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My Turn: Lincoln, the HCA, and what lies ahead

By Barbara Peskin

This morning, I walked my dog at Harrington (a.k.a. Stonybrook) and saw an “E is Exclusionary” yard sign in the parking lot. I support Option E over C, not to be exclusionary, but because while it allows for significant HCA development in the Lincoln Station area, Option E doesn’t earmark all 39 parcels.

HCA developments will not create communities like the Lincoln Woods apartments; instead, construction will be three- and four-story high-end condo buildings. Option E also keeps wildlife and habitat around Codman Farm and gardens and along Codman Road less vulnerable. The map here compares the Option C and E parcel plans.

(Click image to enlarge)

I compiled the parcel list and map at right to show which parcels are in Option E that are also in Option C. 2 Lewis St. was recently added to Option E. Once an HCA bylaw passes, development on HCA parcels can happen quickly, with only Planning Board site plan review.

Because Option C puts all 39 parcels into play for quick process development, a scenario like this could result:

  • January 2, 2025 — Developer 1 begins construction of a 20-unit, three-story condo building at 152-154 Lincoln Rd. February 1, 2025. Developer 2 begins construction of a 30-unit condo building at 146/148 Lincoln Road.
  • February 1, 2025 — Concurrently, Developer 3 begins construction of a 40-unit three-story condo building at 90 Codman Rd. and 26 units at 78 Codman Rd. When, how, and at what pace each of the 9 Codman Rd. parcels would be developed is unknown. HCA rezones for future development without a specific proposal in hand. We rezone any named HCA parcel for future by right development at any time. You can imagine the concern that has been expressed by some Codman Road residents who were not contacted prior to Option C and do not support the rezoning of their single home district. Some of us who often walk or bike ride Codman Road and cherish its habitat are concerned about the clear-cutting and impact on wildlife as well.
  • March 1, 2025 — Developer 4 starts building at the mall and Doherty’s. They buy all six village center 25-units-per-acre parcels to build 170 units with multiple condo buildings plus some retail. They call the condo buildings next to Codman Farm and garden “Lincoln Gardens.”
  • May 1, 2025 — Developer 5 closes a Codman/Lincoln/Lewis corner deal to purchase seven parcels: 72 and 74 Codman Rd., 168 Lincoln Rd., and four parcels on Lewis Street to build a 75-unit development on seven acres.

So far, in this scenario, 19 parcels would be redeveloped with three- to four-story condos and over 330 units, and we still have 20 more parcels to go. With Option C, we could have 19, 28 or even 39 different developers and projects all under construction at the same time.

Compare this to Option E, which has 14 parcels in the Lincoln Station area. The Select Board has said that if Option E is our choice on December 2, a parallel proposal to develop the mall will also be on the March Town Meeting warrant.

So Option E will result in significant redevelopment, yet leaves some of the other 25 Lincoln Station area parcels available for affordable housing development done at a pace we can anticipate and plan. The color coded map above shows the overlap of Option E with Option C.

Additional thoughts
  • The state wants to know a town’s HCA districts by December 31, 2024.
  • The Lincoln Select Board has decided that the town should vote on Lincoln’s HCA final solution at the March 2024 Town Meeting.
  • The Select Board/HCAWG’s Options C and Ds include a village district (Doherty’s, mall, and four town-owned parcels) that would mix commercial with residential use. Since “mixed-use” isn’t strictly housing, and HCA is about housing, the state asks to review any “mixed-use” potential HCA district three months ahead of time.
  • The three-month lead time specifically for mixed-use districts, along with Lincoln’s self-imposed March 2024 deadline instead of the state imposed December 2024 deadline, is what is pushing our option preliminary vote to the December 2, 2023 meeting.
  • Option E does not include a mixed-use district and so does not require this additional lead time. If Option E is the choice of the town, we do not have to rush the decision.
  • There is open-source software to model solutions. Lincoln Residents for Alternative Housing has modeled over 15 solutions, including Option E now on the December 2 slate of options.
  • Our existing Lincoln zoned multifamily housing like Battle Road Farm and Lincoln Woods apartments have far more affordable housing than HCA guidelines require of developers.

