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

Letter to the editor: more input on school planning is vital

February 20, 2018

To the editor:

I am motivated to write this letter as a result of recent discussions about the school project. Following the January 23 public forum, the outreach committee conducted a survey which brought in 156 responses. While this is a good number related to the number of attendees, it is not a large enough number to give one confidence as to the eventual outcome of the effort put in by the School Committee, the School Building Committee, and the committee working on the community center.

The projects are progressing apace, but the resultant budget will cause a significant increase to our taxes. We are talking of options for the school ranging from $70–$90 million. When adding the community center’s $12–15 million, the resulting amount approaches $100 million. Thus, I believe it is critical that as many of you as are able and are interested should attend our discussions to ensure that the end result will truly reflect the wishes of our community and thus not fail at the ballot box.

Our meetings are well publicized on the School Building Committee website: lincolnsbc.org. We look forward to seeing you at our next meetings.

Sincerely,

Peter Sugar (School Building Committee member)
133 Chestnut Circle

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 Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Community center planners mull input including a Smith site

February 19, 2018

A group of Lincoln design professionals wrote a memo to campus planners urging that they consider locating the community center on the current Smith school site rather than on the Hartwell side of campus, but the reaction among community center planners was lukewarm last week.

At its February 14 meeting, the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee reviewed feedback collected on the initial set of six concepts for a community center. Most popular with residents at the community workshops on January 30 were Schemes 2, 3A, and 3B. The latter two options call for retaining and renovating all three Hartwell pods, but 3B put some of the parking between the main Hartwell building and Lincoln Road where the Strat’s Place playground used to be. Residents and the CCPPDC liked the building shape and location of Scheme 3B and the parking in Scheme 3A, so architect Maryann Thompson will include an illustration with that combination in the next round of designs she’ll present at the March 13 CCPPDC meeting.

The CCPPDC also decided that, regardless of which option is selected, there will not be parking on the Strat’s Place site, and any pods not folded into the community center will be renovated (work that would have to include new windows and bathrooms as well as fire code and handicapped accessibility upgrades). However, that renovation work could be done separately from the community center construction.

“We’re waiting to see what the school [which owns the pods] is going to do with these buildings,” CCPPDC Vice Chair Margit Griffith said. “The community is not necessarily aware of who owns them and who has the right and the budget” to demolish or renovate them.

The Smith idea

The February 12 memo addressed to both the CCPPDC and the School Building Committee addressed several issues with the school and community center proposals. Among its recommendations: putting the community center on the space currently occupied by the old Smith building. That space would be freed up if the town chooses for school option B6, which concentrates the building on the north side of the ballfield. The authors note that there is community interest in preserving the 1953 Smith gym, which has historically appealing wooden rafters and floors as well as a stage.

Sketches of two concepts for a community center on the Smith side of the campus (click to enlarge).

In response to the memo, Thompson presented two options for a west-wide community center, one with 35,400 square feet and the other with 28,600 square feet. A 19,000-square-foot building would be sufficient to meet the needs of the Council on Aging and the Parks and Recreation Department, according to 2014 estimates.

Both plans would be more expensive than any of the east-side proposals due to higher construction and renovation costs associated with the larger footprints, though Thompson did not have exact cost estimates as of last week. Reusing some of the Smith building is also less than ideal for seniors because of the long hallway they would have to traverse. The gym’s acoustical properties also make it problematic for use by seniors, Council on Aging Director Carolyn Bottum noted. Furthermore, despite the larger total footprint, the rest of the community center might actually be a bit squeezed since the gym takes up so much of the space, Thompson added.

“Programmatically this doesn’t work well, according to the earlier community center study committee,” resident Sara Mattes commented. “To spend more money on rehabbing something that doesn’t meet programs needs and requires additional parking, paving over what was going to be green space, seems to be a bit of an anathema.”

“If it was cheaper [than the Hartwell options], then maybe the town would say it’s worth suffering some of the challenges that go along with it, but learning that it’s at least as expensive and maybe more, as well as more expensive on the operating side—I don’t know how we could justify it to the town,” CCPPDC member Tim Christenfeld said.

Of the Smith building, resident Owen Beenhouwer (also an architect) said, “I think it’s a candidate for coming down. I think we need to be building for the future and not just keeping the past half alive.”

