Re: [LincolnTalk] The real reason we cannot require more affordable units under HCA zoning

[Karla Gravis]

This does not address the question posed in the email below regarding the
affordability question - why did we submit a flawed feasibility study that
would be denied? If our intention was to be able to require 15%
affordability (like Brookline and Lexington are able to do under HCA),
should we not have made every effort to do so?


I also have other questions on the process:


   - I assume this comment made below *"I’ll also point out that the errors
   in the HCA submission to the state were inconsequential"* refers to the
   extra 18 acres of land that were submitted to the State in Option C. (IMO,
   I don't believe including all these extra parcels is inconsequential but I
   digress).
  - There have been other corrections since then announced to Option C:
  1) lowering the units/acre at LW to 8 and 2) today's changes communicated
  by Ms. Glass where the densities of *all* districts (except for
the Village
  District) are now different. When will those changes be
communicated to the
  State?
   - Why did we originally send a study to the State that contained so many
   flaws that we have had to make three rounds of changes to it? Was the
   submission rushed?
   - I have a question on the process: what happens if the vote to comply
   with HCA with whichever option is chosen passes but the majority does not
   agree with the bylaws and votes them down at the march town meeting? Will
   we be given the choice of "vote for Option X with these bylaws only", or is
   the process decoupled? The bylaws will be very important in determining
   *how* the mall will be built out, so I assume one will influence how people
   vote on the other.




> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 9:26 PM Margaret Olson 
> wrote:
>
>> You vote on the specific zoning language at the March town meeting. The
>> vote on Dec 2nd is only for which option the zoning regulations are to
>> address.
>>
>> This process has multiple steps:
>> 1. develop possible approaches
>> 2. choose an approach
>> 3. develop zoning regulations for the chosen approach
>> 4. Vote  on the zoning
>> 5. Assuming the zoning passes at town meeting, send the zoning to the
>> state for approval
>>
>> We are at step 2: choose an approach. There are no zoning changes on the
>> warrant on Saturday, only a “sense of the town” vote.
>>
>> There will be public meetings and a public hearing and multiple
>> opportunities for the public to provide input prior to the zoning vote in
>> March
>>
>> Note that the preliminary verification check that we are soliciting now
>> is just that: a preliminary check. It isn’t a full review; that comes after
>> we have adopted HCA zoning.
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 9:08 PM Robert Ahlert 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> So how can we be expected to vote on Saturday when key information is
>>> contained in ONLY the Zoning Bylaw?
>>>
>>> For example, the section on the Village Center states that only 30-40%
>>> of the ground floor of buildings will have to remain commercial.  Is that
>>> still the latest language? Perhaps you can provide the revised language to
>>> the residents because I know it only applies to interior portions of the
>>> parcel and not frontage on Lincoln Rd.  This is a critical point.  No one
>>> knows what the "mandatory" in mandatory mixed use actually means.  It's
>>> only "mandatory" that 30-40% is commercial, the rest can be parking or
>>> units at ground level.
>>>
>>> If Donelan's decides not to renew, wouldn't a "by right'' property owner
>>> (e.g. CIVICO) likely demolish that building and only leave 30-40% of the
>>> ground floor as commercial?  Could the developer push out the grocery store
>>> b/c housing is more profitable?  I worry we would end up with more of a
>>> mini-mart than a real grocery store
>>>
>>> *Vote Option E, this process needs more time.*
>>>
>>> Rob
>>> 185 Lincoln Rd, Lincoln, MA 01773
>>> 
>>>
>>> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 8:43 PM Margaret Olson 
>>> wrote:
>>>
 On the draft the planning board was discussing last week at our working
 meeting:

 As is common with working drafts, the text of the HCA zoning by-law
 discussed by the planning board at our working meeting included all the
 options the board might consider. The draft has text from planning board
 members, town staff, and town counsel. It is both incomplete and at the
 same time contains multiple approaches to the same problem, only one of
 which will be chosen. The board has not voted on it. It is not possible at
 this point to make any statements about what the zoning does and does not
 include or permit.

 I’ll also point out that the errors in the HCA submission to the state
 were inconsequential. They were corrected for completeness but the updates
 did not change anything material.

 Margaret



 On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 6:56 PM David Cuetos 
 wrote:

[LincolnTalk] LRHA information Zoom rerun

[Deborah Howe via Lincoln]

Hi, Lincoln Talkers -- The Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives group (LRHA) held an 
information Zoom last night, and explained the HCA options, including and especially Option E. 
To keep the focus on each speaker in the presentation, we kept all but the speaker's cameras 
off -- no secrecy intended; we just wanted to have people concentrate on the numbers and 
concepts being presented. The presentation ran about 35 minutes, after which we spent almost an 
hour answering questions. We were not able to answer all the questions in the time we had 
planned, so are parcelling out the remaining questions to the presenters best equipped to 
answer them. We'll post those questions and answers as soon as we can collate them. Here is the 
Zoom link to watch the recorded presentation: 
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/play/c_urkPYyIpORXwG4j7nrDaFtQX2tB92WJiDTk1x6g1RoAgTLDXXBXJrzXVWkqUYNBx1-FpGmvjt_cU9W.k7JF8I4wak0UvfZz?canPlayFromShare=true=share_recording_detail=true=rec-play=https%3A%2F%2Fus06web.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2Fjj7wn9Qshh886Nm8XA_Q1T6Afqo8Kn2ZbyGho6njy1VD5I4a1XHfOyc_OgdNLip7.oNR4MeVsQKkt1DJr
 We have gotten feedback already letting us know that the information was clearly organized and 
presented, and we hope that if you weren't able to attend you'll at least watch the 35-minute 
program to understand the salient points before Saturday's Town Meeting. Best to you all ~ Deb 
Howe 88 Wells Road Sent from iCloud-- 
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Re: [LincolnTalk] The real reason we cannot require more affordable units under HCA zoning

[Robert Ahlert]

Understood and fair point, let's see how it shakes out with the final
option and the bylaws together.

Rob

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 9:26 PM Margaret Olson 
wrote:

> You vote on the specific zoning language at the March town meeting. The
> vote on Dec 2nd is only for which option the zoning regulations are to
> address.
>
> This process has multiple steps:
> 1. develop possible approaches
> 2. choose an approach
> 3. develop zoning regulations for the chosen approach
> 4. Vote  on the zoning
> 5. Assuming the zoning passes at town meeting, send the zoning to the
> state for approval
>
> We are at step 2: choose an approach. There are no zoning changes on the
> warrant on Saturday, only a “sense of the town” vote.
>
> There will be public meetings and a public hearing and multiple
> opportunities for the public to provide input prior to the zoning vote in
> March
>
> Note that the preliminary verification check that we are soliciting now is
> just that: a preliminary check. It isn’t a full review; that comes after we
> have adopted HCA zoning.
>
> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 9:08 PM Robert Ahlert  wrote:
>
>> So how can we be expected to vote on Saturday when key information is
>> contained in ONLY the Zoning Bylaw?
>>
>> For example, the section on the Village Center states that only 30-40% of
>> the ground floor of buildings will have to remain commercial.  Is that
>> still the latest language? Perhaps you can provide the revised language to
>> the residents because I know it only applies to interior portions of the
>> parcel and not frontage on Lincoln Rd.  This is a critical point.  No one
>> knows what the "mandatory" in mandatory mixed use actually means.  It's
>> only "mandatory" that 30-40% is commercial, the rest can be parking or
>> units at ground level.
>>
>> If Donelan's decides not to renew, wouldn't a "by right'' property owner
>> (e.g. CIVICO) likely demolish that building and only leave 30-40% of the
>> ground floor as commercial?  Could the developer push out the grocery store
>> b/c housing is more profitable?  I worry we would end up with more of a
>> mini-mart than a real grocery store
>>
>> *Vote Option E, this process needs more time.*
>>
>> Rob
>> 185 Lincoln Rd, Lincoln, MA 01773
>> 
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 8:43 PM Margaret Olson 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On the draft the planning board was discussing last week at our working
>>> meeting:
>>>
>>> As is common with working drafts, the text of the HCA zoning by-law
>>> discussed by the planning board at our working meeting included all the
>>> options the board might consider. The draft has text from planning board
>>> members, town staff, and town counsel. It is both incomplete and at the
>>> same time contains multiple approaches to the same problem, only one of
>>> which will be chosen. The board has not voted on it. It is not possible at
>>> this point to make any statements about what the zoning does and does not
>>> include or permit.
>>>
>>> I’ll also point out that the errors in the HCA submission to the state
>>> were inconsequential. They were corrected for completeness but the updates
>>> did not change anything material.
>>>
>>> Margaret
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 6:56 PM David Cuetos 
>>> wrote:
>>>
 The State allows towns rezoning land that can be used towards HCA
 compliance to require developers to set aside 10% affordable units. In
 order to request a higher than 10% affordable quota, towns have to submit a
 feasibility study to the State. As per the guidelines
 , the
 analysis must demonstrate that a reasonable variety of multi-family housing
 types can be feasibly developed at the proposed affordability levels,
 taking into account the densities allowed as of right in the district, the
 dimensional requirements applicable within the district, and the minimum
 number of parking spaces required. Lincoln hired a third-party to
 conduct such a study
 ,
 requesting 15% affordable units, but the State denied our request.

 Could the denial have been a surprise to the authors of the study?

 The answer is a resounding no. The feasibility analysis included a
 series of scenarios with deeply negative rates of return (as low as -37%).
 Anyone who had taken a look at the report ahead of its submission would
 have known that the State would not grant Lincoln the requested 15%.

 Was denial the only possible outcome?

 The answer I believe is also a resounding no. The analysis conception
 was deeply flawed. A more reasonable set of scenarios would have probably
 yielded at least 15% affordable units, perhaps even 20%.

 Why did Lincoln submit a report that would 

Re: [LincolnTalk] The real reason we cannot require more affordable units under HCA zoning

[Margaret Olson]

You vote on the specific zoning language at the March town meeting. The
vote on Dec 2nd is only for which option the zoning regulations are to
address.

This process has multiple steps:
1. develop possible approaches
2. choose an approach
3. develop zoning regulations for the chosen approach
4. Vote  on the zoning
5. Assuming the zoning passes at town meeting, send the zoning to the state
for approval

We are at step 2: choose an approach. There are no zoning changes on the
warrant on Saturday, only a “sense of the town” vote.

There will be public meetings and a public hearing and multiple
opportunities for the public to provide input prior to the zoning vote in
March

Note that the preliminary verification check that we are soliciting now is
just that: a preliminary check. It isn’t a full review; that comes after we
have adopted HCA zoning.

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 9:08 PM Robert Ahlert  wrote:

> So how can we be expected to vote on Saturday when key information is
> contained in ONLY the Zoning Bylaw?
>
> For example, the section on the Village Center states that only 30-40% of
> the ground floor of buildings will have to remain commercial.  Is that
> still the latest language? Perhaps you can provide the revised language to
> the residents because I know it only applies to interior portions of the
> parcel and not frontage on Lincoln Rd.  This is a critical point.  No one
> knows what the "mandatory" in mandatory mixed use actually means.  It's
> only "mandatory" that 30-40% is commercial, the rest can be parking or
> units at ground level.
>
> If Donelan's decides not to renew, wouldn't a "by right'' property owner
> (e.g. CIVICO) likely demolish that building and only leave 30-40% of the
> ground floor as commercial?  Could the developer push out the grocery store
> b/c housing is more profitable?  I worry we would end up with more of a
> mini-mart than a real grocery store
>
> *Vote Option E, this process needs more time.*
>
> Rob
> 185 Lincoln Rd, Lincoln, MA 01773
> 
>
> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 8:43 PM Margaret Olson 
> wrote:
>
>> On the draft the planning board was discussing last week at our working
>> meeting:
>>
>> As is common with working drafts, the text of the HCA zoning by-law
>> discussed by the planning board at our working meeting included all the
>> options the board might consider. The draft has text from planning board
>> members, town staff, and town counsel. It is both incomplete and at the
>> same time contains multiple approaches to the same problem, only one of
>> which will be chosen. The board has not voted on it. It is not possible at
>> this point to make any statements about what the zoning does and does not
>> include or permit.
>>
>> I’ll also point out that the errors in the HCA submission to the state
>> were inconsequential. They were corrected for completeness but the updates
>> did not change anything material.
>>
>> Margaret
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 6:56 PM David Cuetos 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> The State allows towns rezoning land that can be used towards HCA
>>> compliance to require developers to set aside 10% affordable units. In
>>> order to request a higher than 10% affordable quota, towns have to submit a
>>> feasibility study to the State. As per the guidelines
>>> , the analysis
>>> must demonstrate that a reasonable variety of multi-family housing types
>>> can be feasibly developed at the proposed affordability levels, taking into
>>> account the densities allowed as of right in the district, the dimensional
>>> requirements applicable within the district, and the minimum number of
>>> parking spaces required. Lincoln hired a third-party to conduct such a
>>> study
>>> ,
>>> requesting 15% affordable units, but the State denied our request.
>>>
>>> Could the denial have been a surprise to the authors of the study?
>>>
>>> The answer is a resounding no. The feasibility analysis included a
>>> series of scenarios with deeply negative rates of return (as low as -37%).
>>> Anyone who had taken a look at the report ahead of its submission would
>>> have known that the State would not grant Lincoln the requested 15%.
>>>
>>> Was denial the only possible outcome?
>>>
>>> The answer I believe is also a resounding no. The analysis conception
>>> was deeply flawed. A more reasonable set of scenarios would have probably
>>> yielded at least 15% affordable units, perhaps even 20%.
>>>
>>> Why did Lincoln submit a report that would certainly be denied?
>>>
>>> We enter into the realm of speculation here, but there are only two
>>> reasonable explanations: lack of oversight, or satisfaction with the
>>> results.
>>>
>>> Supporting the lack of oversight explanation, there are several
>>> instances in which the HCAWG and 

Re: [LincolnTalk] The real reason we cannot require more affordable units under HCA zoning

[Robert Ahlert]

So how can we be expected to vote on Saturday when key information is
contained in ONLY the Zoning Bylaw?

For example, the section on the Village Center states that only 30-40% of
the ground floor of buildings will have to remain commercial.  Is that
still the latest language? Perhaps you can provide the revised language to
the residents because I know it only applies to interior portions of the
parcel and not frontage on Lincoln Rd.  This is a critical point.  No one
knows what the "mandatory" in mandatory mixed use actually means.  It's
only "mandatory" that 30-40% is commercial, the rest can be parking or
units at ground level.

