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

Service on May 1 for William B. Stason, 1931–2026

William Boaz Stason

On March 24, 2026, William Boaz Stason of Lincoln, Mass., died peacefully at home at the age of 94.

Bill was a force of nature, guided by a strong moral compass and a lifelong commitment to community, service and medicine. In his seventies, he biked up Mount Washington; in his eighties, he traveled to Nepal on a medical mission; and in his nineties, he continued to work out regularly and tend his Codman community garden plot. Bill was active and held several leadership positions in the town of Lincoln including with the First Parish Church, Codman Community Farms, and the Lincoln Minute Men.

Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Mich., he was the son of Edwin Blythe Stason and Adeline Boaz Stason, and was predeceased by his brother, E. Blythe Stason, Jr. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Michigan in 1953, served three years in the United States Navy, and earned his medical degree cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1960. He completed his cardiology training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Columbia University and earned a degree in public health from Harvard’s School of Public Health.

Bill was a devoted husband and father who loved the outdoors and shared many adventures with his family. He is survived by Susan, his wife of 57 years; his children, William, Thomas, Amanda, and Suzannah, and their partners; and his grandchildren, Zalen, Liam, Josie, Journey, and Everly.

A memorial service will be held at the First Parish Church (FPL) in Lincoln on Friday, May 1, 2026 at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made on his behalf to FPL, 14 Bedford Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 or Codman Community Farms, 58 Codman Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Arrangements under the care of Concord Funeral Home, which provided this obituary. Click here to sign his online guest book.

Town Meeting features two different takes on ‘bright light’

Former Selectman Gary Taylor reads the Bright Light Award citation to Sarah Cannon Holden (right) as fellow former Selectman Sara Mattes (center) and current Select Board member Jennifer Glass (left) look on. (Click image to enlarge)

Lincoln residents gathered on March 28 for an Annual Town Meeting that included both a reflection on decades of civic service and a forward-looking debate on how to preserve the town’s character in a changing world. 

Bright Light Award

The highlight of the morning was the presentation of the Bright Light Award to Town Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden, who was presiding over her final Town Meeting after 15 years in the role. Select Board member Jennifer Glass delivered an emotional tribute, noting Holden’s 36 years of elected and appointed service that included stints on the Finance Committee, School Committee, and Select Board. Before the award was presented, a slide show displayed some of Holden’s Lincoln history as well as short video tributes to “Rahrah” from her grandchildren and others.

Holden, who is an attorney and professional mediator, “mentored countless fellow volunteers and taught the next generation to find their voice and positively impact the community,” Glass said. Quoting Holden about a contentious meeting in the past, she added, “It was fun, it was inspiring, it was messy at times, it was democracy.”

In her 36-year career as a Lincoln volunteer, “I learned about different perspectives on issues and human resistance to change,” Holden said. “The greatest gift is the unique opportunity when serving as moderator and on other boards is to learn from people” of all types and from everywhere in town, she said. “It is what we celebrate this year [America’s 250th anniversary], it is what we must protect vigilantly… [our duty is] to be informed, to volunteer, to be at Town Meeting, and to vote.”

Holden’s two former Selectmen, Sara Mattes and Gary Taylor, helped present the award, with Mattes (who recently published an appreciation of Holden in the Lincoln Squirrel and on LincolnTalk) noting that the trio were known then as “Sara, Sarah, and Not-Sarah.”  Holden received a standing ovation and a citation from the President of the Massachusetts Senate for her service.

Article 32 cast a look farther back in Lincoln history in asking for a town vote on the same question that was put before voters in 1776: whether or not to support the forthcoming Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress. Two Lincoln historians, Rick Wiggin and Don Hafner, read speeches that were given in town on May 20, 1776 for and against declaring independence.

“Imagine the choice the colonists faced: king or no king,” Holden said before Wiggin presented the pro-independence argument with some lines that carried new relevance in 2026.

“America today is at a crossroad” in deciding whether “a king who is greatest enemy of this country shall continue to tell us, ‘there shall be no laws but such as I like’,” Wiggin said. Ironically, Lincoln was one of only two towns in Massachusetts that voted against the measure in 1776.

Modernizing Town Meeting

Kenny Mitchell, chair of the Town Meeting Study Committee, presented the group’s report with recommendations on how to improve the efficiency and accessibility of the centuries-old tradition. Kenny Mitchell noted that while the current process works well for typical meetings, “high-interest items” can double or triple attendance, straining the system.

