting and submitted to the state for approval. 

When the Water Commission needed a temporary member, she volunteered to serve as a commissioner and assist the commission in identifying financially responsible options for implementing essential upgrades to the filtration system, as required by regulators.

Jennifer wants you to be informed and works hard at it. She has been instrumental in connecting Select Board members to residents, with meetings in locations beyond Town Hall. There have been regular Ask a Select Board Member drop-ins at Bemis Hall, Lincoln Woods, Battle Road Farm, PTO meetings, Parks & Recreation concerts, and summer camp drop-off time. She is the editor-in-chief of the Select Board Newsletter you receive in the mail.

We saw her at Pierce Park commemorating Memorial Day, July 4th, Black Lives Matter, Pride Progress, and standing behind a table providing information on Lincoln’s committees.

In so many ways, she visibly demonstrates how much she cares about Lincoln, its schools, municipal services, infrastructure, and people. She has a long history of pursuing inclusive processes and long-term value for our tax dollars.

Jennifer cares about you, and our town. I respectfully ask that you join me in voting her back onto the Select Board on March 25.

Dwyer served two terms on the Select Board from 2017–2023.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Over 200 residents urge town to vote yes on HCA article

Dear Lincoln friends and neighbors:

What vision of Lincoln do we share? Over the past several decades, our town has voted consistently for projects that preserve open space, increase access to housing, and protect our broader environment. With Lincoln Woods and the Ryan Estates, we have welcomed new residents in the village center giving them easy access to shopping, the train, our trails, and the schools.

The proposed zoning changes under the MBTA Communities Housing Choice Act (HCA) that we will vote on at Town Meeting invite us to continue sharing that spirit and vision of Lincoln. Can we trust our talented and proven leaders to balance concerns about the proposed level of development with the values we have consistently expressed? 

We, the undersigned, are confident that we can and that we will benefit by doing so, just as we have for decades. We ask that you join us in voting “yes” for the amendments to our zoning bylaws designed to implement Option C when we gather at Town Meeting on Saturday, March 23.

Briefly, here’s our reasoning:

  • Residents have voiced strong support for rezoning near transit – twice: Large majorities both in September (76.4% for Option C at the State of the Town Meeting) and in December 2023 (55% for C; 6.9% for various D options at the Special Town meeting) to concentrate re-zoning at the mall and village center. These decisions were an affirmation that transit-oriented development makes environmental and climate sense and that it is most likely to contribute to housing and a more vibrant and sustainable commercial center at the mall. They also reflect the goals of the town’s 2009 Comprehensive Plan.
  • The RLF-owned mall should remain in the HCA zoning plan. HCA-compliant rezoning will help the RLF to reinvest in the mall both to support our commercial center and contribute to transit-oriented housing for the town and the region. “By right” development makes any RLF mall reinvestment project less risky and therefore more attractive to investors.
  • Lincoln’s proposed bylaws and design guidelines provide stringent controls on “by right” zoning. The Planning Board has listened to and incorporated many comments provided by opponents and supporters of this bylaw. Margaret Olson, chair of the Planning Board, has stated that the board has taken a conservative approach to the bylaws to address concerns about their impact, while still honoring the larger democratic preference for options that are more likely to create additional housing under the HCA.
  • The proposal is ready for voting. Since the law was passed in 2021, an extraordinarily qualified group of Lincoln volunteers and staff have studied, invited active engagement, and listened carefully to comments from the community to bring us a sound proposal that not only complies with the HCA but also respects the values of the town. Community input has led to significant tightening of the bylaws, for example, by reducing the density of housing in the village center, and by imposing more stringent height restrictions and setback requirements.

Some Lincoln residents are asking us to vote down the proposed bylaws with the hope that some alternative, yet-to-be-articulated, consensus plan can be hammered out in the few short months before the looming HCA deadline. Our concern is that we already know what the alternatives are. These options disperse rezoning to parcels in town (Lincoln North, Battle Road Farm) that are likely to result in less housing and could take the RLF mall out of the HCA further restricting housing in that area and delaying revitalization of the mall.

The HCA will bring change. We have an opportunity to respond to these changes with generosity, creativity, and confidence as we have for decades.