If Donelan's decides not to renew, wouldn't a "by right'' property owner
(e.g. CIVICO) likely demolish that building and only leave 30-40% of the
ground floor as commercial?  Could the developer push out the grocery store
b/c housing is more profitable?  I worry we would end up with more of a
mini-mart than a real grocery store

*Vote Option E, this process needs more time.*

Rob
185 Lincoln Rd, Lincoln, MA 01773

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 8:43 PM Margaret Olson 
wrote:

> On the draft the planning board was discussing last week at our working
> meeting:
>
> As is common with working drafts, the text of the HCA zoning by-law
> discussed by the planning board at our working meeting included all the
> options the board might consider. The draft has text from planning board
> members, town staff, and town counsel. It is both incomplete and at the
> same time contains multiple approaches to the same problem, only one of
> which will be chosen. The board has not voted on it. It is not possible at
> this point to make any statements about what the zoning does and does not
> include or permit.
>
> I’ll also point out that the errors in the HCA submission to the state
> were inconsequential. They were corrected for completeness but the updates
> did not change anything material.
>
> Margaret
>
>
>
> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 6:56 PM David Cuetos 
> wrote:
>
>> The State allows towns rezoning land that can be used towards HCA
>> compliance to require developers to set aside 10% affordable units. In
>> order to request a higher than 10% affordable quota, towns have to submit a
>> feasibility study to the State. As per the guidelines
>> , the analysis
>> must demonstrate that a reasonable variety of multi-family housing types
>> can be feasibly developed at the proposed affordability levels, taking into
>> account the densities allowed as of right in the district, the dimensional
>> requirements applicable within the district, and the minimum number of
>> parking spaces required. Lincoln hired a third-party to conduct such a
>> study
>> ,
>> requesting 15% affordable units, but the State denied our request.
>>
>> Could the denial have been a surprise to the authors of the study?
>>
>> The answer is a resounding no. The feasibility analysis included a series
>> of scenarios with deeply negative rates of return (as low as -37%). Anyone
>> who had taken a look at the report ahead of its submission would have known
>> that the State would not grant Lincoln the requested 15%.
>>
>> Was denial the only possible outcome?
>>
>> The answer I believe is also a resounding no. The analysis conception was
>> deeply flawed. A more reasonable set of scenarios would have probably
>> yielded at least 15% affordable units, perhaps even 20%.
>>
>> Why did Lincoln submit a report that would certainly be denied?
>>
>> We enter into the realm of speculation here, but there are only two
>> reasonable explanations: lack of oversight, or satisfaction with the
>> results.
>>
>> Supporting the lack of oversight explanation, there are several instances
>> in which the HCAWG and the Director of Planning have failed to properly
>> oversee the work of consultants. Gross mistakes were made in the model
>> submission to the State prepared by Utile, as well as in the maps presented
>> to the public in which some parcels were not properly represented in the
>> maps used for public discussion. We also know that the economic analysis
>> 
>> referenced in the HCAWG’s site, which was prepared by a consultant for
>> Civico at the time it was requesting approval for Oriole Landing, includes
>> unsourced educational costs that severely understate their true value. If
>> proper numbers had been used, the study would have indicated that the
>> development yielded negative fiscal results for the Town.
>>
>> Supporting the explanation that the denial was a satisfactory result for
>> the overseeing parties involved is the fact that throughout this process it
>> has been clear that the RLF is trying to maximize the price of the sale for
>> the Mall, and 

Re: [LincolnTalk] The real reason we cannot require more affordable units under HCA zoning

[Margaret Olson]

On the draft the planning board was discussing last week at our working
meeting:

As is common with working drafts, the text of the HCA zoning by-law
discussed by the planning board at our working meeting included all the
options the board might consider. The draft has text from planning board
members, town staff, and town counsel. It is both incomplete and at the
same time contains multiple approaches to the same problem, only one of
which will be chosen. The board has not voted on it. It is not possible at
this point to make any statements about what the zoning does and does not
include or permit.

I’ll also point out that the errors in the HCA submission to the state were
inconsequential. They were corrected for completeness but the updates did
not change anything material.

Margaret



On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 6:56 PM David Cuetos  wrote:

> The State allows towns rezoning land that can be used towards HCA
> compliance to require developers to set aside 10% affordable units. In
> order to request a higher than 10% affordable quota, towns have to submit a
> feasibility study to the State. As per the guidelines
> , the analysis
> must demonstrate that a reasonable variety of multi-family housing types
> can be feasibly developed at the proposed affordability levels, taking into
> account the densities allowed as of right in the district, the dimensional
> requirements applicable within the district, and the minimum number of
> parking spaces required. Lincoln hired a third-party to conduct such a
> study
> ,
> requesting 15% affordable units, but the State denied our request.
>
> Could the denial have been a surprise to the authors of the study?
>
> The answer is a resounding no. The feasibility analysis included a series
> of scenarios with deeply negative rates of return (as low as -37%). Anyone
> who had taken a look at the report ahead of its submission would have known
> that the State would not grant Lincoln the requested 15%.
>
> Was denial the only possible outcome?
>
> The answer I believe is also a resounding no. The analysis conception was
> deeply flawed. A more reasonable set of scenarios would have probably
> yielded at least 15% affordable units, perhaps even 20%.
>
> Why did Lincoln submit a report that would certainly be denied?
>
> We enter into the realm of speculation here, but there are only two
> reasonable explanations: lack of oversight, or satisfaction with the
> results.
>
> Supporting the lack of oversight explanation, there are several instances
> in which the HCAWG and the Director of Planning have failed to properly
> oversee the work of consultants. Gross mistakes were made in the model
> submission to the State prepared by Utile, as well as in the maps presented
> to the public in which some parcels were not properly represented in the
> maps used for public discussion. We also know that the economic analysis
> 
> referenced in the HCAWG’s site, which was prepared by a consultant for
> Civico at the time it was requesting approval for Oriole Landing, includes
> unsourced educational costs that severely understate their true value. If
> proper numbers had been used, the study would have indicated that the
> development yielded negative fiscal results for the Town.
>
> Supporting the explanation that the denial was a satisfactory result for
> the overseeing parties involved is the fact that throughout this process it
> has been clear that the RLF is trying to maximize the price of the sale for
> the Mall, and several members of the HCAWG have been publicly explicit in
> their support for meeting Civico’s wishes. Loosening affordability
> requirements would obviously increase the profits for Civico and therefore
> the price of the sale. Let us remember that certain Planning Board members
> presented a by-law draft last week that allowed the developer to pay fees
> in lieu of building affordable units.
>
> What are the flawed assumptions exactly?
>
> The study runs some internal rates of return (IRR) for a variety of
> multi-family housing types. The scenarios are divided into for sale
> developments, and rental developments. The scenarios are also divided by
> the type of development; there are townhome scenarios and garden style
> scenarios. Finally scenarios vary by size: 24 units, 45 units, and 120
> units.
>
> All of the townhome scenarios deliver rates of return that are
> commensurate with developers’ expectations. The four garden style
> developments are however deeply problematic. Their IRRs are -37% and -32%
> for the for sale developments and 2% and -1% for the rentals. Garden style
> and townhome developments are modeled as costing a similar amount, but
> townhomes have a unit 

Re: [LincolnTalk] "The Town" isn't deciding anything on Dec 2-Note on Town Process.

[Sara Mattes]

All,
The school vote was culminated in a ballot vote, as will be the Community 
Center.
All bond issues require a ballot vote, the Monday after Town Meeting.
Votes on zoning take place inside the Town Meeting…much more inclusive today 
than during our earliest days.
Then, it was a select few white male property owners.
We have made progress!

Cheers,
Sara

--
Sara Mattes




> On Nov 29, 2023, at 10:36 AM, Fuat Koro  wrote:
> 
> Thanks Rachel.  The low participation bothers me as well especially as we're 
> looking at ways in which we can be more inclusive.
> 
> The heavily discussed/widely communicated topic like the school building had 
> 18% voter participation. (~900 voters  out of 5000 as you mentioned.). 
> 
> As a reference, the 2022 state primary and the 2020 presidential election had 
> 32% and 86% turnout of the voters in Lincoln respectively. I'm not comparing 
> the importance of local topics vs. state/national elections, but from a 
> process/accessibility standpoint, town meeting does depress voter turnout to 
> levels that are hard to call representative of the overall number of voters.
> 
> I know there have been some suggestions to improve our participation. And I'm 
> fully supportive of taking a more creative approach despite the state-lwvel 
> constraints.
> 
> These are my own views.  I am not speaking on behalf of any of the town 
> committees I sit on.
> 
> Fuat Koro
> 
> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023, 5:34 AM Rachel Drew  > wrote:
>> Lynne Smith wrote yesterday: "We will all meet on December 2nd to make the 
>> best choice we know how to make for Lincoln's future".(emphasis added). This 
>> is not accurate. Only those residents privileged enough to be able to take 
>> the better part of their day off from work, family responsibilities and 
>> other personal priorities will be in attendance on December 2nd. Based on 
>> historical counts of Town Meeting (TM) attendance (which are published in 
>> the Annual Town Reports), on average less than 400 residents attend the 
>> regularly scheduled TM in March - or about 8% of the voting-age population 
>> in town. A special TM like the one on December 2nd may draw more residents 
>> due to its hotly-debated topics (for reference, the special TM in June 2018 
>> on the school options drew around 900 people, following a long and 
>> well-advertised campaign to get residents to attend), but may also exclude 
>> more residents since its timing and agenda were not known far enough in 
>> advance that all residents could plan it around their other commitments. 
>> Either way, it only takes half of those in attendance to approve most 
>> warrant articles, so it is likely that less than 5% of voting-age residents 
>> will determine the path forward on the Community Center, Common's expansion, 
>> and the HCA zoning this Saturday.
>> 
>> I'm not offering an opinion on Town Meeting as good or bad, legitimate or 
>> rigged - it is our form of governance in Lincoln, and whether you love it or 
>> hate it, it is how Lincoln decides most of the important issues in town. I'm 
>> only asking that we be honest when we talk about what a Town Meeting is - a 
>> chance for an unrepresentative* minority of the population to come together 
>> and debate topics of importance for the town, then make a decision based on 
>> their preferences and perceptions of what is best for the rest of us. No 
>> vote on Saturday will tell us anything about 'the will of the town', so 
>> let's please stop perpetuating this false narrative. 
>> 
>> (full disclosure - I am a member of the HCAWG and the Lincoln Housing 
>> Commission, though my comments above are made as an individual resident of 
>> Lincoln and do not reflect the views of either group. I will also be out of 
>> town on a long-planned trip on December 2nd).
>> 
>> *For more information on the demographics of Massachusetts TM attendance 
>> relative to general populations, please see this article, which includes 
>> Lincoln as one of its case studies:  
>> https://www.townofsharon.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif3801/f/pages/survey_of_engaged_tm_04_01_2020.pdf
>> 
>> Rachel Drew
>> -- 
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>> .
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>> 
> -- 
> The LincolnTalk mailing list.
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> 

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[LincolnTalk] The real reason we cannot require more affordable units under HCA zoning

[David Cuetos]

The State allows towns rezoning land that can be used towards HCA
compliance to require developers to set aside 10% affordable units. In
order to request a higher than 10% affordable quota, towns have to submit a
feasibility study to the State. As per the guidelines
, the analysis
must demonstrate that a reasonable variety of multi-family housing types
can be feasibly developed at the proposed affordability levels, taking into
account the densities allowed as of right in the district, the dimensional
requirements applicable within the district, and the minimum number of
parking spaces required. Lincoln hired a third-party to conduct such a study
,
requesting 15% affordable units, but the State denied our request.

Could the denial have been a surprise to the authors of the study?

The answer is a resounding no. The feasibility analysis included a series
of scenarios with deeply negative rates of return (as low as -37%). Anyone
who had taken a look at the report ahead of its submission would have known
that the State would not grant Lincoln the requested 15%.

Was denial the only possible outcome?

The answer I believe is also a resounding no. The analysis conception was
deeply flawed. A more reasonable set of scenarios would have probably
yielded at least 15% affordable units, perhaps even 20%.

Why did Lincoln submit a report that would certainly be denied?

We enter into the realm of speculation here, but there are only two
reasonable explanations: lack of oversight, or satisfaction with the
results.

Supporting the lack of oversight explanation, there are several instances
in which the HCAWG and the Director of Planning have failed to properly
oversee the work of consultants. Gross mistakes were made in the model
submission to the State prepared by Utile, as well as in the maps presented
to the public in which some parcels were not properly represented in the
maps used for public discussion. We also know that the economic analysis

referenced in the HCAWG’s site, which was prepared by a consultant for
Civico at the time it was requesting approval for Oriole Landing, includes
unsourced educational costs that severely understate their true value. If
proper numbers had been used, the study would have indicated that the
development yielded negative fiscal results for the Town.

Supporting the explanation that the denial was a satisfactory result for
the overseeing parties involved is the fact that throughout this process it
has been clear that the RLF is trying to maximize the price of the sale for
the Mall, and several members of the HCAWG have been publicly explicit in
their support for meeting Civico’s wishes. Loosening affordability
requirements would obviously increase the profits for Civico and therefore
the price of the sale. Let us remember that certain Planning Board members
presented a by-law draft last week that allowed the developer to pay fees
in lieu of building affordable units.

What are the flawed assumptions exactly?

The study runs some internal rates of return (IRR) for a variety of
multi-family housing types. The scenarios are divided into for sale
developments, and rental developments. The scenarios are also divided by
the type of development; there are townhome scenarios and garden style
scenarios. Finally scenarios vary by size: 24 units, 45 units, and 120
units.

All of the townhome scenarios deliver rates of return that are commensurate
with developers’ expectations. The four garden style developments are
however deeply problematic. Their IRRs are -37% and -32% for the for sale
developments and 2% and -1% for the rentals. Garden style and townhome
developments are modeled as costing a similar amount, but townhomes have a
unit market price that is approximately 50% higher! Simply, why are the
consultants modeling garden style developments when townhomes are so
superior economically? No rational developer would ever develop a
garden-style development assuming this set of assumptions is remotely
accurate. It is important to note that the math for garden style
developments would also not work at 0% affordability.

Why are the for sale garden style condos so unattractive?

The assumptions used by the consultant are highly flawed. First, the set of
comps seems quite biased. Why are we taking Cold Brooks in Sudbury as
basically the only comp to determine price per unit? If we are taking a
comp from a westerly neighbor (Sudbury), why not also take an easterly
neighbor (Lexington)? Since prices per square foot for the comps in
Lexington
,
per the consultants admission, are 40% higher than those for Sudbury the

Re: [LincolnTalk] In Support of Option C

[Garrick Niemiec]

Option C is a no go until all options are represented by a 3D stacking
diagram in context

Only then can proper choices be made!

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023, 12:28 PM Ken Hurd  wrote:

> Hello LincolnTalkers,
>
> In case you haven’t had a chance to see what I submitted to the Lincoln
> Squirrel, the following appeared this morning under the heading of “My
> Turn”.
>
> In Support of Option C
>
> At one of the recent forums hosted by the HCAWG (Housing Choice Act
> Working Group), one particularly insightful resident posed a poignant
> question to the proponents of an Alternative Option E.
>
>
> She asked,* "What is it you stand for?"*
>
>
> Although there was no immediate response, we now know the answer according
> to the mailing most residents recently received about a meeting planned by
> proponents of Option E.  You can find it on the back of the flyer under the
> label, "Our Guiding Principles”, and I would like to highlight what I see
> as some inconsistencies.
>
> *- Create more affordable housing*
>
> Many proponents of an Alternative Option E express concern that the HCA
> limits the percentage of affordable housing to 10%.  Because Lincoln
> normally requires 15% affordable units in any multi-family development, the
> delta of their concern is 5%. In Lincoln's case, the HCA requires zoning
> that will allow 635 units, 5% of which would be 32 units.  As a reminder,
> the HCAWG responded early on to the residents of the Ridge Court
> Condominium property, aka the "Flying Nun Apartments”.  Despite the fact
> that this property is one of the most logical to include in the rezoning,
> they asked to be excluded in order to preserve the 36 units of relatively
> affordable apartments that already exist.  The HCAWG agreed, and the delta
> of this exclusion represents more than the 5% about which the alternative
> proponents are so concerned.
>
>
> *- Protect commercial retail in our Village Center*
>
> To anyone who has paid any attention to the state of retail services in
> Lincoln Station over the last ten years, they might have noticed a decline
> or turnover in establishments and an increase in vacancies.  This is
> occurring not just at the mall but in the entire Lincoln Station area, and
> as noted in the 2010 Comprehensive Long Range Plan, "the town needs to be
> receptive to more housing near the train station", and as was predicted in
> 2010, “small businesses currently operating around the train station may
> find it very difficult to survive in the future unless the area includes
> more housing and ironically, more businesses.”  Absent more housing,
> existing retail will most likely continue to wither away.
>
>
> *- Safeguard Lincoln’s wetlands protection bylaw*
>
> As noted multiple times by the HCAWG, all underlying regulations required
> by the bylaws of Lincoln will continue in effect, and that includes all
> wetland protections currently in place.
>
> *- Focus on locations with existing infrastructure while minimizing the
> need for greenfield construction*
>
> If this means rezone Battle Road Farm, it would appear that this is no
> more than a tactic to subvert the intent of the Housing Choice Act since
> condominium regulations make it nearly impossible to create new housing in
> that location.
>
>
> *- Preserve historically significant properties*
>
> A worthy goal, but with the few significant properties that exist in the
> Lincoln Station area, this could most likely be accommodated by any of the
> options with a minor adjustment.
>
>
> *- Honor the legacy of past generations’s work to create a variety of
> housing choices and multi-family housing*
>
> Most Lincolnites will agree with this statement, particularly those who
> know its history.  Time and again, previous generations have stepped up to
> do more than Lincoln's fair share in preserving open space while also
> increasing our housing stock to accommodate a variety of needs.  In my
> opinion, it would be a slap in their ancestral faces to shirk our
> responsibility to the region by raising the drawbridge and rezone for the
> least amount of new housing possible while claiming compliance.
>
>
> *- Save our key in-town parcels from HCA’s 90% market rate zoning
> mandate, **allowing funds from Lincoln’s limited Affordable Housing Trust
> to be more wisely spent for much needed low and moderate income housing
> units in Lincoln*
>
> To me, there is no correlation between saving in-town parcels and using
> AHT funds for needed housing.  This “principle”  advocates for nothing more
> than kicking the can down the road toward inaction.
>
>
> Finally, I think we can all agree that the Housing Choice Act is forcing
> our hand no less that in many our surrounding communities.  I hope that we
> can rise to meet this challenge as past Lincoln residents have done so many
> times before.  There is no question in my mind that we can be as creative
> as our forbears and find solutions that will maintain the town’s character
> that we all cherish. 

