Most of this is covered in the Q&A doc (
https://docsend.com/view/h33hxc7zvdstqa2d ), but I’ll hit the key points
directly here.
Yes, *Farrington is currently limited to Rt 2 access.* But that doesn’t make
the property low-value or immune to development. The *2005 At-Risk Committee*
report outlined multiple viable uses - including *single-family homes and
educational facilities -* on upland portions of the property: drawings here
https://www.lincolntown.org/DocumentCenter/View/450/Farrington-at-risk-property?bidId=
and written conclusions here:
https://www.lincolntown.org/DocumentCenter/View/448/At-Risk-Property-Final-Report-2005?bidId=.
Yes, *the Panettas can sell independently.* But this project is uniquely
possible because both owners are willing to sell at the same time, which
enables the access + conservation tradeoff.
*No, Page Rd access is not required* for the property to be attractive or
developable. It just makes it more convenient for Farrington and thus they're
willing to stay there if they get Page Rd access.
*Traffic impact on Page Rd still exists* even without this Page Rd access. If
an institution went in off Rt 2, navigation apps would route traffic via
Trapelo > Page > Rt 2 rather than exclusively using the U-turn at Bedford. I
see this today heading to the farm stand.
Also, *the Page Rd access being granted is limited solely to Farrington’s
nonprofit mission.* If they sell the land in the future, that access
disappears. This isn’t opening a door to future development - it’s a surgical
concession designed to make the conservation deal possible.
On wetlands: the *majority of the 77 acres being protected is wetland* , but
wetlands are not guaranteed protection. They shift. Laws change. Conservation
Restrictions don’t. That’s what makes this project worthwhile.
Joey
On Sat, May 31 , 2025 at 12:59 PM, Sara Mattes < [email protected] > wrote:
>
>
>
> So, without the CIVICO/Panetta part of the deal, Farmington is constrained
> to the Rt.2 access.
>
> Any future owner of the Farrington property would be constrained to the
> same, no?
>
> Without direct access to Page Rd., the value of the Farrington property is
> less than with Page Rd. access, correct?
>
>
>
> The Panettas can sell, without this project, correct?
>
>
>
> Any large development, without the CIVICO/Panetta component would not have
> direct impact on Page Rd, correct?
>
>
>
> And finally, do you or anyone have a map that delineates the wetlands that
> are involved in the land under discussion?
>
> Of the land being restricted, how much is wet and how much is buildable?
>
>
>
> Clarification would be extremely helpful.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> On May 31, 2025, at 11:39 AM, Joseph Kolchinsky < [email protected]
>> > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> It's a fair question - why housing when conservation is the focus? I
>> address this specific question in the QA I posted. Below for convenience,
>> but the entire document is here ( https://docsend.com/view/h33hxc7zvdstqa2d
>> ).
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>> *Q: Why
>> can’t this be simpler if the focus is on conservation?*
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> *A:* At first glance, a straightforward deal - funding Farrington in
>> exchange for conservation - might seem like the easiest path. But the key
>> to understanding this proposal is recognizing *Farrington’s need for access
>> to Page Road* (see image below). Their current exit onto Route 2 is
>> suboptimal, and *without Page Road access, Farrington has made clear they
>> are not interested in this deal.*
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> (Rural Lincoln Foundation - Nature Link Presentation ) - orange line added
>> by me
>>
>>
>>
>> Farrington could sell their land outright for a higher price (that we may
>> not afford) and relocate outside of Lincoln; worse to a third party with
>> large-development intentions. The Panettas will move on and sell to
>> someone else, likely removing any chance for community-driven benefit.
>> What brings the cost down - and opens the door to permanent conservation -
>> is *Farrington’s willingness to stay in exchange for a second egress in
>> combination with a developer’s interest in purchasing Panetta’s land*.
