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

Police log for June 5–14, 2023

June 5

South Commons (5:52 a.m.) — Officers assisted an outside agency in making contact with a party who turned out to be in a different town.

Hanscom Drive (9:36 a.m.) — A two-car crash occurred at the intersection of Hanscom Drive and Old Bedford Road. The first vehicle was turning left onto Old Bedford Road after stopping at the stop sign. A vehicle traveling west on Old Bedford Road about to turn south on Hanscom Drive was then struck by the first vehicle. The operator of the first vehicle was issued a citation for failing to yield at an Intersection. Both vehicles were driven from the scene.

Trapelo Road (3:44 p.m.) — Police received a report of approximately six people fishing at the Cambridge Reservoir. The parties were advised about the fishing restriction and sent on their way.

Trapelo Road (5:56 p.m.) — A teenager was reportedly fishing in the Cambridge Reservoir. An officer arrived and observed the individual packing up after realizing fishing was prohibited.

Sudbury Street, Maynard (7:19 p.m.) — The Lincoln Fire Department responded to the town of Maynard for station coverage due to a working fire.

June 6

Hanscom Drive, Gate 1 Area (4:22 a.m.) — Lincoln officers assisted Hanscom Air Force Base security in attempting to locate an individual suspected in connection with a house break who had left the base. Hanscom security subsequently located Analea Doan, 21, of 82 Brick Kiln Road in Chelmsford and arrested her on two outstanding warrants. In addition, she was charged with assault and battery on a household member, breaking and entering during the nighttime, and malicious destruction of property.. Lincoln police were called a second time at 5:32 a.m. after she had been taken into custody by Hanscom security on base due to her civilian status.  She had no affiliation with the Air Force or any other branch of the military at the time of her arrest.

North Great Road (7:56 a.m.) — Police received a report of a cow loose on Route 2A by the Concord town line. The Minute Man National Historical Park police were notified.

Sandy Pond Road (8:31 p.m.) — Police received a report of several people fishing at Flint’s Pond. The area was checked but there were no parties located.

June 7

Winter Street (12:04 p.m.) — Domestic incident involving assault and battery; details withheld for victim privacy.

Sedgemeadow Road, Wayland (4:00 p.m.) — Lincoln police responded to the town of Wayland to assist in the search of a missing person. Approximately 15 minutes later, the person was located.

Concord Road (4:41 p.m.) — Police responded to a report of a suspicious motor vehicle. The area was checked but no vehicles were located.

June 8

Thoreau Institute, Baker Farm Road (12:12 p.m.) — An individual requested guidance related to an ongoing incident.

Tower Road (1:50 p.m.) — Officers responded to the residence for a dispute between two individuals.

Garland Road (3:01 p.m.) — An individual came to the station to speak with an officer about an ongoing issue.

June 9

Old Bedford Road (1:55 a.m.) — An abandoned unoccupied vehicle left on the side of the road was awaiting a tow truck.

Virginia Road (4:17 p.m.) — Concord police notified Lincoln police that they would be conducting a well-being check on an individual walking on Virginia Road. The party was fine.

June 10

Virginia Road (7:00 p.m.) — Police received a report of an individual in distress. Police arrived and identified the party, who refused any assistance once back at their residence.

Sunnyside Lane (9:10 p.m.) — Police responded to a minor two-vehicle crash and assisted the parties with exchanging information.

June 11

Baker Bridge Road (10:59 p.m.) — A cyclist called police to report being grazed by a passing vehicle. An officer was in close proximity and was able to stop the suspected vehicle. The operator of the vehicle was unaware they had made contact with a cyclist. The cyclist was uninjured and requested that the operator be made aware of the incident. Officers spoke with all parties involved. The motorist was advised of the 4-foot distance afforded to cyclists when passing.

Lincoln Road (4:29 p.m.) — A caller reported two small children appeared to be walking unattended on Lincoln Road. An officer was in the area and saw that an adult was approximately 20 yards behind the children.

Stratford Way (8:31 p.m.) — An individual spoke with an officer regarding disturbing unsolicited text messages.