Barbara Peskin is a member of Lincoln Residents for Alternative Housing.

“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 about equity for seniors?

By David Levington

The interminable meetings of the CCBC (Community Center Building Committee) have been disheartening. I had expected discussions of how to design a vibrant new center for the town’s seniors, but instead all I heard was talk about how to save money.

Residents seem preoccupied with the $93 million spent on our new schools and don’t want to add to our tax bills. They seem to forget that we are just continuing a process that began in 2010, when a study group concluded that Bemis Hall and the Hartwell Pods were inefficient. Thirteen years later after several interim reports, they are still questioning the need for something new, and decision time for a community center is here.

The warrant for the December 2 Special Town Meeting asks us to choose between three community center options. The option we choose will be further developed and put forward for final approval at the March 2024 Town Meeting and a ballot-box funding vote. If all that goes through, we should have a new community center in a few years.

But which option?

One of the options is totally unacceptable; its only benefit is that it saves money. It calls for the renovation of one of the old pods, and has LEAP (the after-school program for kids) remain in another unimproved pod.

The other two options each provide for a new community center and a facility for LEAP. The 100% option, expected to cost $24 million, offers a new building on one level with enough space for both LEAP and a gracious community center. The 75% option costs $19 million, leaves LEAP in a renovated pod, and provides “just enough” space for the Council on Aging & Human Services to continue its present programs.

Is that what we want, after a dozen years of planning? A new building (nice of course) but everything crammed into smaller spaces? The financial difference between the two options is about $5 million, which equates to about $150 per year difference in the property tax on an average home (under $100/year on a condo).

Our decision will determine what we will live with and experience for the next 20 years. I urge you to vote for the more generous plan. We seniors have always supported our schools and programs for children. We should do the equitable thing and give our seniors a beautiful new gathering place.

“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: Reflections on Lincoln’s response to the Housing Choice Act

By Barbara Slayter

Since 2021, when Gov. Baker signed the Housing Choice Act (HCA) requiring communities on transport lines connecting them to Boston to comply with zoning requirements that permit an increase of multi-family housing, I have been keeping an eye on both the proposals of the Housing Choice Act Working Group and various community responses. Recently, I have been trying to sort out the concerns and positions that have been expressed.

Keep Lincoln Green — Lincoln is being asked to rezone 42 acres. Lincoln’s total land area is 9,216 acres. Thus, the land under consideration for rezoning is 0.4 % of the total amount. Lincoln has 40% of its land in conservation. Keeping Lincoln green does not seem to me to be an issue. In fact, “a massive radical rezoning of a huge amount of Lincoln and letting the developers have at it,” as was asserted by a participant at the November 13 meeting, seems a considerable overstatement.

Overwhelming traffic — I live on Trapelo Road, an access road for Lincoln, and am very much aware of rush hour traffic which twice a day pours through Lincoln. I have also observed that at least 90% of the cars are occupied by only the driver and are moving from outside Lincoln to another destination outside Lincoln. The rest of the day traffic is light. I am persuaded that the increase of cars owned by residents in new housing around the town center will be a small part of the traffic problem Lincoln faces and that there are other ways we might deal with traffic flow concerns.

Red herrings — There are several red herrings, but one is particularly bothersome. It is the question of affordable housing. The HCA requires only 10%. We need to have more. Therefore, the argument goes, let’s delay compliance and figure out a higher percentage that the town can determine and control.

However, in my view, if we proceed now with enabling rezoning for 635 units, we shall at least be on the way to 60-plus possibilities for affordable housing, a better option than spending more time trying to figure out how to get there. I strongly support affordable housing, but I also see here the risk of allowing the “perfect” to stand in the way of the “good.”

