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

My Turn

My Turn: Why I’m voting “no” twice on March 23

(Editor’s note: Lang is a member of the Green Energy Committee but is speaking in his capacity as a private citizen.)

By Ed Lang

I am distressed when I think of how a “yes” vote for a community center and a “yes” for HCA rezoning of the mall will:

  • Add hundreds of tons of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere, even though the new buildings would be net zero
  • Add at least $21,640 in property tax for median Lincoln homeowners over the next 30 years
  • Lose the chance for seniors to revitalize the existing mall with COA spaces for senior activities and private appointments within walking distance of grocery store, sandwich shop, walking trails and modest multifamily housing

Lincoln has done so much right over the years. I am encouraged that Lincoln has a long history of care for the environment, preserving the rural feel of the town with farming and undeveloped open space. Thanks to the 1955 establishment of the Rural Land Foundation (RLF), 40% of Lincoln is protected by conservation restrictions. Lincoln has also balanced conservation, open space and rural feeling with commitment to diversity and inclusion, adding 800 multi-family homes to the 1,200 single-family homes with mostly two-acre lots.

In the 21st century, Lincoln has shown a commitment to sustainability. We became a Massachusetts Green Community and committed to an Energy Stretch Code with 20% municipal energy reduction in 2008. In 2013, the town offices were renovated and designed for a 55% reduction in energy use. In 2019, the school renovation design specified reduced energy use to EUI23, net zero and zero carbon. In 2022, Lincoln specified no new gas hookups and encouraged increased adoption of green electricity through community choice. In 2023, Lincoln’s Climate Action Plan recognized the importance of reducing emissions in municipal buildings, homes and cars.

Now I want to avoid adding the emissions that come along with new buildings. As a member of the Green Energy Committee for over a decade, I have helped the town focus on reducing energy use and emissions in town buildings. But emissions generated by the construction of new buildings — manufacturing, processing, transportation, and use of materials — dwarf operating emissions. These emissions are called embodied carbon, and they are vast and measurable.

Lincoln has an abundance of municipal and residential building stock. I suggest we renovate as many existing buildings as we can for the community center and apply HCA rezoning in a way that avoids demolition and rebuilding. As a town, we could use the same common sense we apply to our personal decisions.

  • Repair and maintain buildings.
  • Renovate, recycle, and consider adaptive reuse of buildings as we did with town offices.
  • If a new building must be built, ensure that products with certified low (or negative!) embodied carbon are used in construction.
  • Add high-density zoning where no existing multifamily units or key town locations could be targeted for by-right demolition.

We don’t need to build new at the school campus and the mall. The town can rent available spaces or contract for the use of venues, supporting town institutions.

I prefer taking time this year to carefully rethink our choices. That’s why I’m voting “no” twice on March 23.

“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: A veteran tackled his blind spot and tells the story

By Lawrence Climo

I’m a retired psychiatrist. Sometimes I write. Many years ago, growing frustrated by the growing toxicity of civil discourse in our split nation, I wanted to find a way to stop it. Like everyone else, I complained but kept indulging it, but I also began gathering research material and playing with hypothetical ideas. I even began writing a book. Although my data and those ideas led nowhere, I kept trying. Eventually, out of ideas and frustrated, I gave up, and continued feeling sick about our nation. I continued seeing an illness here for which there was no treatment.

It was only after several years and downsizing and moving and making new friends that I had my breakthrough. Reflecting on America’s chronic split, I realized something I’d long ago pushed from my mind. Hadn’t I once been, myself, personally split? Yes, I had — in the military, when I refused to follow some orders and disobeyed others. From that awakening and those confessions, I realized I had overlooked and ignored something important. Instead of beginning with “us Americans now,” I should have begun with “me and America back then” and then followed where that led. What I had overlooked — that blind spot — was personal, but I knew that despite discomfort and confessions, the America issue was more important.

