An article headlined “Town Meeting 2018 roundup” incorrectly stated the number of homes in the new Brown’s Wood Historic District. That number is 11. The original article has bene updated to reflect this correction.
Blue Heron Organic Farm closes
A dumpster can be seen at the Blue Heron Organic Farm in February.
Ellery Kimball of Blue Heron Organic Farm on Rte. 117 announced on LincolnTalk today that she has closed the farm.
“We are sad to see Ellery go since she has done such a super job with Blue Heron Organic Farm,” said Conservation Director Tom Gumbart. “The Conservation Commission needs to determine the property’s future use, but it will certainly stay in agricultural production. Its long history as an organic farm certainly lends itself to continuing that use for organic food production. However, no determination has yet been made since we only recently found out about Ellery’s departure.”
When asked for further details about her plans or why she closed the farm, Kimball responded via email, “Thank you for your questions but I wrote everything I’d like to share in the letter.” Her announcement is reprinted here with her permission:
Dear Town of Lincoln,
After 17 years as the farmer at Blue Heron Organic Farm on Rt. 117, I have decided it is time for me to move on to new ventures. I will always treasure my time on this land and I have loved working in my home town, and, at the same time, I am excited about moving on to new opportunities.
I started working on the Umbrello parcel of conservation land in Lincoln, Massachusetts in 1993 when I was 17 and a senior in high school. The farm was then called Down to Earth Organic Farm (established in 1992) and I happily worked as an intern on the land in the summers from 93-98. I returned to the Umbrello Field in 2001 to start Blue Heron Organic Farm after Keith, of Down to Earth, left to begin a farm in western Massachusetts.
After running Blue Heron Organic Farm for two years in 2003 I applied for official Organic Certification and, in all, the land has been farmed organically since 1992. In 2005, after raising money through fundraisers held at the farm, I hired a company to dig a well and added electricity to the farm. Thanks to these generous donations irrigation and electricity is now available to the future farmers of the Umbrello Field.
I have countless people to thank for helping me make this dream of running a small organic farm in my home town a reality. Thank you so much to the town and the Conservation Commission for their support and encouragement over the years. Thank you for believing in me and for giving me this opportunity. Many thanks to Keith for teaching me how to farm in the 90s and for encouraging me to start Blue Heron Organic Farm in 2001. Many thanks to my good friends who helped me on the farm harvesting pumpkins, picking up rocks and pounding in tomato stakes.
I wish to thank the customers who shopped at the farm stand, the organic plant sales, and at the farmers markets. There are so many people I will remember not only for their loyalty and for returning to buy vegetables, flowers and plants every year, but also for their positive words of encouragement, support and kindness. I am so glad I had the opportunity to grow vegetables and flowers for you. Thank you so much. I will miss seeing you all at the farm and at the farmers markets.
Thank you to the groups of farm camp kids who helped me on Fridays every summer, I could always count on them to put a smile on my face and they have given me hope for the future. Thank you to all the volunteers and interns who worked on the farm with me. Farming isn’t easy work, its long days in the sun and rain, with endless weeding and harvesting. I appreciate everyone who worked with me in the field growing vegetables and flowers.
Thank you to the Lincoln Farmers Market and the Davis Square Farmers Market and to all the people involved in making these markets thrive.
Thank you to all the wonderful chefs who placed orders twice a week throughout the growing season. I will miss bringing fresh vegetables to you in your kitchens, hearing about your recipes, seeing your smiles and feeling your appreciation for fresh local foods. Thank you for supporting local farmers.
Thank you to the Lincoln farmers who shared encouragement and equipment and support. And thank you to the town for encouraging farmers to continue Lincolns rich farming heritage.
And, last but not least, thank you to my family for believing in me and encouraging me to follow my dreams. Thanks to my brother for designing the farms website and for being a great sibling.
I am grateful that I have known this beautiful field in all weather and seasons for almost 25 years. Most of my adult memories were created on this land and I have learned so much by working with the soil, hoping for rain, picking up rocks, chasing deer, planting, harvesting and learning from others. I am comforted knowing this land is forever protected and will always remain an open field. Thank you to the Conservation Commission, the Rural Land Foundation, and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust for the important and incredible work you do in keeping Lincoln beautiful, wild, and green.