Thompson acknowledged that “you would never get a gym like that now” with its wooden rafters and natural light. “I don’t think it should get torn down, but I don’t know what to do with it.”

The memo authors urged the school and community center planners to hold a joint charrette as soon as possible to better coordinate campus planning and discuss possible ways to keep the Smith gym.

The memo was written by Doug Adams, Gary Anderson, Ken Bassett, Lucretia Giese, Ken Hurd, Judith Lawler, Brooks Mostue, David O’Neil, Steven Perlmutter, Dana Robbat, and Peter Sugar. Adams, Bassett, Perlmutter, and Sugar were members of the School Building Advisory Committee that was formed after the 2012 defeat of the school plan that had been accepted for funding by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). Giese and Robbat are among the founders of Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln.

Adams and Bassett were also members of the “Fireside Seven,” a group of Lincoln architects and designers who developed an L-shaped design alternative after the 2012 vote in hopes of retaining MSBA funding. That alternative was rejected by the agency as being too different from what it had approved originally.

Nature-themed events at Farrington Nature Linc

February 15, 2018

Farrington Nature Linc will host several nature-themed events for children and adults this spring. They take place at 295 Cambridge Turnpike in Lincoln unless otherwise indicated.

Owl Prowl
Saturday, March 3 — 4:30–6 p.m.
Have you ever seen or heard an owl in the woods? We’ll begin our “Owl Prowl” with an owl craft and a short discussion about owls. Then we’ll head outside for a guided walk around Farrington’s property, where we’ll we do some “owling” (learning about owl calls and keeping our eyes out for owls). When the sun sets, we’ll head inside for hot cocoa and a reading of the children’s book Owl Moon. $10 per person, $20 for a family of four; click here for tickets.

Galileo Star Party
Saturday, March 10 — 7–9:30 p.m.
Join Farrington Nature Linc for an evening performance by talented and professional actor Mike Francis as Galileo. His performance is perfect for all ages to learn about astronomy. Afterward, we’ll follow Mike Francis outside to our fire circle to enjoy s’mores. We’ll also set up and use telescopes to stargaze. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Lincoln Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. Free; click here to register.

Art on the Wing
Saturday, April 28 — 9:30 a.m.–noon
Join Farrington Nature Linc and Wingmasters for an interactive program with five live birds of prey. Each bird is displayed by the Wingmasters presenter for 10-15 minutes while the audience has the opportunity to draw and ask questions. The Wingmasters presenter will point out each bird’s characteristics, guiding the audience toward a fuller understanding of what defines a bird of prey. 9:30–10:30 a.m.: Children’s drawing time (parents/guardians may join). 11 a.m.–noon: adults’ drawing time. $10 for children, $15 for adults; click here for tickets.

Farrington Nature Linc will also host a talk and Q&A with Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, at the Kickstand Café at 594 Massachusetts Ave. in Arlington on Wednesday, April 18 from 7–10 p.m. Attendees must be 21 or older, as there will be alcohol at the event.

Couple at The Commons celebrates their 70th

February 14, 2018

Tony and Peggy Zarella hold a photo from their early days of marriage as they celebrate their 70th anniversary at the Colonial Inn in Concord.

A stolen date and a motorcycle begin a 70-year romance for the Zarellas—Tony, 94, and Peggy, 92 years old, residents at The Commons.

It was 1946 and Tony was on leave from the U.S. Navy. He was looking for a fun night out and convinced his brother to give up his date for the evening and allow him to go in his place. Pulling up on his brother’s motorcycle, Tony rang the doorbell to meet Peggy at her home.

Happily surprised by the unconventional vehicle choice for a first date, Peggy’s mother quickly took a picture, and Tony and Peggy were on their way for a long ride in the Massachusetts countryside. According to them, they “hit it off instantly,” but the budding romance was abruptly put on hold when Tony returned to the Navy to complete his service.

Peggy vividly remembers the day he came home. “I was out on the Arlington Reservoir on a row boat my father had built and I noticed something on shore. I looked closer and it was Tony, in his Navy whites, waving his hat to get my attention.”

Tony and Peggy were married on January 18, 1948 in Pepperell, Mass.

Tony and Peggy pose for a picture taken by her mother on their first date.

