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Uncategorized

My Turn: Get the full picture on Farrington/Panetta proposal

May 27, 2025

(Editor’s note: This letter concerns the Farrington/Panetta proposal — for more information, see “Corrections and more information on Farrington/Panetta proposal” and this RLF slide deck.)

By Page Road residents (see below)

A Special Town Meeting will be held on June 25, where voters will decide whether to rezone privately owned land into the North Lincoln Overlay District — a move that would allow the Nature Link Project to bypass Lincoln’s long-standing zoning laws and build 20 homes on just six acres, with significant impact to our conservation land and our neighbors.

We believe every Lincoln resident deserves the full picture before casting a vote. Here’s what you need to know:

1. No public input in calling the meeting

Normally, calling a Special Town Meeting requires 200 resident signatures. While the Select Board has discretion to also call a town meeting, in this case, they decided to call a meeting on behalf of a private organization, the RLF, without notifying a single abutter or resident in the area. After the meeting was already scheduled, communication to the neighborhood has been minimal and misleading:

  • Only some Page Road residents received a vague flyer.
  • That flyer promoted a “neighborhood meeting” but did not disclose the project’s full scope.
  • Many residents only learned about the 20-house development at the April 30 meeting—more than two weeks after it was approved by the Selects and less than two months before the vote.

If the project is truly good for Lincoln, why secrecy?

2. The developer: Civico and the profits at stake

This meeting mainly exists to enable Civico Development to bypass zoning laws. They plan to:

  • Build 17 new homes and rebuild 3 existing homes—20 in total—on a site that under current zoning would allow only 3.
  • Avoid Lincoln’s zonings rule and increase density drastically.

Estimated revenue (based on comparable sales in nearby towns):

  • 14 homes x ~$1.2M = $16.8M
  • 3 affordable homes x $0.4 = $1.2M
    3 larger homes (4,000–4,500 sq ft) x ~$2.6M = $7.8M
  • Total: ~$25.8M

Land cost to Civico? Just $3.3M — roughly 13% of project value, far below the 20–33% range typical in suburban development.

Normally, developers must dedicate part of their purchased land for septic systems, reducing the number of houses they can build. With this deal, Civico avoids this entirely by using Farrington’s land for the septic system, letting them maximize housing density (and profits) without sacrificing a single square foot. Why should Lincoln enable this private windfall?

3. No-bid development: why Civico again?

This isn’t the first time Civico has been granted a no-bid, developer-friendly deal in Lincoln:

  • Oriole Landing, the Mall redevelopment, and now Nature Link have all followed this pattern.
  • No competitive process was offered, despite millions in potential profits.

Civico receives:

  • Zoning exceptions
  • Public access to land for septic infrastructure
  • Publicly funded trails which increase housing value
  • Below-market land prices

In return, Civico contributes very little. If this project benefits the town, why not open it to other developers?

4. Conservation Deal Tied to Development — Why?

The Nature Link project is being tied to a conservation agreement with the Farrington property. But the funding for conservation already existsfrom:

  • The City of Cambridge
  • Private fundraising
  • The Town of Lincoln

So why bind it to housing? Because:

  • Civico can then use land paid for by the town for septic systems and access roads, saving the developer money and increasing housing density.
  • This means public conservation land is subsidizing private development, at no cost to Civico.

Farrington’s land was meant for preservation, not as infrastructure for a private developer. This sets a troubling precedent.

5. The “$3M Gap” Myth

RLF argues that if Civico doesn’t build these homes, the $3M from the Panetta land deal won’t materialize, and the conservation effort will collapse. But here’s the truth:

  • The “gap” exists only because RLF linked two unrelated land transactions.
  • Panetta land, 6 upland acres with 3 homes, is worth $3M+ on the open market.
  • Even without Civico, other buyers or developers could step in, without needing zoning changes.

RLF also claims Farrington needs a new access road via Panetta’s land, but improving the existing Route 2 access would cost only $250K (based on Farrington’s own prior estimates, adjusted for inflation).

A flawed deal — and a better path forward

The proposed Farrington agreement represents a flawed compromise that depends on the construction of 20 single-family homes. To enable this development, the plan would:

  • Clear-cut a forested section of Farrington’s land, and
  • Install a large-scale septic system serving all 20 homes at the property’s highest elevation.

