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

News acorns

Walden Woods seeks help, offers CSA shares

The Walden Woods Project in Lincoln and Concord is seeking volunteers and a paid farm hand for the upcoming farm season. Click here for information on those positions. The organization is also offering a 16-week farm CSA share this summer — click here for details.

Radon testing suggested for Lincoln homeowners

Because of our local geology, Lincoln has been classified as a high-risk radon zone by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), meaning that testing a home in Lincoln is more likely to disclose worrisome high levels of radon compared to homes in most other communities. Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the ground (soil, rock, water). If present below a home, it may seep into the basement and then to living areas. Poor ventilation worsens radon levels. Unsafe radon exposure may increase your risk for certain cancers, including lung cancer.

Fortunately, affordable correct solutions (soil depressurization) are readily available. The Lincoln Board of Health has AirThings radon meters free of charge to check out from the Lincoln Town Hall. Go to 16 Lincoln Rd. during business hours or call 781-259-2613. Learn more at www.mass.gov/radon or call the Radon Hotline at 800-723-6695.

“On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” series continues

The “On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” free speaker series continues via Zoom on Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. with Erika Rumbley, co-founder and director of the New Garden Society and Director of Horticulture at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. She will speak about her work training incarcerated students in the art and science of plants. On Wednesday, March 27 at 7 p.m., Doug Sutherland, a summer camp professional, will share his experiences as a Black person in rural New Hampshire, where “belonging” is an assumption for some and unattainable for others.

Click here to register for either talk. The series is hosted by Farrington Nature Linc, Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, the Walden Woods Project, Mass Audubon, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, and Codman Community Farms. Spring 2024 Sponsorship is generously provided by the Ogden Codman Trust and Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area.

LLCT plans work days, movie night

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust invites residents to help out on Stewardship Work Days starting on Friday, March 15 at 1 p.m. Join volunteers and staff from LLCT and LCD to pull non-native plants from conservation land. Tools and snacks will be provided. Click here to sign up.

The LLCT will host a movie night to welcome spring and continue our focus on both pollination systems and the importance of dark skies for wildlife by screening “Bat Man of Mexico,” a 50-minute PBS episode about the lesser long-nosed bat, a crucial pollinator of agave plants, on Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m. in the LLCT office (145 Lincoln Rd, Suite 102A).

Library events coming up

Sing to Your Baby
Saturday, March 23 from 11-11:45 a.m., Tarbell Room
Babies and their families are invited to join Julie Stepanek and her ukulele as she leads participants in a singalong. This gentle program includes both classic songs and new favorites. Shakers and scarves will also be incorporated in the program. Best for infants through age 3 but older siblings are welcome. No registration necessary.

Family ukulele workshop
Saturday, March 23 from 2–3 p.m., Tarbell Room
Want to try an instrument that’s fun and easy to play? Join Julie Stepanek as she shows the fundamentals of ukulele playing. No experience necessary. Ukuleles provided. Best for families with children ages 6 and up. Register here.

“Bicycling Inclusion and Equity History” with Lorenz Finison
Thursday, March 28 from 7–8 p.m., Tarbell Room
Author Lorenz Finison will discuss his newest book, Bicycling Inclusion and Equity: Histories of New England and Beyond. His work provides a sweep of cycling’s social history, from the 1870s to the present day, from Boston through New England and across the nation. In-person event; no registration necessary.

Pop-Up art class: watercolor poppies
Friday, March 29 from 3–4:30 p.m., Tarbell Room
Paint the delicate petals of poppy flowers with watercolor paint. Pop Up Art School will teach us how to layer the translucent paint. You’ll work on two paintings concurrently to allow time for the layers to dry. Watercolor painting is fun and relaxing. Registration is limited to 15 adults (age 18+) for this class. Registration opens on Friday, March 8 at 9 a.m. Register here.

“The Noisy Puddle” reading with Linda Booth Sweeney
Saturday, March 30 from 10:30–11:30 a.m., Tarbell Room
Author Linda Booth Sweeney will read The Noisy Puddle: A Vernal Pool Through the Seasons to everyone and conduct a movement activity while teaching about vernal pools. No registration necessary. Best for families with children ages 4 and up. 

Kids can learn chess for high schoolers
Saturday, April 6 from 3–4:15 p.m., library
Elementary and middle school kids are invited to join the L-S Chess Club to learn and play chess at the library. Please register by emailing Sarah at sfeather@minlib.net.