They began their lives like many of their peers, starting careers and looking for opportunities to become homeowners. Their lives were interrupted again when Tony was called back to the Navy to serve in the Korean War. Peggy was left on her own to work at a music shop in Lexington Center. When Tony returned, they had their children, Nancy and Neil.

Tony began a career as the chief engineer at Middlesex Hospital, and the Zarella family took to sailing on the weekends and enjoying the New England harbors. They eventually moved from their home in Massachusetts to Dorchester, N.H., in search of the great outdoors. They enjoyed exploring together, taking photos, and traveling to Florida during the winter months.

Tony and Peggy with family on their wedding day.

As the years have gone by—and if you ask them, those years flew by—they’re thankful for the amount of time they’ve had together and watching their family continue to grow. Now with three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, Tony and Peggy are enjoying the simple life—spending time with the family, not worrying about cooking and cleaning, and enjoying the programs offered at The Commons.

Seventy years together has taught them a lot. “We always tell aspiring couples to take every day as it comes and try not to get upset over too many things,” Peggy said. She and Tony spent Valentine’s Day together, organizing the photos from their 70th anniversary party and creating albums for their loved ones.

— By Rebecca Skahen, The Commons

Robotics teams gear up for the community

February 13, 2018

The Red GearTicks.

Robotics programs for kids aren’t just engineering any more—they also teach public service, as Lincoln’s GearTicks teams have contributed ideas and devices to help the community along with winning contests.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) sponsors four different programs. FIRST Lego League Jr. is for ages 6-9, while those age 9-14 can participate in the FIRST Lego League (FLL) international competition. There’s also the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) (age 12-18) and the FIRST Robotics Competition (ages 14-18). All programs emphasize teamwork in designing, programming and building robots intended to play a game, solve a problem or beat other robots in competition.

Two FLL teams from Lincoln—the Red and Blue GearTicks—made it to the state finals in this year’s FLL competition, where kids from 80 countries had to identify and research a problem in hydrodynamics (how we find, transport, use, or dispose of water) and then design, program and build a robot to tackle that problem.

“I think [the program] is brilliantly designed. Each year there are some parts of the robot game that are easy enough for newbies to complete, while there are also missions that are so difficult that MIT grads can’t solve them,” said Ann Hutchinson, a volunteer for the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) who organizes the event each year. The Red Team won the Runner-up Champions Award and the Second Place Project Award at states.

The Red GearTicks (grades 6–8) realized that making T-shirts for various PRD-sponsored activities such as camp, sports, and spelling bees uses a lot of water—about 2,700 liters per shirt. The team came up with the idea of designing different appliqués for each activity and then putting those appliqués on a single T-shirt customized for each participant. Shirts would be purposely sized up so kids could wear them for multiple years until they were damaged or outgrown.

The team approached PRD Director Dan Pereira, who thought this was a great way to reduce the department’s T-shirt consumption and educate people about the drawbacks of disposable fashion. “I was completely unaware of the amount of water needed to grow cotton, and I found the presentation from the kids very informative,” he said.

The students put their idea into practice for their own team T-shirts, designing an appliqué and applying them to their shirts that they will use again again next year.

The Blue GearTicks.

The Blue GearTicks (grade 5) identified toxic algae blooms as their problem of interest, noting that it has necessitated closures at White Pond in Concord and other area ponds. The students sought to inform the public about the problem and how awareness can help solve it. After speaking with the White Pond Advisory Board and town officials, they designed a brochure and a presentation board they used when describing the problem and their solution at the Lego competition.

“FLL is an amazing project-based learning experience where the kids have so much fun that they don’t even realize everything they’re learning. The coaches don’t have the answers, so the kids teach themselves. The competitions are as exciting as sporting events, and kids come back year after year to improve their performance,” Hutchinson said.

Helping a national park

The FTC GearTicks recently designed and installed specialized fencing to protect new apple orchards at Minute Man National Historical Park (MMNHP) from deer and other wildlife. The apple orchards—some planted by Lincoln Minute Men—have been damaged by goats and deer since their planting began in 2016.

The FTC GearTicks at Minute Man National Historical Park, along with some musket-bearing Lincoln Minute Men.

