Sara, With all due respect, "It has worked in the past" is a subjective statement.
It has worked "for whom", in achieving "what goals"? Certainly not in *allowing the opportunity for more diverse populations to move to Lincoln;* certainly not in *providing more affordable housing*. I know there is significant sentiment for preserving the "character" of Lincoln, but IMO we also have a responsibility to be a part of the solution to regional problems. We *can* increase our population and diversify our housing mix while continuing to protect open spaces, which could also go a long way to revitalizing a stagnant and fragile town center retail district. Thanks, -Bob On Tue, Jan 25, 2022 at 7:55 PM Sara Mattes <[email protected]> wrote: > Well, to that last sentence-this is what Lincoln has been doing since the > 70s…usually 2 steps ahead of any other town. > We have done it thoughtfully, with full-town participation and consensus > through Town Meeting > This is NOT the process of the suggested zoning changes. > > And, does anyone seriously thing is is reasonable to demand every town, > regardless of size and proximity to a train or bus stop, add 750 units-the > minimum for all, under the draft regulation? > Lincoln's current housing inventory - 2359 units, of which only 1532 are > single family residences. > The draft regulations would increase our housing by almost 1/3, with no > Town Meeting say. > Does that make sense for us, or any town our size, or smaller? > > We should take a long hard look before we capitulate. > We should, perhaps, stay the course…add housing where and when seems most > reasonable. > It has worked in the past. > > Sara > > > ------ > Sara Mattes > > > > > On Jan 25, 2022, at 12:22 PM, Michael Moodie <[email protected]> wrote: > > Well said, Allen. Especially your last sentence. > Michael Moodie > > On Tue, Jan 25, 2022 at 11:24 AM Allen Vander Meulen < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> It should also be noted that the “density” metric is measured on a per >> lot basis. >> >> Lincoln Woods has been cited in this thread as a “high density” >> development, but property contains a lot of wetland and conservation land, >> as well as a septic treatment plant set well back from the rest of the >> property - around 21 acres all told. So, with 125 units, its actual >> density is only about 6 units / acre - well under the state’s proposed “By >> Right” minimum for the Lincoln Station area. >> >> "The Commons" property is about 31 acres with around 209 living units, >> according to its online “property card”. So its density is under 7 >> units/acre. >> >> Oriole Landing (next door to The Commons) is about 6 acres - with 60 >> units, or 10 units / acre, and is therefore the town’s highest-density >> property - and both The Commons and Oriole Landing are quite far from any >> public transit. >> >> In other words, none of the major multi-unit developments in town are >> even close to the proposed requirement of 15 units/acre. However, as >> Margaret Olson said, this proposed “by Right” zoning can be modified by >> restrictions due to wetlands, conservation, and other considerations and >> controls imposed by the town. And, it will be some time before the >> proposed regulations are finalized - with a lot of negotiating and refining >> likely to happen between now and then. >> >> It is abundantly clear we need far more housing in this town for those >> with low to moderate incomes. Many employers in town (far more than most >> of us realize) need people willing to fill their low to moderate income >> positions. But with a very limited supply of affordable housing, most of >> these people have to commute huge distances to work here. Given a choice, >> they will choose to work closer to home and/or at businesses with less >> expensive transportation options. So, our local businesses, nonprofits, >> and service providers are struggling to find and retain adequate help: the >> issue isn’t the quality of work the environment, but whether their >> employees can afford to work here in town at all. >> >> From an Affordable Housing point of view, Lincoln is (in theory) in a >> good “place” right now, thanks to the addition of 60 units to our >> “Subsidized Housing Inventory” courtesy of the Oriole Landing project. >> Under current law, we should be safe for quite some time from high-density >> developments built without concern for harmonizing with the community. >> But, as the Housing Choice Act shows, the law is changing - and needs to. >> >> Personally, I welcome the Housing Choice Act as an important first effort >> to address those needs. However, it is far from perfect: the proposed >> regulations and guidelines that derive from it will need considerable >> refinement before they can work as the state intends for towns like >> Lincoln. I also expect that this is merely the first step in a series of >> moves the Commonwealth will make over the next several years to encourage, >> and eventually require, more low to moderate income housing as well as >> improved access to public transportation. >> >> I believe we must be thoughtfully proactive on these issues. Lincoln is >> already doing so through the work of SLPAC and the Planning Board - among >> other efforts. Ignoring or downplaying these issues will eventually lead >> to the town being forced into making difficult, painful, and expensive >> adjustments with no recourse - as has happened in several