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

My Turn: Misconceptions about the Housing Choice Act

By Bob Domnitz

It’s distressing to see the continuing confusion about the HCA and the town’s response to the HCA. From my perspective as a former member of the Planning Board and Housing Choice Act Working Group, I will address two of the most common misconceptions.

Misconception #1: The HCA falls particularly hard on Lincoln.

— No, the HCA does not fall hard on Lincoln. We can easily comply.

Misconception #2: The HCA is complex…too complex for residents to understand.

— No, the law is not complex. Town leadership’s response to the law is complex. Near the beginning of presentations made by town leadership, the following principle is stated: Rezone near public transportation and town amenities.

This is a policy decision made by our town that goes far beyond the requirements of state law. State law only requires that our town locate 20% of the rezoning near public transportation. At a webinar held in early 2022 that town staff and I attended, the state agency that administers the HCA recognized that some towns would be unduly burdened by the new law. To illustrate their point, they showed a map of one town’s neighborhood around its commuter rail station. The town had significant wetlands, conservation land, and other land that was not developable. That town was Lincoln. In recognition of this undue burden, the guidelines issued by the state agency in August 2022 allowed towns to place some rezoning anywhere in town if they didn’t have much developable land near public transportation. Lincoln was one such town. Under the state agency’s guidelines, Lincoln was given flexibility to put 80% of its rezoning anywhere in town.

The complexity of the town’s response to the HCA is, in large part, a consequence of the town’s decision to disregard the flexibility given us by the state. There is no undue burden imposed upon us by the state. We have created the undue burden.

I’ve stated above that we can easily comply with the HCA. We need eight acres of land rezoned near the train station and 34 acres rezoned at a suitable location, anywhere in town. There are myriad combinations of land parcels that would meet the criteria. It’s not worth debating whether we should comply with the HCA. It’s not worth debating whether the state’s requirements fall harshly on Lincoln. It’s not worth debating whether the state has properly accounted for housing at Hanscom Air Force Base. We can comply. We should comply. We can easily comply.

A sound approach to the HCA would adopt a simple plan that achieves compliance. We would then be free to pursue our goals for affordable housing and mall redevelopment outside the formulaic, rigid constraints of the HCA. For example, we could choose to rezone Lewis Street, the mall, the south side of Lincoln Road, Codman Road, etc., with zoning decisions made by Town Meeting in the traditional manner, without the arbitrary constraints of the HCA. Importantly, we would be able to invoke the town’s inclusionary housing requirement to provide more affordable housing than the HCA allows.

I wish town leadership would trust residents to make these decisions. Instead, town leadership has chosen to combine three elements — HCA compliance, housing, and mall redevelopment — into one omnibus package. Because the package includes HCA compliance, it spreads the coercive urgency of the HCA’s deadline onto the other two elements of the package: housing and mall redevelopment. That’s what has led to the rush for action on the entire package. That’s what has led to the complexity of the package. Residents might have wanted to deal with housing and the mall separately from HCA compliance, but town leadership did not give us that option in December and we are not being given that option now.

The town’s initial decision to locate all rezoning at Lincoln Station, disregarding the flexibility given to us by the state, has led to the complex hodgepodge of subdistricts that we’ll be voting on in March. It may have been hard to foresee that we’d end up here as a result of the simple choice to put the entire HCA district at Lincoln Station. But sometimes, when you get to the end of a design process, you realize that initial decisions need to be re-examined. We are at such a time. We should rethink the initial decision to comply with the HCA by rezoning only near public transportation and town amenities.

Several years ago, the state changed the Zoning Act to allow a simple majority at town meetings to approve multifamily housing-related zoning amendments. Under prior law, these zoning amendments required a two-thirds supermajority vote for adoption. At our December 2023 Town Meeting, a scaled-down zoning plan was presented by a group of residents. Their plan got 37% of the vote, even though they were denied the opportunity to give a cohesive presentation. If that vote is replicated at our March Annual Town Meeting, leadership’s omnibus zoning package may pass as the least popular, most divisive zoning amendment in Lincoln’s history.

I urge town leadership to withdraw their plan and work with residents to craft a simpler plan that we can all support.

Bob Domnitz (Lincoln Planning Board, 2003-2015; 2020-2023 Housing Choice Act Working Group, 2022-2023)
bobdom333@hotmail.com

If any residents would like to discuss this with me, please send me a private email with your phone number and I’ll call you back as soon as I’m able.

