It's a typo but I think you nailed it with "let the town die". Diana
On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 9:33 AM Bijoy Misra <misra.bi...@gmail.com> wrote: > > *as long as the current Town Meeting approval process is in place, we will > rarely, if ever, be approached by developers - whether we actively try to > recruit them or not. and even if we are approached, there is little chance > they will stick with us through the entire approval process. * > > This is exactly I have been saying. The goal is to let the town die and > let the developers come. > It assumes that Townspeople would be unable to find a developer who is > sensitive to the environment > and the town's needs. It is possible that the current people in the lead > are unable to find the developers > who can work with the town ethos. Let the new young people lead and > protect the town. > Let the town be more active and be a model in development efforts. Let it > keep its green.. > Best regards, > Bijoy Misra > > > > On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 7:57 AM Pastor Allen <pastorall...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> Ruth Ann is absolutely correct, and I 100% agree with her logic and >> endorsement of option C. >> >> I also think it important to emphasize and expand upon the concerns she >> raises about "Option E," and the town meeting process in general. >> >> Those who invest in large projects are not looking to run a substantial >> risk of losing the major upfront investments and commitments they must make >> in any project before it gets to the point of final approval. That's >> reasonable: we would not ask our friends or neighbors to throw a pile of >> their money and years of effort on the table and risk it all on a roll of >> the dice, and we would be resentful if they asked it of us. >> >> In general, the need for a Town Meeting approval - no matter what town - >> is seen as a roll of the dice with a high risk of failure at the last >> minute. Further, Lincoln's history in that regard does not inspire >> confidence. >> >> And so, with plenty of other nearby towns competing for those same >> investments, investors and developers have no need to ever put Lincoln on >> their shortlist of possible project opportunities. This will become even >> more true as more and more communities conform to the HCA. >> >> Developers look for an approval process that they see as fair and >> predictable. (And it's that perception that counts, not our convictions to >> the contrary.) They look for assurance that if they play by the rules, >> they will have a reasonably good chance of success. What the rules are is >> not as important as that they are predictable and stable. >> >> So, the onus is upon us to craft a set of rules and processes to guide >> their efforts, so that their project meets the town's expectations and >> needs. It is in everyone's best interest to put those guard rails in at the >> front end of the approval process, rather than having them burst upon the >> scene at the last minute. >> >> Many will point to Oriole Landing as an example of how town meeting can >> work. I was involved in that entire process from our first meeting with >> them through to the groundbreaking of the completed project. It needs to be >> pointed out that it was Civico's first exposure to the town meeting >> process, and they have already said they would never willingly do so again. >> >> So, as long as the current Town Meeting approval process is in place, we >> will rarely, if ever, be approached by developers - whether we actively try >> to recruit them or not. and even if we are approached, there is little >> chance they will stick with us through the entire approval process. >> >> Lincoln will not only never have a seat at the table when such projects >> are in their formative stages, we likely won't even know the table exists. >> >> Allen Vander Meulen >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Nov 28, 2023, at 21:02, Ruth Ann Hendrickson <raand...@earthlink.net> >> wrote: >> >> >> >> I support new and more affordable housing in Lincoln, and I’d like to see >> most of it in the area of the train station and the Lincoln Mall. I will >> therefore be supporting option C at the Special Town Meeting on December 2. >> >> 1) *Options C is the best hope for retaining the retail businesses at >> the Mall*. I remember when the roof caved in, and Donelan’s was out of >> business for over a year. We missed them terribly. If we even needed a pint >> of cream, we had to go out of town. Retail is struggling all over the >> country, but I notice that West Concord, (population 7,003 per Census >> data: ACS 2021) which developed a large apartment complex near the Nashoba >> Brook a few years ago, has managed to retain real retail, not just banks >> and restaurants. I am hoping that with enough new housing in the mall area, >> we also could have a thriving retail center. >> >> 2) *History shows that adding new housing enriches the Town.* Change is >> always worrisome. When Farrah pond village near where I live was proposed, >> the neighbors were violently against it because of traffic. The traffic has >> not materialized, and Farrar Pond Village has turned out to be a wonderful >> place for Lincoln people to retire. Recently, because of the cost of >> housing, it has also attracted families with children to the extent that >> they have built a playground. When the town developed Lincoln Woods, people >> were aghast; much denser than Farrar Pond Village and right there in the >> middle of town. And yet I know someone who works at Donelan’s who is able >> to live there, and a friend of mine, who has MS, is also able to live there >> to be near her mother. This complex has definitely given living options to >> Lincoln people who needed it. The proposed new housing would again add >> housing for our children and those who work here. >> >> 3) *Our Agricultural Heritage is safe.* Remember, 40% of the Lincoln is >> permanently in conservation. 40%! Those fields will continue to be farmed >> by local farmers. Codman farm belongs to the town and will also remain in >> perpetuity. The trails we love to walk will always be there. Adding some >> higher density housing near the train station will not affect that. >> >> 4) *Do not be fooled by Option E. *Some think that, if we chose Option >> E, we can slow down and develop housing at our own pace under the town >> meeting process. Most of the towns around us, however, will have designated >> large areas as multifamily “by right”. What developer in his right mind >> would risk thousands of dollars to take a proposal to town meeting, only to >> see it voted down, when he could easily go to the next town, and develop >> something by right? The RLF will be unable to replenish their endowment >> and revitalize the mall in this new housing development environment. Please >> vote to allow the RLF to develop the mall/housing complex by right. The RLF >> is a non-profit whose mission is to assist the town of Lincoln in shaping >> its land-use destiny. History has show that they can be trusted to work to >> the Town’s benefit. >> >> -- >> Ruth Ann Hendrickson >> (She, her) >> >> -- >> 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. > >
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