Re: [LincolnTalk] Housing Choice Act Working Group Update

[Garrick Niemiec]

This Lincoln voting system is so dumb...go electronic and results would be
more honest

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023, 3:41 PM Jennifer Glass via Lincoln <
lincoln@lincolntalk.org> wrote:

> 2023 11 29 - Refined Unit/Acre Calculations; Is E Compliant?; *and
> Special Town Meeting info!*
>
>- Here  are the
>maps and updated tables showing the units per acre zoning for each of the
>four options developed by the Housing Choice Act Working Group.  There are
>changes in the unit/acre calculations because our consultant, Utile, worked
>with the state to refine calculations when there are significant wetlands
>involved.
>   - FAQ:  Is the units/acre number a binding number?  Yes!  The
>   allowed units/acre will be written into the zoning bylaws and is a 
> maximum,
>   regardless of the size of the units.
>- Is E Compliant? In the professional opinion of our consultant, E
>does not appear to be compliant because the south Lewis Street subdistrict
>is *smaller than 5 acres and is not contiguous* with the rest of the
>Lincoln Road subdistrict.  As with all the options, we will continue to
>keep the community informed of any changes.
>- Updated FAQ:  How is property assessed?  Please visit
>https://www.lincolntown.org/1327/Housing-Choice-Act-Working-Group and
>scroll down to the 11/22/2023 update.
>- Special Town Meeting information:  Please visit the Special Town
>Meeting  web
>page for logistical information and more information about all the warrant
>articles.
>- Please visit the Housing Choice Act Working Group web page for more
>information:
>https://www.lincolntown.org/1327/Housing-Choice-Act-Working-Group
>
>
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Does anyone know how to cut mats for framing?

[Helen H]

Hi Stephanie,

You need to buy a mat cutter, which essentially holds a razor blade at a 45
degree angle in order to make straight angled cuts. While you can purchase
a standalone blade holder like this one
,
I really recommend buying it with a track system to guide the blade and get
straight cuts. I have the Logan 301
,
which is currently 30% off at Dick Blick for around $120.

This seems like a steep setup cost, but if you have several things to frame
or are planning to use for gifts it pays for itself fairly quickly. I often
use mine to put non-standard prints or photos into (much cheaper) standard
frame sizes. It is a bit of a learning curve and you will probably mess up
a mat or two while you figure it out, but you will get better with practice
and can cut very precise and professional mats pretty quickly. Here is a
demo video from Logan  to give
you an idea.

If you only need a couple of mats and it isn't worth it to buy your own
cutter, there are lots of Etsy stores that will cut and mat for you, or you
can try local art supply or framing stores.

Best,
Helen

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 11:08 AM stephanie kramp via Lincoln <
lincoln@lincolntalk.org> wrote:

> Hello Lincoln,
> Does anyone know how to cut mats for framing art and/or photos?
>
> Thank you,
> Stephanie Kramp
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Re: [LincolnTalk] "The Town" isn't deciding anything on Dec 2

[Fuat Koro]

Thanks Rachel.  The low participation bothers me as well especially as
we're looking at ways in which we can be more inclusive.

The heavily discussed/widely communicated topic like the school building
had 18% voter participation. (~900 voters  out of 5000 as you mentioned.).

As a reference, the 2022 state primary and the 2020 presidential election
had 32% and 86% turnout of the voters in Lincoln respectively. I'm not
comparing the importance of local topics vs. state/national elections, but
from a process/accessibility standpoint, town meeting does depress voter
turnout to levels that are hard to call representative of the overall
number of voters.

I know there have been some suggestions to improve our participation. And
I'm fully supportive of taking a more creative approach despite the
state-lwvel constraints.

These are my own views.  I am not speaking on behalf of any of the town
committees I sit on.

Fuat Koro

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023, 5:34 AM Rachel Drew  wrote:

> Lynne Smith wrote yesterday: "We will *all *meet on December 2nd to make
> the best choice we know how to make for Lincoln's future".(emphasis added).
> This is not accurate. Only those residents privileged enough to be able to
> take the better part of their day off from work, family responsibilities
> and other personal priorities will be in attendance on December 2nd. Based
> on historical counts of Town Meeting (TM) attendance (which are published
> in the Annual Town Reports), on average less than 400 residents attend the
> regularly scheduled TM in March - or about 8% of the voting-age population
> in town. A special TM like the one on December 2nd may draw more residents
> due to its hotly-debated topics (for reference, the special TM in June 2018
> on the school options drew around 900 people, following a long and
> well-advertised campaign to get residents to attend), but may also exclude
> more residents since its timing and agenda were not known far enough in
> advance that all residents could plan it around their other
> commitments. Either way, it only takes half of those in attendance to
> approve most warrant articles, so it is likely that less than 5% of
> voting-age residents will determine the path forward on the
> Community Center, Common's expansion, and the HCA zoning this Saturday.
>
> I'm not offering an opinion on Town Meeting as good or bad, legitimate or
> rigged - it is our form of governance in Lincoln, and whether you love it
> or hate it, it is how Lincoln decides most of the important issues in town.
> I'm only asking that we be honest when we talk about what a Town Meeting is
> - a chance for an unrepresentative* minority of the population to come
> together and debate topics of importance for the town, then make a decision
> based on their preferences and perceptions of what is best for the rest of
> us. No vote on Saturday will tell us anything about 'the will of the town',
> so let's please stop perpetuating this false narrative.
>
> (full disclosure - I am a member of the HCAWG and the Lincoln Housing
> Commission, though my comments above are made as an individual resident of
> Lincoln and do not reflect the views of either group. I will also be out of
> town on a long-planned trip on December 2nd).
>
> *For more information on the demographics of Massachusetts TM attendance
> relative to general populations, please see this article, which includes
> Lincoln as one of its case studies:
> https://www.townofsharon.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif3801/f/pages/survey_of_engaged_tm_04_01_2020.pdf
>
> Rachel Drew
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Re: [LincolnTalk] A recommended Sunday drive

[Sara Mattes]

If only that were a rail line, there would be a great transit option to take 
from Bedford into town.

--
Sara Mattes




> On Nov 29, 2023, at 11:40 AM, Bob Kupperstein  wrote:
> 
> That rail line ran through my Arlington backyard in 1978.   Train service had 
> ended about a year earlier.
> 
> -Bob
> 
> On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 6:05 AM Sara Mattes  > wrote:
>> …and, imagine if the Minuteman Bike Path were still a rail line….
>> ———
>> Sara Mattes
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Nov 28, 2023, at 12:57 PM, Don Seltzer >> > wrote:
>>> 
>>> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 9:49 AM Virginia Goodwin 
>>> mailto:virginiahgood...@gmail.com>> wrote:
 Regarding the issue of "we don't write discriminatory laws", I have two 
 examples off the top of my head: 
 
 1) Arlington refusing to allow the Red Line to go through is a specific 
 local example of laws passed to control (ie: restrict) all of those “inner 
 city” (ie: poor; ie: Black) T riders from besmirching the pristine 
 environs of their precious suburb.
>>> 
>>> I was a resident of Arlington at that time.  I strongly disagree with your 
>>> interpretation of  what happened in the 1970's.
>>> The proposal at that time was to extend and terminate the Red line in 
>>> Arlington Center.  It was a terrible idea because the terminus of a subway 
>>> line should have a large parking facility, a large bus station serving 
>>> feeder routes, and good access to major highways.  Unlike the Alewife site, 
>>> Arlington Center had none of these.  It would have been a traffic and 
>>> parking nightmare to terminate the Red line there.  What many Arlington 
>>> residents were demanding was an extended Red line to at least Arlington 
>>> Heights, and preferably all the way to 128.  They were open to the Red line 
>>> going through town, with one or two stations, but opposed to the line 
>>> terminating in town.
>>> 
>>> The most vocal opposition came from St Agnes Church, which would have been 
>>> heavily impacted by a terminal built next door.  There were multiple 
>>> reasons for the opposition, in which fear of increased crime was certainly 
>>> one.  It has been popularized by some authors of academic papers as the 
>>> primary reason for opposition, without any analytical data.  My perception 
>>> as a resident was that racial/crime fears were secondary.  Most residents 
>>> wanted faster, more convenient public transportation, but a Red line 
>>> terminus in Arlington had too many insurmountable problems.  That is why I 
>>> and many of my neighbors voted against it.
>>> 
>>> Don Seltzer
>>> 
>>> 
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>>> .
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>> 
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>> .
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[LincolnTalk] Fwd: Holiday Cheer Massage & Jai Designs at Lincoln Green Market this Sunday !

[Jai Kaur]

Hello Lincoln Town,



In the spirit of good cheer, I wanted to let everyone know that I’ll be set
up providing Cheer Massages and making my Jai Designs available at the
First Annual Lincoln Holiday Green Market on Sunday, Dec. 3, from 11-3.



After the Town Meeting on Saturday, we all will be ready to come into more
balance in the season of giving and receiving.  Whether you’ve been giving
more or receiving more, now is a great time to harmonize that relationship
and sign up to receive a therapeutic Cheer Massage, or purchase a Gift
Certificate to give the gift of wellness to a loved one.



*Cheer Massages are $20 for 15 min. with a maximum time of 30 min.  They
will be available starting at 11:30AM and the last slot will be 2:30PM.*

*If you wish to sign up and secure your slot, just email me your request.*



Perhaps you plan to go to the Touch of Christmas Fair at First Parish on
the same day.  So, do make it a point to drop by and support this new fair
also.Here are more details about the fair below.  Hope to see you there!



*Save Some Green While Shopping Green*

Please join the LPTO for the First Annual Lincoln Holiday Green Market on
Sunday, Dec. 3, from 11-3 in the Reed Gym at the Lincoln Public School (6
Ballfield Rd).  This is a community yard sale just in time for the
holidays!  Socialize with neighbors and come find unique gifts at this
multi-table, indoor market.  Discover new-to-you toys, home goods, and
gadgets at a great price while normalizing second-hand giving and saving
items from landfills.  Check out some of the great items people will be
selling https://www.facebook.com/groups/lincolngreenmarket/?mibextid=c7yyfP



*~Jai Kaur Healing Arts* *LCMT, CLT, NCTMB, E-RYT500*

*Massage**+Yoga+Ayurveda *

*PO Box 456 Lincoln, MA 01773*

*C: 781.738.1920 *

*www.JaiKaurHealingArts.com *
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[LincolnTalk] Housing Choice Act Working Group Update - with added note!

[Jennifer Glass via Lincoln]

2023 11 29 - Refined Unit/Acre Calculations; Is E Compliant?; and Special Town 
Meeting info!

Here  are the maps and 
updated tables showing the units per acre zoning for each of the four options 
developed by the Housing Choice Act Working Group.  There are changes in the 
unit/acre calculations because our consultant, Utile, worked with the state to 
refine calculations when there are significant wetlands involved.
FAQ:  Is the units/acre number a binding number?  Yes!  The allowed units/acre 
will be written into the zoning bylaws and is a maximum, regardless of the size 
of the units.
Is E Compliant? In the professional opinion of our consultant, E does not 
appear to be compliant because the south Lewis Street subdistrict is smaller 
than 5 acres and is not contiguous with the rest of the Lincoln Road 
subdistrict.  As with all the options, we will continue to keep the community 
informed of any changes.
As was discussed at Monday's Select Board meeting, there will be 5 Options on 
the ballot, including E.  No matter which Option is chosen by voters on 
Saturday, the Housing Choice Act Working Group will make any technical fixes 
that are required in order to ensure that what we are bringing to Town Meeting 
in March is deemed compliant.  This would continue to be done through a public 
process.
Updated FAQ:  How is property assessed?  Please visit  
https://www.lincolntown.org/1327/Housing-Choice-Act-Working-Group and scroll 
down to the 11/22/2023 update.
Special Town Meeting information:  Please visit the Special Town Meeting 
 web page for 
logistical information and more information about all the warrant articles.
Please visit the Housing Choice Act Working Group web page for more 
information:  https://www.lincolntown.org/1327/Housing-Choice-Act-Working-Group

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Re: [LincolnTalk] Ruth Ann Hendrickson Supports Option C

[melinda bruno-smith]

To Paul’s last point: “ keeping the village center alive”
I personally do not believe we have a “village center”.
Melinda

Sent from my iPhone
Melinda Bruno-Smith




On Nov 29, 2023, at 3:32 PM, Paul Shorb  wrote:


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 
mailto: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 
mailto: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 
mailto: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 

Re: [LincolnTalk] "The Town" isn't deciding anything on Dec 2

[RAandBOB]

Of course, if we went to a representative town meeting, the same people who are 
now in government might be our representatives, making all the decisions on our 
behalf. What will you be any happier with that form of government? I think we 
would still be second guessing all their decisions.

Ruth Ann
(She, her, hers)

> On Nov 29, 2023, at 8:34 AM, Rachel Drew  wrote:
> 
> 
> Lynne Smith wrote yesterday: "We will all meet on December 2nd to make the 
> best choice we know how to make for Lincoln's future".(emphasis added). This 
> is not accurate. Only those residents privileged enough to be able to take 
> the better part of their day off from work, family responsibilities and other 
> personal priorities will be in attendance on December 2nd. Based on 
> historical counts of Town Meeting (TM) attendance (which are published in the 
> Annual Town Reports), on average less than 400 residents attend the regularly 
> scheduled TM in March - or about 8% of the voting-age population in town. A 
> special TM like the one on December 2nd may draw more residents due to its 
> hotly-debated topics (for reference, the special TM in June 2018 on the 
> school options drew around 900 people, following a long and well-advertised 
> campaign to get residents to attend), but may also exclude more residents 
> since its timing and agenda were not known far enough in advance that all 
> residents could plan it around their other commitments. Either way, it only 
> takes half of those in attendance to approve most warrant articles, so it is 
> likely that less than 5% of voting-age residents will determine the path 
> forward on the Community Center, Common's expansion, and the HCA zoning this 
> Saturday.
> 
> I'm not offering an opinion on Town Meeting as good or bad, legitimate or 
> rigged - it is our form of governance in Lincoln, and whether you love it or 
> hate it, it is how Lincoln decides most of the important issues in town. I'm 
> only asking that we be honest when we talk about what a Town Meeting is - a 
> chance for an unrepresentative* minority of the population to come together 
> and debate topics of importance for the town, then make a decision based on 
> their preferences and perceptions of what is best for the rest of us. No vote 
> on Saturday will tell us anything about 'the will of the town', so let's 
> please stop perpetuating this false narrative. 
> 
> (full disclosure - I am a member of the HCAWG and the Lincoln Housing 
> Commission, though my comments above are made as an individual resident of 
> Lincoln and do not reflect the views of either group. I will also be out of 
> town on a long-planned trip on December 2nd).
> 
> *For more information on the demographics of Massachusetts TM attendance 
> relative to general populations, please see this article, which includes 
> Lincoln as one of its case studies:  
> https://www.townofsharon.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif3801/f/pages/survey_of_engaged_tm_04_01_2020.pdf
> 
> Rachel Drew
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[LincolnTalk] Accountant

[Brian DePasquale via Lincoln]

Hi, Looking for recommendations for a good personal tax accountant. Thanks! 
Brian
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Another Perspective On The Zoning Discussion

[Debra Daugherty]

But the part of North Lincoln included in D3 is Battle Road Farm, which
won't be developed, so no impact on water.

D1 includes Lincoln North, which could be a different story.