Select Board issues positions on community center and HCA rezoning

(Editor’s note: This article was amended on March 10 to clarify that the Select Board did not explicitly endorse Article 3 even as it supported compliance with the Housing Choice Act.)

The Select Board has endorsed both the community center project but took a more nuanced approach in its stand on a Housing Choice Act-compliant zoning district — measures that will be debated and voted on at the start of Town Meeting on March 23.

In a statement at their March 4 meeting, the board noted the previously cited justifications for a community center, including the deteriorating condition of the Hartwell pods for the Parks and Recreation Department and the inadequacies of Bemis Hall for the Council on Aging & Human Services, adding that renovating all of them would cost about $14.4 million compared to $24 million for new construction. ICON Architects estimates that construction costs will continue to rise by about 7% a year for the next several years, they added.

Operating costs for a new building have yet to be determined, though the Community Center Building Committee outlined the cost drivers in a March 6 statement. A grant from the Ogden Codman Trust as well as funds contributed and raised by the Friends of the Council on Aging will offset at least $1.5 million of the cost.

The CCBC will hold a forum on the final design concept and cost estimates on Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. The agenda contains the Zoom link.

Housing Choice Act

At the same March 4 meeting, the Select Board also declared support for “the adoption of a Housing Choice Act-compliant zoning district” without specifically supporting Article 3, which asks voters to approve the amended zoning bylaw drawn up by the Planning Board and HCAWG.

Though there’s general agreement that the town should comply with the state law, there has been a great deal of controversy about exactly how to do so. In a second statement on March 4, the Selects said the process “gave residents voice and choice and allowed them to shape the direction and substance of the zoning bylaw.” But members of Lincoln Residents of Housing Alternatives have said that their alternative was not given equal time at the Special Town Meeting on December, when Option C was chosen. Opponents want residents to vote down the bylaw that’s based on that option, which would concentrate all new multifamily housing in South Lincoln, and draw up a different amendment that would allow multifamily housing in other parts of town as well.

The Selects allowed for the possibility of a “no” vote. If the HCA measure isn’t passed by voters, “the Select Board is committed to bringing all interested residents together to forge a compromise to be voted on at a Special Town Meeting before the end of the year,” their statement says.

The stance echoed that of Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson. “If the town has changed its mind, the town will tell us no by voting no. I don’t think any of us should be upset by that prospect. If it’s not approved, that’s OK — that’s part of the process,” she said at the board’s February 20 public hearing on the bylaw.

The town originally scheduled the Town Meeting vote for this month to allow time for the state to vet the amended bylaw for HCA compliance and for the town to make any necessary adjustments before the December 2024 deadline. If voters delay approval until fall, the state presumably won’t have time to review and give its final thumbs-up before the clock runs out, but they haven’t said whether they might be flexible about the deadline if they aren’t able to sign off in time.

In the March 4 discussion, Select Board member Kim Bodnar emphasized the “magnitude of what we’re asking of residents… It really matters to the town we are and the town we might become. This has required the town to think about about who they are, questioning their values. It’s been very tough.”

My Turn: Vander Meulen endorses Taylor for Planning Board

By Allen Vander Meulen

I’ve known Gary Taylor for nearly 15 years. He and his wife Susan were one of the first people we met when we moved into our home on Beaver Pond Rd.

I think we all are very aware of the many years both Gary and Susan have invested in service to the town, in many roles and in many ways. So, instead of dwelling on his many qualifications, I thought I’d share two tidbits that speak to me of Gary’s thoughtfulness and long-term dedication to many of the issues central to the challenges and controversies of the present.

Back in 2014 or so, I attended a Planning Board meeting. Following that meeting, Gary took the time to talk at length with me about his concerns over the erosion of moderate-priced housing in Lincoln, and how economic realities plus the regulatory structure at the local, state, and federal levels all conspired to promote the creation of housing for folks at the low end and high end of the income scale, but nothing for those in the middle. This is precisely the challenge that the Housing Choice Act seeks to address. 

Now, this was around the time I joined the Housing Commission, and I was still quite the newbie in that arena. Even so, Gary made sure his concerns were clear, and that I clearly understood the “bigger picture” of housing, not just whether Lincoln could keep its SHI (Subsidized Housing Inventory) percentage above 10% as mandated by state law. I learned a lot in that conversation, and as a result the concerns he raised have been part of my own thoughts and work ever since.

