I would like to endorse the comments in this thread by Ruth Ann and Allen, and respectfully disagree with Peter's:
- The people who have researched the options for a community center have demonstrated and explained why putting it at the town center is not an option available to the town. - The RLF can only do so much to protect and preserve the commercial activity at the Mall against challenging market forces. I am on the RLF Board; in the Board's view, zoning as-of-right -- such as would be allowed by all of the December 2 options other than Option E -- is the strategy most likely to protect and preserve the commercial activity at the Mall in the long run. - Knowledgeable real estate persons have advised us that requiring town meeting approval for new development at the Mall will in fact be a major deterrent to potential developers, thus increasing the risk of no added housing and therefore the risk of losing commercial tenants. This is not about "letting the town die"; it's about (among other things) keeping the village center alive. Paul Shorb On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 9:35 AM DJCP <djcp0...@gmail.com> wrote: > 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. >> >> -- > 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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