A second red herring, in my view, is the notion that the town has no agency in the face of “the developers.” There are all sorts of regulations and checks, and I do not foresee Lincoln’s leadership simply “rolling over and playing dead.”

Timing — Timing can be a tool; timing can be a weapon; timing can be money; timing can provide opportunity; timing can “slow walk” a proposal or project into oblivion. One question about timing utterly perplexes me. People have complained that the discussion has been moving too quickly, that we need to slow down, that they are only now learning about this act and the decisions to be made.

This has been under discussion for nearly two years. Have they attended any of the several neighborhood discussions? Or the State of the Town meeting on September 8? (About 100 people only were present.) The HCAWG has provided “tons” of information and offered numerous opportunities for discussion. Do we need more time for this discussion? I don’t think so.

Worst-case scenarios — A number have been presented and most involve traffic lights, ugly multi-story buildings, and an increasingly brown environment. My personal worst-case scenario is the continuing decline of our commercial center if we do not move expeditiously to provide the context in which it can thrive. The HZAWG website offers compelling evidence for keeping the mall area within the zone for HCA compliance. 

Let’s reframe this discussion and think of some best-case scenarios in which we have several handsome three-story apartment buildings attractively landscaped, park benches, a playground, another coffee shop, and other opportunities for residents to congregate in a charming and congenial setting.

Making the decision — Somehow, we must find our way between paralyzing caution and grave risk. I firmly believe that the HCA Working Group, the Select and Planning Boards, and the Rural Land Foundation have provided a path forward to do so. I have confidence and trust in their careful investigation of the issues, their commitment to the values of the town, and their judgment. Whether or not the designated working group and various boards add newly proposed options to the roster for discussion on December 2, I hope that we shall move forward with determination to address fairly and honestly the housing crisis that exists in the greater Boston area.

And if there is any doubt in the need to do so, I recommend perusal of The Boston Foundation’s recent housing report as well as a report published two years ago by the Century Foundation on discriminatory housing policies in Massachusetts. My first two choices for December 2 with Ranked Choice Voting would be Option C and Option D-1.

“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.

Correction

In the November 8 “News Acorns,” the headline for the upcoming Pernambuco Chamber Ensemble concert gave the wrong location. It will take place in St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church. Also, the LSB Players’ production of “Curtains”runs through Saturday, Nov. 18, not Sunday. The post and calendar listings have been updated.

My Turn: How would you use a community center?

By Ellen Meyer Shorb

A friend asked me the other day, “Do you really think you will use the community center?” Absolutely, I said. Another friend leaned in to the conversation and said, “If we don’t build a community center, I may not stay in Lincoln.” The first friend said, “Tell me, how do you think you would use the center?”

Well, I said, I imagine that… since I work from home a lot and particularly when I retire, I will have a routine where I work out in the mornings at the center, in a class or on my own. After my workout, I stop by the lobby for a cup of coffee. While there, I sign up to read to second graders on Tuesday after my workout. And in my afternoon watercolor class at the center, I find myself sitting next to the second grader that I read to!

I imagine that… every Fourth of July I attend a fundraiser at the center, enjoy a barbecue and wine, see my friends, and then mosey over to the fireworks with my blanket and friends I bumped into.

I imagine that… if we’d had a center 17 years ago when we moved in during August with four kids ages 7 to 15, our realtor would have mentioned that the center has welcome ambassadors, one at Parks and Rec and one at the Council on Aging. And that I would have found out about the pool, Valley Pond, membership to the deCordova, and made my first friend through an ambassador.

I’m curious — what do you imagine? Why are you interested in a community center? 

Shorb is submitting this piece as a personal note, although she is a member of the Finance Committee and the Community Center Building Committee. You can contact her at meyershorb@gmail.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.

Corrections

The October 12 article headlined “CCBC drops one community center option and asks for another” mischaracterized the nature of one of the community center options as well as the December 2 Special Town Meeting vote. The third option now being formulated is not based on the 50% option but rather on the 75% one-story option which would be trimmed in size and cost. Also, a two-thirds majority is not required at the vote on a preferred option at the STM in December. However, that margin will be required to approve a funding request for the project in March 2024. The original article has been updated.