I fleshed out uncomfortable details of what my military behaviors back then had meant, not just how they made me feel. Dots connected. Memories were revisited that were not just personal and complicated; they were disconcerting and distressing as I had expected, but I also found an unexpected source of support. Reading a recently published book about ancient medicine and healing that was filled with Jewish commentary or midrash, I found that I was not so alone with my issues. Those ancients had their own ideas and some of them were tried and had effect, and it was in that literature that I found what I’d been looking for.

I re-wrote my book, gave it a name (From Toxic Civil Discourse To Saving a World: A Midrash-Guided Memoir of a Vietnam Vet), and found a publisher (Ktav Publishing House, Urim Publications). I’d finally tackled that wind. I’d finally found a treatment that provided the peace of mind I’d sought, along with an opportunity to share it. And what turned out to be the biggest surprise for me wasn’t that the solution (show respect for the other) was so simple and obvious. It was the rest of it. It was the fact that one needn’t feel that respect or even mean it. One had only to show it. Just show it. And, of course, our self-respect is the key.

“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: Updated website offers food for thought on HCA

By Lynne Smith

Lincoln residents expressed a nonbinding preference for Housing Choice Act (HCA) Option C in December, but it’s not yet a done deal. Option C deserves a closer look before the final vote in March. The updated website of the Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives (LRHA) is a great way to learn more.

First, a bit of background if you haven’t been closely following the HCA debate. The Commonwealth is requiring Lincoln to rezone 42 acres for multifamily housing to help solve the state housing crisis. In the rezoned areas, developers can build, on a by-right basis with no Town Meeting vote, 635 units of apartment/condo complexes. Lincoln’s Planning Board is working with an official committee called the HCA Working Group (HCAWG) to deal with compliance.

There are many others in town who have been following the process although they were not appointed to or allowed to be part of HCAWG. They coalesced informally as the LRHA in October and November 2023 as a grassroots organization to develop more options for HCA compliance. Some in the group are fairly new to Lincoln and others have lived here for decades. Many live close to the area that will be most affected by the rezoning.  Others, like me, live farther away. We are all united in our desire to be careful what we do, especially in the center of town.

LRHA offered Option E as one of the alternatives presented by HCAWG at the December 2, 2023 Special Town Meeting, where it received 38% of the vote while Option C received 55%. Since then, the LRHA folks, who are good at economic analysis, in-depth research, number crunching, website design and creative thinking, have updated their website to make it clear that Option C requires a second look, especially because all the rezoning occurs within a half mile of the train station, our village center.

Voting against Option C does not mean Lincoln will not comply with the Housing Choice Act. Instead, it means we need to spend more time developing the options. Lincoln has until December 2024 to submit a rezoning design to the state.

As a supporter of Option E and the LRHA, I reviewed the analysis offered on the website and I recommend that everyone who cares about Lincoln do the same. Your vote at Town Meeting is up to you, but I think you will find the analysis raises interesting questions and suggests possibilities you may not have considered. Nerds will love the analysis and detail on the website. Non-nerds will love the beautiful Lincoln photos on the banner headings, the helpful information, and the illustration of potential rezoned development. Everyone will benefit from a close look at the issues surrounding Option C.  Here are highlights from my review.

HCA and Lincoln

This section lays out what the Housing Choice Act has asked Lincoln to do, compares Lincoln to other nearby towns, and includes maps of the areas zoned under Option C. The affected properties are listed in greater detail than shown on the town’s official website.  A section called Picture This includes an eye-opening visualization of what large apartment blocks on the mall, Codman Road, and Lewis Street could look like. Myths vs. Facts corrects some of the erroneous impressions that have resulted from discussions of this complex issue.