Signed,

Abigail Adams
Dea Angiolillo
Chris Andrysiak
Sarah Andrysiak
Gina Arons
Ken Bassett
Emily Beekman
Alex Benik
Merrill Berkery
Laura Berland
Becky Bermont
Sarah Bishop
Rebecca Blanchfield
Paul Blanchfield
Pam Boardman
John Bordiuk
Rory Bordiuk
Janet Boynton
Stephen Brand
David Briggs
Elaine Briggs
Julie Brogan
Janet Boynton
Kim Buell
Larry Buell
Brian Burns
Annie Calhoun
Jess Callow
Karen Carlson
Alex Chatfield
Deb Choate
Lindsay Clemens
Buzz Constable
Cathy Corbin
Jason Curtin
Rosamond DeLori
Alice DeNormandie
Penny DeNormandie
Tom DeNormandie
Pilar Doherty
Jona Donaldson
Nancy Donaldson
Anne Doyle
Jon Drew
Rachel Drew
Nataly Dvash
Jeff Eaton
Dan England
Andy Falender
Shirin Farrahi
Jon Ferris
Kristen Ferris
Nancy Fincke
Randall Fincke
Caroline Fiore
Mike Fiore
Lorraine Fiore
Nancy Fleming
Jim Fleming
Ian Forman
Rainer Frost
Martha Frost
John F. Foley Jr.
Amy Funkenstein
Dwight Gertz
Cailin Gidlewski
Bryn Gingrich
Johanna Goodman
Trintje Gnazzo
Andy Gnazzo
Josh Grindley
Sandy Grindley
Gina Halsted
Chris Hamilton
Jennifer Hashley
Tom Haslett
Emily Haslett
Alan Hein
Lis Herbert
Zach Herbert
Ruth Hodges
Shira Horowitz
Sue Howland
Ken Hurd
Pam Hurd
Kimberly Jalet
Brian Jalet
Bryan Kelly
Elizabeth Kelly
Jon Kelman
Joan Kimball
John Kimball
Chris Klem
Sue Klem
John Koenig
Bob Kupperstein
Lauren Lane
Jesse Lefkowitz
Barbara Leggat
Jackie Lenth
David Levington
Karin Levy
David Levy
Paula Light
Jonathan Light
Mary Helen Lorenz
Gwyn Loud
Sara Lupkas
Scott Lupkas
Rick Mandelkorn
Rachel Mason
Mo Masterson
Lucy Maulsby
Ron McAdow
Chris McCarthy
Tricia McGean
John Mendelson
Maria Miara
DJ Mitchell
Matt Mitchell
Tara Mitchell
Kenny Mitchell
Richard Mollica
Nicholas Mollica
Christopher Mollica
Staci Montori
Buffer Morgan
Terri Morgan
Jennie Morris Gundy
Patty Mostue
Jayne Mundt
Chris Murphy
Susan Murphy
Rachel Neurath
Richard Nichols
Katie Nicholson
John Nolan
Trisha O’Hagan
Barbara O’Neil
David O’Neil
Jane O’Rourke
Tristram Oakley
David Onigman
Nannette Orr
Katherine Page
Jason Paige
Candace Pearson
Karen Prince
Ginger Reiner
Kurt Reiner
Dana Robbat
Joe Robbat
Cathy Rogers
Travis Roland
Allen Rossiter
Selina Rossiter
Katrin Roush
Aldis Russell
Lucy Sachs
Barbara Sampson
Roberto Santamaria
Joanna Schmergel
Ron Siegel
Kathleen Shepard
Ray Shepard
Ellen Shorb
Paul Shorb
Barbara Slayter
Vicky Slingerland
Tucker Smith
Jonathan Soo
Kara Soo
Nancy Soulette
Bill Stason
Sue Stason
Mary Stechschulte
Scott Stewart
MingYi Stewart
James Stock
Betsy Stokey
Jim Storer
Sandy Storer
Kathleen Sullivan
Surendra Shah
Susan Taylor
Tricia Thornton-Wells
Dilla Tingley
David Urion
Allen Vander Muelen
Peter Von Mertens
Tom Walker
Katy Walker
Anne Wang
Andy Wang
Irene Weigel
Ginny Welles
Ben Wells
Bryce Wells
Jeani Welsh
Susan Welsh
Blandyna Williams
Claire Winchell
Susan Winship
Bob Wolf
Bryce Wolf
Krystal Wood
Jen Zeis
 

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Fiduciary behavior and debt burden

By Chris Burns

Of course, a community center would be nice to have, but…

The town debt service today is greater than what we spend for the Police Department or L-S High School or the entire town government. How high should it go?

In the warrant for the March 26, 2022 Town Meeting, page 18 reads: “The Finance Committee understands that the large increase in debt service resulting for the required [$88.5 million] bonding for this [school] project is a burden for residents, and we have made it a priority to minimize the likelihood of requesting residents to approve any additional debt or capital exclusions over the next couple of years.” Is this fiduciary behavior when asking for an additional $16 million in debt less than two years later? This is a 20% increase in our debt load.

Please pay close attention as Lincoln’s debt soars toward $104,000,000 or $17,000+ per citizen, not household.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: The real housing crisis is affordability

By Gail O’Keefe

The HCA zoning decision looming is based on an assumption that we have a housing crisis in Massachusetts. Politicians have linked development to diversity, claiming all towns must help the state in the housing struggle. However, in looking at recent building data from local cities and towns, it seems very likely that the housing crisis is really an affordability crisis, with housing being built that is too expensive for those needing affordable housing.

Earlier this month the Boston Globe reported on the housing boom in Everett — 1,600 new units under construction now, with a total increase of 16% added to their housing stock over the past few years. Only 5% of those units are “affordable” housing, leaving us to question how these units will offset the housing needs facing families.

On Zillow today, over 1,000 housing units are available for rent (and ~100 for sale) in Cambridge; Boston has over 8,000 available for rent, (~1,000 for sale). An additional 800 for rent in Somerville, with 75 for sale. In Waltham, many are available; a brand-new one bedroom will cost you only $2,700/month. In Lexington, 30 rentals, mostly one- and two-bedrooms available. Price range: $2,500- $5,000 per month. And here in Lincoln in mid-March, there are still five units available at Oriole Landing, as well as a few houses.

Clearly, supply is plentiful. Market-rate housing units are available, with hundreds more being built right now all around Boston.

The zoning changes under the HCA has buoyed developers, so the future will see a surge in housing stock. Why, then, are we rushing to jeopardize our grocery store and small retail area to build 100 units? Who are we really helping? Are there thousands of people to fill all these homes? Or is it the cost the real housing crisis? Will trickle-down really reduce housing costs?

HCA Option C simply adds to the volume of new units, 90% at market rate. What happens if we rush to build, alongside all the other MBTA-adjacent towns, and end up with vacant residential units while losing our retail in the deal? One of the state’s goals with the HCA is economic growth for developers. Is that a goal of Lincoln as well? If not, let’s make the zoning more attractive to townspeople rather than RLF’s “more attractive to developers.”

Lincoln’s planning board and the RLF have presented Option C as the only choice, yet other options were not fully presented to the town in the fall. We needn’t give up on affordability and diversity, and should not jeopardize our small but critical retail space. We only need to submit a plan by the end of 2024! There is plenty of time to come to a plan that aligns with the values and goals of our town.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.