I guess my question for anyone that would like to chime in is: Why doesn't the bus station at Hanscom Field and the area surrounding that bus station count in this? And can we count the already existing Battle Road Farm housing, some/most of which is within 0.5 miles of the bus stop and should meet the15 unit/acre requirement, toward the total requirement?
Thanks! Debra On Sun, Mar 19, 2023 at 8:09 AM <[email protected]> wrote: > Well said, Craig. Thank you for your clarity, analysis, and your > confidence in our community… Lincoln can “protect current residents while > allowing for limited development…”. Of course we can! > > > > I’m looking forward to your thoughtful leadership at the Planning Board. > > > > Joe Robbat > > Old Concord Road > > > > *From:* Lincoln <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *Craig > Nicholson > *Sent:* Friday, March 17, 2023 3:43 PM > *To:* Chris McCarthy <[email protected]> > *Cc:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [LincolnTalk] My Candidacy for the Lincoln Planning Board > > > > Chris, > > > > I know that I wasn’t specifically asked to address your question but as a > candidate for the Planning Board, I would like to build upon what Lynn and > Mark have stated. > > > > First, if there ever any question about how the current administration > would respond to the HCA, AG Campbell’s Advisory ( > https://www.mass.gov/doc/advisory-concerning-enforcement-of-the-mbta-communities-zoning-law/download) > has made it very clear that this legislation will be enforced with whatever > tools are at the State’s disposal. Beyond the AGs Office there are other > organizations such as the Lawyers for Civil Rights who have signaled that > they will pursue their own course of options to ensure compliance ( > http://lawyersforcivilrights.org/our-impact/housing/lawyers-for-civil-rights-demands-compliance-with-mbta-zoning-law/). > Furthermore, members of the State Legislature, including our own Senator > Mike Barrett, are proposing legislation that would strip the HCA of some of > its flexibility and mandate all land within the 0.5-mile radius of the > commuter rail station be zoned for density of 15 units per acre ( > https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S858/Cosponsor). One way or another, > it would seem (given the above) that at the state level, the political will > is there to enforce compliance. > > > > As the MBTA Communities portion of the Housing Choice Act is currently > written, Lincoln will be required to rezone 42 to 43 acres at a minimum > gross density of 15 units/acre. 20% or 8 acres of those 42 are required to > be located within a half mile radius of Lincoln Station. Per the HCA, this > new zoning district cannot explicitly require commercial use within it, > although the town can develop incentives that would encourage mixed-use > development. The 34 acre balance can be located elsewhere in town beyond > the 0.5-mile radius of the commuter rail station with a requirement for at > least 21 acres of that land to be contiguous. The flexibility now allowed > under the HCA gives Lincoln the opportunity to take advantage of the > multi-family housing that it has thoughtfully developed in the past. > > > > The HCA Working Group (HCAWG) in Lincoln is currently evaluating options > to comply with these requirements in a way that will strengthen our > community. The work that the HCAWG is undertaking is being supported by a > grant from Mass Housing Partnership to facilitate community engagement. I > strongly support the work that the HCAWG is undertaking and look forward to > engaging further with that process throughout the year ahead. > > > > I recognize that residents are concerned with how this new zoning will > affect them and the town. I see this as an opportunity to balance the goals > of the HCA with the goals of our community. I am confident that the HCAWG, > working collaboratively with residents throughout Lincoln, will develop > options that protect current residents while allowing for limited > development that will help to strengthen our businesses and more broadly > our community as a whole. > > > > I am happy to address any additional questions if you, or others in our > community, have them and I appreciate the opportunity to provide more > context and offer my thoughts. > > > > Thank you, > > > > Craig > > > > On Thu, Mar 16, 2023 at 9:23 PM Chris McCarthy <[email protected]> wrote: > > Mark, > > > > Thank you for your response. I appreciate your honesty regarding the hope > that enforcement of the HCA will be struck down by the courts. It is > certainly a progressive piece of legislation. Though hopefully > non-compliance wouldn't create lengthy and expensive battles for those > involved. > > > > As to your last point, I don't believe anyone is trying to keep people > out. Existing zoning including large lot sizes, exemptions like > conservation land, wetlands etc. have already done that for us. As a fellow > Lincoln Station area resident I also hope to find creative solutions rather > than pulling the ladder up behind us. > > > > Thanks again for the response, and thank you to Lynn as well. > > > > Chris McCarthy > > 41 Greenridge Ln. > > > > On Thu, Mar 16, 2023 at 8:25 PM Mark Levinson <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Chris, > > > > That’s an interesting question. I see Lynn DeLisi has already responded > to it. I agree with Lynn in general, and here’s my two cents: > > > > The recently passed Housing Choice Act (HCA) mandates zoning changes near > MBTA stations to allow much higher density housing. However the law states > that the penalty for non-compliance is simply the loss of access to some > state funds. So compliance is really voluntary. Our new Attorney General, > Andrea Campbell, just announced that she will force compliance with the > law. However, I believe that such actions would exceed her authority, > which is to enforce the law, not make it. Unless the legislature changes > the law, I would guess and hope that any enforcement attempt on her part > would be shot down by the courts. > > > > That being said, I think we should do what we can to comply with the HCA. > It applies to the Lincoln Station neighborhood, which is where I live. My > understanding is that the state will allow some flexibility in how and > where the new zoning could be implemented. I think we should try to find > creative solutions that preserve the existing housing in that area, which > is already some of the most diverse and affordable in town, while complying > with the letter of the law. > > > > For example, it’s my understanding the that the RLF (owner of the Mall at > Lincoln Station) may be considering options to redevelop the Mall to > include mixed use space, including housing. I think that kind of thing > would be an ideal way to both provide increased traffic for businesses in > the area, encourage use of the commuter rail, and support the RLF, as well > as comply with the HCA. > > > > If I am elected, I will do my best to find such creative solutions, always > in consultation with my neighbors near Lincoln Station, as well as the rest > of the town. I will only support approaches that a rational, real-world > analysis shows will likely achieve their goals and benefit the town. > > > > I might also point out that the HCA’s one-size-fits-all approach to > promoting high density housing ignores the fact that, here in Lincoln, > about 35% of our housing units are already multi-family (not counting > Hanscom). So it’s not like we are NIMBY’s trying to keep out the masses. > > > > Best regards, > > Mark > > > > > > > > > > *From:* Chris McCarthy <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Thursday, March 16, 2023 11:43 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Cc:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [LincolnTalk] My Candidacy for the Lincoln Planning Board > > > > Mark, > > > > As a candidate for the Planning Board, would you kindly provide your > position on the MBTA Communities Act? It has the potential to mandate > zoning changes in town and the AG recently clarified > <https://commonwealthmagazine.org/housing/campbell-warns-municipalities-mbta-zoning-law-not-optional/> > that > compliance is not optional. > > > > Thank you, > > > > Chris McCarthy > > 41 Greenridge Ln. > > > > > > > > On Tue, Feb 21, 2023 at 8:02 AM Mark Levinson <[email protected]> > wrote: > > I am pleased to announce my candidacy for one of the two open seats on the > Lincoln Planning Board. > > I have lived near Lincoln Station for almost 25 years and have been active > in issues affecting our neighborhood and the town. I have served as one of > two Neighborhood Liaisons to the Planning Board and its South Lincoln > Planning Advisory Committee (SLPAC). > > I have also been committed to environmental issues, and volunteered for > many years for the Sudbury Valley Trustees, a very active and successful > land conservation organization. > > I think that town planning is a key factor in allowing Lincoln to navigate > current and future challenges, while preserving the character of the town > and our wonderful quality of life. > > I believe I share the goals of many Lincolnites for our neighborhood and > our town: viability of local businesses, diversity, encouraging use of > public transportation, and generally doing what we can to fight climate > change, while maintaining the rural character of our town. > > I will represent the views and opinions of all Lincoln residents, not only > those of my neighborhood. I will do my best to be open-minded, always > considering the facts and likely outcomes of any course of action, knowing > that actions to promote one goal may sometimes produce adverse consequences > for others. > > I ask for your support on election day, Monday, March 27. > > Thank you and best regards, > > Mark Levinson > > 8 Ridge Road, Lincoln > > [email protected] > > > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > 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 [email protected]. > 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 [email protected]. > 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 [email protected]. Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. Change your subscription settings at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