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023, 2:06 PM Allen Vander Meulen 
wrote:

> For the most part I agree with Peter.  My main concern with the three “D”
> choices is their shifting of at least some of the developmental potential
> to other parts of town, particularly North Lincoln.
>
> Historically, whenever the issue of new development of any sort in North
> Lincoln has come up, concerns have been raised about the impact upon the
> residential wells there.
>
> North Lincoln has no public water system, unlike most of us south of Route
> 2.  Also, the construction of new wells and septic in that area could
> easily impact the quality and quantity of the water available to existing
> homes.
>
> These issues are resolvable, but do add an additional layer of complexity
> in future discussions regarding any development in North Lincoln.
>
> -Allen Vander Meulen
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Nov 29, 2023, at 10:56, pzbr...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> 
>
> In the interest of enhancing rational discussion about the proposed
> rezoning options, I am repeating and elaborating on the gist of a comment I
> posted a couple of days ago in the Lincoln Squirrel in response to Ruth Ann
> Hendrickson’s article.
>
> This is not just an Option C vs. Option E debate. The Working Group and
> Select Board have wisely offered us some potential alternatives, which I
> view as potential compromise solutions. As a lawyer, I was always
> interested in potential compromises, so I appreciate their having offered
> some more choices than just Option C or bust.
>
> Options D-1, D-2, and D-3 all offer the same benefit as Option C in terms
> of rezoning the Mall and rezoning some other parcels in South Lincoln. In
> fact, they could have been labeled C-1, C-2, and C-3. And, they all include
> large amounts of areas that are understood to be highly unlikely to be
> developed (Lincoln Woods and Ryan Estates). Those unlikely-to-be-developed
> areas, as well as the unlikely-to-be-developed areas in North Lincoln
> included in several options, are, to my mind, just benign puzzle pieces to
> satisfy the State’s 42-acre requirement. Rather than be distracted by these
> benign puzzle pieces, I have tried to focus on where the real action is, in
> South Lincoln. That’s where the public transit is. That’s where our
> commercial area is. That’s where we have pointed to for many years as the
> area for some sort of “walkable village”. That’s where the Working Group
> has appropriately focused.
>
> In trying to sort out which of these four “C”-related options are
> preferable, the question for me is how much South Lincoln development
> besides the Mall itself are we willing to enable by right, now and forever.
> I am totally in favor of by-right rezoning for the Mall itself, and I trust
> their judgment. That will entail a large addition of housing and
> much-needed revamping of the Mall’s commercial and public spaces. How much
> more by-right development in South Lincoln do we want, and how likely is it
> to occur?
>
> Jennifer Glass’ excellent presentation materials at this week’s Mothers
> Out Front meeting very well-articulated what our choices are, in terms of
> what areas could be developed in reality, depending on what the property
> owners and potential developers decide to do. As I understand what was
> presented, in the case of D-3, our choice is the Mall plus the properties
> across the street (essentially between Ridge Rd. and the Ryan Estates,
> going several blocks in from the road), with a maximum collective potential
> of 262 new housing units. In the case of D-1 or D-2, focusing only on their
> South Lincoln aspects, it’s the Mall plus the properties across the street
> and the properties within the Lincoln Rd./Codman Rd./Lewis St./RR tracks
> rectangle, with a maximum collective potential of 383 new units. In the
> case of Option C, it’s the Mall plus the properties across the street, the
> properties within the aforementioned rectangle, and the properties further
> along Codman Rd. down to 117, with a maximum collective potential of 480
> new units. The tale of the numbers: 480 vs. 383 vs. 262.
>
> There are many factors that would drive whether and how much of any or all
> of these areas other than the Mall (which has its own development
> trajectory) will actually be redeveloped for multi-family housing. Among
> these factors are assembling (buying) enough contiguous parcels, septic
> infrastructure, wetlands, and parking (which, in my mind, could
> realistically necessitate designing for one or possibly two cars per
> housing unit). As others have mentioned, all of these factors and their
> cost would be balanced by potential developers against the multiple other
> opportunities that are sure to arise in other communities as the impact of
> the HCA takes hold. In the meantime, in 

[LincolnTalk] Housing Choice Act Working Group Update

[Jennifer Glass via Lincoln]

2023 11 29 - Refined Unit/Acre Calculations; Is E Compliant?; and Special Town 
Meeting info!

Here  are the maps and 
updated tables showing the units per acre zoning for each of the four options 
developed by the Housing Choice Act Working Group.  There are changes in the 
unit/acre calculations because our consultant, Utile, worked with the state to 
refine calculations when there are significant wetlands involved.
FAQ:  Is the units/acre number a binding number?  Yes!  The allowed units/acre 
will be written into the zoning bylaws and is a maximum, regardless of the size 
of the units.
Is E Compliant? In the professional opinion of our consultant, E does not 
appear to be compliant because the south Lewis Street subdistrict is smaller 
than 5 acres and is not contiguous with the rest of the Lincoln Road 
subdistrict.  As with all the options, we will continue to keep the community 
informed of any changes.
Updated FAQ:  How is property assessed?  Please visit  
https://www.lincolntown.org/1327/Housing-Choice-Act-Working-Group and scroll 
down to the 11/22/2023 update.
Special Town Meeting information:  Please visit the Special Town Meeting 
 web page for 
logistical information and more information about all the warrant articles.
Please visit the Housing Choice Act Working Group web page for more 
information:  https://www.lincolntown.org/1327/Housing-Choice-Act-Working-Group

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Re: [LincolnTalk] Ruth Ann Hendrickson Supports Option C

[Paul Shorb]

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  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  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 
>> 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 

[LincolnTalk] Holiday wreaths for sale!

[Heather Ring via Lincoln]

Stop by the Stone Church at 14 Bedford Rd tonight until 6pm to buy your holiday 
wreath.  Wreaths are beautifully decorated starting at $40, various sizes and 
outdoor planters.  

-Heather on behalf of Touch of Christmas Fair 

Heather Ring 
pronouns: she/her/hers


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Re: [LincolnTalk] Another Perspective On The Zoning Discussion

[Allen Vander Meulen]

For the most part I agree with Peter.  My main concern with the three “D” 
choices is their shifting of at least some of the developmental potential to 
other parts of town, particularly North Lincoln.

Historically, whenever the issue of new development of any sort in North 
Lincoln has come up, concerns have been raised about the impact upon the 
residential wells there. 

North Lincoln has no public water system, unlike most of us south of Route 2.  
Also, the construction of new wells and septic in that area could easily impact 
the quality and quantity of the water available to existing homes.

These issues are resolvable, but do add an additional layer of complexity in 
future discussions regarding any development in North Lincoln.

-Allen Vander Meulen

Sent from my iPad

> On Nov 29, 2023, at 10:56, pzbr...@gmail.com wrote:
> 
> 
> In the interest of enhancing rational discussion about the proposed rezoning 
> options, I am repeating and elaborating on the gist of a comment I posted a 
> couple of days ago in the Lincoln Squirrel in response to Ruth Ann 
> Hendrickson’s article.
> 
> This is not just an Option C vs. Option E debate. The Working Group and 
> Select Board have wisely offered us some potential alternatives, which I view 
> as potential compromise solutions. As a lawyer, I was always interested in 
> potential compromises, so I appreciate their having offered some more choices 
> than just Option C or bust.
> 
> Options D-1, D-2, and D-3 all offer the same benefit as Option C in terms of 
> rezoning the Mall and rezoning some other parcels in South Lincoln. In fact, 
> they could have been labeled C-1, C-2, and C-3. And, they all include large 
> amounts of areas that are understood to be highly unlikely to be developed 
> (Lincoln Woods and Ryan Estates). Those unlikely-to-be-developed areas, as 
> well as the unlikely-to-be-developed areas in North Lincoln included in 
> several options, are, to my mind, just benign puzzle pieces to satisfy the 
> State’s 42-acre requirement. Rather than be distracted by these benign puzzle 
> pieces, I have tried to focus on where the real action is, in South Lincoln. 
> That’s where the public transit is. That’s where our commercial area is. 
> That’s where we have pointed to for many years as the area for some sort of 
> “walkable village”. That’s where the Working Group has appropriately focused.
> 
> In trying to sort out which of these four “C”-related options are preferable, 
> the question for me is how much South Lincoln development besides the Mall 
> itself are we willing to enable by right, now and forever. I am totally in 
> favor of by-right rezoning for the Mall itself, and I trust their judgment. 
> That will entail a large addition of housing and much-needed revamping of the 
> Mall’s commercial and public spaces. How much more by-right development in 
> South Lincoln do we want, and how likely is it to occur?
> 
> Jennifer Glass’ excellent presentation materials at this week’s Mothers Out 
> Front meeting very well-articulated what our choices are, in terms of what 
> areas could be developed in reality, depending on what the property owners 
> and potential developers decide to do. As I understand what was presented, in 
> the case of D-3, our choice is the Mall plus the properties across the street 
> (essentially between Ridge Rd. and the Ryan Estates, going several blocks in 
> from the road), with a maximum collective potential of 262 new housing units. 
> In the case of D-1 or D-2, focusing only on their South Lincoln aspects, it’s 
> the Mall plus the properties across the street and the properties within the 
> Lincoln Rd./Codman Rd./Lewis St./RR tracks rectangle, with a maximum 
> collective potential of 383 new units. In the case of Option C, it’s the Mall 
> plus the properties across the street, the properties within the 
> aforementioned rectangle, and the properties further along Codman Rd. down to 
> 117, with a maximum collective potential of 480 new units. The tale of the 
> numbers: 480 vs. 383 vs. 262.
> 
> There are many factors that would drive whether and how much of any or all of 
> these areas other than the Mall (which has its own development trajectory) 
> will actually be redeveloped for multi-family housing. Among these factors 
> are assembling (buying) enough contiguous parcels, septic infrastructure, 
> wetlands, and parking (which, in my mind, could realistically necessitate 
> designing for one or possibly two cars per housing unit). As others have 
> mentioned, all of these factors and their cost would be balanced by potential 
> developers against the multiple other opportunities that are sure to arise in 
> other communities as the impact of the HCA takes hold. In the meantime, in 
> the absence of an effective crystal ball, all we have to go on are the 
> maximum developable units articulated by Jennifer.
> 
> My personal opinion is that D-3 offers us a big chunk of what many want – 
> 

Re: [LincolnTalk] Does anyone know how to cut mats for framing?

[RAandBOB]

Cutting mats is a bit tricky. I’ve bought an expensive Logan mat cutter with an 
arm that holds the mat squarely. Definitely worth the price if you’re going to 
be doing lots of mats over the next few years. Otherwise you can buy a small 
handheld cutter, but I found that tricky to use. You can also order pre-cut 
mats to your own specifications online. The art store at 40 Wall St. in 
Burlington has a good selection of pre-cut mats.

Ruth Ann
(She, her, hers)

> On Nov 29, 2023, at 11:08 AM, stephanie kramp via Lincoln 
>  wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello Lincoln,
> Does anyone know how to cut mats for framing art and/or photos?
> 
> Thank you,
> Stephanie Kramp
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[LincolnTalk] Get Your Holiday Shopping Done Sustainably This Sunday

[Kim Jalet]

Save some green while shopping green at the LPTO's (Lincoln Parent Teacher
Organization) First Annual Holiday Green Market on Sunday, Dec. 3, from
11-3 in the Reed Gym at the Lincoln Public Schools (6 Ballfield Rd.).  We
will have LEGO sets, honey, vintage jewelry, children's clothing, books,
games, puzzles, and so much more!

This is a community yard sale where you will be able to find unique gifts,
new-to-you toys, home goods, and gadgets at a great price.  Check out some
of the great items vendors will be selling at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lincolngreenmarket/?mibextid=c7yyfP.
Vendors will accept cash and, in some cases, Venmo.  One lucky shopper will
win a chair massage from Jai Kaur Healing Arts who will also be selling her
Transcendent T-shirt.

There is so much opportunity to do good here!  Normalize second-hand giving
while saving items from landfills, support the charities some vendors are
selling items to benefit, and bring any winter coats, snow pants, or boots
to place in the bin at the Market for LPS students in need.

After you stop by the Holiday Green Market, don't forget to stop by First
Parish Lincoln for their Touch of Christmas Fair from 12 - 3 for
wreaths, handmade crafts, baked goods and more!

We hope you'll join us!

Best, Kim Jalet (LPTO & Brooks Rd.)
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA Choices

[Scott Clary]

Yonca gets it!

Kind Regards,

Scott Clary
617-968-5769

Sent from a mobile device - please excuse typos and errors

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023, 8:13 AM Lynne Smith  wrote:

> Well said, Yonca! Thank you for writing this reminder of how fortunate we
> are!
>
> Lynne Smith
> 5 Tabor Hill Road
> Lincoln, MA 01773
> 781-258-1175
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Nov 29, 2023, at 6:02 AM, Yonca Heyse  wrote:
>
> 
> Hello neighbors -
>
> I originally come from Turkey where town decisions are mostly made by the
> will of the few and then enforced. With that backdrop, ever since I moved
> to Lincoln 10+ years ago, the democratic process in Lincoln has
> fascinated and impressed me. Running a town, while trying to build
> consensus and with majority votes vs. the will of a single person is a
> privilege. I also see that it's not all rosy - the process is long,
> exhausting, sometimes (often?) combative and perceptions of who the
> messenger is or the skilled marketing efforts of some advocates can sway
> the vote.
>
> I haven't been close to the HCA vote, the process or the choices. Having
> said that, I want to point out how special in the world it is how this
> particular process unfolded. Facts may be slightly off but this is what I
> see:
> 1) Town has a mandate
> 2) Appoints committee
> 3) Committee puts in hours to come up with good options (thank you
> volunteers!)
> 4) Group of residents aren't satisfied with the options
> 5) They don't just complain but probably put in hours to develop other
> option(s)
> 6) They advocate and advocate and advocate and get their options included
> in the vote
> 7) The town now has a new option to vote for that may represent the
> desires of a portion of the town.
>
> On December 2nd, we get to vote to determine the best option. This is the
> time to hate on Option A, B, C, D, E .I urge everyone to put in a
> fraction of the effort that all volunteers have put in to try to determine
> what the right vote for every individual should be. Think about what you
> care about (maximizing housing? concentration of housing in the mall?
> likelihood of a vibrant commercial base? 4 story high buildings? and
> evaluate the options vs. your own criteria.
>
> May the option that pleases the most win! AND Let's not forget how lucky
> we are to get to be part of this decision.
>
> Respectfully,
> Yonca Heyse (1 Sweet Bay Ln)
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 5:27 PM Scott Clary 
> wrote:
>
>> I hope the readership is paying attention to the tone on both sides of
>> this argument.
>>
>> LRHA's timeline was definitely rushed. There was not a lot of time to
>> pull things together. The group had been reaching out to town leadership
>> and their requests and suggestions were falling on deaf ears. WE have put a
>> great deal of effort and time into this process in a very short time frame.
>> There are no formal meeting minutes. This group has been going back and
>> forth in many different capacities on the Fly figuring things out.
>>
>> Most of us caught on to what was happening with town leadership and HCA
>> in the fairly recent past. While we are all respectful and appreciative to
>> all the volunteer work and hours leadership puts forth, once the details
>> were dug into and we were educated, it seemed quite clear that a handful
>> thought that they knew better than the rest of us. Perhaps there efforts
>> for option C will prevail via town vote. But it's very disappointing that
>> Lincoln residents (many of which I consider friends and I plan on remaining
>> friends with) and even town officials are chastising and labeling us as
>> special interest and outliers, hijacking what a handful have put forward.
>>
>> This group cares deeply about our town in every way: from providing
>> additional multi-unit housing which is already at 41% and substantially
>> higher than any of our peer towns, redeveloping the mall in a meaningful
>> manner with Town input to ensure we have retail, commercial, mixed use and
>> housing, all while trying to add diversity and affordability.
>>
>> I am a Layman so no knock against Layman and most of us, which apparently
>> includes the planning board, the HCAWG, the planning director and the
>> $400,000 consultant Utile, did not fully understand the complexities of the
>> HCA model put out by the state. That I know of, only one person and a
>> Lincoln resident, David Cuetos, fastidiously broke down the model and
>> understands it thoroughly and discovered severe flaws in the model that
>> have huge implications on the potential final results of HCA. We are
>> incredibly lucky to have David reside in Lincoln and caring so much. I want
>> to thank him personally for all the time and energy he's put into this so
>> that we're all much better informed.
>>
>> In my 25 years in this special town, there's been hotly debated and
>> emotional topics but most always with respect for each other.
>>
>> Kind Regards,
>>
>> Scott Clary
>> 617-968-5769
>>
>> Sent from a mobile device - 

[LincolnTalk] In Support of Option C

[Ken Hurd]

Hello LincolnTalkers,

In case you haven’t had a chance to see what I submitted to the Lincoln 
Squirrel, the following appeared this morning under the heading of “My Turn”.