I am excited to move on and explore other dreams and opportunities in new locations. I am so grateful that I had this opportunity to farm these seven acres in Lincoln in my 20s and 30s.
Sincerely,
Ellery Kimball
School and campus ideas come into clearer focus
A feedback sheet handed out at Town Meeting asked residents which of these three campus configurations they preferred (click to enlarge).
Two-thirds of the 120 residents who responded to a short survey distributed at Town Meeting on March 24 said they preferred a campus layout where the school is concentrated on the north side of campus, freeing up the Smith site for another playing field or green space.
One-third of respondents preferred the current L-shaped configuration, while a single respondent chose the third option of putting the community center on the site of the older Smith wing rather than on the Hartwell side of campus.
Residents also saw the latest round of community center concepts, three of which call for replacing one or two of the pods with the new building and rearranging the parking in the Hartwell area. The fourth option, putting the community center on the west side of campus, preserves the historic Smith gym but would be the most expensive choice due to the cost of renovating all three Hartwell pods and a larger-than-needed community center in a renovated Smith wing. It would also require more parking and create more congestion on that side of campus.
The School Building Committee also presented its latest set of design ideas. Prices ranged from $49 million for Option R (repair only), to $109–$115 million for Option FPC (full project concept) with the optimal number of grade-level hubs and classrooms.
The school design that failed to garner a two-thirds majority in 2012 (click to enlarge).
The six school options and four community center options can be considered in various combinations, though if the community center is on the west side, a compact school design would have to be chosen rather than an L-shaped configuration.
Ironically, many who voted against the 2012 school proposal said they were unhappy with trading the L-shaped school for a more compact building on the north side of the ballfield—much like several of the options now under consideration.
Depending on which school and community center options are ultimately chosen, the total up-front cost for the school and community center projects range from $62 million all the way up to $122–$132 million.
“The sheer scale of these investments is, quite frankly, daunting,” said resident Adam Greenberg, adding that the costs have roughly doubled since the 2012 project was defeated, “far and away above rate of inflation.”
This chart offers a feature comparison of six school options plus cost estimates for a community center (click to enlarge).
Though the economy as a whole has seen low inflation in recent years, this is not the vase in construction, SBC Chair Chris Fasciano said, noting that building prices have been going up by 6–10 percent a year. Data presented in the warrant handbook at Town Meeting reveal that school construction costs in surrounding towns have ranged from $361 per square foot for Wayland High School in 2011, to $482 for the Field School in Weston in 2014, to $594 for the Hastings School in Lexington (completion expected in 2020). Also, unlike the 2012 proposals, the latest Lincoln estimates include costs for site work.
The Finance Committee has determined that the town can borrow up to $100 million without affecting its bond rating. State law limits the town to borrowing $97 million in addition to its current debt. Lincoln would need approval from a municipal oversight board to exceed that limit; the town’s bond advisor said “we would have a reasonable case” for exceeding the limit for a school building project but only if there was “strong consensus among the town,” said FinCom chair Jim Hutchinson.
In 2012, “a lot of people didn’t understand that $29 million from the state was not going to be available again,” said resident Maggy Pietropaolo. “The question is not whether we’re going to spend at least $50 million on a school. The question is, what do you want to get for your money?”
The SBC will hold another pair of community workshops on Tuesday, April 10 at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. in the Reed Gym, as well as an update for the Council in Aging on Friday, March 30 at 10 a.m. in Bemis Hall. There will also be a multi-board meeting on the campus projects on Monday, April 30. Meanwhile, those who did not attend Town Meeting or turn in the short campus survey may send comments via email to the SBC. A special Town Meeting to choose a school option will take place on June 9.
Town Meeting 2018 roundup
Here is a roundup of selected items from Town Meeting. You can also read stories about the Oriole Landing vote and the “Welcoming, Safe Community” resolution. Tomorrow we’ll have a story on the school and community center updates. For background, see the roundup of links to relevant Lincoln Squirrel stories on various topics, as well as the full warrant.