Topics of Interest
  • The section on Taxes contains analysis of Lincoln’s cost per student and the potential tax increase if more than 100 children enter Lincoln’s primary and high school.
  • Retail Presence discusses the risk to our commercial center and focuses on the plans offered by the Rural Land Foundation (RLF). This topic has been discussed at length in committee meetings and the RLF is modifying plans in response to concerns.
  • Housing Costs addresses the affordability issue. We want to help solve the housing crisis but we don’t think hundreds of high-cost luxury condos or apartments will do that. The revised zoning bylaws give developers the option of reducing affordable unit quantities below even the HCA threshold of 10%.
  • Parking and Circulation issues include descriptions of past studies and a request for new ones to gauge the impact of potential development. These analytical sections will excite many who know that the devil is in the details of the numbers.
  • Neighborhood Perspectives describes the concerns of many who live in South Lincoln where Option C zoning is concentrated. We all need to hear these concerns.
Other information
  • Open Questions — This is an open-ended list of questions raised by many who want to understand such things as parking, setbacks, and the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI). Getting answers to these questions will help us understand the impact of what has been called a “zoning exercise.” It is an exercise now but could lead to legally binding decisions in the future.
  • A Calendar of committee meetings offers a good reminder of upcoming Planning Board and HCAWG discussions.
  • News includes summaries of meetings as well as Lincoln Squirrel and Lincoln Talk reprints.

The people behind the website are included in the LRHA Supporters list. I am proud to be named though I did not help create it. In my opinion, it is a highly professional response to the nuanced and complicated topic of HCA zoning and I hope you will take a look soon. Here is the LRHA homepage link.

Remember to come to Town Meeting on March 23 to vote on this important topic that will affect Lincoln for decades 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: Taylor seeks reelection to Planning Board

By Gary Taylor

Fellow Lincolnites,

I write to ask your support for reelection to the Planning Board for a three-year term. When I initially ran for the board six years ago, my objective was to reorient its attention from micromanaging what Lincoln residents hoped to do with their properties to more forward-looking thinking and planning. Implementation of that change and the addition of capable planning staff have significantly improved the experience of applicants before the board and allowed us to spend more time looking at what lies ahead for Lincoln.

I have considerable training and experience that are useful as a member of the board. I know how to analyze problems, communicate clearly, and manage teams. I hold degrees in law and management (finance and planning). I co-founded and served in the management of an economic consulting firm that grew from two people to 400 with 14 offices in the U.S., Europe, China and Australia. I was responsible for the design and construction of our offices in Cambridge, Boston, New York, and London.

For 30 years I have provided expert testimony in high-stakes energy-related litigation. I also have been involved in many aspects of Lincoln. During my nine years on the Finance Committee, we computerized the town’s accounting and integrated budgeting for the town and schools. While on the Housing Commission and Lincoln’s Affordable Housing Trust, I helped add 50 affordable housing units. In three terms as a Selectman, I played key roles in the development of The Groves (now the Commons) and in the conservation of large, key parcels for open space. All of this has taught me what Lincoln values, how Lincoln works, how to listen, build consensus and get things done.

As you likely know, Lincoln is going through an extraordinary period of challenges that will significantly influence the town’s future. Through the Housing Choice Act, the state has upped the ante regarding rezoning to allow denser “by right” housing near our commuter rail station — a big change for Lincoln that could help or hurt our small commercial center depending upon how any rezoning would treat the mall itself.

We must address the design and funding of a new Community Center. A proposed expansion of private jet services at Hanscom Field by Massport poses not only significant local noise and pollution problems, but it would also thwart broader efforts to slow climate change. The 250th celebration is coming to Minuteman National Park with its associated crowds, and Rte. 2A is supposedly due to be repaved. These matters and more give us a lot to prepare for and to do, and the Planning Board will be playing a significant role.

Lincoln has in the past strived successfully to strike a balance between preserving our cherished values and responding as needed to changes affecting not only our town, but also the world around us. I hope that we can continue to thread that needle effectively. I ask not only for your vote, but as well for your participation in the continuing dialogue that will shape Lincoln’s future.

“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: Hometown hero enchants a crowd

By Lynne Smith

Most of us watched the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.and have read and seen details since that time, but hearing Lincoln native Winston Pingeon describe his long day — spent mostly in riot gear as a U.S. Capitol Police Officer — made the horror fresh again.

Pingeon described to a group at Bemis Hall on January 19 how he and fellow officers moved from one defensive position to another as the crowd surged forward from the base of the Capitol, up the steps, and finally into the Capitol building. While drafted to work early with his riot team, he was really only warned of the potential for violence on the morning of the sixth. Outnumbered by 58 to 1, the entire Capitol Police force of nearly 2,000 officers along with D.C. Metropolitan police officers soon became overrun, with the National Guard awaiting approval to go assist.