In Support of Option C

At one of the recent forums hosted by the HCAWG (Housing Choice Act Working 
Group), one particularly insightful resident posed a poignant question to the 
proponents of an Alternative Option E.  

She asked, "What is it you stand for?"

Although there was no immediate response, we now know the answer according to 
the mailing most residents recently received about a meeting planned by 
proponents of Option E.  You can find it on the back of the flyer under the 
label, "Our Guiding Principles”, and I would like to highlight what I see as 
some inconsistencies.

- Create more affordable housing
Many proponents of an Alternative Option E express concern that the HCA limits 
the percentage of affordable housing to 10%.  Because Lincoln normally requires 
15% affordable units in any multi-family development, the delta of their 
concern is 5%. In Lincoln's case, the HCA requires zoning that will allow 635 
units, 5% of which would be 32 units.  As a reminder, the HCAWG responded early 
on to the residents of the Ridge Court Condominium property, aka the "Flying 
Nun Apartments”.  Despite the fact that this property is one of the most 
logical to include in the rezoning, they asked to be excluded in order to 
preserve the 36 units of relatively affordable apartments that already exist.  
The HCAWG agreed, and the delta of this exclusion represents more than the 5% 
about which the alternative proponents are so concerned.

- Protect commercial retail in our Village Center
To anyone who has paid any attention to the state of retail services in Lincoln 
Station over the last ten years, they might have noticed a decline or turnover 
in establishments and an increase in vacancies.  This is occurring not just at 
the mall but in the entire Lincoln Station area, and as noted in the 2010 
Comprehensive Long Range Plan, "the town needs to be receptive to more housing 
near the train station", and as was predicted in 2010, “small businesses 
currently operating around the train station may find it very difficult to 
survive in the future unless the area includes more housing and ironically, 
more businesses.”  Absent more housing, existing retail will most likely 
continue to wither away.

- Safeguard Lincoln’s wetlands protection bylaw
As noted multiple times by the HCAWG, all underlying regulations required by 
the bylaws of Lincoln will continue in effect, and that includes all wetland 
protections currently in place.  

- Focus on locations with existing infrastructure while minimizing the need for 
greenfield construction
If this means rezone Battle Road Farm, it would appear that this is no more 
than a tactic to subvert the intent of the Housing Choice Act since condominium 
regulations make it nearly impossible to create new housing in that location.

- Preserve historically significant properties
A worthy goal, but with the few significant properties that exist in the 
Lincoln Station area, this could most likely be accommodated by any of the 
options with a minor adjustment.

- Honor the legacy of past generations’s work to create a variety of housing 
choices and multi-family housing
Most Lincolnites will agree with this statement, particularly those who know 
its history.  Time and again, previous generations have stepped up to do more 
than Lincoln's fair share in preserving open space while also increasing our 
housing stock to accommodate a variety of needs.  In my opinion, it would be a 
slap in their ancestral faces to shirk our responsibility to the region by 
raising the drawbridge and rezone for the least amount of new housing possible 
while claiming compliance.

- Save our key in-town parcels from HCA’s 90% market rate zoning mandate, 
allowing funds from Lincoln’s limited Affordable Housing Trust to be more 
wisely spent for much needed low and moderate income housing units in Lincoln
To me, there is no correlation between saving in-town parcels and using AHT 
funds for needed housing.  This “principle”  advocates for nothing more than 
kicking the can down the road toward inaction. 

Finally, I think we can all agree that the Housing Choice Act is forcing our 
hand no less that in many our surrounding communities.  I hope that we can rise 
to meet this challenge as past Lincoln residents have done so many times 
before.  There is no question in my mind that we can be as creative as our 
forbears and find solutions that will maintain the town’s character that we all 
cherish. I sincerely believe that this will be best achieved by voting for 
Option C.  

So, please join me in standing for and supporting Option C as the best way to 
revive the Lincoln Station area as well as to meet our responsibility to the 
region by creating more actual housing consistent with our Town Vision 
Statement, namely:

[LincolnTalk] A Community Center for Lincoln

[dilla tingley]

A Community Center for Lincoln



I hope everyone was able to review the Community Center options recently
published in the Lincoln Squirrel and the Special Town Meeting mailing that
went to all households in Lincoln.

The Special Town Meeting on December 2 is an opportunity for us to greatly
improve the inadequate facilities occupied by our very special and
hardworking COA and PRD and the excellent LEAP after school program.
All three are extremely valuable resources in our special community.  They
deserve proper accommodation.

The 100% option provides a space that would comfortably house existing
programs for COA, PRD, LEAP and also accommodate activities of a number
of other Town organizations, with some room for modest growth.  It would
demolish all existing ancient pods and provide green, new construction with
some architectural amenity that would be a lasting legacy for our special
Town.

The 75% option is a pared-down version with reduced space, just adequate
for current programming and little opportunity for use by other
organizations.  It tears down pods B and C but just renovates pod A for the
LEAP program.

The 50% option, which we will present as required by the Town Meeting in
November 2022, does not even provide for current programming.  It basically
gives COA and PRD the space equivalent to two of our current pods and
leaves LEAP in an unrenovated pod C which will require further
appropriation at a later, less convenient time.

Our wonderful Town deserves and will benefit greatly from a handsome new
and spacious facility for community gathering.  Please come on December 2nd
and support a needed and meaningful new building for generations to come.



Dilla Tingley

Representative of the COA on the CCBC Committee
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Re: [LincolnTalk] A recommended Sunday drive

[Bob Kupperstein]

That rail line ran through my Arlington backyard in 1978.   Train service
had ended about a year earlier.

-Bob

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 6:05 AM Sara Mattes  wrote:

> …and, imagine if the Minuteman Bike Path were still a rail line….
> ———
> Sara Mattes
>
>
>
>
> On Nov 28, 2023, at 12:57 PM, Don Seltzer  wrote:
>
> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 9:49 AM Virginia Goodwin <
> virginiahgood...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Regarding the issue of "we don't write discriminatory laws", I have two
>> examples off the top of my head:
>>
>> 1) Arlington refusing to allow the Red Line to go through is a specific
>> local example of laws passed to control (ie: restrict) all of those “inner
>> city” (ie: poor; ie: Black) T riders from besmirching the pristine environs
>> of their precious suburb.
>>
>
> I was a resident of Arlington at that time.  I strongly disagree with your
> interpretation of  what happened in the 1970's.
> The proposal at that time was to extend and terminate the Red line in
> Arlington Center.  It was a terrible idea because the terminus of a subway
> line should have a large parking facility, a large bus station serving
> feeder routes, and good access to major highways.  Unlike the Alewife site,
> Arlington Center had none of these.  It would have been a traffic and
> parking nightmare to terminate the Red line there.  What many Arlington
> residents were demanding was an extended Red line to at least Arlington
> Heights, and preferably all the way to 128.  They were open to the Red line
> going through town, with one or two stations, but opposed to the line
> terminating in town.
>
> The most vocal opposition came from St Agnes Church, which would have been
> heavily impacted by a terminal built next door.  There were multiple
> reasons for the opposition, in which fear of increased crime was certainly
> one.  It has been popularized by some authors of academic papers as the
> primary reason for opposition, without any analytical data.  My perception
> as a resident was that racial/crime fears were secondary.  Most residents
> wanted faster, more convenient public transportation, but a Red line
> terminus in Arlington had too many insurmountable problems.  That is why I
> and many of my neighbors voted against it.
>
> Don Seltzer
>
>
> --
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> .
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>
>
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> .
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>
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[LincolnTalk] Clarity on the HCA options, including Option E

[Deborah Howe via Lincoln]

Hi, all -- 
I serve on a couple of Town Committees, and work at the Lincoln polls on 
Election Day; I am writing this invitation as a private citizen. 
We have all read and heard a lot of chat about the different options that will 
be on the table at Saturday's Town Meeting. 
To reiterate my post from yesterday: tonight (11/29) everyone will have a 
chance to learn about the options, including and especially the newest option, 
Option E. In the interests of making your choice a thoroughly informed one, 
please join the Lincoln Residents for Alternative Housing Zoom (LRHA) Wednesday 
at 7 p.m. to learn about the five alternatives. Our aim is to show you clear, 
compelling information and to have civil, respectful discourse about it. We 
hope you can join us. Here's the Zoom link: 
Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87360338909 Meeting ID: 873 6033 
8909 --- One tap mobile +13052241968,,87360338909# US 
+13092053325,,87360338909# US 
Best to you all ~ 
Deb Howe 
88 Wells Road
-- next part --
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Reminder: Polls on Saturday's Town Meeting questions close at 8 p.m.

[Louis Zipes]

I will be suspicious if there are 117,000 total votes.   

On Wednesday, November 29, 2023, Alice Waugh  wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> If you haven't already checked a box (or three) in the polls about the
> issues (community center option, Commons expansion, Housing Choice Act
> rezoning), the online polls close at *8 p.m. tonight.* The polls can be
> found on the Lincoln Squirrel website but you don't have to be a subscriber
> to participate. Go to the Lincoln Squirrel home page at
> www.lincolnsquirrel.com and look for the item just below the Search box
> near the top right of the page. The results will be reported in a Squirrel
> post and on LincolnTalk.
>
> NOTE: These polls also appear in a subscribers-only post on the Lincoln
> Squirrel website — *please do not take any of the polls twice.* Thanks.
>
> Alice Waugh
>
> Editor, The Lincoln Squirrel  and The
> Lincoln Chipmunk 
>
> lincolnsquirreln...@gmail.com
>
> 617-710-5542 (mobile)
>
> www.watusiwords.com
>
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[LincolnTalk] Reminder: Polls on Saturday's Town Meeting questions close at 8 p.m.

[Alice Waugh]

Hi all,

If you haven't already checked a box (or three) in the polls about the
issues (community center option, Commons expansion, Housing Choice Act
rezoning), the online polls close at *8 p.m. tonight.* The polls can be
found on the Lincoln Squirrel website but you don't have to be a subscriber
to participate. Go to the Lincoln Squirrel home page at
www.lincolnsquirrel.com and look for the item just below the Search box
near the top right of the page. The results will be reported in a Squirrel
post and on LincolnTalk.

NOTE: These polls also appear in a subscribers-only post on the Lincoln
Squirrel website — *please do not take any of the polls twice.* Thanks.

Alice Waugh

Editor, The Lincoln Squirrel  and The
Lincoln Chipmunk 

lincolnsquirreln...@gmail.com

617-710-5542 (mobile)

www.watusiwords.com
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[LincolnTalk] Does anyone know how to cut mats for framing?

[stephanie kramp via Lincoln]

Hello Lincoln,Does anyone know how to cut mats for framing art and/or photos?
Thank you,Stephanie Kramp-- 
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[LincolnTalk] Another Perspective On The Zoning Discussion

[pzbraun]

In the interest of enhancing rational discussion about the proposed rezoning
options, I am repeating and elaborating on the gist of a comment I posted a
couple of days ago in the Lincoln Squirrel in response to Ruth Ann
Hendrickson's article. 

This is not just an Option C vs. Option E debate. The Working Group and
Select Board have wisely offered us some potential alternatives, which I
view as potential compromise solutions. As a lawyer, I was always interested
in potential compromises, so I appreciate their having offered some more
choices than just Option C or bust. 

Options D-1, D-2, and D-3 all offer the same benefit as Option C in terms of
rezoning the Mall and rezoning some other parcels in South Lincoln. In fact,
they could have been labeled C-1, C-2, and C-3. And, they all include large
amounts of areas that are understood to be highly unlikely to be developed
(Lincoln Woods and Ryan Estates). Those unlikely-to-be-developed areas, as
well as the unlikely-to-be-developed areas in North Lincoln included in
several options, are, to my mind, just benign puzzle pieces to satisfy the
State's 42-acre requirement. Rather than be distracted by these benign
puzzle pieces, I have tried to focus on where the real action is, in South
Lincoln. That's where the public transit is. That's where our commercial
area is. That's where we have pointed to for many years as the area for some
sort of "walkable village". That's where the Working Group has appropriately
focused.

In trying to sort out which of these four "C"-related options are
preferable, the question for me is how much South Lincoln development
besides the Mall itself are we willing to enable by right, now and forever.
I am totally in favor of by-right rezoning for the Mall itself, and I trust
their judgment. That will entail a large addition of housing and much-needed
revamping of the Mall's commercial and public spaces. How much more by-right
development in South Lincoln do we want, and how likely is it to occur?

Jennifer Glass' excellent presentation materials at this week's Mothers Out
Front meeting very well-articulated what our choices are, in terms of what
areas could be developed in reality, depending on what the property owners
and potential developers decide to do. As I understand what was presented,
in the case of D-3, our choice is the Mall plus the properties across the
street (essentially between Ridge Rd. and the Ryan Estates, going several
blocks in from the road), with a maximum collective potential of 262 new
housing units. In the case of D-1 or D-2, focusing only on their South
Lincoln aspects, it's the Mall plus the properties across the street and the
properties within the Lincoln Rd./Codman Rd./Lewis St./RR tracks rectangle,
with a maximum collective potential of 383 new units. In the case of Option
C, it's the Mall plus the properties across the street, the properties
within the aforementioned rectangle, and the properties further along Codman
Rd. down to 117, with a maximum collective potential of 480 new units. The
tale of the numbers: 480 vs. 383 vs. 262. 

There are many factors that would drive whether and how much of any or all
of these areas other than the Mall (which has its own development
trajectory) will actually be redeveloped for multi-family housing. Among
these factors are assembling (buying) enough contiguous parcels, septic
infrastructure, wetlands, and parking (which, in my mind, could
realistically necessitate designing for one or possibly two cars per housing
unit). As others have mentioned, all of these factors and their cost would
be balanced by potential developers against the multiple other opportunities
that are sure to arise in other communities as the impact of the HCA takes
hold. In the meantime, in the absence of an effective crystal ball, all we
have to go on are the maximum developable units articulated by Jennifer.

My personal opinion is that D-3 offers us a big chunk of what many want -
redevelop the Mall and open the door to nearby by-right multi-family housing
(across the street) - and offers what some, like me, may want, which is a
chance to see what happens if as many as 262 new housing units and the
inevitable car-usage are added to that area, before we enable even more
within the aforementioned rectangle and along Codman. Others may have a
different risk tolerances and/or may anticipate that the amount of
development enabled by Option C or one of the other D's will be
significantly less than the maximums. 

Reasonable people can debate the merits of all options. But, again, we do
have multiple options. My two cents, in hopes of stimulating rational
dialogue. Peter Braun

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Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA Choices

[melinda bruno-smith]

Please forward a zoom link.
Thank you
Melinda

Sent from my iPhone
Melinda Bruno-Smith




On Nov 29, 2023, at 9:29 AM, Susanna Szeto  wrote:


There is a public zoom presentation on Option E tonight (Wednesday) at 7 pm.  
There is a postcard mailed out to every resident about the zoom presentation of 
Option E.  Everyone is welcome to join!  Please do come to learn about how the 
different options compared so you can make an informed decision to vote on 
Saturday at town meeting!  Thank you!

Susanna S
Giles Road

On Nov 29, 2023, at 6:07 AM, Lis Herbert  wrote:

“Presented” is pretty generous.

On the one hand the E option was covered in about 10 minutes, with confused 
details, few specifics, offers of things like “none of this will actually be 
built” and “we can add that parcel in if needed”, as if it’s some throwaway, 
and half of the presentation came from a car. There was also an effort to 
somehow claim credit for future rezoning of the RLF property, the most logical 
of all lots to rezone — certainly more so than the two inter-related 
residential properties on Lewis Street that aren’t contiguous, while insisting 
the RLF be excluded because… it’s not clear. What are we meant to understand 
and what is smoke and mirrors?