This elevated leach field would pose a serious, long-term threat to the protected wetlands below, which form a tributary of the Cambridge watershed, an ecologically sensitive and critical area. The good news: these 20 homes do not need to be built. Existing funding is already sufficient to compensate Farrington for placing a conservation restriction on their land. The sole justification for moving forward with the Panetta purchase and related development is to provide Farrington with improved access to Route 2. But there is a smarter, lower-impact alternative.

According to a study commissioned by Farrington—and adjusted for construction cost inflation—upgrading Farrington’s existing access point to Route 2 would cost approximately $250,000. This would provide significantly better access than Page Road and eliminate the need for environmentally damaging housing construction. If Cambridge and Lincoln each contributed $1 million—a modest increase over current commitments—they would more than cover this access improvement and secure the conservation deal without new development.

This is a rare opportunity to do what’s right:

  • Conserve valuable open space
  • Protect the watershed
  • Avoid irreversible ecological damage

And yet, the Rural Land Foundation (RLF) has returned to its familiar playbook: fear-based messaging. “If we don’t act now,” they warn, “Farrington will be clear-cut.” But these alarmist tactics have grown stale.

Just last year, in the lead-up to the Housing Choice Act vote, the RLF publicly stated that Civico would never return to Town Meeting seeking project approval. Yet here we are, only a year later, facing that very scenario.

They also claimed that unit density at the Mall project couldn’t be reduced—until they themselves introduced a late amendment at Town Meeting, before any resident had a chance to speak.

It’s time for accountability

We can — and must — pursue a conservation strategy that respects both the environment and the community’s values. The current proposal fails on both counts. We urge residents to demand transparency, challenge false choices, and support a solution that protects Lincoln’s future — without sacrificing its integrity.

Even if you’re not an abutter, this precedent affects your neighborhood too. If zoning laws can be bypassed quietly once, what’s to stop it from happening again? Your voice matters. Attend the Special Town Meeting on June 25. Demand transparency, fairness, and accountability from our town leaders. Ask questions. Spread the word. Vote informed.

Klaus and Iwona Dobler, 103 Page Rd.
John and Cindy Li, 96 Page R.
Dr. Jeff Sutherland and the Reverend Arline Sutherland, 100 Page Rd.

(Editor’s note: The Rural Land Foundation plans to submit a response in the next few days.)


“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.

Category: land use, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Legal notice: Conservation Commission public hearing (18 Todd Pond)

May 20, 2025

The Lincoln Conservation Commission (LCC) will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 7:30pm in accordance with the Mass. Wetlands Protection Act and the Town of Lincoln Wetlands Protection Bylaw. This is in response to the duly filed Notice of Intent by Caroline Marotta and Kimberly Mooney for construction of house additions and decks within the 100-ft Buffer Zone at 18 Todd Pond Road (Parcel 162-15-0). Information on how to log onto the virtual public meeting will be included in the LCC Agenda posted on the town’s website at least 48 hours prior to the hearing. More information can be reviewed here.

Note that legal notices often must be posted twice by law. For previous legal notices and details on how to submit a legal notice to the Lincoln Squirrel, click here.

Category: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Legal notice: Conservation Commission public hearing (51 Sandy Pond)

May 20, 2025

The Lincoln Conservation Commission (LCC) will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 7:05PM in accordance with the MA Wetlands Protection Act and the Town of Lincoln Wetlands Protection Bylaw. This is in response to the duly filed Request for Determination of Applicability by Nancy Fincke for landscape improvements at the Lincoln Nursery School within the 100-ft Buffer Zone at 51 Sandy Pond Road (Parcels 135-2-0 and 135-3-0). Information on how to log onto the virtual public meeting will be included in the LCC Agenda posted on the town’s website at least 48 hours prior to the hearing. More information can be reviewed here.

Note that legal notices often must be posted twice by law. For previous legal notices and details on how to submit a legal notice to the Lincoln Squirrel, click here.

Category: legal notices, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Addendum

April 30, 2025

In an April 29 News Acorn item about the Lincoln Co-ed Softball League opening day, the time was omitted, as was a link to the website for more information. The full item is below, and the original post has been updated.

