Once rezone with the HCA, the property owner can put up pretty much whatever they want. That is the point of the HCA-to get around our normal process for managing development in Lincoln. No proposals are required for the town to see. The development is BY RIGHT, they just need to comply with some very basic zoning-wetlands setbacks, other set backs, etc.
And, as was made clear in a public presentation, dense housing is the most profitable use of the land, not retail. The discussion about the Mall is confusing as concepts were discussed and proposals were to be offered at a later date. In addition, the RLF said they were looking to most lily sell and were in discussion with a local developer-CIVICO. Regardless of what is discussed now, as it stands now, once rezoned the owner, either the RLF but most like a new owner, can do whatever they see fit with that land. That is why this is all so difficult and generating so much debate. It is important that we all learn as much as possible and attend each and every meeting to better understand what is being proposed and what is at stake. ------ Sara Mattes > On Nov 6, 2023, at 1:43 PM, Deborah Greenwald <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Dear All, > I would very much like to have David's proposals included in our vote. He > And are we taking bids from multiple developers? Some might be more amenable > to more low income units. > To me it seems that considering any development near Codman Farm is akin to > building an apartment building on the Boston Public Gardens or Concord's > Monument Square. That area is one of Lincoln's jewels and should be preserved. > On Sun, Nov 5, 2023 at 10:01 PM David Cuetos <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> I have received some questions from residents trying to understand why our >> HCA proposals overlay zoning over existing multi-family districts. I thought >> the rationale was important enough to share it with the wider public. >> >> I believe the town would be better served by separating as much as possible >> the zoning exercise required for compliance approval from actual >> development. Zoning existing multifamily developments accomplishes that >> goal, as those properties already have the characteristics we would like to >> see and they are unlikely to be redeveloped. Let me explain the logic behind >> the separation. >> >> HCA compliance requires us to zone a certain number of acres to a certain >> density by right. What that means is that as long as the developer does not >> go past our height and setback bylaws, they do not need to ask the town for >> feedback. This is not what historically happened in Lincoln. Historically >> every multi-family development was a give and take between the developer and >> the town. In that process the town was able to extract important concessions >> like the number of affordable units, measures to reduce environmental >> impact, etc. >> >> While that give and take was quite important, for areas rezoned under HCA >> the town's influence is diminished even further as developers would get an >> override over certain town bylaws the State considers too restrictive. Among >> them two are chief: affordability and wetland setbacks. The state will only >> allow us to ask a developer to include 10% affordable units. The town’s >> bylaws require 15%, and historically the town has never approved anything >> below 25%, including some units reserved for low income households. 25% is >> also the lowest percentage of units for an entire development to count >> towards 40B State requirements. The other requirement at odds is wetlands >> setback. The town’s bylaws require 100’ and the State only gives us 50’. >> This difference would be critical in some sensitive areas like Codman Rd. >> >> Our view is that it is detrimental to the town’s general interest to allow a >> developer to build a large multifamily building without going through town >> meeting approval. The success of Oriole Landing is testament to the >> usefulness of town meeting: a win-win for the town and the developer. We >> have actually learned from other towns like Winchester that we can drive a >> much tougher bargain than we have done in the past. >> >> We see with skepticism claims that the Oriole Landing developer, who made an >> estimated $12M profit and was able to get through town meeting in nine >> months, does not want to go through town meeting again. Lincoln has >> historically not been an obstructive town towards multi-family developers >> and there is no reason to think that would change now that HCA has lowered >> Town Meeting approval thresholds from 2/3 to just a simple majority. >> >> I ask all residents to consider that when they vote to rezone an area, they >> are de facto abdicating their democratic right to influence future >> development. >> >> David Cuetos >> Weston Rd >> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected] >> <mailto:[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. >
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