June 12

Route 117, canoe landing parking lot (2:25 a.m.) — An officer performed a site check discovered a vehicle parked unattended.

Wells Road (4:15 p.m.) — An officer gave court paperwork to an individual.

June 13

Trapelo Road (7:16 a.m.) — An officer discovered a minor motor vehicle crash while en route to another call. The operators had already exchanged paperwork.

Trapelo Road (9:13 a.m.) — An officer spoke to two operators regarding a road rage incident on Old Sudbury Road. As a result, one of the vehicle operators was cited for a marked lanes violation.

Brooks Hill Road (10:14 a.m.) — The Fire Department responded to a residence for a fire alarm activation. The cause of the alarm turned out to be burnt food.

The Commons of Lincoln (4:09 p.m.) — Registry of Motor Vehicles paperwork was served in hand.

Birchwood Lane (6:53 p.m.) — An individual spoke to an officer regarding a scam involving the fraudulent use of gift cards.

Minuteman Technical High School (11:25 p.m.) — A motorist reported being locked in the school parking lot. They were freed a short time later.

June 14

Tower Road (2:15 p.m.) — A runner and motorist had a verbal confrontation. A police officer spoke with both parties.

Morningside Lane (4:01 p.m.) — An individual spoke to an officer regarding a possible scam.

Wells Road (8:01 p.m.) — An individual spoke to an officer regarding an ongoing incident.

My Turn: CCBC meetings focus on building size and parking lot

By Lynne Smith

One of the reasons many of us suggested looking at other buildings in town to host programs for seniors was to reduce the size of buildings required on the small Hartwell campus. The space there is precious, especially the green space that hosts the approximately 150 children at LEAP and Magic Garden. Concerns about the size of the buildings and the location of the parking lot were discussed at both the June 13 public forum and the June 14 regular CCBC meeting.

At the public forum, ICON architect Ned Collier presented five site plans illustrating five cost levels. The plans included a variety of buildings: a new two-story building, a new one-story building, and renovations of existing pods. All plans required removal of the existing parking lot and a new one installed at the back of the building. All plans included the same cost of $3.5 million for site work. (Full description of the plans and the meeting included in the Lincoln Squirrel on June 14 and on the Lincoln Community Center website.)

Committee members and public attendees were seeing these plans for the first time and it was a lot to take in. I appreciated the printed version provided to those of us attending in person. For the 35 people on line, it must have been difficult to process so much information. Collier cautioned us that these were not “designs” but site plans.

For those of us who were hoping for a viable low-cost option, the site plan labeled 2A was a good start. The plan called for housing programs in 10,000 square feet located in total renovation of pods A and B. Many in town believe that 9,000 to 10,000 square feet is sufficient for accommodating all the “needed” programs. However, as with all five plans, the parking lot behind the building came at the expense of the green space. Parents of children at LEAP and Magic Garden expressed concern as they realized what the loss of the playing areas would mean to the 150 after-school and 120 preschool children.

At the June 14 meeting, CCBC Chair Sarah Chester announced the agenda as a discussion of the comments from the forum the night before. Instead, committee members spent over an hour discussing the siting of the parking lot but did not reach a consensus decision. The discussion was important, but it should have been conducted in a working group weeks ago with ICON providing topography and other technical information.

The parking discussion delayed a topic that was at the core of the comments at the public forum: the attendance data that supports the required square footage. COA Director Abby Butt has provided a great deal of data but it does not include numbers for “actual attendance.” Serious people in Lincoln are asking for this data because they don’t want to support a building that is larger than required. Susan Taylor commented that this information is critical for answering community questions about the actual size required to meet program needs. Peter von Mertens suggested that these numbers be gathered for COA programs. (PRD attendance data has already been posted on the CCBC website.) Jonathan Dwyer volunteered to help Butt develop these numbers and bring them back to the committee in the next week or two. Collier said that ICON needed confidence that this number was solid for final development of the schematic design.