A self-portrait of Winston on Jan. 6, 2021 after he’d been in riot gear for 12 hours.

Pingeon grew up in Lincoln and graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. While art was his passion, he decided he wanted to get a “real job” in law enforcement and applied to the Capitol Police Force. After seven months of training, he joined as an officer in 2016, just in time for the Trump inauguration in 2017.

Describing his time as an officer, Pingeon said he found meaning by serving as the Ceremonial Honor Guard, memorably for Ruth Bader Ginsburgh as she lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda — the first woman to be so honored. Admitting that he had not been interested in politics before his service, he began to recognize and speak with the legislators. In the process, he learned more about what went on in the nation’s capital and found camaraderie with members of Congress, staffers, and of course his fellow officers.

After spending Christmas 2020 in Lincoln, Pingeon reported to his first day on duty in the new year just two days prior to January 6th. He was told to report at 8 a.m., hours before his usual shift time of 3 p.m. As he recounted the day, he remembered being glad he had eaten breakfast in the headquarters building before he went to the north side of the Capitol to gear up and await further orders. Instead of his normal patrol uniform, he donned his full riot gear including gas mask, armor, and a baton.

Hearing about the crowd on the ellipse and conversing on the police radios, Pingeon and the other officers were tensely waiting for a crowd but still not expecting what was about to happen. He showed photos of the outnumbered police force at the barricades, and of him and other officers being assaulted. As the mob surged forward, Winston’s gas mask was deliberately shoved to one side and he was punched in the face. As he was pushed to the ground, his baton was ripped out of his hands and stolen from him. He described how he feared that it would be even easier for someone to steal his holstered gun and turn it on him and others. Fortunately, fellow officers helped him up and he continued to push back the wave of angry protesters. He said it was impossible to even imagine the building would be so violently breached, but that was obviously the unfortunate reality of what happened. Photos taken that day showed Pingeon near the first window area that was initially breached. 

Winston Pingeon in his days as a Capitol Police Officer.

At one point, he responded to an “officer down” call on the radio and went to help but realized that others with emergency medical training were on the scene, so he returned again to the interior perimeter of the building. The siege continued for many hours and a precarious calm did not return until late in the evening when the legislators were finally able to return to certify the vote of the electoral representatives. He described how painful and devastating the events of January 6th and its aftermath were to him personally and to the Capitol Police force as a whole. 

As impressive as Pingeon’s story is, his demeanor after his presentation was a further demonstration of his character. Attendees at Bemis Hall asked many questions, some of which were personal and clearly brought back difficult memories of the day. He shared the self-portraits and drawings he has since created and said that art has helped him recover from this intense experience. He took time to answer us thoughtfully and introduced us to his proud father seated in the back of the room.

Lincoln is fortunate to be the hometown of such a man. We congratulate Pingeon and wish him success in his important new career developing technology for law enforcement.

Winston’s art can be seen on his website at winstonwatercolors.com.

“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: Glass is running for a third term on Select Board

Dear fellow Lincoln residents,

I write to announce my candidacy for re-election to the Select Board for a three-year term, and I respectfully ask for your support.

As a community, we often ask ourselves hard questions: Who are we? Who do we want to be? And what actions should we take to get there? During my time on the board, I have found it helpful to regularly challenge myself to think about these questions because they keep me focused on principles of holistic planning and collaborative decision-making. My interest in exploring those questions and dedication to upholding those principles guides my work with individuals, other committees, regional colleagues, and Lincoln’s professional team, and continues to motivate me as I seek the honor and privilege of serving the town for another term.  

Since I joined the board in 2017, we as a community have weathered a pandemic; completed the Lincoln School renovation project; drafted a climate action plan; continued work on exploring the town’s role in fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism; and chosen paths forward both for a community center building project and for rezoning that is compliant with the Housing Choice Act of 2021.