The committee outlined five key themes for improvement:

  • Preserving traditions
  • Reducing meeting length
  • Ensuring fair and balanced motions
  • Improving access and voting technology
  • Reducing confusion and discomfort

Several of the recommendations have or will soon implemented, such as clickers for instant vote-counting, scheduling high-interest items first, and a two-minute time limits for comments from the floor with a countdown clock shown on screen. Other ideas that were popular among earlier survey respondents but would require town bylaw amendments are scheduling specific voting times for high-interest issues and remote voting, which would also require approval from the state legislature. Lincoln officials will monitor the progress of a home rule petition by Wayland that asks the legislature to allow this, “but I think this is a ways off,” Mitchell said.

The clickers, which officially debuted a year ago, were a hit. In a brief post-meeting poll (also done by clicker), 85% of participants rated the three-hour meeting length as “just right.”

Budget and capital projects

Finance Committee Chair Paul Blanchfield presented a $52.5 million budget for FY27 (pages 43-48 in the Financial Section & Warrant) representing a 1.3% decrease from this year. The budget includes the use of $2.3 million in excess reserves to provide tax relief, resulting in a flat tax bill for the median household. Lincoln’s average tax bill has grown by about 5% in recent years, which is higher than the inflation rate but somewhat lower than the increases in neighboring towns, he said.

Key capital approvals included:

  • $1.28 million for Community Preservation Act projects (pages 3-7 in the list of motions)
  • $822,916 in Capital Planning Committee projects plus $1.05 million for a new fire engine to replace a 1999 model (pages 8-12 in the list of motions)
  • $457,350 for the Water Department, including the third year of a smart meter rollout, a generator for the Tower Road well, and building repairs.

As expected, votes to fund the library HVAC project were passed over after independent energy advisors found that previous tax credit assumptions were “overly optimistic” by roughly $500,000. An environmentally friendly ground-source heat pump system was expected to cost the town about $2.5 million after rebates and incentives, which will still be available alter this year, Blanchfield said. Meanwhile, the town is getting a second round of estimates for both heat pump and conventional boiler options

“It does not delay the need for replacement, but allows us to make a better-informed decision,” he said. A refined funding plan is expected for a Special Town Meeting in the fall.

Dark Skies

The most robust debate centered on Article 35, an amendment to the town’s “dark skies” zoning bylaw. Sherry Haydock of the Planing Board’s Dark Skies subcommittee argued that the changes are essential to minimize the effects of light pollution on birds, fireflies and other wildlife, particularly harms to circadian rhythms and bird migration, which mostly happens at night, she said. The Planning Board voted last week 3-1 to endorse the amendment.

The new regulations will only apply to properties with new construction, substantial renovations, or change of use, as well as any newly installed fixtures on existing buildings. They require:

  • Shielding to direct all light toward the ground
  • A maximum light color temperature of 2700K (down from the current 3000K)
  • Limits on brightness (900 lumens)
  • New rules on hours of operation for lighting not associated with active use

There is a waiver application process, Haydock said in response to a question from resident Karen Seo, who keeps sheep and uses nighttime lighting to keep away coyotes. Resident Andrew Pang also said the new rules were “overly burdensome” because fixtures that comply with Lincoln’s new rules (some of which are more stringent than guidelines from DarkSky) were difficult to find in the course of a recent renovation at his home.

“The amount of time and energy that we spent was extraordinary and onerous,” Pang said, adding that “the market right now does not support” easy identification of Lincoln-compliant fixtures. However, resident Don Halsted, who also did a recent renovation, urged people to use Google Gemini in the search. “Have patience, use AI, and get fixtures with screw-in lightbulbs,” he said.

Another thorny issue is Christmas lights. “There are people who like to celebrate holidays for an extended period of time,” resident Jennifer Morris remarked to knowing laughter from the audience.

“Would one of the committee members like to talk to my neighbor so as not to cause discord? I hope my neighbor isn’t here today,” quipped another resident.

The Planning Board sought legal advice about whether or how to limit holiday lights or specify the length of time they can be displayed, but these issues could be construed as limiting religious expression, “and town counsel said, ‘Don’t touch it, it’s a hot potato’,” board member Susan Hall Mygatt said.

Resident Diana Beaudoin urged passage of the “deeply important” amendment. “I think this bylaw, more than anything I’ve seen in my 35 years in Lincoln, expresses the real values of Lincoln and why so many people choose to move here,” she said. The article passed with a 195-48 vote, clearing the required two-thirds majority hurdle.