In the last few minutes of the meeting as it opened to the public, Dennis Picker read a prepared set of comments about ways to reduce the amount of “shared space” by utilizing existing town-owned buildings. He had carefully looked at the programs listed for the COA and concluded that about 1,500 square feet of space could be saved by having several regular programs at the Pierce House and Bemis Hall. Locating these programs off site would mean that a 9,000-to-10,000-square-foot option on the Hartwell campus would not leave out valuable programs. He also proposed minimizing the amount of area devoted to lobby, reception area, and waiting rooms.

We need to consider carefully Picker’s suggestion, COA attendance data, and the location of the parking lot. I believe there is an opportunity to put a new building on the existing footprint of Pod A and leave the parking lot where it is. We could then do a slight remodel of Pod B so it could continue to be used for the maintenance facility and COA and PRD programs. That will save the wonderful green space and play areas at the back of the building. If the parking lot is undisturbed, we might not have to worry about the wetlands setback and the site work would be minimized. A walkway to the Brooks Gym parking lot could be used for additional parking.

The committee will have one more meeting in June to confirm the attendance data, square footage required, and site plans so ICON can proceed with design over the summer. CCBC will schedule one meeting in July and one in August with ICON. These meetings will be posted on the community center website. As always, I urge everyone in town to participate in these meetings before we make a final decision on the community center.

“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.

News acorns

Bells to ring Monday after for Juneteenth

At its May 22 meeting, the Lincoln Select Board reaffirmed Lincoln’s recognition of Monday, June 19 as “Juneteenth” in Lincoln. The proclamation shares some history of the Juneteenth holiday and underscores the Town’s commitment to “using our voices and resources to protect the rights of all residents, students, employees, and visitors to participate fully in the life of our community.” In recognition of the important events of June 1865, the Select Board voted to issue a proclamation and to arrange for the ringing of church bells throughout the community on Monday at 4 p.m.

New three-year teacher contract ratified

The Lincoln Educators Association and the Lincoln School Committee have ratified/approved the Collective Bargaining Agreement that will be in effect September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2026. One outcome of the new agreement is that the start date for all students will now be Thursday, August 31, 2023. The School Committee approved a revised 2023-2024 calendar adjusted to conform to the negotiated agreement to move a teacher development day from the end of the year to before the start of school for students. Meet and Greets — particularly for younger children — may be scheduled on August 29 or 30.

Lincoln students honored

Katherine Mountz and Anaysha Benalfew recently graduated from the Nashoba Brooks School.

Katherine Mountz and Anaysha Benalfew graduated from the Nashoba Brooks School (a coed lower school for preK-3 and an all-girls middle school for grades 4-8 in Concord) on June 9. Also, Robert Reiter and Kellie Snyder were Dean’s List students at North Shore Community College in spring 2023.

LincFam hosts Grownups Night Out

All are welcome to join LincFam to celebrate summer solstice at another Grownups’ Night Out on Tuesday, June 27 from 8–10 p.m. at the Codman Community Farms market. LincFam will provide the drinks and snacks For $10 per person payable at the event or Venmo @LincFam. Click here to RSVP.

Session on town’s Climate Action Plan

The town is kicking off the summer review period of the Climate Action Plan and all are welcome at a virtual event on Thursday, June 29 from 7–8 p.m. Join us to learn more about the plan and the strategies to reduce carbon emissions and increase our community’s resilience to climate change impacts that came from the planning process. Interpretation services will be available in Spanish, Mandarin, and Russian. Click here to register. Questions? Email Assistant Director of Planning and Land Use Jennifer Curtin at curtinj@lincolntown.org.

Check out electric vehicles on July 4

CFREE (Carbon Free Residential, Everything Electric), a working group of the Green Energy Committee, is sponsoring an electric vehicle display with various models and at least one dealer on Tuesday, July 4 after the parade at the Pierce House Boy Scout barbeque. If you have an EV you’d would like to show off, please email Colette Sizer at cfreeworking@gmail.com.