All of these topics are complex, nuanced, and require our willingness to share ideas, reshape our own perceptions, compromise, and trust that while we may have differences of opinion, we are all dedicated to building a strong, caring, and resilient community. 

Together, we have been able to move forward with this hard work because we have a skilled and knowledgeable professional team, dedicated volunteers on our town boards and committees, and engaged residents. And we have also been able to tackle these issues because of the capacity of Lincoln residents to consider each question on its merits, and to recognize and value the fact that as individuals we can disagree with our friends, neighbors, and colleagues on one topic and then work closely together and in complete alignment on another. That is an enormous strength of our community!

If you have not met me and want to learn more about my volunteer work in Lincoln, please visit my public Facebook group. And if you have questions or ideas, please reach out to me directly.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity you have given me to serve the Lincoln community and to the colleagues who guide me. With your support, I look forward to continuing to contribute to the work of the town. Again, I ask for your vote at the town election on Monday, March 25th.

Respectfully,

Jennifer Glass
11 Stonehedge Rd.
jglassselect@lincolntown.org (town email)
jlrglass@mac.com (personal email)

“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: A path forward for retail at the mall under Option C

By Benjamin Shiller

Option C has emerged as the winning choice for rezoning for the Housing Choice Act. Although the discussion may have seemed divisive, I truly believe that our goals for the town are aligned.

The Planning Board has already made great strides in a short time towards drafting the bylaws. However, the time left is extremely limited. If we all work together, we can fine-tune bylaws that protect retail at the mall and benefit residents, the environment, and walkability. The mall is the only area zoned for retail in the station area under our Housing Choice Act proposal) Thus, our only chance for retail is through the mall’s redevelopment. More retail increases walkability and reduces fossil fuel usage.

Here are some concerns I think we should consider at the upcoming January 5 Planning Board meeting.

  1. Retail space and residential affordability are not compatible: At their December 12 meeting, Planning Board members discussed what percentage of square footage at the mall should be required to be retail rather than residential. While town residents benefit from retail space, strict requirements may make redevelopment unprofitable, and several members believe we need to substantially reduce retail space from current levels to make the mall redevelopment viable. I suggest we encourage developers to use profits from market-rate units in the mall to subsidize larger retail spaces. The mall is not the place to build a large number of “affordable” apartments. Fortunately, Option C provides numerous locations outside of the mall to build a variety of housing options for a variety of budgets.
  2. Ground-level and second-floor retail are both appealing: The Planning Board seems to prefer retail on the ground level — which I agree with — but this is not yet set in stone. Retail space on the ground level is more appealing to retail establishments such as restaurants, grocery stores, and banks. The second floor may be appealing as office space, as in the current mall.
  3. Retail parking is vital: One parking space for retail allows multiple customers to come and shop there at different times of day; one retail parking spot = multiple customers. However, if retail parking spaces are displaced by resident parking spaces, retail customers will go elsewhere, putting our retail in a more precarious position than currently. Moreover, the Housing Choice Act does not allow us to require any spaces for retail parking, and there is limited land for buildings and parking. This is not a problem with a simple solution.
  4. Parking during construction: Our retail is allegedly in a fragile state. Can it survive if parking spots for customers are temporarily (or permanently) removed during construction? Let’s craft a plan that makes clear where customers can park and how trucks full of groceries can reach the offloading bay during construction.

We can do hard things. And we can do them quickly as long as we all work together. This is arguably the biggest change in Lincoln in last 50 years. Let’s make sure we do this right!

Shiller is a member of Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives, a citizens’ group that advocated for other rezoning alternatives prior to the December 2 Special Town Meeting. 

“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: A fond farewell to an extraordinary partner

By Jacquelin Apsler

On December 15, 2023, Chief Kevin Kennedy will retire from Lincoln’s Police Department — a public servant greatly admired by his peers, deeply respected by his constituents, and very much cherished by his colleagues and friends. The phrase “he will be missed” doesn’t capture the extraordinary loss of his leadership.