On the other, this morning you were able to pinpoint and share track changes in 
an official town document, flagging yet another perceived, though quickly 
debunked, conspiracy aimed at the people who are working in an official 
capacity.

The lack of transparency on the part of whatever you want to call E is pretty 
clear, isn’t it? Or can we see into your process, and understand how you 
arrived at something we are meant to take seriously?

(And am I understanding correctly that we are now not meant to trust Utile? 
They’re in the tank, too?)

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 28, 2023, at 4:08 PM, Karla Gravis  wrote:


Option E was presented in a public meeting on 11/21. You can look at the video 
of the meeting 
here
.

The citizens group came together organically, not unlike the citizens group 
that sprung up in Newton (and displaced five incumbents in the recent 
elections). The Brookline Select Board also worked with citizen groups, going 
as far as visiting each building on Harvard St to make decisions on which ones 
to include as a group. This form of citizen involvement is happening in other 
towns.

100 residents emailed the Selects asking for an additional option to Options C 
and Ds. I would argue the “special interest” here is the inclusion of the RLF 
project into *every* single option the HCAWG has presented, even though many 
people have requested an option without it. I would also argue it is a special 
interest when RLF employees criticize a grassroots citizens group, without 
disclosing their affiliation to the RLF. Another “special interest” is Civico 
having a say in our bylaws.

Why does every single HCAWG option include the mall? There would have been no 
need for a citizen-generated option if the HCAWG had 1) put forth an option 
without the mall and/or 2) addressed the numerous concerns (and mistakes) with 
options C and D. These concerns were brought up publicly.

Let’s remember Utile created the options in private meetings. There were no 
open discussions where the HCAWG went parcel by parcel as to what was included 
or not. Utile came up with the options privately (based on some loose guidance 
but no parcel-by-parcel open discussion whatsoever) and then were presented to 
the public. Perhaps if there had been open discussions with Utile, we would 
have been quicker to catch the multiple mistakes in the submission before it 
was sent to the State. (18 extra acres of parcels, LW zoning at 20 units/acre, 
etc). Must be noted that it was the citizens' group who caught the mistakes.







-- Forwarded message -
From: John Mendelson mailto:johntmendel...@gmail.com>>
Date: Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 15:44
Subject: Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA 
Choices
To: Lynne Smith mailto:ly...@smith.net>>
CC: Lincoln mailto:lincoln@lincolntalk.org>>


This strikes me as extremely hypocritical in regard to the way the dialog has 
unfolded over the past few months.

Why should this group receive preferential treatment in terms of the process 
used to develop an option we are being asked to vote on?  Many members of the 
group who developed option E have spent the last few months demanding 
transparency, calling into question the ethics of the volunteers on the working 
group and elsewhere, destabilizing the process, and generally using the public 
forum of Lincoln Talk as a bully pulpit to push their agenda.

I am asking for meeting and voting records in order to fully evaluate the 
merits of and intent behind option E, just like many have asked for and 
received  for Options C and D.

To vote for an option (E) that has not had the same level 

Re: [LincolnTalk] Ruth Ann Hendrickson Supports Option C

[DJCP]

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  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 
> 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 
>> 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 

Re: [LincolnTalk] Ruth Ann Hendrickson Supports Option C

[Bijoy Misra]

*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  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 
> 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 

Re: [LincolnTalk] Ruth Ann Hendrickson Supports Option C

[Peter Buchthal]

I would like to respectfully disagree with some of the points made on this
thread.

"1) *Options C is the best hope for retaining the retail businesses at the
Mall*."
If the Town really cared about the retail businesses at the Mall they would
locate a new Community Center in the Mall or near the Mall (maybe commuter
parking lot?).  The amount of retail activity generated by the daily
different Community Center participants ( 100+?) far exceeds the retail
activity of new housing.   The new zoning laws being contemplated by the PB
do not set a reasonable floor on the amount of retail businesses reserved
for the Mall.   Unless Option E is selected, new bylaws that cater to the
interests of maximizing residential housing at the expense of retail space
will be adopted at the same time as Option C in March.  RLF may have
pledged that they will protect the commercial interests of the Mall, but
the current draft bylaws do not support those words.

*"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." *
The State has changed the voting requirements of Town Meetings approvals
for Multi Family housing projects.  The project must simply garner a simple
majority of residents at a town meeting which is a much lower threshold
than a 2/3 vote previously.  If a project deserves town approval, a simple
majority is not an unreasonable bar.  The Town of Lincoln has no history of
rejecting multifamily projects that could not garner a simple majority.

*"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? *
HCA zoning approvals for our neighboring towns do not have to be submitted
to the state until December 2024.  So,, we really don't know what other
towns are doing yet. We have no evidence that developers will prefer other
projects and chose to not redevelop the Mall at the right price. I  think
there are few if any large areas being rezoned for that can be easily
acquired in 1 transaction like the Lincoln Mall.  If a developer has to
acquire several parcels  within an HCA district for a project, that
increases the cost for the developer even the project can be developed by
right.The Lincoln Mall is a critical and visible part of the town of
Lincoln and Lincoln residents should demand more oversight on this
redevelopment that the HCA  provides.  RLF has tried to provide verbal
assurances to the Town that there will be outreach, site plans and
communication but the only teeth in restricting the wishes of a future
developer/owner are our future zoning bylaws that are proposing 4 floors
and 48 feet of building.  PB members are apparently trying to make the
redevelopment even more attractive by offering up our commuter lot to the
owner of Lincoln Woods as a quid pro quo for them to allow the Lincoln Mall
increased usage of the Lincoln Woods waste treatment plant.   Shouldn't the
town get the full picture with all of the details BEFORE deciding on
rezoning the Mall by right?  *Only Option E provides a path forward for the
redevelopment of the Lincoln Mall with town oversight and full disclosure.*

Peter Buchthal
Weston Rd

On Wed, Nov 29, 2023 at 7:57 AM Pastor Allen  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 

[LincolnTalk] Fwd: Enslaved Christians: What impact did Puritans have on slavery in Boston?

[Sara Mattes]

In all your free time….Sent from my iPadBegin forwarded message:From: Partnership of Historic Bostons Date: November 29, 2023 at 6:30:20 AM ESTTo: samat...@gmail.comSubject: Enslaved Christians: What impact did Puritans have on slavery in Boston?Reply-To: phbost...@gmail.com
  
  Join historian Richard Boles's fascinating lecture online this Thursday, Nov. 30,  7-8:30pm     
   
 
   
Can a person be equal in heaven but rightfully enslaved on earth? Puritan religious leaders argued they could. How did they justify this position?

Sign up here for Enslaved Christians, historian Richard Boles' insightful discussion of Puritanism and slavery, online, this Thursday, November 30, 7-8:30pm. It's a discussion you can’t miss if you want to understand New England enslavement. 

We've also included links to the primary sources so you can read Mather and Edwards' own words on slavery - have a look here.

Theologians were among the most influential people in early New England – Cotton Mather and Jonathan Edwards, in particular. What did they have to say about slavery; how did they influence public understanding; and why did Mather write rules insisting that enslaved people inform on each other?

Despite their lack of freedom, African newcomers to Boston and its churches also made these institutions their own, shaping New England's churches and society and finding meaning in their faith.

We look forward to seeing you on Zoom this Thursday, 7-8:30pm, at Enslaved Christians: Black Church Members in the Era of Cotton Mather.


Sarah


Sarah Stewart
Partnership of Historic Bostons
historicbostons.org

PS. Don't forget the very last presentation in this series - the one that takes us up to questions today - IN PERSON and ONLINE on Wednesday, December 6, 7-8:30pm. Register now for Race & Slavery at First Church in Roxbury, with Aabid Allibhai, the Rev. Mary Margaret Earl, and Byron Rushing.




Image: This 1743 depiction places Indigenous people in the foreground and Boston’s early 18th century harbor, buildings, and church steeples in the background. “Rendering of Boston and waterfront," Digital Commonwealth.
    
   

  
  
Partnership of Historic Bostons
historicbostons.org
 
   









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[LincolnTalk] Unnamed Figures | American Folk Art Museum

[Sara Mattes]

As many of you know, there are ongoing efforts to provide a more complete 
history of enslaved and free Black people in Lincoln and throughout New 
England, and to bring that history to the public square.

In Lincoln, Historic New England, the Lincoln Historical Society and authors 
Don Hafner, Elise Lemire and Rayne Shepherd have made enormous contributions.

Robbins House, in Concord, is exploring new ways to bring stories to light and 
give agency to past lives.

In the Greater Boston area, many efforts by a variety of historical 
associations are also engaged.
The dynamic leadership of Kyera Singleton, Royall House and Slave Quarters, has 
lead  to a remarkable exhibition at Faneuil Hall.

The Du Bois Freedom Center in the Berkshires is also a leader in the work.

All around us, we can see those who some tried to erase from our collective 
consciousness.

At home here in Lincoln, and in short drives, you can see.
If you are in NYC, here is a new opportunity…to see…to reflect…and to consider 
next steps, beyond passive engagement.


https://folkartmuseum.org/exhibitions/unnamed-figures/

Sent from my iPad
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA Choices

[Susanna Szeto]

There is a public zoom presentation on Option E tonight (Wednesday) at 7 pm.  There is a postcard mailed out to every resident about the zoom presentation of Option E.  Everyone is welcome to join!  Please do come to learn about how the different options compared so you can make an informed decision to vote on Saturday at town meeting!  Thank you!Susanna SGiles RoadOn Nov 29, 2023, at 6:07 AM, Lis Herbert  wrote:“Presented” is pretty generous. On the one hand the E option was covered in about 10 minutes, with confused details, few specifics, offers of things like “none of this will actually be built” and “we can add that parcel in if needed”, as if it’s some throwaway, and half of the presentation came from a car. There was also an effort to somehow claim credit for future rezoning of the RLF property, the most logical of all lots to rezone — certainly more so than the two inter-related residential properties on Lewis Street that aren’t contiguous, while insisting the RLF be excluded because… it’s not clear. What are we meant to understand and what is smoke and mirrors?On the other, this morning you were able to pinpoint and share track changes in an official town document, flagging yet another perceived, though quickly debunked, conspiracy aimed at the people who are working in an official capacity.The lack of transparency on the part of whatever you want to call E is pretty clear, isn’t it? Or can we see into your process, and understand how you arrived at something we are meant to take seriously?(And am I understanding correctly that we are now not meant to trust Utile? They’re in the tank, too?)Sent from my iPhoneOn Nov 28, 2023, at 4:08 PM, Karla Gravis  wrote:Option E was presented in a public meeting on 11/21. You can look at the video of the meeting here    .The citizens group came together organically, not unlike the citizens group that sprung up in Newton (and displaced five incumbents in the recent elections). The Brookline Select Board also worked with citizen groups, going as far as visiting each building on Harvard St to make decisions on which ones to include as a group. This form of citizen involvement is happening in other towns. 100 residents emailed the Selects asking for an additional option to Options C and Ds. I would argue the “special interest” here is the inclusion of the RLF project into *every* single option the HCAWG has presented, even though many people have requested an option without it. I would also argue it is a special interest when RLF employees criticize a grassroots citizens group, without disclosing their affiliation to the RLF. Another “special interest” is Civico having a say in our bylaws.Why does every single HCAWG option include the mall? There would have been no need for a citizen-generated option if the HCAWG had 1) put forth an option without the mall and/or 2) addressed the numerous concerns (and mistakes) with options C and D. These concerns were brought up publicly.Let’s remember Utile created the options in private meetings. There were no open discussions where the HCAWG went parcel by parcel as to what was included or not. Utile came up with the options privately (based on some loose guidance but no parcel-by-parcel open discussion whatsoever) and then were presented to the public. Perhaps if there had been open discussions with Utile, we would have been quicker to catch the multiple mistakes in the submission before it was sent to the State. (18 extra acres of parcels, LW zoning at 20 units/acre, etc). Must be noted that it was the citizens' group who caught the mistakes. -- Forwarded message -From: John Mendelson Date: Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 15:44Subject: Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA ChoicesTo: Lynne Smith CC: Lincoln This strikes me as extremely hypocritical in regard to the way the dialog has unfolded over the past few months.Why should this group receive preferential treatment in terms of the process used to develop an option we are being asked to vote on?  Many members of the group who developed option E have spent the last few months demanding transparency, calling into question the ethics of the volunteers on the working group and elsewhere, destabilizing the process, and generally using the public forum of Lincoln Talk as a bully pulpit to push their agenda. I am asking for meeting and voting records in order to fully evaluate the merits of and intent behind option E, just like many have asked for and received  for Options C and D.  To vote for an option (E) that has not had the same level of public scrutiny is a terrible idea.JohnOn Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 2:56 PM Lynne Smith  wrote:














I am writing in response to
recent comments on Lincoln Talk, one of which accused the Lincoln Residents for
Housing Alternatives (LRHA) of being a “special
interest group, which has had secret meetings to 

[LincolnTalk] Strong Support for the Lincoln Community Center

[sally kindleberger]

With all the concern about Housing Choice much of Lincoln Talk discussion
about the Community Center Build has been very quiet.   I would strongly
urge the town to support the 75% building option at the December 2nd
meeting.  While I would personally prefer the 100% choice, I believe that
most folk would prefer the 75% option.  The 50% choice serves no one.  It
could not possibly meet the needs of either the Recreation Department or
the Council on Aging and Human Services.


I believe that Lincoln needs a Community Center.  Recently I visited the
COA in Arlington and it is a thriving and exciting environment.  Many folks
spend time visiting with each other before and after classes.  As noted in
a recent report from the U.S.Surgeon General it is reported that many
senior citizen suffer from loneliness, isolation and /or depression.  One
of the ways that older people remain healthy is through the social
connections they maintain.  And a Community Center is the perfect place for
this kind of connection to happen.


I have been following the C.C. discussion for over ten years (even before I
considered myself old) and I was disappointed as each time the proposed
build was shot down.  I know that I sound redundant when I say once more
that many of us were assured that the Community Center would follow the
school build.  I only hope that this promise can and will be kept at this
time!


I am very concerned that if we don’t build in the near future that a
Community Center will never happen.  The costs of labor and materials
continue to rise and there will always be something considered more
“important” by Lincoln residents.


Please let’s bite the bullet and support the tremendous work that the
Community Center Building Committee and the architects have provided. Thank
you!


Sally Kindleberger
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[LincolnTalk] Special Town Meeting Sat, Dec 2 – OVERVIEW

[Dan Pereira]

Greetings Lincoln residents!



Saturday’s Special Town Meeting is fast approaching, and we want to make
sure you know where to turn for information. Here is a brief guide with
links to further information:



*Meeting Logistics:*

   - Please visit our Special Town Meeting web page
    for up
   to date information.
   - Town Meeting begins at 9:30 AM, sharp! Voter check-in begins at 8:30.
   - Also on the web page are links to the warrant and voting instructions.
   - *We are accommodating to all!  *We have reserved parking closest to
   the entrance for handicap and mobility impaired residents. We also provide
   the option for fully interactive participation and socially distanced
   seating in the Reed Fieldhouse.
   - We have provided maps of where to park
   

   , where to enter
   
,
   and a detail of the Auditorium/Lecture Hall
   

   . Also...
   - *Childcare is being provided! – provided by LEAP (Lincoln Extended
   Activity Program)*
  - *8:30AM - End of Meeting*
  - *AGES 5+*
  - SNACK AND A PIZZA LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED
  - PLEASE SIGN UP ASAP AT https://forms.gle/royYVFRe6bvWtUZT9
  - SIGN UP EACH CHILD SEPARATELY! *$40 per Child. Please pay by check
  when you arrive. Thank you!*



*Article 1 & 2: Community Center:*

   - The Community Center Building Committee has developed three Concepts
   

for
   consideration.
   - The goal of the meeting is to determine which Concept has *majority
   support from those voting at the meeting.*
   - That Concept will advance to the Schematic Design Phase in preparation
   for the two (2) votes needed to secure funding:
  - Saturday, March 23, 2024 Annual Town Meeting:  2/3 majority vote
  needed to fund the project, AND
  - Monday, March 25, 2024 Ballot Vote:  Simple majority vote needed to
  fund the project.
   - Learn about the Concepts on the CCBC website:
   https://lincolncommunitycenter.com
   - You can view the Finance Committee's Capital Capacity Presentation HERE
   

   .