Barn Buddies for kids at Codman

Kids ages 5-8 are invited to enroll in Barn Buddies at Codman Community Farms held on four Wednesdays starting July 5. With a crew of trained youth farmer guides, kids will learn about the farm’s pasture-raised chickens and their eggs, visit the pigs and cows, work in the market garden, pick and arrange flowers, etc. Dress in work clothes and close-toed shoes and prepare to get dirty. Sessions meet rain or shine. Session 1 is on July 5, 12, 19, and 16 from 10:30–12 p.m. Session 2 is August 2, 9, 16, and 23 from 10:30–12 p.m. You can also sign up for individual classes. Click here for more information and registration.

Lincoln schools pay tribute to retiring Superintendent Becky McFall

Members of the Lincoln Public Schools Step Team put on a show to show their appreciation for Dr. McFall.

Over 200 people came to a July 8 gathering to express their gratitude for outgoing Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall’s leadership of the school district through multiple building projects and Covid. Past teachers, administrators, and community members joined current staff and friends to celebrate Dr. McFall’s tenure at the Lincoln Public Schools. 

The event started off with a performance by the LPS Step Team of students from Hanscom and Lincoln led by METCO Director Marika Hamilton. The steppers displayed their art form of making a capella-style beats with their body to create an experience that brings together dance, music, and community.  They entered the Learning Commons wearing gray wigs and chanting “Will the real Dr. McFall please stand up, please stand up, please stand up!” They performed several dances including “Joyful” and were encouraged by loud audience applause. 

The plaque noting that the Learning Commons have been named after McFall.

Those who paid tribute to McFall with heartfelt words, smiles and tears included Matt Reed and Blake Siskavich (co-presidents of the Lincoln Educators Association), Hanscom Middle School Principal Erich Ledebuhr, Director of Educational Operations and Technology Rob Ford, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jess Rose, Col. Taona Enriquez and Chief Master Sgt. Alan Weary of Hanscom Air Force Base, and past School Committee chairs Jennifer Glass, Tim Christenfeld, and Tara Mitchell.

The current School Committee capped off the evening by presenting Becky with a pillow quilted by Lincoln resident Dilla Tingley and surprised Becky by informing her that the Learning Commons will be named after her. John MacLachlan, Chair of the School Committee unveiled a brass plaque that commemorates the McFall Learning Commons. 

Dr. McFall is retiring this summer and Dr. Parry Graham will become the new superintendent as of July 1.

Architects unveil cost estimates for community center

The five community center site options and costs from ICON Architects (click to enlarge).

At a June 13 public forum, architects presented five basic site designs for a community center that satisfy the three cost parameters approved by residents in November 2022 — but some residents were disappointed in some features of the lower-cost options.

All five concepts call for 60 parking spaces behind the “solar-ready” community center (a solar PV canopy would be installed as part of a separate project). Site work is expected to cost $3.5 million regardless of how the buildings and parking are configured. The figures include site work, construction and “soft costs” (professional fees, owner’s contingency, furniture and equipment, etc.) as explained in the presentation that will be posted soon on the Community Center Building Committee website.

Option 1 (the “100% option”) come to $22.6 million and includes a new two-story building to replace pods A and C, a new maintenance building, and a renovated pod B. Options 1A, 1B and 2 are $16.7 to $18 million, while Option 2A would cost $11.3 million. The four options at 50% and 75% would require some combination of less new construction, not renovating one of the pods, and/or fewer total square feet for programming for Parks and Recreation and the Council on Aging and Human Services. 

The price points were set as percentages of a $25 million estimate for two concepts developed by Mary Ann Thomson Architects in 2018. Those concepts were estimated to cost $15.2 million to $16.2 million in 2018 dollars. In 2021, that figure was revised upward by cost estimators to $25.4 million in 2025 dollars. However, Ned Collier of ICON Architects reported that his firm’s cost estimators looked again at the 2018 concepts and determined that they would cost about $30 million today, partly because construction costs have risen by around 8% annually rather than the projected 5%.

“Materials and labor and labor have greatly increased over the intervening years,” he said.

