Thank you, Tricia, and I totally agree! I almost never comment on Lincoln Talk, but this ongoing conversation has become tiresome and frustrating… I thank all the people in Lincoln who so selflessly volunteer their time for everything! I don’t volunteer (I’m a little too shy), but I DO care — as we all do!
Thank you all, Cindy Schliemann 50 Silver Hill Road On Mon, Nov 6, 2023 at 8:49 PM Tricia Thornton-Wells < [email protected]> wrote: > It’s been very hard to read message after message of people accusing > others of trying to ruin this town. I’m really very sad and tired of > hearing it all. > > 1. At the last town meeting, people told the RLF their renderings were too > generic and asked them to put together renderings that were more specific > to what they envisioned being developed. So, trying to be responsive to > these requests, they are putting together renderings of what is currently > conceived. Of course these are going to be hypothetical! That doesn’t mean > they are acting in bad faith, putting forth a lie. I personally do not > believe they are operating in bad faith. Do they have a vested interest in > making sure *something* moves forward? Yes, of course. That doesn’t mean > they are willing to go along with something they think will be bad for the > town? No. Fundamentally, I believe people who volunteer their time and > money to an organization like RLF love this town and want good things for > it. > > 2-3. The upcoming vote will determine whether a majority of the town (most > of whom are not on this increasingly toxic echo chamber) believes the > Lincoln Station area, owned by RLF, should be allowed to pursue development > with more freedom to negotiate than they have now—something that would be > profitable, because of increased density, and that could also be a great > benefit to the town. I personally believe the RLF has good intent and will > work with a developer to build such a space. I also believe that keeping > the Mall space as-is is a recipe for commercial/economic failure. I also > believe we can be a (small) part of the solution to increasing housing > stock in the Boston metro area. > > Why is everyone so afraid and so convinced that *any* and all change will > be bad? We all do the best we can under the circumstances, which are *not* > the same circumstances as 20 or 40 years ago. Please, let’s stop resisting > every single thing and have a reasonable conversation about how to move > forward based on today, here, in Lincoln in 2023. We all love Lincoln, or > we wouldn’t be here. > > Sincerely, > Tricia Thornton-Wells > 112 Trapelo Rd > > > > On Nov 6, 2023, at 6:29 PM, Peter Buchthal <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > At the previous planning/hcawg meeting of October 24th, we learned that > RLF is planning to hire a consultant to draw potential renderings of a new > Lincoln Mall and present them to the town at some point. It is really > hard for town residents to evaluate the potential impact of the proposed > changes to the Lincoln Mall zoning without a detailed discussion. I > understand the planning board is considering further zoning amendments for > the new overlay districts to better protect the town's interests. I > foresee several problems with this strategy. > > 1) Any drawings or renderings will be purely hypothetical and not binding > on the RLF or any future owner of the Mall as there is no requirement that > they be actually submitted to the town for a building permit. > 2) Assuming a HCA Overlay district is passed at the March Town meeting, I > see very few obstacles to building whatever the developer chooses to build > as the town will have NO ability to influence a future developer to do > anything unless they need a variance for something. > 3) Hypothetically, one day after the HCA Overlay district passes the > March Town Meeting, CIVICO could submit drawings to the Town of Lincoln > Building Department and the current zoning rules would apply to their > project without the ability of the town to influence the project. As long > as CIVICO starts construction within 12 months of submitting building > plans, the rules at the time of plan submission would govern the project. > period, full stop. Any future safeguards that the town might want to > impose on development within the Mall area wouldn't apply to plans that > were submitted prior to the acceptance of any future zoning changes at a > different town meeting!!!! > > To approve any of the current plans with the Lincoln Mall being part of a > new overlay district without any zoning amendments to be approved at the > same time, opens the town for an unnecessary disaster. It would be better > for the Town to NOT include the Lincoln Mall in an HCA overlay district so > that a normal vetting of plans at a town meeting will ensure that everyone > in the Town is happy with the project. This strategy will allow more > affordable units, ensure commercial development is actually built, and will > allow a negotiation between the town and the developer for a *development > of importance to the Town.* There is no logical way to skip that > negotiation to safeguard the town that we know and love. > > > Peter Buchthal > Weston Rd. > > > On Mon, Nov 6, 2023 at 5:12 PM Sara Mattes <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Please let us know exactly what legal teeth site plan review has. >> I have asked for that repeatedly and have heard….crickets. >> Yes there will be some wetlands protections, but not Lincoln’s set backs. >> Yes, there will be some set backs. >> But please, do tell what legal options will we have to actually control >> the look and feel of major redevelopment. >> >> The repeated reference to “existing regulations and site plan review” is >> cold comfort. >> >> The whole point of the HCA is to get around our existing bylaws…to make >> it easier for developers to create larger, denser housing development than >> is currently allowed. >> >> >> >> >> ------ >> Sara Mattes >> >> >> >> >> On Nov 6, 2023, at 5:02 PM, Rich Rosenbaum <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> I think it is misleading to use statements such as "the developer can do >> whatever they want". >> Existing regulations and site plan review give the town oversight. >> >> After all, residential property owners have the by right ability to build >> a new home but cannot build whatever they want. >> >> >> On Mon, Nov 6, 2023 at 4:05 PM Sara Mattes <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> 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]> >>> 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]. >>>> 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. >> >> -- > 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. > >
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