“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.

Worries persist about HCA rezoning

The Planning Board will vote on the revised zoning bylaw on February 26, but residents still have questions, and its fate at the March 23 Town Meeting is far from certain.

Echoing a frequent thread in discussions about the HCA rezoning, attendees at the February 20 public hearing worried that a site plan review won’t be enough to control what gets built when multifamily and mixed-use developments are allowed by right in parts of South Lincoln under the new state-mandated rules. 

“Site plan review has teeth in that we can insist the development be done in a manner that is consistent with the neighborhood and the design guidelines, but you can’t use it to make it impossible for the developer to do something by right,” Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson said. Developers can be fined and/or denied an occupancy permit if they don’t comply, she added.

Traffic from commercial and residential units is also a concern that the board can’t control ahead of time. “We will look at traffic as there are projects,” Olson said. A traffic study and any resulting mitigation requirements “are a negotiation with the developer.”

“Then what can you say no to?” resident Barbara Peskin asked. The answer: essentially nothing. As an example, for a single-family home, “the town and board cannot deny your right to build a house on your property,” Olson said. Screening, lighting and other aspects can be controlled, “but we can’t tell you we don’t like your house… we cannot refuse a by-right use.”

Resident Susan Hall Mygatt urged the board to pass over the measure at Town Meeting and schedule a Special Town Meeting in June or the fall to give more time to come up with a better bylaw while still meeting the December 2024 state deadline. 

The board’s alleged failure to respond to resident comments “makes the public forums look like a sham, and will exacerbate the unhealthy tensions that are now evident between the board and the Selects on the one hand, and many residents who do not feel they have been heard,” said Mygatt, reading from a statement. “I and others are concerned that if the proposed amendment receives barely a 50% vote, there will continue to be significant ill will within the town and it will fester for years. This can be avoided.”

Along the same lines, board member Lynn DeLisi asked if there was any way to delay the board’s February 26 vote, but Olson said there wasn’t, since the board also has to approve design guidelines before Town Meeting.

“For better or for worse, we have to follow the direction given to us by Town Meeting” in December, when residents voted to go ahead with Option C to allow all of the new multifamily development within South Lincoln, Olson said. “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… absent considerably more public engagement that we have time for before March, we have what we have… we are in this bind.”

But resident Louis Zipes urged the board to go ahead with the March vote despite the controversy. “You’ve done an excellent job of adjusting to the town’s needs,” he said. “We recognize that not everyone will be satisfied. You have the support of a silent majority in the town.”

Hanscom developer offers plan details, answers questions

The Hanscom Field expansion area is outlined in red. Lincoln’s approximate town border to the south is indicated by the green dashed line.

North Airfield Ventures offered details of its plan to greatly enlarge hangar space at Hanscom Field to the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission on February 20. It was the first of several public sessions scheduled before developers file their environmental impact statement next month, according to a February 21 story in the Bedford Citizen.

While the parcel under consideration lies in the town of Bedford, an expansion of the airport’s capacity will increase air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions — an argument cited by opponents including Stop Private Jet Expansion as well as local and state officials including the Lincoln Select Board.

The project’s proponents say that additional hangar space will reduce the need for “ferry flights” to and from full Hanscom hangars to other storage areas, but the idea that “adding 90 football fields worth of space would reduce emissions from aircraft struck me as hard to believe,” Select Board member Jim Hutchinson said in February 2023.

Four 20,000-gallon jet fuel tanks and one 5,000-gallon tank for aviation gas are planned. Fuel deliveries are expected once or twice a day in 10,000-gallon tank trucks, the Bedford Citizen article notes. Although the plan has been scaled down from 27 to 17 hangars, the total size will remain at around 495,000 square feet, the article added.

The environmental review is not a permitting process. Under state law, once the impact report is submitted, there will be a 30-day comment period. If the content is not accepted by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the developers must prepare a supplemental report, the Bedford Citizen explained in an earlier article.

News acorns

Session on green energy and batteries

Are you wondering how to keep the lights on when the sun’s not shining? Jay Turner, an environmental studies professor at Wellesley College, will draw on his recent book Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future and his experiences retrofitting his home in Natick to be net energy positive to discuss the big picture and fine details of electrification on Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Click here to register and receive a Zoom link. This series is hosted by CFREE, a working group of Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee.