Only Option 1 includes a new maintenance building on the Hartwell campus, which would add about $1 million to the price tags for options 1a, 1B, 2, and 2A. “We ask the town to consider whether this is the highest and best use [as a] large percentage of the project cost,” Collier said. But he got immediate pushback.

“A maintenance building is a must — you can’t not include that in the cost,” said Susan Taylor, the School Committee’s representative on the CCBC.”You can’t just lop off part of this project and say we’ll think about maintenance another day.”

“I’m discouraged that you dispensed with a function that’s currently being provided” in part of pod B, said Buck Creel, former Administrator for Business and Finance for the Lincoln Public Schools. Collier responded that the structure could be added to any of the other options, which (except for option 1A) are “below [cost] targets by a sufficient amount.”

Other residents at the forum were worried about losing the possibility of not renovating the LEAP pods (Options 1A, 1B and 2A)  or losing program space. Option 2 would deduct 1,000 square feet, while option 2A would remove 3,000 square feet. 

“This doesn’t have enough space for the programs we already have,” said Parks & Recreation Commission member Rob Stringer. “I’m concerned that Lincoln is selling itself short.”

He also noted that if some of the programs of the COA&HS and Park & Rec (which is headquartered in pod C) were to remain in Bemis Hall and an unrenovated pod C respectively, the cost to renovate those buildings would have to be figured in. Collier estimated that a standalone renovation of any of the pods (which would include bringing it up to current building code) would cost $3 million.

If square footage is removed for the COA&HS as per Options 2 and 2A , “what are Abby [Butt, COA&HS director] and her team expected to do?” Select Board member Km Bodnar said. “If you’re building a building that’s shrinking but adding services [over time], how does that make sense if we’re using this building for the next 30 years? I understand the price points but I don’t think we are going in a realistic direction by decreasing the size.”

“More people will be coming,” said resident Wendy Kusik, noting that as the town’s population ages, the need for COA&HS will only increase over time.

Taylor said she had thought before the forum that the three price opinions would deliver the same programming. “What programs or services are we eliminating?” she asked.

“I shared your hope that we would be able to fit the [full] program in each of the scenarios, but changes in the market are really preventing that,” Collier said, adding that “this exercise is cost-driven” and the architects are not taking a position.

There was still some sentiment to scale back the community center size and/or locate some services in other buildings in town. “Do we really need 13,000 square feet? I don’t think so. The rooms we designed are way too big,” said resident David Cuetos.

Over the summer, ICON will flesh out the options with some design detail in preparation for a presentation and charrette at the State of the Town meeting on September 30. Residents will choose a preferred option at a Special Town Meeting on December 2 and then vote to authorize a spending measure at Annual Meeting and at the ballot box in March 2024.

News acorns

Chili cookout and campout this weekend

Codman Community Farms will hold a Chili Cookout and Campout on Saturday, June 17 from 6–9:30 p.m. Vegetarian and pasture-raised beef chili as well as chili dogs made from Codman-grown ingredients will be on offer. Sides include CCF-made potato salad, cornbread, and cookies. Bring a favorite drink, gather around the campfire, stuff yourself with s’mores, and sing with friends. Optionally, pitch your tent, stay overnight, wake up to the sounds of the farm, and enjoy a simple breakfast on Sunday morning. Space is limited; click here to buy tickets in advance.

Learn about climate effects of Hanscom expansion proposal

Join climate change activist Bill McKibben of Third Act, Neil Rasmussen of Save Our Heritage, and others who are fighting to prevent a major private jet expansion at Hanscom Field (or anywhere) for an informational virtual webinar on the climate impacts of the proposed expansion on Wednesday, June 21 at 5 p.m. Rasmussen will present recent research on the impacts of the proposed development on state and municipal climate goals. McKibben will address why he calls the Hanscom proposal a “zombie project from the fossil fuel era.”

Click here to register. Sponsored by the Coalition to Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere. For more information, email Sabine von Mering at vonmering@brandeis.edu or info@StopPrivateJetExpansion.org. 