Town budget
Voters unanimously approved a fiscal year 2019 budget of $37.68 million. The town portion represented an increase of 3.5 percent over the current budget. Almost 11 percent of revenue ($4/1 million) in the new budget comes from free cash (money appropriated but not spent last year). Click here for a summary of the fiscal 2018 budget, valuation and taxation provided by the Assessor’s Office.
Education — The Lincoln Public Schools portion of the budget was up 2.5 percent at $11.46 million. Lincoln’s share of the Lincoln‐Sudbury Regional High School ($3.8 million) represents a 9 percent decrease from the fiscal 2018 approved budget but a 3 percent increase over the actual expenditures this year. Lincoln’s share based on enrollment at the high school is dropping from 13.5 percent to 13.0 percent.
Capital items — Sixteen purchases recommended by the Capital Planning Committee totaling $687,070 were approved. The largest single dollar amount was for the Lincoln Public Library, which asked for $305,000 for a new air conditioning system that suffered repeated failures last summer, necessitating closing the library on some hot days.
Fire engine — Town Meeting also approved spending $600,000 on a new fire engine, though this is also subject to ballot approval in the town election on March 26. The 10-year-old vehicle, the town’s primary fire engine, was found to be unsafe to drive due to chassis failure caused by road chemicals. “This corrosion accelerated greatly beyond anyone expectations,” and other towns are having similar issues, said Fire Chief Steve Carter. The Fire Department is working on a new preventative maintenance program and will have all new vehicles inspected annually by the vendor.
Debt stabilization fund — Voters approved adding $771,977 to the debt stabilization fund, bringing it to a total of $5.52 million, some of which will be used to soften the impact of upcoming bonding for a school and community center.
Community Preservation Act items — CPA spending for historic preservation, open space, recreation and housing items totaled $1.07 million. This includes $100,000 for a conservation restriction on the adjacent Boquist properties at 241 and 247 Old Concord Rd. which border Fairhaven Bay and have conservation land on either side. The arrangement includes a potential trail easement to the water as well as preservation of the Modernist house at 241 Old Concord Rd.
Historic Districts
Seventeen Modern homes have joined the Lincoln existing Historic District in various parts of town, and another 11 comprise a new Brown’s Wood Historic District on Laurel Drive. Adding one’s home to a Historic District is voluntary, but provides some measure of protection for the essential character of the exterior appearance of the house that might otherwise involve creating an expensive deed restriction. Click here to see a map and list of addresses in the districts.
Site plan review
Under the “big house” rule, properties had to undergo site plan review if the buildings on the lot (including the garage) exceeded 6,500 square feet—and the requirement was permanent, meaning any future work such as landscaping, minor additions, fire or tree damage had to come back to the Planning Board for approval. This created two classes of properties: one subject to site plan review and others not, if they were built before the law was passed in the early 2000s, even if they include more than 6,500 square feet.
“The Planning Board sees a steady stream of things that are very minor,” said board chair Margaret Olson. “This chews up immense amount of planning staff time with zero value to the town.” Voters approved a zoning bylaw change that would “sunset” the ongoing site plan review requirement after five years.
For properties that undergo site plan review, the measure removes the requirement that the public hearing be advertised in a newspaper, which adds weeks of delay (though all abutters are still notified by mail). The homeowner also does not have to have a preliminary meeting with the Planning Board before the public hearing in most cases, as “these are 100 percent duplicative,” Olson said.
Three former Planning Board members had concerns about the sunset provision. The language “is much too broad and could lead to many unintended consequences,” said Bob Domnitz. He urged the board to rework it for a vote at the special Town Meeting on June 9 because “once we open that door, we won’t be able to close it.” Nonetheless, the measure passed with only a handful of nay votes.
Plastic grocery bags
Stan Solomon argued that the measure to ban retail distribution of plastic grocery bags was “misaimed” because grocery stores take back plastic bags, and those that are discarded are burned for electricity at a trash-to-energy plant along with the rest of the trash. “There is not one piece of plastic in Lincoln that is wasted,” he said. However, Bob Schudy responded that “it’s not trash to energy, it’s trash to carbon dioxide.” Another resident said she would stop shopping at Donelan’s if the ban passed, but it did so easily. The rule does not apply to plastic bags for dry cleaning, meat, produce, or newspapers.