In 2017 I ran for the Select Board against Jennifer Glass — and (rightfully) got stomped. (Mainly, I think, because it was clear I had neither the experience nor the connections within the Lincoln community to be in such a position — yet.) Even so, Gary and Susan went out of their way to host a neighborhood coffee for Jennifer and me during that campaign so their Lincoln neighbors and friends could meet both candidates and hear what they had to say. They didn’t have to do that, and I’m sure they knew that I had little or no hope of winning that election. But it was important to them to facilitate communication and understanding for all. And frankly, I learned a lot from that evening myself: not just meeting many Lincolnites I hadn’t met before, but also hearing what they felt was important for us to learn, no matter who won that race.

So to me, that’s who Gary Taylor is: a man who has spent a very long time working to make Lincoln a more inclusive, welcoming, and diverse community. A gracious and a good friend, an attentive listener, a deeply thoughtful and knowledgable speaker, a creative and reliable worker, and someone who remains diligent in working for the town’s best interests.

Please join me in re-electing Gary Taylor to the Planning Board.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: In support of Article 3 at Town Meeting

By Joan Kimball

I am supporting Article 3, the Housing Choice bylaw, at the March 23 Town Meeting.

Having voted in favor of Article C (with the majority) at the December Special Town Meeting, I have since read carefully the pros and cons, attended meetings about the Housing Choice Act and made my decision. I will vote yes on March 23 for the following reasons:

  1. Knowing that we in Massachusetts have a housing crisis, I want Lincoln to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. 
  2. I believe that we have an opportunity now, with RLF and the mall, to actually build some multiple-family housing. Building in the (relatively) near term will:
    • Actually provide housing
    • Be developed by an owner, RLF, who has a proven record of doing things for the town and an understanding of the town so that the development will fit Lincoln. I liked the conceptual drawing that we saw at the recent RLF meeting.
    • Provide more customers for our retail businesses. We need more customers. When I go to Donelan’s, there is never a line, and when I go to other businesses, I am often the only customer. This is not sustainable.
    • Create housing that is near transportation — an important aspect as we oppose climate change.
  3. If we do not include the mall with its potential for building housing, I strongly believe it will take years and years to actually build any housing. It is a complex and challenging undertaking. In addition, I have heard that developers do not want to risk time and investment in projects with the risk of going through Town Meeting.
  4. With town and private investment we can choose to increase the moderate income percentage in housing developments.
  5. As a former Conservation Commission member, I support development on already built land whenever possible to protect habitat on undeveloped land.

Bylaws are not specific housing developments; they are zoning “rules.” A great deal of time — as well as incorporating public comments — has gone into this bylaw. I think it is a good one. Therefore, I vote yes.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Citizens’ petitions focus on legal notices, notification of rezoning discussions

Two citizen’s petitions will be presented for a vote at the March 23 Town Meeting, one on town requirements for placing legal notices and the other asking the town to provide individual notices to affected residents in advance about discussions on proposed zoning changes.

Towns and other entities are required by state law to put paid legal notices in newspapers about things like public hearings, requests for proposals for construction projects, etc. However, as currently written, the law says those notices must go in a actual newspaper; publishing them in a digital-only news site is allowed as well, but does not by itself satisfy the legal requirement. Many local papers in Massachusetts discontinued their print editions in 2022 and merged some remaining publications, so towns are now forced to do business with the few print newspapers that are left, and those papers have very few readers in the towns they purport to cover.

Article 27, proposed by Lincoln Squirrel editor Alice Waugh, asks the Select Board to petition the state legislature for special legislation to allow Lincoln to satisfy requirements for legal notices by allowing the publication of those notices in local digital newspapers, print media, or both. Since print newspapers generally charge more than digital news sites for advertising, this would save the town money while also providing another revenue stream for the Squirrel.

Several other towns have approved similar citizen’s petitions: Arlington (YourArlington), Bedford (Bedford Citizen), and Franklin (Franklin Observer). State Rep. and Assistant Majority Leader Alice Peisch, who represents part of Lincoln, has also filed a bill (H.2098) that would accomplish the same thing on a statewide level by changing the statute. The Select Board endorsed the measure at its March 4 meeting.

Rezoning discussions

If approved, Article 28 would require town boards, sanctioned groups and committees proposing rezoning of an existing district to notify by mail each property owner, resident, and abutter in the area of rezoning 14 days prior to their first public meeting at which the zoning change would be discussed. Notices of subsequent meetings where a rezoning decision may be voted on would also be required.

The notice would outline the parameters of the existing district’s zoning along with the proposed changes. “It would be different from and in addition to any general information mailing because of the detail it would include,” says the warrant article proposed by Barbara Peskin.

