Is RLF nearing bankruptcy? It sure feels that way...Hence this urgency to
rezone the town center. This is not "just a zoning change"...Let's be real
here... Most, if not all rezoning ends with major building. This is not about
climate change or to "fix" the housing crisis... sadly, this is all about
Builders making a huge profit. Going forward....More
transparency/communication from the RLF leadership team would be most
appreciated.
Theresa K
On Sunday, November 12, 2023 at 11:04:00 AM EST, DJCP <[email protected]>
wrote:
The town has been working on this for 18 months. Diffuse options were
considered, but the overwhelming voices back when the options were being first
formulated said to concentrate everything in town center. And I am willing to
bet that is still true. To me, it seems that a small but vocal group of people
are speaking up now. But we need to vote to comply with the HCA in short
order. That is why this process started over a year ago! As it is, this is
just a zoning change, and there are no guarantees anything will be built. But
it's still more than thoughts and prayers to fix the housing (and climate)
crisis.
Diana
Giles Rd
On Sun, Nov 12, 2023 at 10:41 AM Bijoy Misra <[email protected]> wrote:
Everyone is sympathetic to housing and new people. The issue iswhere to build.
The overwhelming voice is to exclude the Lincolnstation area until a full
analysis is done. Congestion, transport and environment are the issues. Hence
the appeal is for distributedhousing. To sell the Lincoln station area for
residential developmentwithout analysis would be suicidal for the town. I am
speaking on behalfof many who wish to live here and develop the town
wholesomeretaining its character. Best regards,Bijoy Misra
On Sun, Nov 12, 2023 at 10:19 AM DJCP <[email protected]> wrote:
First, I did not say I wanted people from other towns flocking here. I said
the opposite.
Second, I would love to maintain the rural character of Lincoln, too, but the
fact is we have a severe housing shortage not just in Massachusetts but across
the country. Families who work full time, multiple jobs cannot afford
apartments, much less condos or homes. There are people looking to step into
home ownership who can't because they are priced out. The Massachusetts
shelter system is full, not just from refugees and immigrants, but from people
who cannot find housing, no matter how much assistance they have. So, yes,
even luxury condos would help. (Though I see the town's commendable track
record of negotiating a higher level of affordable housing and trust them to
continue to do the same.) But it is also true that Lincoln's exclusionary
zoning - which has maintained the rural character we love - has contributed to
the housing crisis. Lastly, I would love more taxpayers to come to town
because in the end I am also a capitalist and would like to see my taxes go
down. So I can buy berries for my kids with abandon.
Diana
Giles Rd
On Sun, Nov 12, 2023 at 9:45 AM gail o'keefe <[email protected]> wrote:
Why on earth would we want people from other towns flocking to Lincoln for
their groceries?? The beauty of Lincoln's current commercial area is it
provides just what the town needs, and not more. This is an environmentally
sound model, if not one for thriving capitalism. Lincoln's affordable housing
can be expanded without giving up control to developers.
Many people move to Lincoln specifically to avoid the traffic and commercial
pressures that are evident in neighboring towns, once beautifully semi-rural,
now overbuilt with strip malls. Lincoln has been preserved over the decades by
careful planning and zoning.
As an example of developer-friendly zoning, Lexington has long had commercial
zoning in the center, yet there are empty storefronts and over a dozen random
banks. There are only two restaurants that have lasted over the years, dozens
have shuttered. Zoning for the benefit of developers doesn't guarantee
businesses will come, or stay. Belmont is also struggling with empty
storefronts, it is happening across the region. Developers come and go, but
residents are left with the developers' decisions, rarely based on the long
term goals of the town. This is not a good model for Lincoln. If Lincoln cedes
control to developers, it is in perpetuity, it can't be reversed.
Many in town hope that the working group of the HCA ruling will slow the
process, take the necessary time to address the concerns of the townspeople,
and allow alternative choices on the ballot.
Gail O'Keefe
On Sun, Nov 12, 2023 at 8:14 AM DJCP <[email protected]> wrote:
The best way to make sure commercial stays commercial is to make the businesses
viable and the best way to do that is to make sure there are people shopping
there. Sorry but people from other towns are not flocking to Lincoln to buy $10
pints of strawberries from Donelans. And I've only been here 5 years and have
noticed the string of restaurants that have tried to fill the ONE space.
Whether we make any changes there's no guarantee these businesses will stick
around. That's capitalism folks. But we can help by AT LEAST zoning for more
housing in the area.