The Lincoln Co-ed Slow-pitch Softball League will hold an Opening Day event on Sunday, May 4 at 5:00pm at Codman Field with a casual pick-up game and a home run derby as well as contests for kids. All skill levels and awkward batting stances welcome. Equipment provided, including left-handed bats. To learn more and register for the league, click here. 

Category: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Read the latest issue of the Lincoln Review!

April 28, 2025

The Spring 2025 issue of the Lincoln Review is packed with artwork, poetry, and essays by Lincolnites. Note: this issue is free for everyone until Friday, May 2 — after that, you’ll need a Lincoln Squirrel subscription to access it. Email lincolnmareview@gmail.com if you’d like a paper copy. If there’s enough demand, we can have a batch printed up (each copy will be about $10).

The submission deadline for the next issue is August 1, so get your warm-weather creative juices flowing! Click here for information on submitting work.

Category: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Correction

April 27, 2025

An incorrect version of the obituary for Jean Loud Mallary was published on April 24. The correct version is now on the Lincoln Squirrel website.

Category: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Lincoln marks 250th anniversary of “shot heard ’round the world”

April 22, 2025

Lincoln residents were out in force as both spectators and participants during the Patriots’ Day weekend celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War. Activities in town included the alarm and muster reenactment on Sunday, April 20 and the dawn tribute and march to Concord on Monday, in addition to the reenactments and parade in Lexington and Concord on Saturday.

There were no major injuries or arrests over the weekend, though several reenactors wearing heavy wool uniforms on Saturday were treated for heat-related illnesses when temperatures reached 80 degrees, and two were taken to the hospital, Lincoln Fire Chief Brian Young reported. They subsequently received an additional eight cases of water. The only minor disturbance came when an unauthorized man from out of state dressed in redcoat garb attempted to join the reenactment and was asked to leave, Police Chief Sean Kennedy said.

Here is a selection of photos in approximate chronological order — a big thank-you to the many residents who sent them. If any of the captions are in error, please email lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com.

250-shorb1
250-holden2
250-BG2
250-holden1
250-shorb2
250-Hafner
250-Leclaire
250-Diana-Smith
250-VanderMeulen
250-tsmith
250-buendia
250-Wear
250-glass-healey
250-glass2
250-BG4
250-BG5
250-BG6
250glass-dratch
250-adams1
250-Havlak2
250glass-firing
250glass-fifes
250-havlak1
250-glass-mman

Category: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Four-legged furry visitors

April 21, 2025

Lincoln yards were visited by some wildlife on April, the night there was a dusting of snow, and thanks to motion-detecting outdoor cameras, we have them on tape (or on pixels), and residents shared them on LincolnTalk. Click an image to play the video.

Mollye Lockwood’s camera caught this curious black bear, complete with sound effects.

Most likely the same bear…

 

“I caught this guy on the trail cam around 6:30 this morning. Super cute. Hide ya chickens,” John Nolan wrote. (NOTE: After you hit the Play button, move your cursor arrow out of the frame to get a clear view.)

Another glimpse of the feline from Lockwood’s camera.

…And on April 15, “our bobcat returned.” Nolan wrote. “Judging by the tail wag, she seems happy.”

Once again, we are put in mind of the humorous Onion “news” video about a similar occurrence (note: language rated R.)

Category: nature, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Correction

April 6, 2025

An earlier link to the reenactment of the 1775 debate at the March 29, 2025 Town Meeting had an incorrect video link. The vide can be found here.

Category: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Correction

April 3, 2025

Codman Community Farms has changed the date of Club Codman from May 10, as originally listed in the April 2 edition of News Acorns, to May 31. The News Acorn and calendar listing have been updated.

Category: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

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  • Legal notice: HDC public hearing (5 Hawk Hill) May 29, 2025
  • Further car breaks-in reported in Lincoln and several other towns May 29, 2025
  • Legal notice: Select Board public hearing (Cellco) May 29, 2025
  • Legal notice: Planning Board public hearing (Farrington/Panetta) May 29, 2025
  • My Turn: An abutter in support of Nature Link project May 29, 2025

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