As a resident of Lincoln, I have known Chief Kennedy nearly 30 years since he was a young pup new to Lincoln and policing, but always mature, focused, and clear-sighted from the beginning. Students who knew him as a Juvenile Officer recall him as “leading by example,” “a silent hero who takes good care of the community without any fanfare,”and  a professional who modeled community policing long before it became a prominent tenet in the policing world.

Lincoln Police Chief Kevin Kennedy

For the past 18 years, I have had the honor of working alongside Chief Kennedy as a partner in our never-ending fight against domestic violence. As a strong proponent of community and police partnerships, he has supported every aspect of DVSN’s work to the very best of his ability and to the extent resources would allow.

For over a year, while our advocate office at the Bedford Police Department is being renovated, the Lincoln police have welcomed us into their building, generously sharing their one meeting room with us, and embracing our staff and volunteer advocates with tremendous kindness and thoughtfulness. The department’s core values of “integrity, mutual respect, and problem-solving through cooperation and collaboration” have been on display every minute of every day. We are extremely grateful to Chief Kennedy, the dispatchers, and the officers and staff for sharing their space with us and for their exceptional embodiment of respect and kindness.

Additionally, Chief Kennedy is a man of many amazing and varied talents — master provider of burgers, chips, beverages, and cookies for numerous community cookouts; renowned expert on juvenile law; dedicated teacher; enthusiastic mentor; diligent lawyer; masterful cabinet maker; avid skier; a very quick wit; a devoted family man; and an extraordinary public servant — truly the best of the best. I am deeply honored to call him friend and wish him much satisfaction and fulfillment in his retirement.

He most definitely will be missed.

“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: With measured success, officials grapple with HCA vote at multi-board meeting

By Lynne Smith

On December 2, Lincoln residents voted with the recommendations of the Planning Board (PB) and the Housing Choice Act Working Group (HCAWG) to adopt Option C. On December 4 at a multi-board meeting, the two groups were aware that the vote was not an overwhelming majority. In fact, Option C received 55% of the votes while Option E, developed by the grassroots organization Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives (LRHA), received 38%. Select Chair Jim Hutchison expressed his view that he would like to see a higher level of support for the proposed rezoning by the March 23 Town Meeting, even though only a majority vote will be needed.

To gain greater support, the Planning Board and the HCAWG have work to do to create Lincoln’s option for compliance with the Massachusetts Housing Choice Act. The PB must develop the bylaws and the HCAWG must communicate them to residents who are now more fully aware of the impact such development can have on the Town.

Developer bylaws for 800+ units are key

At the meeting, members focused on the best ways to adopt bylaws to allow HCA development that will now be concentrated within half a mile of the MBTA station. The HCA model for Option C gives the town credit for 648 housing units, but the LRHA estimates that approximately 800 new housing units could be developed on a by right basis within that small area. The impact of this development on the town will depend in large part on the content of the zoning bylaws to be proposed by the Planning Board and presumably adopted by the town.

At Saturday’s Special Town Meeting, the Selects presented a chart listing the types of “guardrails,” including requirements for certain Planning Board approvals, which the town can impose on developments. It appears that the Planning Board and Selects expect the members of the HCAWG to be part of this process.

The content of these bylaws is extremely important and must be carefully drafted to impose appropriate standards for by right development that will win town support and pass HCA compliance requirements.

Outreach and input are important

Select Kim Bodnar emphasized the importance of a steady stream of communication to town residents, especially those most affected by the rezoning in and near the Option C parcels: Codman Road, Lewis Street, Lincoln Woods, Lincoln Road, and the mall. Margaret Olson, chair of the PB, suggested that HCAWG should manage outreach while coordinating with PB and the Selects.

PB vice chair Lynn De Lisi said that just outreach is not enough and that every meeting of the PB and HCAWG should allow public input. HCAWG member Terri Perlmutter said that there had been a “loss of trust” as residents felt that developers would be given a “free rein” because details of the zoning were not fully communicated. She felt this created a disconnect with residents. Communication with residents is a vital part of the work of the town-appointed groups.