Diana Giles Rd
On Sun, Nov 12, 2023, 8:08 AM Peter Buchthal <[email protected]> wrote:
Along similar lines, how can the town ensure commercial space stays commercial
as the new owners could easily decide to raise very high or not renew any
commercial lease in order to build more luxury residential units by right as
long as the project has unused housing units within the zoning allotment.
Peter BuchthalWeston Rd
On Sat, Nov 11, 2023 at 12:27 PM David Cuetos <[email protected]> wrote:
How can the RLF guarantee that any particular commercial space will remain once
they sell the land to Civico? Are they planning to include a requirement for a
supermarket in the deed? Anything else would just be a "recommendation".
On Fri, Nov 10, 2023 at 6:09 PM Margo Fisher-Martin
<[email protected]> wrote:
Hi All,
We know that a zoning change does not “dictate” that anything be built or
changed, but we also know that major changes WILL happen in Lincoln, should
this pass. Do any of you remember many years ago when zoning changes were made
that impacted any changes an owner could make (as much as a bay window) without
ZBA approval on pre-existing non-conforming lots? Some people who are pushing
for the re-zoning here are the same people that tried to instill the fear of
“mansionisation” should we allow any changes to homes on less than 2 acre lots.
At town meeting, they showed pictures of dense mid-rise housing from other
towns to scare people into taking away the rights of the pre-existing
(grandfathered) non-conforming lot owners. Now some of these same people are
advocating for providing similar dense mid-rise housing that they were
adamantly opposed to. What happened to the “stewards of the land?”
Sincerely,
Margo Martin
On Fri, Nov 10, 2023 at 5:27 PM Margaret Olson <[email protected]> wrote:
Michelle Barnes from the RLF can confirm, but I believe Donelan's will remain
after the mall redevelopment.
A reminder: zoning affects what the property owner has a right to do with their
property. It does not dictate that anything be built or changed.
On Fri, Nov 10, 2023 at 4:38 PM Terri via Lincoln <[email protected]>
wrote:
Hi all,
If I am reading the rezoning plans correctly.... the Reducition in retail
includes eliminating Donelans and the Bank.
Is this correct?
Theresa K
On Friday, November 10, 2023 at 11:25:26 AM EST, Sara Mattes
<[email protected]> wrote:
Is the alternative for the nation area to fill it with dense housing, while we
are told there will be reduction in retail?And, that housing will only reflect
the wealth gap-only 10% affordable, and the rest, high-end?
What happened to the concept of a “vibrant commercial center?”What happened to
a “walkable village?”What will everyone walk to as retail is reduced?Each
other's units?
Let us be more creative in what we can develop.As Ken has suggested, we have
done it in the past.We seem to have lost our mojo.Let’s get it back.
The HCA is NOT the answer.
------
Sara Mattes
On Nov 10, 2023, at 10:55 AM, Ken Hurd <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello LincolnTalkers,
During the discussion on the Zoom forum hosted by the HCAWG on Wednesday
evening, I mentioned the recently released report on the history of
exclusionary zoning in the Boston area. And also, for those of you who
couldn’t stay to see it following the Wednesday morning forum at Town Hall,
below is the link to hear the presentation sponsored by The Boston Foundation.
Unless we know our history, it is known that history has a tendency to repeat
itself. With respect to objections raised to the options offered by the Housing
Choice Working Group, I do hope that current residents can follow the example
of earlier Lincoln leaders from the 1970’s who worked with, rather than
against, the 40B mandate from the state to provide more affordable housing.
That, and their efforts to preserve land in a way that could be shared with
others, made Lincoln a model community that attracted national attention.
With the Housing Choice Act, there is no less an opportunity to combine our
responsibility to provide more housing in the greater Boston region with
helping to revive the ailing Lincoln Station area. After all, given our
current manner of approving development around Lincoln Station and the fact
that there has been no interest by developers in doing so for the past eighteen
years, even with more favorable economic conditions, why should we expect
anything different other than more empty spaces available for lease going
forward?
I urge us to affirm the work of the Working Group to fulfill the spirit of the
Housing Choice Act by supporting Option C, including the rezoning of the mall,
to address this conundrum.
Here is the link to the report:
|
| Exclusionary by Design: An Investigation of Zoning’s Use as a Tool of Race,
Class, and Family Exclusion in Boston’s Suburbs, 1920 to Todaytbf.org |
<tbfico.png> |
|
Respectfully,Ken Hurd
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