Brown had noticed that the new orchards at MMNHP were being nibbled by the deer and goat populations. She asked the GearTicks to design 3D printed parts to support a tree enclosure to protect the orchards from the deer population. The device needed to be be adjustable, inconspicuous, and able to level spring steel rings and force the rebar stakes into a vertical position.

Alex Payne, a GearTick eighth-grader, led the design process of the device, which originally consisted of three parts. After the first round of testing, he redesigned one of the parts to improve the installation process and make the device more attractive looking. After one more successful round of testing, the team spent 50 hours printing the parts on their 3D printer.

In November, a dozen GearTicks met Brown and six Lincoln Minute Men at MMNHP. Working together, they installed the enclosures on about 10 of the trees in the orchard, all of which held up very nicely. The next steps involved draping netting over the spring steel and seeing how the parts handle the winter cold and snow.

In Fall 2017, the FTC team dedicated significant time to mastering the technique of 3D printing, including designing custom parts, experimenting with different types of filament, and learning best practices for using the printers. 3D printing was not only instrumental in the success of their robot, but it also provided the opportunity for the team to use their skills to benefit their community—they worked with staff and students at the Perkins School for the Blind to print parts for prosthetic hands and help assembled them.

During the 2016-17 season, the FTC GearTicks designed and installed baffles in two of the donation boxes at MMNHP. These baffles, which were specially angled plastic pieces to prevent money from being taken from the boxes, proved to be effective and prompted Margie Coffin Brown, a landscape architect for the National Park Service, to contact the team with another challenge.

Dueling water bottle bans at Town Meeting

February 12, 2018

A group of high school students is trying again to get Lincoln to ban the sale of single-serve plastic water bottles and retail distribution of plastic grocery bags—but one of last year’s bottle-ban opponents has advanced his own ballot measure that goes even farther.

Students in Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School’s Environmental Club have submitted two citizen’s petitions for the Annual Town Meeting on March 24. One measure seeks to ban single-use plastic check-out bags at supermarkets and other retail stores. The other would prohibit retail sale of bottles of 1 liter (34 ounces) or less containing non-carbonated, unflavored drinking water. Bottles could still be given away at any time or distributed in the event of a town-wide water emergency.

The petitions are identical to last year’s, which the students withdrew after some residents and officials urged more discussion. Instead, voters passed “sense of the town” motions that expressed support for the concerns raised by the students and urged them to “continue to explore options, including the contemplated bylaws, in consultation with key Lincoln stakeholder groups.”

The owners of Donelan’s supermarket and two new restaurants in town also objected before Town Meeting in letters to the editor of the Lincoln Squirrel.

The Environmental Club has advocated alternatives to plastic water bottles, such as water in aluminum cans or boxes similar to orange juice containers boxed water and water in aluminum containers, and pushed for more water fountains and hydration stations on public and private property for refilling reusable water bottles.

Lincoln resident Jim White, co-owner of the Trail’s End and Lincoln Kitchen restaurants, said he had a “positive conversation” with the Environmental Club and supports the students’ goals in trying to reduce harm caused by discarded bottles to the environment and human health. However, he still thinks the proposed restriction on sales of water bottles isn’t good policy. “What that does is puts the burden of compliance on essentially two businesses in town, and that’s unfair,” he said.

White has submitted his own citizen’s petition that goes even farther than the student measure—it would also prohibit anyone from bringing the same water bottles onto town-owned property, including schools, conservation land, recreational fields and public buildings.

“If Lincoln is going to make a statement, then let’s have everyone in Lincoln make a statement—let’s be a leader,” White said.

The L-S students had better luck last year in getting Sudbury voters to approve the restrictions on plastic grocery bags and water bottles. An October 2017 vote to repeal the measure water bottle was defeated. Both of Sudbury’s plastics rules goes into effect on July 1, 2018. Only Cambridge and Concord have approved similar sales bans in Massachusetts.

San Francisco has banned the sale of single-use plastic water bottles on city-owned property, including at large-scale outdoor events on public property, though sales are still permitted in stores. The city is installing more hydration stations on public property and now requires new buildings to have them.

News acorns

February 11, 2018

Democratic town caucus times given

A previous news item about the March 3 date of the Lincoln Democrats’ caucus omitted the time. Registration for the caucus begins at 9:30 a.m. and the event begins at 10 a.m.

