That is correct. On Sat, Oct 7, 2023 at 9:19 PM Don Seltzer <timon...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm not Bob, but I will offer my understanding of this simple law with > complex guidelines. > > It does nothing that affects the current status of any housing. Deed > restricted affordable housing remains so. No existing buildings become > non-compliant. > > The counting of potential housing units completely disregards what already > exists on a lot. The methodology assumes that some future tsunami or > tornado will come along and level everything that is there. The counting > method then looks at what could be built on the empty lots under the > proposed rezoning. > > The only risk is that the current development can be supplemented with > additional units that somehow put the SHI status in jeopardy, such as the > Oriole Landing situation that I described in a previous post. > > Don Seltzer > > On Sat, Oct 7, 2023 at 5:44 PM ٍSarah Postlethwait <sa...@bayhas.com> > wrote: > >> Bob- it sounds like you may know the answer to a question I have. >> >> If we rezone areas such as Lincoln woods, Battle Farm Rd and Oriole >> Landing, would these areas even count towards the 3A? I believe all of >> these have current deed restrictions requiring more than 10% affordable >> housing. The HCA only allows 10% max to be required to be affordable >> (Margaret Olson has confirmed that the planning board will only be able to >> require 10% affordable housing). >> >> If they don’t count towards 3A, why are we even considering rezoning >> these areas? >> >> And if they do count towards 3A, will they lose their deed restrictions, >> and put these affordable housing units at risk (I know everyone says it’s >> unlikely it will be redeveloped- but why take the risk??). >> >> Sarah Postlethwait >> Lewis Street >> >> >> On Fri, Oct 6, 2023 at 1:30 PM Robert Domnitz <bobdom...@hotmail.com> >> wrote: >> >>> As a recently-retired member of the Planning Board and Housing Choice >>> Act Working Group, I am concerned that the three options presented last >>> Saturday at the SOTT - and the plan to choose just one of those options at >>> a multi-board meeting on October 10th - will restrict Town Meeting to >>> merely rubber-stamping the HCAWG's decision. And the HCAWG's decision will >>> reflect its embedded priorities that may differ from what town meeting >>> would choose if we are given more options. I therefore think it is crucial >>> for the HCAWG to submit several options to the state for advisory opinions >>> prior to Town Meeting. All options should be presented to Town Meeting for >>> debate and vote. >>> >>> >>> >>> I'd like to expand on some of the points made - and some of the points >>> omitted - by the presenters at last Saturday's SOTT meeting. >>> >>> >>> >>> 1. *About 35% of the town's residences are currently multi-family* (not >>> including Hanscom Field, see list below). Most folks are surprised when >>> they hear this. Lincoln has done an outstanding job allowing multi-family >>> living while maintaining our rural character. With full build-out under the >>> HCA, multi-family housing will approach 50% of the town's inventory. >>> >>> >>> >>> 2. *State guidelines for the HCA provide a mechanism for towns to **get** >>> credit for existing multifamily housing.* Towns are free to locate >>> HCA-compliant subdistricts in areas that currently have high residential >>> density. These subdistricts will help us meet our "quota," even though it >>> is very unlikely these areas will be redeveloped. >>> >>> >>> >>> 3. *An evaluation of the various options requires consideration of the >>> likelihood that redevelopment will **actually **occur.* Existing condo >>> developments would require consent of the owners to redevelop, with the >>> particular procedures laid out in the condominiums' organizational >>> documents. If condo owners don't want redevelopment to happen, it won't >>> happen. Existing apartment buildings (e.g., Oriole Landing) owned by a >>> single entity would only require a decision by that entity and would depend >>> on their analysis of whether an increase in density would justify the cost >>> of redevelopment. On the other hand, rezoning single family homes on Conant >>> Road as shown in options A,B, and C from the HCAWG would likely result in >>> rapid redevelopment, as owners on Conant Road take advantage of the jump >>> in value that would result from the increase in development potential. >>> >>> >>> >>> 