Plastic bottles
The Lincoln-Sudbury Environmental Club returned with last year’s proposal to ban retail sale of single-serving plastic water bottles in town, following the example of Sudbury and Concord. The Board of Selectmen were split 2-1 on endorsing the measure, with Selectman James Craig worried about the financial impact on Donelan’s.
“I consider this as a matter of intergenerational responsibility,” said Alex Chatfield. “Reducing and eliminating consumption [of plastics] is the solution, not recycling.” Another resident proposed an amendment that would change the focus of the ban from plastic bottles containing water to those for sugary drinks, but her motion was defeated and the ban passed. Residents voted to pass over an alternative ban proposed by Lincoln Kitchen co-owner Jim White that would have prohibited bringing single-use water bottles onto town property.
Community choice aggregation
Residents approved a measure proposed by the Green Energy Committee that will enable the Board of Selectmen to pursue a contract that would aggregate the electricity load of Lincoln homes and businesses. Eversource is required by law to go out to bid for electricity suppliers twice a year on fixed dates, so contracts are short and not necessarily favorable to customers. Under an aggregation program, the town (alone or with other towns) could vary the length and timing of contracts with electricity suppliers with an eye for more favorable conditions and longer-term price stability. Several towns including Lexington, Acton, and Arlington offer this option. Eversource would still transmit and bill for electricity, and individual residents can opt out of the aggregation program any time.
Gas leaks
Voters approved a citizen’s petition sponsored by Mothers Out Front aimed at persuading utilities to fix leaks of natural gas, a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Utilities pass on the cost of unaccounted-for gas to consumers, but the citizens’ petition directs the Board of Selectmen to endorse House Bill 2683/Senate Bill 1845, which would provide an economic incentive to gas providers to develop improved technologies and practices for transportation, distribution, and storage. The long-term goal of Mothers Out Front is to “ensure a swift, complete, and just transition away from fossil fuels.”
Oriole Landing approved at Town Meeting
Residents approved a zoning change and preliminary plan for the Oriole Landing mixed-income housing project, despite impassioned pleas not to subject the neighborhood to yet another major construction project that will increase traffic.
Town officials urged passage of the measure so Lincoln can avoid a much larger 40B affordable housing project. Developers can circumvent town zoning restrictions for a project of that type if less than 10 percent of the town’s housing stock is affordable according to the 2020 census, and Lincoln was projected to be about nine units short. Lincoln Woods, which has both affordable and market-rate units, has a waiting list of 60 families, according to housing consultant Pamela Gallup.
“This provides the diversity of housing that Lincoln currently lacks” for young professionals or retirees looking to downsize but stay in town, Selectman James Craig said.
Residents including Cathy O’Brien of 3 Mary’s Way objected to the development before the Planning Board earlier this month, saying it was too large and would create traffic and road safety issues. At Town Meeting, she also repeated her earlier claim that the project was being rushed through.
“Public meetings on this started in January. What has ever happened in this town of this magnitude in a matter of three months? Nothing,” O’Brien said. “This process has been steamrolled through with no commitment or thought process about the impact on the neighborhood.”
“We don’t get a chance to pick the properties. This one came up very fast, and the accelerated pace is not due to anything other than a need to react to market conditions when things become available,” Selectman Jonathan Dwyer responded.
The property was on the market for some time and the town looked into purchasing it, but the price was “well out of reach,” Craig said. Several developers inquired about putting a project on the site with anywhere from 125 to 250 units, “but we were able to turn them away,” Gallup said.
The Planning Board and Board of Selectmen endorsed the project last week with several conditions. Among them: a left-turn-only restriction out of the Oriole Landing driveway onto Mary’s Way on weekday mornings and a $25,000 contribution by Civico to the town’s Complete Streets program earmarked for a roadside path on Mary’s Way. The company will also offer a shuttle bus service for Oriole Landing residents to Alewife and South Lincoln.
Neighbors not satisfied
But neighbors on Saturday said these steps were not enough. “A no-right-turn sign without a policeman standing there every day is virtually useless,” said Andrew Cole of Sandy Pond Road, adding that a similar restriction on his road is “routinely flouted.” The promised $25,000 is also inadequate, he added.