Lincoln250 logo contest

The Lincoln250 Planning Committee, along with community partners and other town committees, is planning multiple historical, educational, and cultural activities and events leading up to the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 2025. Residents are invited to submit designs for a logo that will act as the official emblem of the “Lincoln250” celebration.

Logo designs should be in color measuring about 8”x10” and feature a simple and a clearly identifiable image (feel free to include a brief description of the idea behind it). Send submissions to Select Board member Kim Bodnar at kbodnarselect@lincolntown.org by Tuesday, July 4. Submission constitutes the individual’s agreement to allow the use of the logo and also acknowledges that graphic renderings of the logo may be used for publicity purposes. It is also understood that no additional payment, monetary or otherwise, will be given.

Sign up for July 4 Firecracker Run

Register now for Lincoln’s annual Firecracker Run (2.5 miles or 4 miles) on Tuesday, July 4 starting at 8:30 a.m. at Town Hall. Medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in each group. Click here to register for the Firecracker Run, and click here for more information about all the Fourth of July events in Lincoln.

Food for the soul (Lincoln through the Lens)

After its biennial plant sale, the Lincoln Garden Club had plants left over, so they donated them to the SVdP food pantry for clients to take home. Belinda Goodrich and other club members put together about 20 planters with succulents and mini-hostas, and SVdP’s Ursula Nowak chipped in with some large colorful plants from her house.

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

Police log for May 29–June 4, 2023

May 29

North Great Road (8:48 a.m.) — Police received a report of a motor vehicle crash on Route 2A by the Concord line. The area was checked but there were no signs of a crash.

Wells Road (5:57 p.m.) — A resident spoke to an officer regarding an ongoing incident involving a possible threat.

May 30

Todd Pond Road (11:51 a.m.) — An individual reported possible vandalism to their motor vehicle.

Baker Bridge Road (4:43 p.m.) — A resident reported trapping an animal. They were given the number for Animal Control.

Sandy Pond Road (6:40 p.m.) — A caller reported a dog walking alone on Sandy Pond Road. They were advised to contact Animal Control.

May 31

Concord Road (1:48 a.m.) — Police received a call about a possible motorcycle crash on Concord Road by Old Concord Road. Upon arrival, an officer discovered a motorcycle on its side in the area of 102 Concord Road. The operator, a 33-year-old male from Waltham, was transported to Lahey Hospital for injuries sustained as a result of the crash. The operator was cited for operating under the influence of alcohol and a marked lanes violation. The motorcycle was towed from the scene.

Lincoln Road (1:30 p.m.) — A parking citation was issued at the commuter lot on Lincoln Road.

Virginia Road (12:23 p.m.) — An individual requested to speak to an officer at the police station regarding a possible bank fraud incident.

Bypass Road (1:10 p.m.) — An individual wanted to speak to an officer regarding a contractor who may have damaged their driveway.

South Great Road (2:57 p.m.) — A motorist called the police to report a possible motor vehicle crash on South Great Road. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate any vehicles involved in a crash.

Mary’s Way (3:15 p.m.) — An individual spoke to an officer regarding a fraudulent unemployment claim.

Trapelo Road (4:08 p.m.) — Police received a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a deer. The deer did not survive; the vehicle suffered minor damage.

Wells Road (5:12 p.m.) — Police assisted an individual.

Lincoln Road (6:51 p.m.) — An officer came upon a dog wandering in traffic on Lincoln Road near Ballfield Road. The officer was able to reunite the dog with its owner.

Tower Road (7:17 p.m.) — Police received a report of a residence that was broken into and several items were missing. Police secured the scene. Additional units responded to process and canvas the area. An investigation is ongoing.

Trapelo Road (9:00 p.m.) — A resident reported that the contents of a delivered package had been removed. An investigation is ongoing.

June 1

The Commons of Lincoln (5:36 a.m.) — An employee reported an electronic item appeared to have been stolen. An investigation is ongoing.

South Commons (10:50 a.m.) — An individual wished to speak to an officer due to a possible incident of identity theft.

South Great Road (1:32 p.m.) — A motorist reported a turtle attempting to cross South Great Road. An officer checked the area but was unable to locate the reptile.