Pierce House Committee seeks volunteers

The Select Board is seeking interested volunteers for the Pierce House Committee. The committee advises the Select Board with respect to the use, maintenance and security of Pierce House and Pierce Park as well as recommending an operating budget and a capital budget, together with periodic five-year projections. Those interested should contact Peggy Elder, administrative assistant in the Select Board’s Office, at 781-259-2601 or elderp@lincolntown.org.

Inns and adventures with Alison O’Leary

On Thursday, March 7 from 7–8 p.m. on Zoom, author and adventurer Alison O’Leary discusses a variety of adventurous weekend trips in New Hampshire, Vermont, and the Berkshires with doses of humor, history, and peeks inside historic inns from her book Inns and Adventures. Sponsored by the Lincoln Public Library. Click here to register.

See “Frozen Jr.” at the Lincoln School

Lincoln School’s production of “Frozen Jr.” based on the Disney film will be on Wednesday, March 13 at 3 p.m., and Thursday and Friday, March 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. in the Donaldson Auditorium. Buy tickets at the door ($5 for students and seniors, $10 for adults).

My Turn: Vander Meulen endorses Glass for reelection

By Allen Vander Meulen

As some might recall, I was Jennifer Glass’s challenger during her first campaign for Select Board in 2017.

I must say, I got royally stomped in that election, receiving about 10% of the vote. But the outcome was no surprise: Jennifer clearly had the experience, temperament, and talent needed for such a challenging position, while at the time I was still relatively unknown and unproven.

In that campaign, I came to deeply respect and admire Jennifer, and that respect and admiration have only grown since. Jennifer listens carefully to all of her constituents (and her opponents too, as I learned). She is not afraid to rethink her approach or path when new information is presented, or it is clear the current path is not workable. She is very clear and consistent in her determination to make Lincoln a more just, welcoming, and livable community for all. And she has proven herself to be adept at constantly educating herself about, and navigating, the extremely intricate and challenging legal, regulatory and political landscape within which Lincoln exists.

While I have great respect for one of the other candidates challenging her (I do not know the third candidate at all), it is clear to me that Jennifer Glass is by far the best choice for the position. This is not just because of her past record, but also because she continues to be a creative, knowledgable, deeply thoughtful, forward-thinking, and energetic leader. Such qualities are absolutely necessary for those who wish to lead our community in confronting the challenges we face.

Please join me in re-electing Jennifer Glass to the Select 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.

Correction

The February 20 article headlined “My Turn: 100 seconds to a better planet” did not contain links in two places saying “click here.” The article has been updated, and the paragraphs explaining how to check which green energy plan you’re on(and how to upgrade to 100% Green) are reprinted below:

First, make sure you have your Eversource bill at hand. Then click here, fill out the form, and press “Submit.” Or call LGEC customer support at 844-651-8919 and tell them you want 100% Green. They will make the change for you. (It may take several billing cycles before the change takes effect.)

If you’re uncertain which option you’re in now, click here to see where the rate and supplier information is noted on your Eversource bill. Then find your February 2024 or a later bill to compare.

News acorns

Sgt. Ian Spencer and Officer Laura Stewart.

Police officer receives letter of commendation

Sgt. Ian Spencer and Acting Chief Sean Kennedy of the Lincoln Police Department presented Officer Laura Stewart with a letter of commendation for her actions taken during a critical incident on February 13. Officers responded to a call for a person suffering from a mental health crisis. Officer Stewart, while alone, used her communication and de-escalation skills to disarm the individual who was holding a knife and actively harming themselves. The incident came to a successful resolution and the person was transported to a local medical facility.

Virtual office hours for Rep. Gentile

State Rep. Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury) will hold virtual office hours on Friday, Feb. 23 from 10 a.m.–noon. Any constituent who wishes to speak to Rep. Gentile can sign up for a 20-minute time slot by emailing his legislative aide, Ravi Simon, at ravi.simon@mahouse.gov. Please provide your full name, address, phone number, email, and discussion topic.

Second forum on mall redevelopment set for Feb. 29

The Rural Land Foundation will hold its next public forum on the future of the mall on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting (passcode: 94034). Redevelopment of the mall will be guided by rezoning in South Lincoln mandated by the Housing Choice Act. At the first forum on January 18, the RLF unveiled two visual concepts for 40 units of housing and 5,000–10,000 square feet of first-floor and/or street-activating use space. 