“Who is going to fund the rest of what needs to be done? These answers need to be in writing before we change the zoning,” O’Brien said.
Other area towns including Sudbury and Wayland are grappling with looming 40B projects, but O’Brien rejected the comparison. “They’re trying to convince you through fear. We need nine units in next two years. We have brilliant people in this community who can find a solution for nine units,” she said.
But a Concord Road resident disagreed. “To think you’re going to have someone come in with nine units in the next year and a half is unrealistic,” he said. “If we miss this opportunity, a 40B [developer] can slam down anything they want. If you’re worried about the impact on schools or traffic now.”
Residents including David Levington argued that the town is unfairly isolating affordable housing in North Lincoln, which is not within walking distance to public transportation for Oriole Landing residents who might not own a car. Others expressed concern about the roadways and lack of sidewalks in the area.
“That’s life in Lincoln — we have narrow roads,” resident Sharon Antia said. She also alluded to earlier fears about the location of Lincoln Woods, then the town’s first affordable housing development. “There were major objections being that close to the train station that they might get a lot of undesirable people from Boston,” she said.
Levington moved to postpone the decision until the special Town Meeting in June, but Andrew Consigli of Civico Development said that would not be financially feasible for him. “There’s a certain amount of money we pay a month to hold the land. We don’t have the ability to do that past this time of year,” he said. “We won’t be here in June, and I mean that with all due respect.”
This possibility caused outgoing Finance Committee member Eric Harris to say he was “experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder from 2012,” when the town voted down a school project that would have been partially paid for by a $20 million state grant (the state subsequently denied repeated reapplications).
“For $29 million [the town’s share in 2012], we could have had a school. Now we’re talking about maybe $120 million. Sometimes the ‘Lincoln way’ way isn’t the best way,” Harris said..
Civico has “bent over backwards like no developer I’ve ever seen,” said resident Noah Eckhouse. “Change is tough, but Lincoln is changing, and either we change it or somebody else does. We’re going to be paying for this one way or another. We have got to vote for this.”.
After the motion to postpone the vote was soundly defeated, the standing-room-only crowd approved the measure in a voice vote by the required two-thirds majority. Civico must come back to the Planning Board within two years to obtain a special permit and site plan review.
This is the sixth overlay-district development that the town has approved since 1986. The others are Lincoln Woods, Battle Road Farm, Lincoln North, the Minuteman Inn (which was never built), Minuteman Commons, and The Commons.
Residents clash over immigration during citizen’s petition debate
The final item on the Town Meeting agenda turned out to be one of the most contentious, as discussion on a resolution declaring Lincoln to be a “welcoming, safe town” laid bare the fears of several residents about illegal immigrants. The resolution passed despite a loud chorus of “No!” from a few dozen of the hundreds in attendance.
A group headed by resident Peter Pease asked voters in a citizens’ petition to adopt a resolution declaring Lincoln to be a welcoming, safe town “which resolves to make all residents, workers, and visitors feel safe and secure regardless of immigration status” and for selectmen to support passage of the Massachusetts Safe Communities Act “or comparable legislation.” Undocumented immigrants are sometimes afraid to call the police for help because they are “terrified of being ripped out of their family and deported,” he said.
The measure does not seek any policy changes by Lincoln police, who are not permitted to check the immigration status of a person stopped for an infraction such as a traffic violation, Police Chief Kevin Kennedy told the Board of Selectmen on March 19. For those arrested for a crime or on an outstanding warrant, their fingerprints and other information are automatically sent to federal authorities. However, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled last year that local police may not detain a person who is otherwise free to go solely on the basis of a request from federal immigration authorities, Pease noted.
The resolution “is not in conflict with our practices… we have no authority to run someone through system to see if they’re a citizen or not,” Kennedy said to selectmen. The language of the resolution also specifies that it “shall be interpreted as to not violate any requirements of state or federal law.”
But several residents at Town Meeting objected to the resolution. “This creates an appearance of safe haven for criminals, drugs dealers, and terrorists,” said Stephanie Smoot, urging residents not to “tie the hands of law enforcement.”