Scott Circle, Hanscom AFB (2:48 p.m.) — An individual spoke to an officer regarding a fraudulent unemployment claim.

Lincoln Road (7:01 p.m.) — A single-car motor vehicle crash was reported on Lincoln Road. The operator stated to the responding officer that a bee had entered their vehicle. In an effort to avoid the bee, the operator struck a utility pole. The operator was not injured and was able to drive the vehicle from the scene. Verizon was notified to inspect the pole for damage.

June 2

Walden Pond boat ramp, Concord Road (11:46 a.m.) — A caller reported having an encounter with a nude male running by Walden Pond. It was determined the encounter occurred in Concord. So the investigation was transferred to Concord police.

South Great Road (7:18 p.m.) — A caller reported an injured owl near the side of the road on South Great Road. Animal Control was notified.

Wells Road (7:59 p.m.) — Police served court paperwork to an individual.

Stafford Drive, Plattsburg, N.Y. (5:42 p.m.) — Lincoln Police were called to assist in locating an overdue motorist travelling from Plattsburg, N.Y. It was later determined that the overdue motorist was involved in a motor vehicle crash on Route 128.

June 3

Silver Hill Road (3:44 a.m.) — A resident reported smelling smoke in the area around their residence. The area was checked by the Fire Department but no sign of fire was discovered.

Old Lexington Road (3:59 a.m.) — A resident reported an odor of smoke in the area. The area was checked but most likely the result of a six-alarm fire in the town of Spencer.

Hanscom Drive (12:06 p.m.) — Police were notified of an individual with an active arrest warrant. Elaine Gomez of Lawrence was taken into custody by the Lincoln Police. She was booked and transported to Concord District Court.

June 4

Old Sudbury Road (12:32 a.m.) — A caller reported hearing approximately ten to fifteen supposed gunshots in rapid succession. The area was checked but no signs of gunshots or fireworks were found.

North Great Road (1:36 a.m.) — An officer performed a well-being check on a vehicle stopped on the side of Route 2. The operator had pulled over to eat.

Juniper Road, Weston (9:37 p.m.) — The Weston Fire Department called for a mutual-aid fire engine to check a residence for a natural gas alarm. The Lincoln engine was cancelled prior to arrival.

Rezoning ideas to comply with HCA and redevelop mall are aired

The five parcels proposed for multifamily rezoning (click to enlarge). Some combinations of four of them would satisfy HCA requirements.

Five parcels of land in Lincoln have been identified for possible multifamily rezoning to satisfy the state Housing Choice Act, according to a consultant hired to help the town comply with the law. In a separate effort, the Rural Land Foundation is also proposing to rezone the area occupied by the Mall at Lincoln Station to allow redevelopment of the mall along with multifamily housing.

The HCA and mall initiatives were both presented at a multiboard meeting led by the Housing Choice Act Working Group on June 6. There will be two public forums later this month where residents can get information and ask questions, and more detailed proposals will be presented at the State of the Town meeting in September in preparation for a vote at Town Meeting in March 2024.

The state law aims to encourage more transit-oriented zoning areas on land surrounding MBTA stops by mandating “by right” zoning of at least 15 units per acre across the district. Lincoln, which has two MBTA stops (the train station and bus stop), must allow a total of 635 units.

The timeline is tight because the HCA requires commuter-rail towns such as Lincoln to have a rezoning plan in place by 18 months from now. Plans must be presented prior to a townwide vote ahead of time to the state Department of Housing and Community Development, which (along with the Attorney General’s Office) must also sign off after voter approval at Town Meeting — all by December 2024.

Early proposals for rezoning parts of Lincoln have identified five candidate parcels, four of which together would allow enough multifamily units to satisfy the HCA. Three of the parcels are in South Lincoln near the train station; the others are in north Lincoln around Oriole Landing and the Lincoln North office complex. Four of the five possible subdistrict combinations would meet all the conditions.

“You have options as a town. This is a good place to be,” said Will Cohen of consulting firm Utile Design.