Town flags at half-staff for Rundell

By request of the Select Board, the flags on town buildings will be lowered to half-staff to mark the passing of Virginia Rundell, a longtime Lincoln resident who served as the town’s archivist for the past two years. The flags will be at half-staff from Tuesday, Feb. 20 through Sunday, Feb. 25. In recognition of Virginia’s service to the town, this inscription will appear on the inside cover the 2023 Annual Town Report.

Democrats to caucus on Saturday

The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee will hold a caucus on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. in the Bemis Hall map room to elect six delegates and four alternates to the 2024 State Democratic Convention in June. Registered and pre-registered Democrats in Lincoln who are 16 years old as of February 15, 2024 may vote and be elected as delegates or alternates. All are welcome but only registered Democrats may vote. 

At the state convention at the DCU Center in Worcester on June 1, delegates will place a candidate name on the statewide primary ballot in December. Those interested in getting involved with the Lincoln Democratic Committee should contact Travis Roland at travisroland89@yahoo.com or Joan Kimball at selenejck@gmail.com. Young people (ages 16-35), those with disabilities, people of color, veterans, and members of the LGBTQ+ community not elected as delegates or alternates are encouraged to apply to be add-on delegates at the caucus or by visiting massdems.org/massdems-convention.

Event examines Russia sanctions

Christine Abely, author of The Russia Sanctions (2024) will discuss the sanctions enacted by multiple nations, including the United States, in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, on Thursday, Feb. 29 from 7–8 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. Her book examines the sanctions’ effects on food, energy, and the global use of the U.S. dollar. She will discuss sanctions on oligarchs, the freezing and seizure of their assets, and steps taken to promote financial transparency worldwide. The talk will also explore the humanitarian impacts of sanctions.  

Training for domestic violence volunteer advocates

The Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. (DVSN) is looking for community members to participate in their free Volunteer Advocate training program at the Concord Police Department in March. The 40-hour training is designed to familiarize the volunteers with the many aspects of domestic violence and give them the skills necessary to provide confidential and appropriate services to DVSN’s clients. Once trained, DVSN’s Volunteer Advocates provide direct service over the phone, at the Concord District Court, and at Emerson Hospital to people affected by domestic violence.

The initial training will be held from March 4–22 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and Fridays from 9:15 a.m.–3:30 p.m. For those who wish to activate as Advocates, an additional 10 to 12 hours of individual field training will take place after successful completion of the classroom segment. All materials will be provided. Those who’d like more information or an application should call 978-318-3421 or e-mail training@dvsn.org. Applications are due no later than Monday, Feb. 26. To learn more about DVSN and its programs, services, and events, visit DVSN.org.

My Turn: 100 seconds to a better planet

By Michael Moodie and Belinda Gingrich

(Editor’s note: The following is one in a series of “Climate Minutes” posted on the Lincoln Green Energy Committee website.)

The Lincoln Green Energy Choice (LGEC) program offers residents three options for electricity from renewable (primarily wind and solar) sources:

  • Basic — 26% renewable, 14.631 cents per kWh
  • Standard Green — 62% renewable, 16.093 cents per kWh
  • 100% Green — 100% renewable, 17.348 cents per kWh

When the program started three years ago, unless an enrolling household specifically selected Basic or 100% Green, it was placed in the Standard Green program by default. The great majority of those enrolled in the program ended up with Standard. With busy lives and automatic bill payments, probably few of us have given much thought to our electricity supplier since.

About 13% of Lincoln households have chosen the 100% option, while 80% have Standard and 7% Basic. The CFREE team hopes that more households would move to 100% if they knew how easy it is to do and how minimal the extra cost would be. The 100% option is just over a penny per kilowatt-hour more than Standard. For an average home that uses 10,000kWh per year, that’s about 35 cents a day. This is one of the simplest and lowest-cost steps we can take to get at least the electricity part of our fossil fuel use out of our lives.

We’ve timed it. If you can spare 100 seconds, you can do this! First, make sure you have your Eversource bill at hand. Then click here, fill out the form, and press “Submit.” Or call LGEC customer support at 844-651-8919 and tell them you want 100% Green. They will make the change for you. (It may take several billing cycles before the change takes effect.)

If you’re uncertain which option you’re in now, click here to see where the rate and supplier information is noted on your Eversource bill. Then find your February 2024 or a later bill to compare.