Voters also overwhelmingly supported a citizens’ petition to file a home rule petition to ban anticoagulant rodenticides. Residents and local veterinarians spoke passionately about the secondary poisoning of owls, hawks, and foxes that eat poisoned rodents.

Funeral and shiva on March 29 for B-J Scheff

B-J Scheff

There will be a funeral service on Sunday, March 29 at 1:00pm for Betty-Jane “B-J” (Weiss) Scheff of Lincoln, who passed away peacefully and unexpectedly in the early morning hours of March 27 at the age of 93.

B-J was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. April 23, 1932 to Nat Weiss and Mabel (Bernstein) Weiss. She attended Brooklyn Friends School, Oberlin College, Columbia University, and Boston University, earning a bachelor’s in psychology, a master’s in education, and a doctorate in sociology.

B-J married Benson H. Scheff (dec. January 23, 1995) on May 31, 1953. Although Ben and B-J grew up blocks from each other in Brooklyn, they didn’t meet until college. They shared a love for the mountains and nature which they instilled in their four children, who grew up hiking and camping obsessively in the White Mountains and all around New England. For many years they owned a condo in Lincoln, NH that they used as a base for hiking, relaxing and enjoying the mountains.  

After a short stay and the birth of their first son in Virginia, the couple moved to Watertown, Mass., in 1956. There, B-J created a children’s theater program, teaching creative drama and dance. While the family grew, B-J worked as a social service researcher at McLean Hospital while continuing to pursue her master’s degree. In 1971, the family moved to Lincoln. There, B-J worked as a clinical Psychologist at Eliot Mental Health in Concord, and then as executive director of Wareham Area Counseling Service until she retired in 1994.

After retirement, B-J volunteered with the Massachusetts Red Cross on the Disaster Mental Health Team and provided services and support for families impacted by the 1999 Egyptian Air 990 crash and supervising support services around the 2005 Worcester warehouse fire. She also provided support for Red Cross volunteers returning to the Boston area after 9/11.

B-J was committed to finding affordable housing solutions. When she closed her father’s family business in New Jersey, she worked to sell the property to a developer specializing in affordable housing. She chaired the Lincoln Affordable Housing Commission and served on the board of the Lincoln Housing Trust. She was actively involved in coordinating the development of senior housing, the Commons (formerly the Groves) in Lincoln, where she eventually lived from 2013 until her death.

B-J was active for many years in the League of Women Voters, Women of Reform Judaism, and Temple Israel of Boston. She was committed to the women’s movement, political empowerment and involvement, and strengthening democracy. She felt her strong commitment to social justice stemmed from her experience as a Jew and the example set by her maternal grandparents who left a comfortable middle class life in Brooklyn in 1927 to go to Poland, Berlin, Paris, and then Lisbon to facilitate the resettlement of over 20,000 Jews away from the Nazi threat in Europe, founding the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS). True to this spirit, in the early 2000s, she welcomed a family of young Sudanese refugees into her home.

She said of herself, “I tend to flow into empty spaces filling needs as I find them. I assume there is a way to solve the problem and so I learn new skills and develop new expertise. I trust people to deal fairly and I have never been disappointed.”

B-J was predeceased by her loving husband Benson H. Scheff, her dear daughter-in-law Faye Goldberg-Scheff, her cherished grandson Nick Scheff, and her adored older sister Diane “Dinny” (Miller) Ashe. She is survived by her children, Andrew Scheff of Lincoln, James (and Michelle) Bloom-Scheff of Wayland, Brian Scheff (and Joanne Hiromura) of West Newton, and Ann-Mara (and John) Lanza of Wellesley; and also by her grandchildren Danielle Scheff, Benjamin Scheff, Sarah Scheff (and Ted Pepe), Hannah Horan, Ben-Zion Bloom-Scheff, Mikaela Scheff (and Jake Harrington), Kyle Scheff, Rebecca Scheff, Nathan Lanza, and LK Lanza; and by her six great-grandchildren Nick Jr., Bella, Quentin, Keenan, Ashtin, and Maya. She is also survived by a large extended family, including her Sudanese “grandchildren” and many loving nieces and nephews.

The funeral service on Sunday, March 29, 2026 will be at Temple Israel, 477 Longwood Ave., Boston at 1:00pm (parking on the Riverway). Interment will be at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham St., Sharon. Shiva will be at the home of Andrew Scheff (137 Trapelo Road, Lincoln) on Sunday, March 29 from 4:00–6:00pm and 7:00pm–9:00pm, and continuing at the home of Ann-Mara Lanza of Wellesley on Monday, March 30 from 5:00–8:00pm.