Towns aren’t required to create a single multifamily district; they may split it up into several nonadjacent subdistricts. However, the work to determine which areas would together meet state requirements is constrained by a complicated set of rules and formulas. For example, one of the subdistricts must account for at least half of the district’s total land area; all the land targeted must be developable (i.e., not conservation land or wetlands); and existing properties may not be divided into more than one new zone.

In Lincoln, the district must total at least 42 acres, and 20% of that land must be within half a mile of the commuter rail station. Some of it may also be around the bus stop at the corner of Hanscom Drive and Old Bedford Road. The working group focused on those areas as well as others that already have multifamily housing.

Additional wrinkles:

  • Since the HCA is aimed at residential zoning, commercial use cannot be required in a compliant district (though it may be allowed). This limits the ability to require mixed-use development in places like South Lincoln.
  • Lincoln now requires 15% of the units in multifamily developments to be income-restricted, but the HCA doesn’t have any requirements around affordability. In fact, if a town wants to have a zone mandate that more than 10% of the units are affordable, it must pay for an independent feasibility study that will demonstrate that that local requirement will not hurt the economic viability of a proposed project. Lincoln has already taken steps to have such a study done.

Lincoln and other towns can require developers to submit a site plan review and comply with reasonable design guidelines relating to traffic circulation, screening, lighting, etc., but “they can’t put out guidelines that make it impossible to do something,” Planning Board member Margaret Olson noted.

Finance Board member Andy asked if the state would pre-approve several rezoning proposals and allow voters to choose which one they preferred. “Lincoln has a history of getting state approval, [then] turning things down at Town Meeting and getting in a bind,” he said, referring to the school project that was pre-approved and partially funded by the state but was subsequently shot down at Town Meeting in 2012.

“That’s a great question that I don’t know the answer to,” Cohen said.

The HCAWG public forums will be on:

  • Friday, June 16 at 8 a.m. in person at the Town Hall
  • Tuesday, June 20 at 7 p.m. via Zoom — click here to register.

Redeveloping the mall

Along a parallel path in recent years, the Rural Land Foundation has been thinking about how to redevelop and revitalize the Mall at Lincoln Station to make it more attractive to commercial tenants and encourage multifamily housing. They propose to create a mall subdistrict that could accommodate 42 housing units above the building now housing the Bank of America and other stores (the portion with the post office and restaurant would not be affected).

“We though that looked pretty nice and in keeping with a town village center feel,” said Michelle Barnes, chair of the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust/RLF Board of Trustees, as she showed a rendering of one idea. “Greater density doesn’t have to look as scary as we might think.”

An artist’s rendering of one concept for how the mall might look after rezoning and redevelopment. Donelan’s is the white building at left rear.

As a commercial use, the mall area can’t be in the HCA district, as noted earlier. Instead, the town could rezone the mall to allow mixed use by right while also ensuring that commercial space is preserved.

A better quality of commercial space is crucial for the economic viability of the mall, which the trustees see as “an increasingly risky and hard-to-justify fiduciary obligation of the RLF,” Barnes said. However, without the opportunity for a developer to create a viable mixed-use project, the value of the mall will decline and the RLF will probably need to sell it (which it may have to do in any case).

RLF doesn’t have the capital to redevelop the mall by itself, so the group is working with CIVICO, which won approval for and built Oriole Landing before selling it in 2022. The RLF and CIVICO are conceptualizing a project with the idea that the mall would eventually be sold to the company, but contingent on an agreed-upon design “in keeping with the town’s ethos and values” that’s developed with input from residents and town leadership, Barnes said. To guarantee long-term financial viability for the project, a minimum of 25 housing units per acre built above the commercial spaces would be needed, she added.

Along with the HCA proposal, a mall rezoning measure will be presented at the State of the Town meeting on September 30 and at Town Meeting in March 2024.

Correction

In the June 6 edition of “News acorns,” an incorrect link was given for the website showing what parts of the Battle Road Trail are closed for repair. Click here to see the map (scroll down). The original post has been updated.