Meetings and topics need organized scheduling

Between now and March 23, the PB plans to schedule weekly meetings to write and deliberate on the proposed bylaws. Craig Nicholson of the HCAWG suggested that the meetings could be organized by topic — for example, height of the buildings, setbacks, energy efficiency and sustainability, and overall design. This meeting format would help participants focus on the key bylaw provisions, allow residents to tune in to the topics of greatest interest, and help organizations such as the Green Energy Committee, FOMA, and LRHA to contribute expertise in a timely manner. Susan Hall Mygatt requested that draft guidelines be issued prior to the scheduled meetings.

All of these meeting suggestions would facilitate better discussions, shorter meetings, and greater resident participation.

Outside expertise still needed

Director of Planning and Land Use Paula Vaughn-MacKenzie said that Utile, the consulting firm that helped develop the C and D options, could continue its role up through the March Annual Town Meeting. If we run out of grant money for this service, we might have use town funds. Town counsel will continue to be consulted for zoning bylaws.

Officials at the multi-board meeting said that the Rural Land Foundation (RLF) needs to provide more information about the potential and proposed development at the mall. They also pointed out that residents need to know what it will look like, what the footprint will be, and the details of parking and traffic studies. Susan Hall Mygatt suggested that several residents in town be invited to sit on the HCAWG in an advisory capacity. Rather than commenting on the draft language from “outside” the Planning Board, they could actually help draft bylaws and develop models. This would increase participation in the process and would likely lead to increased public support for the proposed bylaws.

Voting tabulation at Town Meeting

With over 800 people attending the December 2 Special Town Meeting, the Select Board discussed the difficulty of tabulating ballots on the spot. As many residents who stayed for the entire eight-hour meeting noted, about three of those hours were spent wandering around while the votes were tabulated. While it was fun to get coffee and snacks from the Girl Scouts and eat sandwiches brought from home sitting in the hallways of the sparkling new school, it would be better if the time were spent actually discussing the issues at hand. More people could have participated if the meeting were shorter. Select Jim Hutchinson bravely faced the topic head on and said he would look into it. Good luck, Jim!

The multi-board meeting closed with 41 people attending on line and several in the Donaldson Room. Many Lincoln residents will be paying close attention to the Planning Board meetings where the drafts of bylaws will be discussed. Planning Board meeting dates, agendas, and minutes can be found here.

“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: To include or not to include the mall?

By Laurie Gray

To include the mall or not to include the mall — that is the HCA question.

I am a supporter of Option E, and I want development at the mall. What I would like for the mall is for some number of housing units to go up in the range of 150 units while maintaining the viability of Donelan’s. I would also want to keep a commuter rail lot. For environmental reasons, I want to support people who already use the commuter rail. Keeping a grocery store in the mall also supports the environmental mission of the town — to have more people walk rather than drive to amenities. I would also like to see a large percentage of these units at the mall be affordable. If the mall is rezoned through the HCA, we could only ask developers for 10% of the units to be affordable.

What I have heard is developers do not want to go through Town Meeting. That is the line that has been repeated. I agree that developers would rather not have to negotiate with the town. They would not get as much of what they want, which is profit. People have said that developers won’t go through town meeting, and therefore the only way to get housing at the mall is to push it through the HCA. I am skeptical of this.

First of all, before August, the mall was not even allowed to be included in the HCA because mixed use land (residential + commercial) was not allowed in the proposals. There were other plans to develop the mall outside the HCA. Other projects like Oriole Landing have gone through town meeting successfully. It may take time but I believe it is worth it to have the town center that is best for our residents, current and future. Once we give up our rights to developers, it is gone. This is our prime real estate.

I know there has been chatter about special interests and secrecy in the Option E group. I’m not sure exactly what the special interest would be in this case. However, is it possible there is a special interest tricking people into thinking the best way to get housing at the mall is through the HCA? I am worried that we are being taken advantage of. That our moral principles, which are strong and great, could blind us to what could really be going on. Good, smart people can be misled.

I plan to vote for Option E on Saturday. I would also support slowing down the process. Including the mall in our HCA proposal is a new concept, only introduced around September. Could the town get more information about the plans for the mall before including it in the HCA? I want to trust but verify, because this decision is too important.

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