Currently, the town disseminates townwide notices of pending zoning changes via meeting agendas, mailings. and usually neighborhood meetings. When an individual parcel is being considered for a special permit from the Planning Board or a variance by the Zoning Board of Appeals, abutting property owners must also be notified by mail.

The Select Board declined to take a position on the measure this week, saying it needed input from the Planning Board first. When asked why the current notification measures were not sufficient, Peskin said that “many of them [residents whose property would be directly affected by proposed HCA rezoning] found out after the State of the Town that it was going to be considered.”

Informational meeting on South Lincoln on Thursday

There will be an informational meeting with representatives of the Housing Choice Act Working Group and the Rural Land Foundation (owner of the mall) on Thursday, March 7 at at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. This will be an in-person event only, and seating will be limited.

The unofficial meeting with town officials including Select Board member Jennifer Glass, Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson, and Director of Planning and Land Use Paula Vaughn-MacKenzie is organized and hosted by Pam and Ken Hurd. It is not a presentation or debate but will focus on questions people may have regarding the proposed zoning changes to the Lincoln Station District in response to HCA.

Geoff McGean and Michelle Barnes of the RLF will also answer questions on the constraints they face in transforming the current mall building into housing with ground floor commercial, perhaps using a schematic plan for illustrative purposes only.

Videos of the RLF’s public forums in January and February can be found on this RLF web page. Read about them in the Lincoln Squirrel articles published on Jan. 21, 2024 and March 3, 2024.

Haley whips Trump in Lincoln’s primary; Biden cruises

In Lincoln’s Republican presidential primary on March 5, Nikki  Haley soundly defeated former President Donald Trump, 71% to 25%. Not surprisingly, Joe Biden cruised to victory in Lincoln’s Democratic presidential primary with 89% of the vote. “No preference” was a distant second place, followed by the two other candidates on the ballot.

A total of 1,151 Democrats and 165 Republicans cast ballots in the town primary for a turnout of about 26%, based on Lincoln’s 5,015 registered voters as of November 2020.

Full results, including those for Democratic and Republican Town Committee members and state committee man and woman can be found here.  

Precinct 1Precinct 2Total
DEMOCRAT
Joseph R. Biden6953261,021
No Preference354479
Dean Phillips141327
Marianne Williamson11718
Write-In145
Blank011
Precinct 1Precinct 1Total
REPUBLICAN
Nikki Haley247162409
Donald J. Trump7373146
Chris Christie4610
Ron DeSantis213
Write-in123
No Preference202
Vivek Ramaswamy011
Ryan Binkley000
Asa Hutchinson000

Video of town election candidate forum posted

An hourlong forum featuring the four candidates vying for contested seats in the March 25 town election introduced themselves and answered questions at a forum at The Commons in Lincoln on March 5. Though the forum was not open to the public, it was recorded and the video can be viewed below or by going directly to this YouTube link.

“It was clear throughout the forum that every one of the candidates is determined to serve the town to the best of their ability, and that they truly love this community of which they (and we) are all a part,” said Allen Vander Meulen, who organized the forum moderated by Lincoln Squirrel editor Alice Waugh. “They are candidates for office out of their devotion to this town, and their determination to be of service in shaping and supporting our collective future. I would ask that we remember this as we continue working to find solutions for the major challenges we face, including (in the months and years to come) enacting the decisions we make together at the upcoming Town Meeting and election.”

Participants were Select Board candidates Jennifer Glass (incumbent) and Frank Clark, and Planning Board candidates Gary Taylor (incumbent) and Sarah Postlethwait, a member of Lincoln Residents for Hosing Alternatives. Most of the discussion focused on the Housing Choice Act rezoning, the proposed community center, and town budgets and taxation.

My Turn: The importance of counting the votes

By David Onigman

I have lived in Lincoln most of my life. I grew up here, my mother and her four brothers lived here. I worked for various town departments through a Massport internship growing up in town, working for the Select Board, the Finance Department, and others. I attended Town Meetings growing up, running around microphones during public comment and running the soundboard. I sit on the Parks and Recreation Committee as well as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. I coach basketball in our Tri-Town league and I regularly perform music for my fellow residents at the Tack Room and Twisted Tree.

But none of that makes my vote any more or less important than every other voter in Lincoln. Whether you are a patriarch of the town, moved here in the 1900s, or moved here last year… whether you live in a large house on Blackburnian Lane, or live in multifamily housing on Wells Road, your vote counts once.