Correction

The October 11 article that was originally headlined “Town moves forward with affordable housing zoning option, but another may be coming” had a misleading headline. It has been corrected to read: “Town moves forward with Housing Choice zoning option, but another may be coming.” Other corrections were made to clarify the characterization of the proposed Village Center subdistrict, and to state that the idea of a December 2 nonbinding “sense of the town” vote on the options  was suggested but not confirmed.

Police log for September 30–October 7, 2023

September 30

Twin Pond Lane (3:46 a.m.) — A resident called to ask an officer check the area after their doorbell was activated. Police checked the area but were unable to locate anyone.

Concord Road (9:47 a.m.) — A resident reported their mailbox was struck.

Codman Road (5:30 p.m.) — A vehicle had stopped on the side of the roadway with their hazard lights activated. An officer checked on the occupants. They had stopped to take some pictures.

Lexington Road (5:36 p.m.) — MassDOT was notified about a deceased deer off to the side of the road on Route 2.

North Great Road (8:40 p.m.) — An officer observed a parked, unoccupied vehicle in the Paul Revere Lot.

Old Winter Street (9:05 p.m.) — SiriusXM notified dispatch of a possible stolen motor vehicle in the area of Winter Street and then Route 2. Massachusetts State Police were notified.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (9:28 p.m.) — An officer observe a vehicle pass through a red light on Route 2 east. The officer stopped the vehicle and had the operator perform a series of field tests. The operator, April Prewitt, 60, of Concord, was subsequently arrested for operating under the influence of liquor.

South Great Road (9:53 p.m.) — Police responded to South Great Road in the area of Bowles Terrace for a report of a single-vehicle crash. Weston Police eventually stopped the vehicle in their town after the vehicle had fled the scene. The operator of the vehicle, Esther Hur, 31, of New York, N.Y., was arrested and subsequently charged with operating under the influence of liquor, leaving the scene of a property damage crash, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and a marked lanes violation.

October 1

Nothing of note.

October 2

Weston Road (3:13 p.m.) — A motorist called to report that their vehicle was disabled and that they were having difficulty contacting a tow company. Police responded and assisted the motorist.

Sandy Pond Road (3:58 p.m.) — The Fire Department investigated an odor of natural gas in the area of 51 Sandy Pond Road. National Grid was notified.

Twin Pond Lane (4:44 p.m.) — A caller inquired about a suspicious message that was left on their voicemail service.

Ryan Estate (5:33 p.m.) — A caller inquired about a past incident.

Weston Road (5:57 p.m.) — Police assisted a stranded motorist while their vehicle was being towed from the roadway.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (6:27 p.m.) — MassDOT was contacted to retrieve a deceased deer on the side of the roadway.

Hillside Road (11:35 p.m.) — Lincoln Police assisted the Salem, N.H. police with a follow-up investigation.

October 3

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (7:27 a.m.) — A two-vehicle crash was reported. Massachusetts State Police responded and booked the crash.

Codman Road (3:50 p.m.) — Police responded for a truck that had lost a ladder. Police found the item and removed it from the roadway.

Main Street, Wayland (4:03 p.m.) — The Lincoln Fire Department responded to multi-alarm fire in Wayland. Click here for details.

MBTA station (4:24 p.m.) — A lost wedding band was discovered at the train station and turned in to the police.

Kettle Hole Drive (5:47 p.m.) — An individual reported that a dog had charged at them while walking on Kettle Hole Drive but did not make contact with them. Animal Control was notified.

October 4

South Great Road (1:22 a.m.) — Motorists reported that the railroad gates on South Great Road, Old Sudbury Road, and Tower Road were stuck in the “down” position. Keolis was notified and stated that the gates would remain down for approximately 10 minutes while service was being done to another section of track. Officers remained on scene for the duration.