4. *State guidelines require that only 20% of the HCA-compliant >>> district be located in the vicinity of the commuter rail station*. The >>> other 80% can be anywhere in town. However, the HCAWG eliminated >>> consideration of the Farrar Pond and Lincoln Ridge condos as "too far from >>> any amenities and public transit." See link below to p. 17 of SOTT slide >>> deck. This area could be used as part of our plan for compliance; the >>> HCAWG's decision to eliminate consideration of this area reflects their >>> prioritization of access to public transit and goes beyond what the state >>> requires. Similarly, the Commons/Oriole Landing area was removed from >>> consideration by the HCAWG because it is "not walkable to any public >>> transit or public amenities." See p. 20 of SOTT slide deck. Instead, the >>> HCAWG has proposed placing 100% of the district in Lincoln Station (option >>> C) or adding to option C additional subdistricts in North Lincoln so that >>> the total development potential greatly exceeds what is necessary for >>> compliance. >>> >>> >>> >>> 5. *The HCAWG should consider other ways of splitting the HCA district. >>> *The current option C fully complies with the HCA by allowing >>> development only within the Lincoln Station area. If compliance with state >>> law is our objective, options A and B are less appealing because they >>> needlessly add to option C more development potential elsewhere in town. >>> Among the three options, C is the obvious choice for most residents because >>> it minimally complies with the HCA. But the Town deserves a chance to vote >>> on other options that do not exceed the HCA's requirements. Three options >>> that would make sense are: >>> >>> >>> >>> - Place the entire district at Lincoln Station (current option C) >>> >>> - Place most of the district at Lincoln Station and some of the district >>> elsewhere. >>> >>> - Place some of the district at Lincoln Station and most of the district >>> elsewhere. >>> >>> >>> >>> For all options, the details should be worked out for minimal compliance >>> with the HCA, giving Lincoln residents maximum control over future land use >>> decisions. It's worth noting that the HCA does allow, on a discretionary >>> basis, subdistrict boundaries that do not match parcel boundaries. This may >>> provide the Town with additional flexibility it needs to comply with, but >>> not exceed, the HCA's requirements. >>> >>> >>> >>> Residents deserve a meaningful, democratic chance to choose the level of >>> development they want in the Lincoln Station area. Due to the limited set >>> of options that were presented, I don't think the survey taken at the SOTT >>> is a good indicator of the will of the town. Surprisingly, the HCAWG did >>> not propose an option where some development allowed elsewhere in Town is >>> used to reduce the development allowed at Lincoln Station. All three of >>> their options allow more than 400 units of additional development in the >>> Lincoln Station area. That is an extreme increase compared to what >>> currently exists in the area. See p. 40 of SOTT slide deck. >>> >>> >>> >>> My goal in writing this post is to encourage the HCAWG to give our Town >>> Meeting the respect and deference to which it is entitled. This is a hugely >>> important matter for the Town and we can move forward together only if Town >>> Meeting has a meaningful role as the decisionmaker. Please attend the >>> October 10th multi-board meeting to share your thoughts. >>> >>> >>> >>> Best regards to all, >>> >>> Bob Domnitz >>> >>> >>> >>> SOTT slide deck: Follow link found in >>> https://www.lincolntown.org/1327/Housing-Choice-Act-Working-Group >>> >>> Existing multifamily housing in Lincoln (not including Hanscom housing): >>> >>> >>> The Commons >>> >>> Oriole Landing >>> >>> Battle Road Farms >>> >>> Minuteman Commons >>> >>> Lincoln Woods >>> >>> Greenridge Condos >>> >>> "Flying Nun" apartments >>> >>> Ridge Road apartments >>> >>> Ridge Road Condos >>> >>> Todd Pond Condos >>> >>> Farrar Pond Condos >>> >>> Lincoln Ridge Condos >>> >>> Ryan Estate >>> >>> Accessory Apartments in Single Family Homes >>> >>> Miscellaneous (Scattered sites under Housing Comm.) >>> >>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>> >>> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
-- The LincolnTalk mailing list. To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. Change your subscription settings at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