I have grown extremely weary of the slow drumbeat from the group of residents that opposes Article 3 at our upcoming Town Meeting that implies the will of the town is best measured by any means other than a Town Meeting vote.

Public comment at open meetings, the frequency of those comments, the passion behind those comments, LincolnTalk posts, emails to town officials, or other informal ways of gauging public opinion are no replacement for a democratic process where all votes are counted. In fact, any initiative to not have our votes be counted at the upcoming Town Meeting is a dangerous threat to our democratic process.

I applaud the members of the Planning Board that voted to move forward with the proposed bylaws so that we could indeed, as a town, all voters, vote “Yes” or “No” on the proposed zoning.

I support the proposed zoning. I believe the Housing Choice Act mandated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is long overdue. I believe one of the many contributing factors to the housing crisis that Massachusetts and the county finds itself in is due to the exclusionary zoning bylaws towns like Lincoln adopted in the mid-1900s.

It is 2024 and our commercial center of town, which is also conveniently located near the commuter rail, does not have the appropriate zoning to allow for multifamily housing development. Left to our own devices, we have not done enough. The HCA is forcing our hand, and it is long overdue.

The commercial center of our town is where this zoning makes the most sense. “Spreading this zoning around town” is not smart municipal planning, in fact it contributes to suburban sprawl, and increases — not decreases — traffic. I also believe the Rural Land Foundation have been great stewards of the town, and the frequent questioning of their motives and lack of trust in the organization has been most disappointing.

But most disheartening has been the recurring talking point that residents like myself, who both support this zoning and also live in the proposed subdistrict, are motivated by our own financial interests and not our true beliefs as housing advocates. There is no way for me to convince someone otherwise if they just continue to say it over and over again, I suppose, but I wish more of my fellow residents who oppose Article 3 would trust me at my word that:

  • Yes, I support this zoning.
  • No, I do not have any plans to sell my property; it is my family’s original home and I love it.
  • Yes, I would be welcoming if my neighbors on either side chose to further develop their property.

In closing, I would like to extend my thanks to all of the hours invested in this process to date, by everyone involved, whether we agree on the topic or not. I look forward to the upcoming Town Meeting vote to truly see what the majority of voters in our town support.

It is my hope that the “Yesses” will have it when we vote on Article 3. But if we don’t, you have my word that I will not decry the process. I will be disappointed in the outcome, but I’ll shake it off, and see how I can best advocate for my position moving forward.

Onigman is a Codman Road resident.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Police log for February 23 – March 3, 2024

February 23

Nothing of note.

February 24

Route 2 westbound (2:28 a.m.) — An officer stopped a vehicle for excessive speed. The operator, Jared Gove, 35, from Ashby was arrested for operating under the influence of liquor (second offense) and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. He was subsequently bailed and ordered to appear at Concord District Court on February 26.

February 25

Mary’s Way (11:46 a.m.) — An individual came to the station to speak with an officer regarding an ongoing matter.

Old Winter Street (4:02 p.m.) — A caller who reported discovering an item turned it over to public safety for destruction.

The Commons in Lincoln (7:00 p.m.) — An officer spoke to an individual regarding the use of a motor vehicle.

North Great Road (8:40 p.m.) — A motorist reported seeing a vehicle travelling the wrong way on Route 2 westbound. Concord Police and Massachusetts State Police were notified. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate the vehicle.

Mary’s Way (8:50 p.m.) — An officer responded to a residence regarding an ongoing matter.

February 26

Hiddenwood Path (9:09 a.m.) — Weston Police transferred a 911 call from Sirius XM related to a stolen motor vehicle. The area was checked but no vehicle was located.

Old County Road (9:30 a.m.) — A motor vehicle crash was reported on Old County Road that turned out to be in the town of Lexington. State Police and the Lexington Fire Department responded.

The Commons in Lincoln (9:56 a.m.) — An officer spoke to a resident regarding a past incident.

Canoe landing overflow parking lot, South Great Road  (10:19 a.m.) — The DPW was notified of items dumped at the overflow lot.

Hillside Road (1:09 a.m.) — An officer spoke to a caller regarding a possible scam.

Twin Pond Lane (2:03 p.m.) — Officers received notification from Sirius XM of a possible stolen motor vehicle in the area. The area was checked but no vehicle was located.

Old Cambridge Turnpike (3:30 p.m.) — An officer spoke to a resident regarding an occupancy issue.