Remembrances may be made to the Lincoln Housing Trust, 16 Lincoln Road, Lincoln, MA 01773 or HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), PO Box 97077, Washington, DC 20090-7077.

My Turn: A “thank you” and note of gratitude for a dedicated public servant

By Sara Mattes

Sarah Cannon Holden has served our community for the past 3+ decades — as Finance Committee member, as a Selectman, and most recently, as Town Moderator.

She also has been an active advocate for civic engagement and the electoral process, campaigning for issues and candidates that work for nuclear arms control, peace and social justice.

Sarah Cannon Holden has devoted her life to service to the causes she embraces and to the community she loves.  She has always been “a giver.” All should model such commitment to service to others.

Be a giver… be like Sarah.

In 2010, when she stepped down from her role on the Board of Selectmen, her colleagues (Gary Taylor and me) crafted a slide show and script to honor her and send her off with good humor and affection.  What we created then is applicable today. (Apologies for missing slides)

Top Ten Reasons Why Sarah Cannon Holden is One of Lincoln’s Irreplaceable Assets


10. Her awesome communication skills… no one else can sit down and free hand a poster quite like Sarah!

9. Her ready smile, calm and good cheer… in spite of what mayhem some colleagues might foment.

8. Her no-nonsense Yankee thriftiness applied to all endeavors… no fancy landscaping companies for a Cannon!

7. Her willingness to look at all the facts… even if it leads to an inconvenient truth.

6. Her constancy in devotion to Lincoln traditions… especially the Fourth of July!

5. Her willingness to take the wheel and drive the agenda… again and again and again.

4. Her pride in her town and her enthusiastic embrace of the role as cheerleader.

3. Her ability to be the reliable “Decider” …yes, she will dispassionately collect the facts, make an impartial assessment, and then act for the good of the whole.

2. Her desire to encourage newcomers to lead.

And the #1 reason why Sarah Cannon Hold is one of Lincoln’s irreplaceable assets…

1. Her demonstrated abiding and selfless love of and commitment to the next generation.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnians. 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.

Two with Lincoln connections featured in new Thoreau film

“Henry David Thoreau,” a new three-part, three-hour film with two Lincoln-connected scholars among those involved, will air on Monday and Tuesday, March 30 (episodes 1 and 2) and March 31 at 9:00pm on PBS.

The film, directed by Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers and executive produced by Ken Burns and Don Henley, examines Thoreau’s life and work in the context of antebellum New England and the larger United States, as well as through the universal themes he focused on in his writings: an individual’s relationship to the state, how to live an authentic life, our connection to nature, and the impact of race on American life. Set against the political and social tensions of the mid-19th century, the film traces Thoreau’s journey from his early days in Concord, Massachusetts to his deep engagement with the moral crises of his time, including industrialization, slavery, war, and environmental degradation. Click here to see the trailer.

Larry Buell

Larry Buell of Lincoln, author of Henry David Thoreau: Thinking Disobediently, has been on the documentary’s advisory board from the start. “I was interviewed for possible footage in 2023 (most of which will end on the cutting room floor, I think), and also impaneled to critique the interim/rough version a year or so ago,” he told the Lincoln Squirrel. “I have very much enjoyed my modest but eye-opening role in contributing to the film’s evolution. I’ve participated in other documentaries in the past, but none so ambitious as this.”

Buell is the Powell M. Cabot Professor of American Literature Emeritus at Harvard University and has written and lectured worldwide on transcendentalism, American studies, and the environmental humanities.

Elise Lemire

Also featured in “Henry David Thoreau” is Elise Lemire, who grew up in Lincoln and whose mother still lives here. She was asked by the filmmakers to shoot an interview in Orchard House (Louisa May Alcott’s Concord home) as an expert on Thoreau’s writings about Concord’s slavery and post-slavery history.

Lemire is a professor of literature at SUNYs Purchase College. Her books include Black Walden: Slavery and Its Aftermath in Concord, Massachusetts. Last year, the Thoreau Society awarded her its Walter Harding Distinguished Achievement Award for her work on Thoreau.  