>>
>>
>>
>> *The only viable access to Page Road is through the Panetta property.* The
>> Panettas are willing to sell, but understandably, they want a certain
>> price in exchange, which they’ve set at $3.3M. Multiple developers engaged
>> in negotiation (based on my conversations with RLF), but only Civico was
>> willing to pay the price the Panettas set and participate in the process.
>> While the Panettas could sell independently, this is a rare chance for the
>> community to tie their sale to a broader community outcome: conservation,
>> housing, and infrastructure, all in one.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Yes, other options may exist, but this opportunity has a shelf life.* If
>> the deal fails, each party will do what’s best for them. Farrington may
>> sell, opening the door to higher-impact development. The Panettas may move
>> on, taking the chance for a coordinated solution with them.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Nature Link is a community-forged compromise* : it protects open space,
>> supports mixed-income housing, sustains a local nonprofit, and gives
>> Lincoln control over what happens next.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Joseph Kolchinsky
>>
>> 978-604-0827
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, May 31, 2025 at 11:25 AM, Sara Mattes < [email protected] > wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> Then let’s just talk “conservation”…why a large project of expensive
>>> homes!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> On May 31, 2025, at 11:12 AM, RAandBOB < raandbob@ earthlink. net (
>>>> [email protected] ) > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The difference between this project and the housing projects Sarah linked
>>>> in her email is that this project has a definite benefit to the town in
>>>> terms of 75 acres of conservation land in an area that has always been
>>>> designated as appropriate land for conservation. Therefore, you wouldn’t
>>>> necessarily expect the town to be neutral on this project.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Ruth Ann
>>>>
>>>> (She, her, hers)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On May 31, 2025, at 10:44 AM, DJCP < djcp0219@ gmail. com (
>>>>> [email protected] ) > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Yes, it is incredibly frustrating to see the HCA play out again when this
>>>>> project satisfies the concerns about "too much density" by Lincoln Station
>>>>> by not being in Lincoln Station and being along Route 2, and yet
>>>>> unsubstantiated accusations of a developer being embedded in the PB are
>>>>> being lobbed even though TWO candidates who were vocal anti-HCAers are now
>>>>> on the PB!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> What do people who oppose this project even stand for?? It's so easy to
>>>>> oppose everything.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Diana
>>>>>
>>>>> One resident who lives on Giles Rd and who is speaking for herself
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, May 31, 2025 at 10:29 AM ٍSarah Postlethwait < sarah@ bayhas.
>>>>> com
>>>>> ( [email protected] ) > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It’s frustrating to see the same core issues from the HCA debate
>>>>>> resurface.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am completely on board with any unbiased information being posted to
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> website that includes official documents submitted to the town, upcoming
>>>>>> meetings and/or public hearings that address the topic, without promoting
>>>>>> or discouraging the proposal in anyway- these are all great ways to
>>>>>> ensure
>>>>>> residents are informed, but NOT influenced by the town website.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The town website is funded by tax payer dollars and should not be used to
>>>>>> promote a private party’s interest by hosting unvetted FAQs, and
>>>>>> especially without allowing an opposing party to also submit their own
>>>>>> FAQs.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Here are some examples of how other towns handle similar proposals:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https:/ / sudbury. ma. us/ pcd/ 2017/ 02/ 06/
>>>>>> the-coolidge-phase-2-comprehensive-permit-application-2/
>>>>>> (
>>>>>> https://sudbury.ma.us/pcd/2017/02/06/the-coolidge-phase-2-comprehensive-permit-application-2/
>>>>>> )
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https:/ / concordma. gov/ 3442/ Residences-at-Thoreau-Comp-Permit-Applic
>>>>>> (
>>>>>> https://concordma.gov/3442/Residences-at-Thoreau-Comp-Permit-Applic )
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> https:/ / www. lexingtonma. gov/ 932/ Current-Projects (
>>>>>> https://www.lexingtonma.gov/932/Current-Projects )
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sarah Postlethwait
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>> [email protected] )
>>>>>> .
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>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>>
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