Round Hill Road (3:37 p.m.) — An officer checked the area for a report of a vehicle that was parked, occupied, and running. When the officer arrived, the vehicle had left the area.

Tower Road (4:16 p.m.) — An additional call was received from Sirius XM regarding a stolen motor vehicle in the area. The area was checked but the vehicle was not located.

Stonehedge Road (4:36 p.m.) — Sirius XM called to report the possible location of a stolen motor vehicle. The area was checked but the vehicle was not located.

February 27

Hartwell lot, North Great Road )1:29 a.m.) — An officer came upon a parked, occupied motor vehicle. The occupant was sleeping for a brief period before continuing on with their trip.

Aspen Circle (10:01 a.m.) — The Post Office personnel reported damage to a mailbox.

Lincoln Road (8:32 a.m.) — A motorist reported a private tow company was removing a vehicle from their property at their request.

Wells Road (10:54 a.m.) — An officer spoke to a resident regarding an ongoing matter.

Mary’s Way (6:57 p.m.) — An officer spoke to resident regarding a possible dispute.

Donelan’s Supermarket (8:46 p.m.) — A caller reported hearing a loud banging noise coming from behind the supermarket. An officer checked the area but found nothing out of ordinary.

Lexington Road (11:41 p.m.) — An officer performed a check on a residential property.

February 28

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (12:31 a.m.) — Police units from Lincoln, Concord, and the Massachusetts State Police located a pedestrian on Route 2 westbound.

Old Sudbury Road (7:39 a.m.) — A caller reported the railroad gates at Old Sudbury Road were stuck down. An officer responded and monitored until Keolis arrived on scene. After a brief period of time, the gates appeared to be functioning normally.

Lincoln Road (1:18 p.m.) — An officer responded to the commuter lot and ticketed multiple vehicles for being illegally parked.

North Great Road (3:19 p.m.) — A motorist spoke to an officer regarding a past motor vehicle crash.

Offut Road, Hanscom AFB (5:17 p.m.) — An officer spoke to a resident regarding an ongoing situation.

Codman Community Farms (5:25 p.m.) — An officer spoke to an individual regarding an encounter at Codman Farm.

February 29

Due to high winds during the night and early morning on February 28-29, police received reports of trees, branches and/or wires down on North Great Road, Lincoln Road (several calls), Lexington Road, Old Winter Street, Trapelo Road, Lexington Road, Concord Road, Mackintosh Lane, Hilliard Road, and South Great Road.

Old Concord Road (1:30 a.m.) — Police and fire units responded to a working fire at an out building. Additional towns were called to assist. The fire was extinguished a short time later. For details, see “Fire heavily damages Old Concord Road home.”

Wells Road (10:08 p.m.) — A resident spoke to an officer regarding an ongoing incident.

Virginia Road (11:51 a.m.) — A caller requested assistance with contacting a relative. Contact was made a short time later.

South Great Road (3:10 p.m.) — The railroad gates were reportedly stuck in the down position. An officer responded and monitored. Keolis was notified and, upon arrival, restored normal operation.

Bowles Terrace (6:49 p.m.) — A caller reported a vehicle had stopped in their driveway and appeared to have photographed the residence. Officers checked the area but the vehicle was gone on arrival.

Wells Road (11:56 p.m.) — An officer responded to stand by at a residence at the request of a tenant.

March 1

South Great Road (12:51 p.m.) — An employee from Mass Audubon reported locating a suspicious item.

Concord Road (1:29 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing an individual parked outside of their residence. The individual was a representative from Eversource investigating a power outage.

Lincoln Road (3:30 p.m.) — A motorist reported a hit-and-run crash on Lincoln Road. Officers were able to locate the operator of the vehicle that fled the scene.

Codman Road (9:07 p.m.) – A lost motorist was given directions.

March 2

Windingwood Lane (2:40 p.m.) — Several people in a canoe were attempting a water rescue of a dog. The rescue was successful.

Lincoln North office building (1:18 a.m.) — An officer provided a courtesy transport for two residents of Hanscom Air Force Base.

March 3

Harvest Circle (2:53 p.m.0) — A caller requested assistance with a motor vehicle lockout. The Fire Department was unable to respond.

Lincoln Road (4:07 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing a sick or injured raccoon in their yard. The Animal Control Officer was notified.

Aspen Circle (3:54 p.m.) — The Fire Department responded to a residence for a fire alarm activation. The cause was determined to be burned food.