Other scholars, writers, and environmentalists featured in the film are Pico Ayer, Douglas Brinkley, Lois Brown, Kristen Case, Laura Dassow Walls, Clay Jenkinson, Robin Kimmerer, J. Drew Lanham, Bill McKibben, Michael Pollan, Rebecca Solnit, and more. The film is narrated by George Clooney and voices are provided by Ted Danson (Ralph Waldo Emerson), Tate Donovan (William Ellery Channing), Jeff Goldblum (Henry David Thoreau), and Meryl Streep (Lidian Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Mary Merrick Brooks, and Maria Thoreau).

The Thoreau Society in Concord is hosting several free public events with leading Thoreau scholars featured in the new documentary. The experts who helped shape the film will reflect on the themes introduced in each episode, discuss the historical context surrounding Henry David Thoreau, and share additional insights from the making of the documentary.

Legal notice: Historic District Commission (20 Lewis, 46 Bedford)

LEGAL NOTICE — HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION

The Historic District Commission will hold a virtual online public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, to consider the following applications. Anyone wishing to be heard on these matters should be present at the designated time and place.

  • Charlene Jackson/DeAnna Bisson, 20 Lewis St., M/P 162-38-0, for re-roofing of the structure known as The Pickle Factory. 
  • John and Bettina Dee, 46 Bedford Rd., M/P 134-6-0, for removal of a greenhouse and constructing a four-season living area.

Anyone wishing to be heard on these matters should be present at the designated time and place.

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.

Legal notice: ZBA (three properties)

LEGAL NOTICE — ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

The Zoning Board of the Appeals of the Town of Lincoln will hold a virtual online public hearing Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 7:00 P.M to hear and to act on the following petitions under the Zoning Bylaws:

New:

  • Nora Iluri, 7 Todd Pond Rd., M/P 162-20-0, for a variance to build a carport over existing paved spot.
  • Gabriel Almodovar and Stela Striligas, 25 Bypass Rd., M/P 110-8-0, for renewal of a special permit for an accessory apartment. 
  • Jane O’Rourke, 29 Lincoln Rd., M/P 143-4-0, for a special permit to construct a shed. 

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.

Updates on several projects

Water main replacement

Bids for phase 2 of the Lincoln Road water main replacement project were opened earlier this month and the contract was awarded to N. Granese & Sons, Inc, with a low bid of $4.26 million. “After accounting for engineering costs and a 5% contingency, we project a remaining balance of approximately $237,000” in the project budget, DPW Superintendent Rick Nolli said.

Bedford Road drainage

Bedford Road between Five Corners and the well at the top of the hill will be closed at times for work to replace underground storm drains beginning on April 13 and finishing in June. During excavation for the phase 1 of the water main project, the town found that portions of the Bedford Road drainage system had deteriorated beyond repair. The $681,000 project (paid with state Chapter 90 funds) will replace the main drain line, side connections (laterals), catch basins, and manholes. See www.lincolnbigdig.com for updates.

A drawing of the Codman store project plans from October 2025. Click image to enlarge.

Codman Community Farms store

On March 24, the Select Board gave final approval for the project to expand and move the store at Codman Community Farms first detailed in October 2025. The $1.57 million project is being funded through a state grant and funds raised during the farm’s 50th anniversary as well as operating funds. Work is slated to begin soon and finish in November, when the large barn now housing the store will reopen for public events.

Ballfield Road

The Transportation Coalition has come up with preliminary designs for improvements To Ballfield Road for pedestrians and bicyclists as well as repaving that will start after the community center construction is complete next November. In the meantime, the group is recommending a three-week pilot closure of the “slip lane” used by drivers entering from the northeast to see if it improves safety. Working with bus drivers and the School Committee, police will monitor the area and document findings during the closure from April 27 to May 15. The project may be the topic at the March 2027 Annual Town Meeting, with work beginning that summer if all goes well.

Landfill solar

While almost all of the site work is done, the “on” switch has yet to be flipped for the landfill solar array as the town waits for Eversource to complete the interconnection from Route 2A to Mill Street. Officials now hope the array will be online by early May. 

Town Meeting 2026 preview

Here is some information and links to previous Lincoln Squirrel stories about some of the warrant articles that will be voted on at the Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, March 28. See the town web page above for the article list, warrant, and motions.

Town Meeting Study Committee (Article 3)

The TMSC will report on its recommendations for making Annual Town Meeting more efficient and transparent.

Community center update (Article 4)

Town budget and other allocations (Article 5 and others)

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional Agreement update (Article 33)

A vote to approve updates to the agreement (last updated in 1988) submitted by an inter-town group that bring the language into alignment with current state law and how the district operates today.