“This is totally unnecessary. No one can deny that Lincoln is already a welcoming, safe town,” said Richard Fraiman.
Another unidentified man claimed that the measure’s backers want to “put an end to cooperation” between local and federal law enforcement in matters of undocumented immigrants. At the selectmen’s meeting, he said the resolution’s title was a misnomer, because “a lot of people feel the opposite, that it’s making the town not a safe place… there are many communities in Massachusetts where illegal aliens have been released, they’ve slipped through the cracks, not been reported and committed vicious crimes.
“The first and foremost responsibility of the selectmen is to make sure public safety is the highest priority,” the man said at the selectmen’s meeting. “What you’re doing by this blanket protection is protecting people that do not deserve protection who are actually committing crimes.”
“This resolution cannot cause or dictate inclusion. Welcome is based on whether someone merits your trust and hospitality. It’s an individual matter of the soul, mind and heart,” said Barbara Darling, adding that she was “affected by illegal immigration” when her New York apartment was damaged in the 9/11 attacks.
Maite Fay, another Lincoln resident who is herself an immigrant, said she was “offended” by the resolution. “I can attest that Lincoln is already a safe town,” she said. Her husband Adrian Fay showed a slide of desperately poor people living on trash heaps outside Buenos Aires. “These people came from unrestricted immigration… by bringing in these people without a plan, this city is bankrupt,” he said.
“Everyone here is for legal immigration… but the immigrants today are not the immigrants of the 1800s” who “built a country,” said Ron Darling. Naturalizing all 11 million illegal aliens in the U.S would come at a “huge cost,” he added.
Emotional rebuttals
The remarks prompted many other residents to push back. “This is an opportunity for Lincoln to reset its moral compass. We don’t want undocumented residents to be labeled as criminals,” said Barbara Slayter.
”Anyone in America has basic civil rights, whether they’re documented or not,” said Jessica Bethany. “This is not about encouraging undocumented immigration… it’s so people feel safe enough to report to police any crime they see. It’s just a no-brainer.”
Mark Soukup proposed an amendment to the resolution’s wording that “in 2018, when discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion and national origin continues, and is abetted by the federal government, we must reaffirm our commitment to respect each person’s dignity.”
“I have a severe problem with that language. I don’t think we’re a racist country,” he said. His amendment was voted down and he was prevented from speaking any further by Town Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden as lines of people stretched out at both microphones behind him
“Many of those who spoke have stressed such distracting, irrelevant scare stories that it convinces me that this motion really is very important,” said Larry Buell. “In the name of humanity, I urge you to vote yes.”
“I too am incredibly rattled and also embarrassed,” said Phoebe Chatfield. “A fundamentally immoral way to fix an immigration system is by throwing people out. I am horrified to hear some of the comments.”
After the 2016 election, “my son was constantly afraid the police would send us back to Nepal. I told him, ‘No, we live in Lincoln, the police are our friends,” said Rakesh Kharmacharya, his voice breaking. “I come away today shocked and baffled at sentiments that I hear expressed which I did not envision. I go away less assured of what I can tell my son.”
Shiva on Monday for Joe Sussman, 79
Joe Sussman
Shiva will be held at the Sussman home (196 Sandy Pond Rd.) on Monday, March 26 from 3–8 p.m. in remembrance of Joseph Sussman, who died on March 20 at age 78. He was a renowned transportation researcher at MIT and former head of its Department of Cvil and Environmental Engineering, as well as a trustee of the Lincoln Public Library (memorial donations may be made to the library’s Joseph and Henri-Ann Sussman Book Fund).
Holy Week and Easter at Lincoln churches
St. Anne’s
Maundy Thursday (March 29)
- Family service at 4:30 p.m. — Come to a new family-friendly interactive service. Songs and scripture will direct us through remembrance of Jesus’ demonstration of humility and service to his disciples as we ceremoniously wash one another’s feet. Then, after washing hands as well, we’ll proceed to the Last Supper.
- Holy Eucharist and foot-washing at 7 p.m.
Good Friday (March 30)
- Noon service — characterized by silence, solemnity and deep prayer, this service features singers chanting the Passion Gospel and the congregation’s veneration of the cross.