Old Cambridge Turnpike (5:54 p.m.) — Police responded to a residence for a landlord/tenant dispute.

North Great Road (6:03 p.m.) — A Minuteman National Park Ranger requested assistance with a disabled motor vehicle on the side of Route 2A.

Old County Road (6:46 p.m.) — A motorist reported that they moved an injured turtle from the roadway. Animal Control was notified.

North Great Road (7:19 p.m.) — Police responded to assist a disabled motorist.

October 5

Old Cambridge Turnpike (7:13 am.) — Police responded to the residence for a landlord/tenant dispute.

Trapelo Road (7:29 a.m.) — An individual called to report that their dog was missing. The dog was located a short time later and reunited with their owner.

Warbler Springs Road (8:21 a.m.) — A caller reported seeing a vehicle in the area several times over the past few days. Police responded but were unable to locate the vehicle. The caller was advised to contact the police should the vehicle return.

Baker Farm Road (9:28 a.m.) — An odor of natural gas was reported in the area of the Carroll School. The Fire Department and National Grid were notified.

The Commons of Lincoln (10:01 a.m.) — A lost item was turned into the Police Department.

Giles Road (10:19 a.m.) — A representative investigating a gas odor reported that the gas will dissipate shortly.

South Great Road (10:52 a.m.) — A motorist reported the railroad gates were malfunctioning earlier in the day as they passed through. Keolis was notified.

Lincoln Police Department (11:30 a.m.) — An individual reported some missing items that were either stolen from their vehicle in another town or had fallen into the roadway.

South Great Road (2:04 p.m.) — An additional report of the railroad gates malfunctioning on South Great Road was reported, similar to the previous. Keolis was notified.

October 6

MBTA station (11:43 am.) — A parking ticket was issued to an illegally parked motor vehicle in the commuter lot.

Birchwood Lane (1:14 p.m.) — An officer responded to a residence for a possible larceny.

Old Sudbury Road (5:15 p.m.) — Officers responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash and discovered a vehicle had crashed into a utility pole. The operator, who was not injured, was cited for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation. The vehicle was towed from the scene.

Oxbow Road (6:41 p.m.) — Police received a report of a single-vehicle crash involving a deer. Upon arrival, police were unable to locate the vehicle. Several attempts were made to contact the reporting party but were not successful.

Walden Street, Concord (7:31 p.m.) — Lincoln Police assisted Concord Police with an ongoing incident.

South Great Road (8:1 p.m.) — Lincoln Police assisted Concord Police with an ongoing incident.

Conant Road (9:30 p.m.) —Lincoln Police assisted Lowell Police with an ongoing incident.

October 7

Pierce House (3:46 a.m.) — A parked, unoccupied vehicle was observed in the Pierce House parking lot.

South Great Road (3:04 p.m.) — A bicyclist required medical attention after a non-collision-related fall. The cyclist was transported to the hospital.

Bedford Lane (3:44 p.m.) — A caller reported possibly being the victim of fraud.

What’s your opinion about the community center?

This is the first in a periodic series of informal, nonscientific “Lincoln Thinking” polls of Lincoln residents on important issues. Note: you do not have to be a Lincoln Squirrel subscriber to participate; the poll will live in the right sidebar of the Squirrel website, which is available to all.

Our first poll is about the proposed community center, which has been the subject of much discussion on LincolnTalk and at various public meetings. Here’s the latest:

You can find all the articles and opinion pieces published by the Squirrel on this topic here.

Once you’re clear on the options that will be presented at the Special Town Meeting on December 2, take the poll, which is below and ALSO on the top right-hand side of this website where it says “Lincoln Thinking: A Poll” in red, under the search box. You can see results right away. Note: the poll will also ask if you were able to attend the State of the Town meeting. You can give general feedback on the meeting here, whether or not you attended. This iteration of the poll will stay open until Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 5 p.m., though we may run the poll again before December 2.

[yop_poll id=”1″]