All,
Thank you to everyone on the housing committee for your service. I'd like to respectfully add my $0.02 from the peanut gallery in support of a pause / step back in rezoning plans.
It seems to me that there are three distinct philosophies/options we could pursue, but that we are fully focused on #3.
Options
1. Drag our feet and/or consider noncompliance: favor Lincoln's rural character above all else
2. Comply in letter but not fully in spirit: where possible, overlay new zoning on existing multi-family and/or commercial development to mitigate the impact
3. Wholeheartedly comply in both letter and spirit: build as much new housing as possible near the commuter rail
I understand that many believe we have a moral responsibility to build more housing in Lincoln (and while I disagree, I respect that view) but I believe as stewards we also have a moral responsibility to maintain as much "green" as possible and to preserve the rural character of our town for future generations. I'm especially concerned that creating a Cold Brook Crossing on Codman Rd will both a) unnecessarily cut down a lot of trees, and b) materially change Codman Farm, Drumlin Farm, and the rest of South Lincoln, forever.
I support increasing Lincoln's diversity (including economic diversity), and I realize that #3 might help us achieve that, but this feels like a very big step that we might come to regret. I think Lincoln is special precisely because it is undeveloped - I'm not sure we can have it both ways.
Thank you for reading,
Greg Haines
41 Lincoln Rd
(As an aside, I'm also not sure I'm prepared for the additional traffic the development will spur. Traffic is already backed up almost a mile on Lincoln Rd on Tuesday mornings; I assume we will need to add traffic lights or rotaries at Lincoln Center and Lincoln Station?)