Great Vigil of Easter (Saturday, March 31)
- The service begins outside on Holy Saturday at 7 p.m. with the kindling of a new fire to represent Christ, the light of the world. A new Paschal candle is lit from the fire and the people process into the sanctuary. By candlelight, we read stories from the Bible, remember our baptism, sing out the first Alleluia and celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter.
Easter Sunday (April 1)
- Services at 8:30 and 11 a.m.
First Parish
The First Parish in Lincoln will hold a Good Friday meditation and three services in celebration of Easter Sunday plus an Easter egg hunt for children.
- A Good Friday meditation will be held Friday, March 30 at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary (4 Bedford Rd.) at 6:20 a.m. on Old Lexington Road at the top of Flint’s Field in Lincoln Center.
- Senior Minister Manish Misrha-Marzetti will preside over two Easter services at 9 and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary. Children are welcome to attend these services; there will be no religious education. Child care will be available for toddler and pre-K aged children in the lower level of the Parish House (14 Bedford Rd.).
- An Easter egg hunt will take place in the field behind the sanctuary at 10:15 a.m. Children should meet on the Stearns Room/sanctuary terrace.
Letter to the editor: Taylor urges “yes” vote on Oriole Landing
To the editor:
I write to urge Lincoln citizens to attend Town Meeting and vote for the zoning changes required for the Oriole Landing housing development.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a member of the Planning Board, which has recommended passage of the proposed zoning amendments, but this is a personal plea from me simply as a private citizen who has been deeply involved in housing matters in Lincoln. In 2000 I joined the Housing Commission and since then have had a hand in most if not all of the affordable housing units added to Lincoln’s inventory. I chaired the Affordable Housing Trust and helped draft the town’s first Housing Development Plan and our Inclusionary Zoning bylaw. When Lincoln’s affordable housing stock briefly fell below 10 percent, I assisted in a challenge at the state level that thankfully deflected a 40B application for a 30-unit development on a one-acre lot on Route 117.
My experience gives me some perspective on the merits of the Oriole Landing proposal, and on the merits, I hope it will be approved. There are many reasons why, but there are a few key points.
First, the project offers housing in a range sorely missing in Lincoln. This isn’t just the units that qualify as affordable, but also the market-rate units that open opportunities for seniors to downsize and young people to live in Lincoln.
Second, 40B development is a real threat. Without additions to our affordable housing, Lincoln will fall below the 10 percent requirement in 2020, and with our high real estate values, developing units that qualify for the Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) is very difficult. Critics of the Civico proposal have argued that we should pursue other options, but other available options have been pursued vigorously without success. The housing groups in Lincoln have not been sitting idly by while the clock ticks.
Finally, collaborative developers like Civico are rare. Other developers that checked out the six-acre parcel where Oriole Landing would be located were contemplating 150 or more units. In response to citizen concerns, Civico reduced the number of proposed units from 72 to 60, increased the share of affordable units from 15 to 25 percent (thus qualifying all 60 units for the SHI), committed to preserving the historic farmhouse located on the property, and agreed to measures to mitigate community impacts. If the parcel goes back on the market, there is nothing to prevent its falling into the hands of someone far less accommodating.
Having mentioned community impacts, it must be noted that projects that serve the greater public good often have differential effects, and that is the case here. Consequently, care must be taken to understand such impacts and to mitigate them to the degree possible. The Selectmen (who control roadways and traffic regulation) and Planning Board (which must consider abutter impacts in site plan review) are charged with and committed to doing so.
And to those who suggest that by “checking the 40B box” pursuit of housing diversity in Lincoln will wane, let me assure you that is not the case. The South Lincoln Planning and Implementation Committee (a subcommittee of the Planning Board) has been and will continue to investigate and pursue increased housing diversity as an element in revitalizing the Lincoln Station area. More to come on that in future Town Meetings!
Sincerely,
Gary Taylor
2 Beaver Pond Rd.
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.
Giving thanks for not much snow? (Lincoln Through the Lens)
Turns out the weather forecasters were turkeys on this latest storm (March 2018 nor’easter #4), which at one point was predicted at 6-12″ but wound up being barely enough to show footprints. (Photo by Rich Rosenbaum)
Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.