*Article 3: The Commons Expansion Proposal:*

   - New England Life Plan Communities, owner of The Commons, is proposing
   to build an additional 28 units.
   - Materials can be found here:
   
https://www.lincolntown.org/DocumentCenter/View/85215/Commons-Mailer-102723-REVISED
   - This requires a 2/3 majority approval.



*Article 4: Housing Choice Act Working Group:*

   - Residents will consider 5 Zoning District Options
   

for
   compliance with the Housing Choice Act; Four (4) developed by the Housing
   Choice Act Working Group and one (1) suggested by a group of residents.
   - The goal of the meeting is to determine which Option has *at least
   majority support from those voting at the meeting.*
   - That Option will go through an initial compliance check by the state
   Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities in preparation for a vote
   at the Saturday, March 23, 2024 Annual Town Meeting.
  - A simple majority vote at the March Town Meeting will be required
  to approve the new zoning bylaws.
   - Learn more about the Options on the HCAWG web page:
   https://www.lincolntown.org/1327/Housing-Choice-Act-Working-Group


We look forward to seeing you!
__

Daniel Pereira

Assistant Town Administrator

Town of Lincoln, MA

www.Lincolntown.org 



P (781) 259-2603

C (781) 389-0280

F (781) 259-8735

perei...@lincolntown.org
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA Choices

[Louise Bergeron]

Indeed, the implications of rezoning are important, and we need more time.  
However, this short timeline comes from Option C being first presented at the 
State of the Town meeting on September 30th. 
Residents started to engage in open discussions throughout October.  The Select 
Board responded to questions from the public by proposing the three D options 
on November 8th.  At that point, the resident group felt that there were no 
options that would allow more time to debate and think about the Mall, so 
option E was proposed.  Including the Mall within HCA requires submitting our 
choices to the State three months before the town vote because the Mall is a 
commercial and not a mixed district.
If you think Lincoln needs more time to consider options for rezoning and 
development, vote for option E.

Louise Bergeron
Lincoln Rd
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[LincolnTalk] "The Town" isn't deciding anything on Dec 2

[Rachel Drew]

Lynne Smith wrote yesterday: "We will *all *meet on December 2nd to make
the best choice we know how to make for Lincoln's future".(emphasis added).
This is not accurate. Only those residents privileged enough to be able to
take the better part of their day off from work, family responsibilities
and other personal priorities will be in attendance on December 2nd. Based
on historical counts of Town Meeting (TM) attendance (which are published
in the Annual Town Reports), on average less than 400 residents attend the
regularly scheduled TM in March - or about 8% of the voting-age population
in town. A special TM like the one on December 2nd may draw more residents
due to its hotly-debated topics (for reference, the special TM in June 2018
on the school options drew around 900 people, following a long and
well-advertised campaign to get residents to attend), but may also exclude
more residents since its timing and agenda were not known far enough in
advance that all residents could plan it around their other
commitments. Either way, it only takes half of those in attendance to
approve most warrant articles, so it is likely that less than 5% of
voting-age residents will determine the path forward on the
Community Center, Common's expansion, and the HCA zoning this Saturday.

I'm not offering an opinion on Town Meeting as good or bad, legitimate or
rigged - it is our form of governance in Lincoln, and whether you love it
or hate it, it is how Lincoln decides most of the important issues in town.
I'm only asking that we be honest when we talk about what a Town Meeting is
- a chance for an unrepresentative* minority of the population to come
together and debate topics of importance for the town, then make a decision
based on their preferences and perceptions of what is best for the rest of
us. No vote on Saturday will tell us anything about 'the will of the town',
so let's please stop perpetuating this false narrative.

(full disclosure - I am a member of the HCAWG and the Lincoln Housing
Commission, though my comments above are made as an individual resident of
Lincoln and do not reflect the views of either group. I will also be out of
town on a long-planned trip on December 2nd).

*For more information on the demographics of Massachusetts TM attendance
relative to general populations, please see this article, which includes
Lincoln as one of its case studies:
https://www.townofsharon.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif3801/f/pages/survey_of_engaged_tm_04_01_2020.pdf

Rachel Drew
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA Choices

[Lynne Smith]

Well said, Yonca! Thank you for writing this reminder of how fortunate we are!Lynne Smith5 Tabor Hill RoadLincoln, MA 01773781-258-1175Sent from my iPhoneOn Nov 29, 2023, at 6:02 AM, Yonca Heyse  wrote:Hello neighbors - I originally come from Turkey where town decisions are mostly made by the will of the few and then enforced. With that backdrop, ever since I moved to Lincoln 10+ years ago, the democratic process in Lincoln has fascinated and impressed me. Running a town, while trying to build consensus and with majority votes vs. the will of a single person is a privilege. I also see that it's not all rosy - the process is long, exhausting, sometimes (often?) combative and perceptions of who the messenger is or the skilled marketing efforts of some advocates can sway the vote. I haven't been close to the HCA vote, the process or the choices. Having said that, I want to point out how special in the world it is how this particular process unfolded. Facts may be slightly off but this is what I see:1) Town has a mandate2) Appoints committee3) Committee puts in hours to come up with good options (thank you volunteers!)4) Group of residents aren't satisfied with the options5) They don't just complain but probably put in hours to develop other option(s) 6) They advocate and advocate and advocate and get their options included in the vote7) The town now has a new option to vote for that may represent the desires of a portion of the town. On December 2nd, we get to vote to determine the best option. This is the time to hate on Option A, B, C, D, E .I urge everyone to put in a fraction of the effort that all volunteers have put in to try to determine what the right vote for every individual should be. Think about what you care about (maximizing housing? concentration of housing in the mall? likelihood of a vibrant commercial base? 4 story high buildings? and evaluate the options vs. your own criteria. May the option that pleases the most win! AND Let's not forget how lucky we are to get to be part of this decision.Respectfully,Yonca Heyse (1 Sweet Bay Ln)On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 5:27 PM Scott Clary  wrote:I hope the readership is paying attention to the tone on both sides of this argument. LRHA's timeline was definitely rushed. There was not a lot of time to pull things together. The group had been reaching out to town leadership and their requests and suggestions were falling on deaf ears. WE have put a great deal of effort and time into this process in a very short time frame. There are no formal meeting minutes. This group has been going back and forth in many different capacities on the Fly figuring things out.Most of us caught on to what was happening with town leadership and HCA in the fairly recent past. While we are all respectful and appreciative to all the volunteer work and hours leadership puts forth, once the details were dug into and we were educated, it seemed quite clear that a handful  thought that they knew better than the rest of us. Perhaps there efforts for option C will prevail via town vote. But it's very disappointing that Lincoln residents (many of which I consider friends and I plan on remaining friends with) and even town officials are chastising and labeling us as special interest and outliers, hijacking what a handful have put forward. This group cares deeply about our town in every way: from providing additional multi-unit housing which is already at 41% and substantially higher than any of our peer towns, redeveloping the mall in a meaningful manner with Town input to ensure we have retail, commercial, mixed use and housing, all while trying to add diversity and affordability. I am a Layman so no knock against Layman and most of us, which apparently includes the planning board, the HCAWG, the planning director and the $400,000 consultant Utile, did not fully understand the complexities of the HCA model put out by the state. That I know of, only one person and a Lincoln resident, David Cuetos, fastidiously broke down the model and understands it thoroughly and discovered severe flaws in the model that have huge implications on the potential final results of HCA. We are incredibly lucky to have David reside in Lincoln and caring so much. I want to thank him personally for all the time and energy he's put into this so that we're all much better informed. In my 25 years in this special town, there's been hotly debated and emotional topics but most always with respect for each other.Kind Regards,Scott Clary617-968-5769Sent from a mobile device - please excuse typos and errors    On Tue, Nov 28, 2023, 4:23 PM John Mendelson  wrote:What about the timeline?  Option E was presented to the HCAWG one week ago with the Thanksgiving holiday in between.  There has been no time for scrutiny let alone public discussion.  How is that reasonable especially in light of incessant calls that the working group's process and timeline was rushed?On Tue, 

Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA Choices

[DJCP]

I would like to clarify my email.  I was typing on my phone and can end up
too succinct.

In addition to people who are good with numbers in town, there are also
people who are lawyers and went to law school and/or have studied how
judicial and administrative review of things like laws and regulations
works. And in that process, officials often consult things like
contemporaneous minutes and notes to see what the intent of a law was, esp
if something on its face might look illegal, like an oddly drawn zoning
map.  The fact that there aren't any for Option E means any reviewer would
have no such backup to discover any legitimate intent.  I don't think
Option E will necessarily get to any legal challenge, but the fact that
there aren't any minutes or notes alone makes the option unappealing to
me.  And no amount of post-hoc zoom meetings will change that.

And while the numbers for Option E might pass muster under whatever
software they were plugged into, living human beings will be reviewing the
town's submission, and, like I said, the oddly drawn district on Lewis
Street is highly suspect.  Carving out specific lots is the opposite of how
zoning is supposed to work.  And trying to claim it's a historic district -
well, that's textbook NIMBYism that any human would understand.



On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 3:42 PM DJCP  wrote:

> Nothing you have written contradicts the facts that there are no published
> minutes or agenda items even for others to pour over in minute detail with
> our copious free time.
>
> Second, option E is not compliant. The only compliant option is C as that
> is the only option submitted to the state that has been approved.
>
> In fact, the lack of continuity on Lewis St is a big red flag and may get
> rejected. Not having minutes or notes from the development of the option
> means there is no concurrent evident to show the state that there was no
> racist or discriminatory or self serving intent in crafting that option.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023, 2:56 PM Lynne Smith  wrote:
>
>> I am writing in response to recent comments on Lincoln Talk, one of which
>> accused the Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives (LRHA) of being a 
>> “*special
>> interest group, which has had secret meetings to develop…options with no
>> public notifications of meetings or publication of minutes*”.
>>
>> This group of residents sprang up organically from individuals using
>> Lincoln Talk, our only open-ended Town-wide communication platform.  They
>> did not have the advantage of being appointed as committee members by the
>> Selects.  Instead, they attended meetings, read distributed information,
>> and looked up relevant Massachusetts’ law.  Their ideas grew during
>> back-and-forth discussions on Lincoln Talk. There is no open meeting law to
>> restrict residents from talking together. To characterize these discussions
>> as ‘secret meetings’ is offensive to me.
>>
>> These individuals, without a hierarchy of leaders but with similar ideas
>> and meeting mostly on line, created a web site
>>  with fact-based
>> information regarding the Housing Choice Act and a fifth option, now called
>> Option E. While I have not contributed to the website, I have taken a
>> strong interest in the analysis presented there.  To my knowledge, there
>> is no ‘special interest’ that unites the group other than basing their
>> opinions on data and analysis and showing where that leads.
>>
>> And that leads me to Option E, which is entirely compliant with HCA
>> rezoning rules. Its main difference compared to Options C and D, is that it
>> excludes the Lincoln Mall from HCA development. It excludes the Mall
>> because many of us, listed as supporters
>>  on the LRHA
>> website, believe it is the most likely to be developed and we want it to
>> be developed subject to Town approvals: we want more affordability and
>> better control of the layout and design than a ‘by right’ developer might
>> give us.
>>
>> As a 20-year member of the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and a
>> supporter of the RLF, I want to see the Mall filled with wonderful condos,
>> one of which I might buy when we are ready to downsize! I do not
>> criticize the Town staff, the RLF, and the appointed Working Group members.
>> They have done a great job getting us to this point. But everyone has
>> their own lens for Lincoln’s response to the housing crisis.  Let’s not
>> criticize those residents who have invested their time and volunteered
>> their skills to create alternatives. We will all meet on December 2nd to
>> make the best choice we know how to make for Lincoln’s future. See you
>> there!
>> Lynne Smith
>> 5 Tabor Hill Road
>> Lincoln, MA 01773
>> cell:  781-258-1175
>> ly...@smith.net
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> The LincolnTalk mailing list.
>> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org.
>> Browse the archives at
>> 

Re: [LincolnTalk] Ruth Ann Hendrickson Supports Option C

[Pastor Allen]

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  
> 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 

Re: [LincolnTalk] A recommended Sunday drive - fee in lieu of affordable housing

[Garrick Niemiec]

Bravo david

On Tue, Nov 28, 2023, 3:39 PM David Cuetos  wrote:

> The quid pro quo deal is not just an idea, it is an active plan to incent
> a property owner (TCB) to open up their water treatment plan to enable
> another private property owner (RLF/Civico) to save itself the cost and
> space of building its own septic. Mr. Taylor has mentioned this plan twice
> during Planning Board meetings. Coincidentally, there have been three
> Select Board meetings to discuss the potential conveyance of town property.
> The Selects have refused disclosing which parcels were discussed.
> Regardless of the need for a town vote to convey this property, how can
> this plan be represented as advancing the general interest of townspeople?
>
> The RLF Chair has been very explicit in public meetings about the plan to
> reduce commercial space at the Mall. This a verbatim quote from the
> November 8th Community Forum: "We are not trying to increase the amount of
> square footage of commercial space we have at the Mall. So right now what
> we are thinking of doing would in fact on net decrease the amount of
> commercial space we have at the Mall by some amount." 1:46:59
> https://cloud.castus.tv/vod/lincoln/video/6553ef5bc9f26400089ffb98?page=HOME
>
> Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives is not a special-interest
> group. There is no special economic profit any of us will derive from
> Option E. As has already been discussed, one of our members is a property
> owner of a parcel that would be rezoned under every option, including E.
> The only interest we are defending is the general interest of the residents
> of Lincoln. We are just a group of residents, open to anyone in town who
> shares these concerns. In fact, many residents joined the group only
> recently and have made very substantial contributions. I am somewhat
> perplexed by the comment of us not having minutes of our meetings. We are
> not a public body or a board of directors, just a group of residents. It is
> not a relevant critique.
>
> There are certainly residents in town who work for the biggest economic
> beneficiary of the rezoning under options C-D, namely the RLF. They are of
> course entitled to sharing their opinion, but I would argue it would be
> good practice for them to share their underlying conflict of interest when
> speaking publicly on this matter.
>
> David Cuetos
>
> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 9:34 AM Sara Lupkas  wrote:
>
>> "Open meeting discussions point to a lot of possible concessions to private
>> entities (applying for grants on their behalf, in lieu fees, increasing
>> height restrictions to 48", quid pro quo exchange of land, reduction of
>> commercial space at the mall). Option E is the only one that allows all of
>> the pieces to be disclosed to residents with time to deliberate and
>> understand the various issues at play without having to vote down
>> compliance with the HCA in March."
>>
>> There is no "quid pro quo exchange of land." Any change in use of town-owned 
>> land would require 2/3 vote at a Town Meeting to approve. Just because an 
>> idea has been mentioned in meetings does not mean that there is any plan to 
>> exchange that land, which again, could not be done outside of town meeting.
>>
>> There is also no planned reduction of commercial space at the mall. RLF 
>> representatives have only tried to be realistic about the mall, which is 
>> suffering the same fate and future prospects as all in-person retail across 
>> the US. Claiming that Option E would "protect commercial retail in our 
>> Village Center" is disingenuous, and as far as I know, no one from the group 
>> who came up with Option E has met with any tenants, or RLF management, to 
>> discuss what specifically would protect retail there.
>>
>> The entire concept of open meetings, which the group who developed Option E 
>> seems so determined to parse every moment of, has been entirely lost with 
>> the creation of Option E. Letting a special-interest group, which has had 
>> secret meetings to develop these options, with no public notifications of 
>> meetings or publication of minutes, put an option up to vote has done more 
>> to damage the integrity of this process than anything else I've seen.
>>
>> ** Lastly, anyone who feels strongly about protecting the existing retail at 
>> the mall should commit to doing more shopping there, especially this holiday 
>> season.**
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> *Sara Lupkas*
>>
>> --
>> 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 

Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA Choices

[Lis Herbert]

