Hi all - We might want to bump up our legal budget going forward because with the HCA behind them, developers might not be so inclined to listen to a town's planning board. If a developer's site plan and proposal meets the technical requirements for the zoned area, how long can the Planning Board hold up a 36 foot high box with windows?
Let's please not be naive and give away our prime in-town parcels to HCA zoning, we'll regret it. There are many, many alternatives ... https://sites.google.com/lincolnresidentsforhousingalternatives.org/info/a-fairer-approach Rob On Mon, Nov 6, 2023 at 5:13 PM Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > Please let us know exactly what legal teeth site plan review has. > I have asked for that repeatedly and have heard….crickets. > Yes there will be some wetlands protections, but not Lincoln’s set backs. > Yes, there will be some set backs. > But please, do tell what legal options will we have to actually control > the look and feel of major redevelopment. > > The repeated reference to “existing regulations and site plan review” is > cold comfort. > > The whole point of the HCA is to get around our existing bylaws…to make it > easier for developers to create larger, denser housing development than is > currently allowed. > > > > > ------ > Sara Mattes > > > > > On Nov 6, 2023, at 5:02 PM, Rich Rosenbaum <s...@bcdef.com> wrote: > > I think it is misleading to use statements such as "the developer can do > whatever they want". > Existing regulations and site plan review give the town oversight. > > After all, residential property owners have the by right ability to build > a new home but cannot build whatever they want. > > > On Mon, Nov 6, 2023 at 4:05 PM Sara Mattes <samat...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Once rezone with the HCA, the property owner can put up pretty much >> whatever they want. >> That is the point of the HCA-to get around our normal process for >> managing development in Lincoln. >> No proposals are required for the town to see. >> The development is *BY RIGHT*, they just need to comply with some very >> basic zoning-wetlands setbacks, other set backs, etc. >> >> And, as was made clear in a public presentation, dense housing is the >> most profitable use of the land, not retail. >> >> The discussion about the Mall is confusing as concepts were discussed and >> proposals were to be offered at a later date. >> In addition, the RLF said they were looking to most lily sell and were in >> discussion with a local developer-CIVICO. >> Regardless of what is discussed now, as it stands now, once rezoned the >> owner, either the RLF but most like a new owner, can do whatever they see >> fit with that land. >> >> That is why this is all so difficult and generating so much debate. >> >> It is important that we all learn as much as possible and attend each and >> every meeting to better understand what is being proposed and what is at >> stake. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ------ >> Sara Mattes >> >> >> >> >> On Nov 6, 2023, at 1:43 PM, Deborah Greenwald < >> deborah.greenw...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Dear All, >> I would very much like to have David's proposals included in our vote. He >> And are we taking bids from multiple developers? Some might be more >> amenable to more low income units. >> To me it seems that considering any development near Codman Farm is akin >> to building an apartment building on the Boston Public Gardens or >> Concord's Monument Square. That area is one of Lincoln's jewels and should >> be preserved. >> On Sun, Nov 5, 2023 at 10:01 PM David Cuetos <davidcue...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >>> I have received some questions from residents trying to understand why >>> our HCA proposals overlay zoning over existing multi-family districts. I >>> thought the rationale was important enough to share it with the wider >>> public. >>> >>> I believe the town would be better served by separating as much as >>> possible the zoning exercise required for compliance approval from actual >>> development. Zoning existing multifamily developments accomplishes that >>> goal, as those properties already have the characteristics we would like to >>> see and they are unlikely to be redeveloped. Let me explain the logic >>> behind the separation. >>> >>> HCA compliance requires us to zone a certain number of acres to a >>> certain density by right. What that means is that as long as the developer >>> does not go past our height and setback bylaws, they do not need to ask the >>> town for feedback. This is not what historically happened in Lincoln. >>> Historically every multi-family development was a give and take between the >>> developer and the town. In that process the town was able to extract >>> important concessions like the number of affordable units, measures to >>> reduce environmental impact, etc. >>> >>> While that give and take was quite important, for areas rezoned under >>> HCA the town's influence is diminished even further as developers would get >>> an override over certain town bylaws the State considers too >>> restrictive. Among them two are chief: affordability and wetland setbacks. >>> The state will only allow us to ask a developer to include 10% affordable >>> units. The town’s bylaws require 15%, and historically the town has never >>> approved anything below 25%, including some units reserved for low income >>> households. 25% is also the lowest percentage of units for an entire >>> development to count towards 40B State requirements. The other requirement >>> at odds is wetlands setback. The town’s bylaws require 100’ and the State >>> only gives us 50’. This difference would be critical in some sensitive >>> areas like Codman Rd. >>> >>> Our view is that it is detrimental to the town’s general interest to >>> allow a developer to build a large multifamily building without going >>> through town meeting approval. The success of Oriole Landing is testament >>> to the usefulness of town meeting: a win-win for the town and the >>> developer. We have actually learned from other towns like Winchester that >>> we can drive a much tougher bargain than we have done in the past. >>> >>> We see with skepticism claims that the Oriole Landing developer, who >>> made an estimated $12M profit and was able to get through town meeting in >>> nine months, does not want to go through town meeting again. Lincoln has >>> historically not been an obstructive town towards multi-family developers >>> and there is no reason to think that would change now that HCA has lowered >>> Town Meeting approval thresholds from 2/3 to just a simple majority. >>> >>> I ask all residents to consider that when they vote to rezone an area, >>> they are de facto abdicating their democratic right to influence future >>> development. >>> >>> David Cuetos >>> Weston Rd >>> -- >>> 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. > > -- *Robert Ahlert* | *781.738.1069* | robahl...@gmail.com
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