Jazz concert on Wednesday

The CJALL jazz concert with Jimmy Mazzy & The Last Minute Men originally planned for February 7 was rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 14 at Bemis Hall. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the concert starts at 8 p.m. Sponsored by Manson Solomon and The Friends of the Lincoln Public Library. CJALL played old-time New Orleans jazz classics at the Colonial Inn in Concord for 30 years. Accompanying Jimmy are Moshe Feldman and Carol Moeller as well as trombone, sax, cornet, clarinet and vocalists.

Learn about natural burial on Feb. 21

“What (In) Earth Is A Green Burial?” is the title of a talk by Candace Currie on Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 7–8:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. Going back to burial traditions prior to the Civil War, all burials were natural or “green” burials. Come learn about re-establishing these traditions. And yes, natural burials are legal in Massachusetts, but few cemeteries in the state are performing them. Find out why and how you can change the rules for your cemetery or create a new burial ground that conserves open space. Currie is director of planning and cemetery development for Mount Auburn Cemetery and director of Green Burial Massachusetts, Inc.

Series on domestic violence continues at First Parish

“Hidden in Plain Sight: Domestic Violence Awareness” continues at the First Parish in Lincoln on Wednesday, Feb. 21 and Wednesday, March 17 from 7–8:30 p.m. in the Parish House (14 Bedford Rd.). This series, which began on January 23, is designed to raise awareness of domestic violence and abuse in Lincoln and the surrounding communities. Ministerial Intern Terry Cummings will lead the program, along with Lauren Montanaro, community engagement specialist with REACH Beyond Domestic Violence.

At the February 21 session, participants will assess different situations and learn about the type of skills needed to respond to the situations appropriately. For those interested in becoming a domestic violence volunteer, this class will provide a preview of an aspect of the training program offered by REACH and similar organizations.

On March 27, First Parish will host a vigil to honor and remember survivors of domestic violence and abuse, as well as those who support people in need of help to cope with their situations. The vigil will include prayer, shared reflections, music and song. The meetings are open to all and are free of charge. To register, please contact Terry at terry@fplincoln.org.

Composting event on Feb. 24

The Lincoln Public Library will host “Composting with Adam Janauskas” on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 2–4 p.m. Janauskas of City Compost will help attendees learn about what to include in a compost pile, the factors that go into making a healthy compost, and what’s required for a good home composting system.

Introduction to music at L-S

Parents of eighth-graders in Sudbury and Lincoln are invited to visit Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium lobby to learn more about the L-S Music Department. Meet the music faculty, tour the music spaces and learn more about music offerings at the high school. Parents of students in chorus, band or orchestra, those who sing or study outside of school, or who just loves music are welcome. For more information or questions, email lsfriendsofmusic@gmail.com or visit www.lsfom.org.

Community center group looks at next set of ideas on Tuesday

February 11, 2018

The current layout of the Hartwell area and the available parking on the Ballfield Road campus (click to enlarge).

Residents can see the next round of design ideas for a community center at the regular meeting of the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 4:45 p.m. in Hartwell Pod A.

The CCPPDC and architects showed six options at workshops on January 30 with restimated price tages of $13 million to $16.5 million and have been going through comments left by residents on sticky notes. They also welcome feedback via email at CCPPDC@lincolntown.org.

The committee is also working to incorporate the work of the School Building Committee. Early results from the SBC workshops on January 23 indicated that 77 percent of attendees preferred a mostly new school building at an estimated cost of $89.8 million.

The SBC is taking the lead on campus planning because the school is a much larger project and also because the school owns the buildings on the east side of the campus, even those not being used by the Lincoln School. The four buildings on that side—the main Hartwell building and the three pods—collectively house the school district administration, the Lincoln Integrated Preschool, the Magic Garden Children’s Center, the Parks and Recreation office and program spaces, LEAP, storage spaces, and the school’s repair shop.

“There has to be a place for all of these things between the two projects. This is why we’re taking a whole-campus approach to the planning and why the CCPPDC is following the SBC; we’re not at the same design stage on purpose,” said CCPPDC Vice Chair Margit Griffith. “They refine, we refine; we share feedback, they share feedback. Much of what they do will inform our process.”