“Presented” is pretty generous. On the one hand the E option was covered in about 10 minutes, with confused details, few specifics, offers of things like “none of this will actually be built” and “we can add that parcel in if needed”, as if it’s some throwaway, and half of the presentation came from a car. There was also an effort to somehow claim credit for future rezoning of the RLF property, the most logical of all lots to rezone — certainly more so than the two inter-related residential properties on Lewis Street that aren’t contiguous, while insisting the RLF be excluded because… it’s not clear. What are we meant to understand and what is smoke and mirrors?On the other, this morning you were able to pinpoint and share track changes in an official town document, flagging yet another perceived, though quickly debunked, conspiracy aimed at the people who are working in an official capacity.The lack of transparency on the part of whatever you want to call E is pretty clear, isn’t it? Or can we see into your process, and understand how you arrived at something we are meant to take seriously?(And am I understanding correctly that we are now not meant to trust Utile? They’re in the tank, too?)Sent from my iPhoneOn Nov 28, 2023, at 4:08 PM, Karla Gravis  wrote:Option E was presented in a public meeting on 11/21. You can look at the video of the meeting here    .The citizens group came together organically, not unlike the citizens group that sprung up in Newton (and displaced five incumbents in the recent elections). The Brookline Select Board also worked with citizen groups, going as far as visiting each building on Harvard St to make decisions on which ones to include as a group. This form of citizen involvement is happening in other towns. 100 residents emailed the Selects asking for an additional option to Options C and Ds. I would argue the “special interest” here is the inclusion of the RLF project into *every* single option the HCAWG has presented, even though many people have requested an option without it. I would also argue it is a special interest when RLF employees criticize a grassroots citizens group, without disclosing their affiliation to the RLF. Another “special interest” is Civico having a say in our bylaws.Why does every single HCAWG option include the mall? There would have been no need for a citizen-generated option if the HCAWG had 1) put forth an option without the mall and/or 2) addressed the numerous concerns (and mistakes) with options C and D. These concerns were brought up publicly.Let’s remember Utile created the options in private meetings. There were no open discussions where the HCAWG went parcel by parcel as to what was included or not. Utile came up with the options privately (based on some loose guidance but no parcel-by-parcel open discussion whatsoever) and then were presented to the public. Perhaps if there had been open discussions with Utile, we would have been quicker to catch the multiple mistakes in the submission before it was sent to the State. (18 extra acres of parcels, LW zoning at 20 units/acre, etc). Must be noted that it was the citizens' group who caught the mistakes. -- Forwarded message -From: John Mendelson Date: Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 15:44Subject: Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA ChoicesTo: Lynne Smith CC: Lincoln This strikes me as extremely hypocritical in regard to the way the dialog has unfolded over the past few months.Why should this group receive preferential treatment in terms of the process used to develop an option we are being asked to vote on?  Many members of the group who developed option E have spent the last few months demanding transparency, calling into question the ethics of the volunteers on the working group and elsewhere, destabilizing the process, and generally using the public forum of Lincoln Talk as a bully pulpit to push their agenda. I am asking for meeting and voting records in order to fully evaluate the merits of and intent behind option E, just like many have asked for and received  for Options C and D.  To vote for an option (E) that has not had the same level of public scrutiny is a terrible idea.JohnOn Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 2:56 PM Lynne Smith  wrote:














I am writing in response to
recent comments on Lincoln Talk, one of which accused the Lincoln Residents for
Housing Alternatives (LRHA) of being a “special
interest group, which has had secret meetings to develop…options with no public
notifications of meetings or publication of minutes”. This group of residents
sprang up organically from individuals using Lincoln Talk, our only open-ended
Town-wide communication platform.  They
did not have the advantage of being appointed as committee members by the
Selects.  Instead, they attended
meetings, read distributed information, and looked up relevant Massachusetts’
law.  Their 

Re: [LincolnTalk] Ruth Ann Hendrickson Supports Option C

[Bijoy Misra]

If we want to destroy the town as we see it, we go with Option C.
If we protect the town and still do development, we do Option E.
Bijoy Misra
(an independent observer)

On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 9:02 PM Ruth Ann Hendrickson 
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.
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Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/.
Change your subscription settings at 
https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.

Re: [LincolnTalk] Ruth Ann Hendrickson Supports Option C

[gail o'keefe]

Good evening,

With all due respect, I object to your 4th point, which states in bold
letters "*Do not be fooled by Option E*".

Might it be that different people with different perspectives have ideas
that aren't shared by you? No one is trying to 'fool' anyone into choosing
Option E, it is simply another option put forth. The choices are as varied
as peoples' backgrounds and priorities. Many believe that the state mandate
does not adequately consider the enormous variation in towns, and that a
one-size-fits-all is not sufficient to solve a very complex problem of
housing shortage. Some trust the state to know what's right for each town,
others are concerned that the resulting traffic will harm the environment.
Some see the public transit as adequate, others feel the MBTA is not up to
the task of transporting more people reliably. Another concern is the lack
of affordability in the state's mandate; the trickle down theory hasn't yet
succeeded in solving economic inequality, but one could hope. Some trust
that luxury condos will help alleviate the shortage of housing, others
don't see that happening.

All this is to say that by posting that the alternative group is trying to
'fool' the town is not helpful in having civil discourse on a complicated
topic. There are different views, hopefully a respectful dialog can happen,
and assume the best intentions of others while voting our own values and
priorities.

Gail O'Keefe

On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 9:02 PM Ruth Ann Hendrickson 
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/
> .
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>
>
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA Choices

[Sara Mattes]

Checking PB and Select meetings and reading minutes and mailings informs us 
that all the D options are also compliant.

Option E is also compliant-the state model is publicly available so that anyone 
can review and use it.
You simply plug in publicly available numbers.
Yes, it takes work, and being savvy with numbers, but lord knows, we have more 
than a few such talented popes in Lincoln.
And, some of them have applied themselves to this model.

Not to worry,  disconnection of N. Lewis Street is made up in other parts of 
Option E.
And, it is only the north side of Lewis St.

As for dates, the date for compliance is Dec. 2024, unless we inlcude the mall.
Voting for Option E will provide us compliance AND the opportunity to take more 
time to better understand plans for the mall, and to advocate for more 
affordable housing there.

See you Saturday!



--
Sara Mattes




> On Nov 28, 2023, at 3:42 PM, DJCP  wrote:
> 
> Nothing you have written contradicts the facts that there are no published 
> minutes or agenda items even for others to pour over in minute detail with 
> our copious free time.
> 
> Second, option E is not compliant. The only compliant option is C as that is 
> the only option submitted to the state that has been approved. 
> 
> In fact, the lack of continuity on Lewis St is a big red flag and may get 
> rejected. Not having minutes or notes from the development of the option 
> means there is no concurrent evident to show the state that there was no 
> racist or discriminatory or self serving intent in crafting that option.
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023, 2:56 PM Lynne Smith  > wrote:
>> I am writing in response to recent comments on Lincoln Talk, one of which 
>> accused the Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives (LRHA) of being a 
>> “special interest group, which has had secret meetings to develop…options 
>> with no public notifications of meetings or publication of minutes”. 
>> 
>> This group of residents sprang up organically from individuals using Lincoln 
>> Talk, our only open-ended Town-wide communication platform.  They did not 
>> have the advantage of being appointed as committee members by the Selects.  
>> Instead, they attended meetings, read distributed information, and looked up 
>> relevant Massachusetts’ law.  Their ideas grew during back-and-forth 
>> discussions on Lincoln Talk. There is no open meeting law to restrict 
>> residents from talking together. To characterize these discussions as 
>> ‘secret meetings’ is offensive to me. 
>> 
>> These individuals, without a hierarchy of leaders but with similar ideas and 
>> meeting mostly on line, created a web site 
>>  with fact-based 
>> information regarding the Housing Choice Act and a fifth option, now called 
>> Option E. While I have not contributed to the website, I have taken a strong 
>> interest in the analysis presented there.  To my knowledge, there is no 
>> ‘special interest’ that unites the group other than basing their opinions on 
>> data and analysis and showing where that leads.
>> 
>> And that leads me to Option E, which is entirely compliant with HCA rezoning 
>> rules. Its main difference compared to Options C and D, is that it excludes 
>> the Lincoln Mall from HCA development. It excludes the Mall because many of 
>> us, listed as supporters 
>>  on the LRHA 
>> website, believe it is the most likely to be developed and we want it to be 
>> developed subject to Town approvals: we want more affordability and better 
>> control of the layout and design than a ‘by right’ developer might give us. 
>> 
>> As a 20-year member of the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and a supporter 
>> of the RLF, I want to see the Mall filled with wonderful condos, one of 
>> which I might buy when we are ready to downsize! I do not criticize the Town 
>> staff, the RLF, and the appointed Working Group members.  They have done a 
>> great job getting us to this point. But everyone has their own lens for 
>> Lincoln’s response to the housing crisis.  Let’s not criticize those 
>> residents who have invested their time and volunteered their skills to 
>> create alternatives. We will all meet on December 2nd to make the best 
>> choice we know how to make for Lincoln’s future. See you there!
>> 
>> Lynne Smith
>> 5 Tabor Hill Road
>> Lincoln, MA 01773
>> cell:  781-258-1175
>> ly...@smith.net 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -- 
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>> .
>> Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/.
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>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
>> 
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Re: [LincolnTalk] A recommended Sunday drive

[Sara Mattes]

…and, imagine if the Minuteman Bike Path were still a rail line….
———
Sara Mattes




> On Nov 28, 2023, at 12:57 PM, Don Seltzer  wrote:
> 
> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 9:49 AM Virginia Goodwin  > wrote:
>> Regarding the issue of "we don't write discriminatory laws", I have two 
>> examples off the top of my head: 
>> 
>> 1) Arlington refusing to allow the Red Line to go through is a specific 
>> local example of laws passed to control (ie: restrict) all of those “inner 
>> city” (ie: poor; ie: Black) T riders from besmirching the pristine environs 
>> of their precious suburb.
> 
> I was a resident of Arlington at that time.  I strongly disagree with your 
> interpretation of  what happened in the 1970's.
> The proposal at that time was to extend and terminate the Red line in 
> Arlington Center.  It was a terrible idea because the terminus of a subway 
> line should have a large parking facility, a large bus station serving feeder 
> routes, and good access to major highways.  Unlike the Alewife site, 
> Arlington Center had none of these.  It would have been a traffic and parking 
> nightmare to terminate the Red line there.  What many Arlington residents 
> were demanding was an extended Red line to at least Arlington Heights, and 
> preferably all the way to 128.  They were open to the Red line going through 
> town, with one or two stations, but opposed to the line terminating in town.
> 
> The most vocal opposition came from St Agnes Church, which would have been 
> heavily impacted by a terminal built next door.  There were multiple reasons 
> for the opposition, in which fear of increased crime was certainly one.  It 
> has been popularized by some authors of academic papers as the primary reason 
> for opposition, without any analytical data.  My perception as a resident was 
> that racial/crime fears were secondary.  Most residents wanted faster, more 
> convenient public transportation, but a Red line terminus in Arlington had 
> too many insurmountable problems.  That is why I and many of my neighbors 
> voted against it.
> 
> Don Seltzer
> 
> 
> -- 
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Ruth Ann Hendrickson Supports Option C

[Terri via Lincoln]

 In agreement:  
1) I too support new and affordable housing in Lincoln.  I too would like to 
see the train station and the Lincoln Mall revitalized. I am in strong favor of 
protecting commercial retail.  I remember very well when Donelans roof caved 
in it was horrific for the town and my family shared  with you in missing 
them!  
2) In your own words, Supporting Option E  is to. "slow down and develop 
housing at our own pace under the town meeting process"THIS sentence makes 
so much sense to me.  I strongly support the Town meeting process. It was put 
in place for this very reason. Why question it.. especially now with such an 
impactful vote? 

In Disagreement:
2) Voting for option C because of the RLF's "inability to replenish their 
endowment" is an incredibly weak rationale to vote for option C.  Since when do 
we worry about developers "risking thousands of dollars".  Respectfully I 
am not following this rationale (and your worry) over meeting a developers 
agenda. 
3)  Everyone in Lincoln is welcome to attend a public info session:  Wednesday, 
November 29th, 7pm ( via zoom) Link is posted on http://www.LincolnHCA.org for 
further discussion of Option E.  I promise, you will  be pleasantly surprised.  
 Please join us.  
4)Transparency: I do not sit on any town boards or  belong to any "special 
interest groups". 
Thank you LT for reading!
Sincerely,Theresa Kafina 













On Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 09:02:08 PM EST, Ruth Ann Hendrickson 
 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) -- 
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives and HCA Choices

[Yonca Heyse]

Hello neighbors -

I originally come from Turkey where town decisions are mostly made by the
will of the few and then enforced. With that backdrop, ever since I moved
to Lincoln 10+ years ago, the democratic process in Lincoln has
fascinated and impressed me. Running a town, while trying to build
consensus and with majority votes vs. the will of a single person is a
privilege. I also see that it's not all rosy - the process is long,
exhausting, sometimes (often?) combative and perceptions of who the
messenger is or the skilled marketing efforts of some advocates can sway
the vote.

I haven't been close to the HCA vote, the process or the choices. Having
said that, I want to point out how special in the world it is how this
particular process unfolded. Facts may be slightly off but this is what I
see:
1) Town has a mandate
2) Appoints committee
3) Committee puts in hours to come up with good options (thank you
volunteers!)
4) Group of residents aren't satisfied with the options
5) They don't just complain but probably put in hours to develop other
option(s)
6) They advocate and advocate and advocate and get their options included
in the vote
7) The town now has a new option to vote for that may represent the desires
of a portion of the town.

On December 2nd, we get to vote to determine the best option. This is the
time to hate on Option A, B, C, D, E .I urge everyone to put in a
fraction of the effort that all volunteers have put in to try to determine
what the right vote for every individual should be. Think about what you
care about (maximizing housing? concentration of housing in the mall?
likelihood of a vibrant commercial base? 4 story high buildings? and
evaluate the options vs. your own criteria.

May the option that pleases the most win! AND Let's not forget how lucky we
are to get to be part of this decision.

Respectfully,
Yonca Heyse (1 Sweet Bay Ln)




On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 5:27 PM Scott Clary  wrote:

> I hope the readership is paying attention to the tone on both sides of
> this argument.
>
> LRHA's timeline was definitely rushed. There was not a lot of time to pull
> things together. The group had been reaching out to town leadership and
> their requests and suggestions were falling on deaf ears. WE have put a
> great deal of effort and time into this process in a very short time frame.
> There are no formal meeting minutes. This group has been going back and
> forth in many different capacities on the Fly figuring things out.
>
> Most of us caught on to what was happening with town leadership and HCA in
> the fairly recent past. While we are all respectful and appreciative to all
> the volunteer work and hours leadership puts forth, once the details were
> dug into and we were educated, it seemed quite clear that a handful
> thought that they knew better than the rest of us. Perhaps there efforts
> for option C will prevail via town vote. But it's very disappointing that
> Lincoln residents (many of which I consider friends and I plan on remaining
> friends with) and even town officials are chastising and labeling us as
> special interest and outliers, hijacking what a handful have put forward.
>
> This group cares deeply about our town in every way: from providing
> additional multi-unit housing which is already at 41% and substantially
> higher than any of our peer towns, redeveloping the mall in a meaningful
> manner with Town input to ensure we have retail, commercial, mixed use and
> housing, all while trying to add diversity and affordability.
>
> I am a Layman so no knock against Layman and most of us, which apparently
> includes the planning board, the HCAWG, the planning director and the
> $400,000 consultant Utile, did not fully understand the complexities of the
> HCA model put out by the state. That I know of, only one person and a
> Lincoln resident, David Cuetos, fastidiously broke down the model and
> understands it thoroughly and discovered severe flaws in the model that
> have huge implications on the potential final results of HCA. We are
> incredibly lucky to have David reside in Lincoln and caring so much. I want
> to thank him personally for all the time and energy he's put into this so
> that we're all much better informed.
>
> In my 25 years in this special town, there's been hotly debated and
> emotional topics but most always with respect for each other.
>
> Kind Regards,
>
> Scott Clary
> 617-968-5769
>
> Sent from a mobile device - please excuse typos and errors
>
> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023, 4:23 PM John Mendelson 
> wrote:
>
>> What about the timeline?  Option E was presented to the HCAWG one week
>> ago with the Thanksgiving holiday in between.  There has been no time for
>> scrutiny let alone public discussion.
>>
>> How is that reasonable especially in light of incessant calls that the
>> working group's process and timeline was rushed?
>>
>> On Tue, Nov 28, 2023 at 4:08 PM Karla Gravis 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Option E was presented in a public meeting on 11/21.