Dark Skies zoning bylaw amendment (Article 35)

The proposal would update Section 13 of the zoning bylaw to place more controls on the types and usage of outdoor lighting on new and substantially renovated buildings.

Request to ban on anticoagulant rodenticides (Article 26)

Planning Board votes 3–1 to endorse Dark Skies proposal

The Planning Board endorsed the proposed Dark Skies zoning amendment by a 3–1 vote on March 24, with board member Gary Taylor casting the only “nay” vote.

The proposal would tighten controls on exterior lighting for new construction and substantially renovated buildings while not affecting current structures… mostly. While all existing lighting is grandfathered, meaning residents with noncomplying lights would not be forced to replace them, one section of the amendment language (section 13.5.2a) stipulates that “installation or replacement of exterior luminaires” (fixtures) must comply with the new bylaw.

This means that while a lightbulb of an existing fixture may be replaced with a new bulb of the same type (as long as it’s not brighter or bluer than before), any new fixture on an existing home must comply with the new rules on shielding, brightness, color temperature, “light trespass” (excessive light shining onto a neighbor’s property) and hours of operation (lights must be turned off at 10:00pm in most cases, or activate only with motion detectors). 

This was the sticking point for Taylor “I’ve got serious concerns about this,” he said. “Anyone who replaces a light fixture anywhere in town [and having] to make it Dark Skies compliant raises all sorts of issues.”

Taylor also raise the issue of enforcement. “The building inspector doesn’t even work evenings so how is he going to be able to observe” an alleged violation?” he said. “That leaves it to someone ratting on their neighbor.” 

If a homeowner replaces an outside lightbulb, “you’re not even going to know it’s the wrong one unless you go over and unscrew it,” board member Susan Hall Mygatt said, adding that encouraging compliance is more a matter of “neighbors talking to neighbors” than town officials.

Dark Skies Subcommittee Co-chair Sherry Haydock noted that there’s already a process in place: residents can submit a Request for Enforcement form, but “realistically, how many people are going to rat on their neighbor if you replace a light on your doorstep?”

The Dark Skies proposal (click image to enlarge).

The aim is more to educate homeowners while concentrating enforcement efforts with the biggest offenders in terms of night lighting — large public and private buildings such as The Commons in Lincoln and the Department of Public Works, Haydock said. New multifamily housing is now permitted in some parts of town, “and if apartments come in, if we don’t pass this bylaw, they can leave their lights on all night long. As there’s more construction in town, we don’t want to see that.”

Resident Margaret Olson also objected to the proposal on two grounds. Rather than changing the zoning bylaw, the board should instead codify the rules into the site plan review process.

Secondly, sh said, “I don’t like the idea of having two classes of citizens — building vs. behavior. If 10:00 is important, it should apply to everyone… it does not feel right to me and does not feel like what Lincoln should be.”

Olson, the former chair of the Planning Board, lost her seat on the board in last year’s town election but is set to regain it next week because she is running unopposed for the seat of Craig Nicholson, who is not running for reelection.

Earlier this year, the subcommittee considered proposing a change to the town’s general bylaw rather than the zoning bylaw so the rules could be applied to existing buildings as well as new construction. But the Planning and Select Boards discouraged them from that approach, and Haydock admitted that there probably wasn’t enough voter support for such a move right now.

Approving the amendment would be “an opportunity to implement technology that makes the 10:00 [turn-off time] easy to achieve” with motion detectors and timers that won’t require future homeowners to actively turn off the lights each night,” board member Craig Nicholson said. “I don’t see it as a huge behavioral change.”

Over the course of the year, brand-new fixtures are not often installed in town, and Haydock reminded the board that existing noncompliant lightbulbs can be replaced with the same type. “This may apply to three buildings a year; this is not something that’s going to affect a lot of people,” she said.

Mygatt also disagreed with Olson’s site plan review idea since people who have already built their homes probably aren’t even aware of its stipulations. A bylaw change and the resulting efforts to spread the word means people “will be educated in a way they never will be by site plan review.”

At its March 23 meeting, the Select Board decided not to vote on whether to endorse the measure until the Planning Board acted the following night, though they scheduled a quick meeting right before the start of Town Meeting on Saturday to do so. The amendment has been endorsed by the Conservation Commission, Agricultural Commission, Historical Commission, Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, and Save Lincoln Wildlife.

Planning Board member Rob Ahlert as well as Mygatt and Nichlson voted to endorse the measure. Chair Lynn DeLisi was not at the meeting.