Tech support will be provided free of charge in the Tarbell Room of the Lincoln Public Library on Friday, March 1 from 1–2 p.m. Volunteers will have computers set up to help anyone who’d like to make the change to 100% (or any other change). Bring your Eversource bill. We’ll also do a Q&A and provide tech support to help users make changes on Thursday, March 21 from 2–3 p.m. at Bemis Hall.

Moodie and Gingrich are writing on behalf of CFREE (Carbon-Free Residential, Everything Electric), a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee.

“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.

Service on Feb. 24 for Martha Pickett, 1947–2024

Martha O’Neill Pickett

Martha O’Neill Pickett, 77, of Lincoln passed away peacefully on Friday, February 16, 2024. She was the wife of the late Robert Clement Pickett, who died in 2012. She is survived by her sister, Olivia O’Neill of Jamaica Plain, and sister-in-law Heather O’Neill of Petaluma, Calif. Also survived by many loving cousins and friends. Martha was predeceased by her parents, John J. and Rosemary L. (Donovan) O’Neill, and brother, John J. O’Neill, Jr. 

Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Martha at her memorial service on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. in St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, 147 Concord Rd., Lincoln, MA. Donations in her memory may be made to St. Anne’s.

Arrangements are under the care of Concord Funeral Home, which provided this obituary. Click here to see Martha’s online guestbook.

My Turn: Postlethwait announces candidacy for Planning Board

By Sarah Postlethwait

I am announcing my candidacy for Planning Board, and hope that my focus on critical thinking, thoroughly researched planning and inclusive dialogue will bring value to Lincoln and win your vote.

I have a background in education, and I enjoy comprehensively analyzing information and breaking it down so it can be explained to a large audience. As the marketing director for the Boston and Canadian branches of a global company, I have practice in navigating a constantly shifting commerce terrain while working with a team to achieve our diverse business goals.

When I moved to Lincoln with my husband 14 years ago, I was attracted to the open space and farmland that reminded me of my childhood in Ohio. Since then, we have welcomed three children who enjoy all the benefits of growing up in this beautiful town surrounded by a community with similar values. We love walking to Drumlin and Codman farms, visiting the fantastic children’s department at the library, and we have thoroughly enjoyed participating in the wonderful offerings of LincFam and the Recreation Department.

Although I have been an active voice at Planning Board and other housing meetings for a decade, I am growing increasingly concerned about the town’s future. Current leadership is rushing towards a response to the new Housing Choice Act (HCA) that goes far beyond what is required for our small town. Instead of rezoning for the HCA requirement of 42 acres of land and 635 units, they are backing a plan that rezones 72 acres of land and allows for 801 housing units, all in one concentrated half-mile radius of the train station. It is a mistake to rush. The likelihood of unintended consequences is too great.

I understand that the town must evolve. Expanding our housing stock will help address the housing needs of our state. At the same time, we need to protect the retail businesses that currently exist in Lincoln, and ideally find ways to attract more. We need to be smart and not race headlong into a plan that may endanger the town’s financial stability and the rural character that we love.

The goal of the HCA is to create housing for families; however, the bylaw we have created for the HCA district is unlikely to interest them. Most families don’t want to live in overpriced tiny apartments without any green space, surrounded by pavement. We need to consider ways to adjust our zoning to ensure that the kind of housing that appeals to families will actually be built. Furthermore, we need to maintain our attention on creating affordable housing units for all types of families. There is a desperate need for homes that are affordable for moderate and lower income individuals in the Boston area.

I am running for a seat on the Planning Board because I feel Lincoln can do better.  Lincoln has a long history of coming to consensus to build multifamily developments and to prioritize affordable housing. An enviable 40% of our current housing stock is multifamily. Nearly 13% of our housing is in the affordable housing inventory. We can continue on this admirable path by rezoning only for the HCA-required number of acres and units. Then, as a fully informed town, we (not the state, not developers) can plan for the reasoned and responsible fiscal, social, and environmental evolution of Lincoln.  

These same principles of thorough research and planning, measured implementation, inclusive dialogue, and collaborative problem-solving should apply to all of the key issues facing our town: the HCA, revitalization of the mall, the community center, and more.

This is a future of Lincoln that I would like to be part of, and if you agree, then I ask for your support at the March town election.

Questions or concerns? I listen and I respond. Please contact me at sarah@bayhas.com. 

Sincerely,

Sarah Postlethwait
Proud member of the Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives.

“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.