77% in survey prefer a mostly new school building

February 8, 2018

An outline of Option B6 with new construction in blue and renovated areas in gray. The new southeast portion would have two floors. (Click image to enlarge.)

The vast majority of residents surveyed after January 23 presentations on options for the Lincoln School preferred the most compact and expensive scheme costing an estimated $89.8 million. Option B6, which concentrates the school on the north side of the ballfield, includes a two-story classroom segment.

The School Building Committee and architects will host a “mini workshop” showcasing work that’s been done since the January 23 workshops on Friday, Feb. 9 at 9:30 a.m. in Bemis Hall.

Of the 156 residents who completed a feedback survey after the two community workshops in January, 77 percent preferred Option B6, which calls for a mostly new building that retains the two gyms and auditorium (see pgs. 38-43 in the January 23 slideshow). Fifteen percent preferred a comprehensive renovation (Option A3.4, pgs. 32-36) with an estimated price tag of $88.3 million, while 5 percent chose the repair-only scheme costing $48.7 million.

The School Building Committee is still going through the written comments in the surveys. However, SBC Chair Chris Fasciano said there had been feedback on the fact that the three comprehensive renovation options (A1.1, A3.4 and B6) call for three fewer classrooms than the school now has, or would have in the “optimal program” concepts shown at the State of the Town meeting in November (excluding the new preK classrooms). “We have asked the design team to come up with concepts that include those classrooms in the plans. We hope to see them soon,” he said.

All of the latest series of options call for moving preK from Hartwell to the main school building, which would also contain an area for school administration while leaving the district administrative offices (superintendent of schools, etc.) at Hartwell. If preK does in fact move, other functions, such as technology might move out of the school and into Hartwell, but “it’s important to note that no final decisions have been made at this point in the SBC process,” Fasciano said.

Some of those who attended the workshops wondered if the school would quickly become too small if the Oriole Landing project, which calls for 60 units of mixed-income housing, is approved and more families with children move into town.

“Most of the housing in Lincoln is single-family housing that could turn over at any time, so flexibility is an important part of any plan. We’re confident that the current designs could accommodate normal fluctuations in student enrollment, including any potential increase from construction at Oriole Landing,” Fasciano said, adding that the 2012 MSBA project had the same number of classrooms as the current essential program.

In addition to the regular SBC meetings (the next is February 13), there are other meetings on the school project coming up. The design team and some of the architects who live in Lincoln will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. in the Hartwell multipurpose room to explore design ideas for the project concepts. On March 7 at 7 p.m. (location TBA), sustainability consultant Bill Maclay and the desing team will talk about the sustainability implications of the range of project concepts.

A second set of community workshops will take place on March 13.

Details on Oriole Landing released; hearing on March 6

February 8, 2018

The Planning Board’s public hearing on Oriole Landing, a proposal for 60 units of mixed-income housing on Mary’s Way, is scheduled for Tuesday, March 6 at 7 p.m.—just 18 days before residents will be asked to vote on the matter at Town Meeting.

The proposal calls for 60 one- and two-bedroom units on six acres of land adjacent to The Commons. Fifteen of the 60 units would be deed-restricted as affordable according to state guidelines. At the March 24 Town Meeting, voters will be asked to approve a bylaw amendment to establish a North Lincoln Planning Development Overlay District as well as a Preliminary Development and Land Use Plan for the project (click here to view the draft warrant article). Five projects have been approved under this process in Lincoln: Battle Road Farms and the Lincoln North office building (1986), Minuteman Inn (approved in 1989 but never completed), and Minuteman Commons and The Groves/Lincoln Deaconess, now The Commons (2006).

The Planning Board has created a detailed FAQ document about the project, and the Housing Commission also has a website with an overview and background on affordable housing in Lincoln. Plans and other documents relating to the March 6 public hearing are available here. A list of upcoming public forums and official meetings can be found here.

If approved next month by a two-thirds vote, Civico Development must return within two years to the Planning Board for site plan special permit approval through another public hearing process. Civico must also go before the Historical Commission if they plan to demolish an existing structure on the property that may be deemed historically or architecturally significant. The company is working with the commission to develop a plan that will “honor a historic house located on the property,” according to the FAQ document.