nearby >> communities. >> >> We need to continue to pursue more and better housing options here in >> town for all - doing so thoughtfully, carefully, and mindful of what’s best >> for not just ourselves, but for our neighbors and local businesses as well. >> >> - Allen Vander Meulen >> >> On Jan 24, 2022, at 20:48, Margaret Olson <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> The Housing Choice Act covers "by right" zoning. Specifically, to comply >> we would need to zone 50 acres at 15 units per acre. The Oriole Landing >> buildings are consistent with that density. >> >> The act does not address housing construction or the current multi-family >> housing inventory. It is concerned only with zoning. >> >> In other words, if we were to zone the entire 1/2 mile around the MBTA >> station for 15 units per acre, and none of the current owners either built >> multi-family housing or sold their property to a developer, we would be in >> compliance even though no new housing would be built in that scenario. >> Similarly, if we had 750 units in our current South Lincoln overlay >> district we would not be in compliance because the overlay requires town >> meeting approval. "By right" means that the property owner has the right to >> build at the specified density. The town is still able to apply regulations >> - building heights, design guidelines, site plan review, and other controls >> over the nature of the development. >> >> Margaret >> >> On Mon, Jan 24, 2022 at 8:10 PM Joan Kimball <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I believe that many existing units count. Could someone please >>> clarify? Planning Board? >>> >>> Many of us want to help with the housing crisis in this part of MA. And >>> i appreciate that there are differing opinions. May we continue to be civil >>> as we are doing now. >>> >>> Joan >>> >>> On Mon, Jan 24, 2022, 7:54 PM Debra Daugherty <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> I guess I wish they would just take into consideration the housing we >>>> already have. There are 120 units next to the Hanscom bus stop (Battle Road >>>> Farm) not to mention all the HAFB units. That's a ton of units. There's a >>>> lot of open land on the Hanscom Air Field lot right across the street from >>>> the bus stop, but I'm not sure what the status of that land is. In town we >>>> have lots of units in Lincoln Woods right next to the train. Not sure why >>>> that shouldn't count toward our quota. >>>> >>>> On Mon, Jan 24, 2022 at 7:06 PM Bob Mason <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I don't (yet) have a POV on the specifics of this legislation nor the >>>>> feasibility for Lincoln, but I do wonder about a moral responsibility to >>>>> reconsider wholesale housing policy in towns like Lincoln. >>>>> >>>>> It is my understanding that part of the housing crises that have >>>>> plagued San Francisco, Los Angeles and other metropolitan regions across >>>>> the US all have to do with too much NIMBYISM. At some point, for us to >>>>> have >>>>> a functional society, we need to rethink our physical infrastructure and >>>>> how that can create stronger communities, have greater economic impact and >>>>> reduce environmental pressures. >>>>> >>>>> Perhaps the specifics of this legislation is untenable for the >>>>> geographical constraints of Lincoln, but maybe we need to lean even more >>>>> into being part of the metropolitan solution. >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, Jan 24, 2022 at 6:49 PM Richard Panetta < >>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Margaret, >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Would the property near the bus stop be an area of concern as well >>>>>> then? Or would most of that land be in the National Park district? >>>>>> >>>>>> Rich >>>>>> >>>>>> On Mon, Jan 24, 2022 at 6:45 PM Margaret Olson < >>>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Sara, >>>>>>> The original map published in the Squirrel was incorrect. This is my >>>>>>> fault - I made that map and made a mistake in the GIS. This was brought >>>>>>> to >>>>>>> my attention in the comments; Alice contacted me and she updated the >>>>>>> article with the corrected map. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> What the updated map shows is that in order to comply we would need >>>>>>> to rezone some of the current R1 (single family 2 acre) zone that is >>>>>>> within >>>>>>> a half mile of the station. Depending on how the regulations shape up >>>>>>> after >>>>>>> the comment period the town may be facing some difficult choices. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On the question of the MBTA station - we also have a bus stop, at >>>>>>> Hanscom. We are a bus service town under the draft rules. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Margaret >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Mon, Jan 24, 2022 at 5:53 PM Sara Mattes <[email protected]> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Very interesting, and there will be serious push-back. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Note-"That is the message Massachusetts is sending to 175 cities >>>>>>>> and suburbs in the Boston area, as a bill passed last year to boost >>>>>>>> housing >>>>>>>> production begins to take effect >>>>>>>> <https://mass.streetsblog.org/2022/01/13/new-state-rule-would-force-suburbs-to-legalize-thousands-of-new-apartments-near-t-stops/> >>>>>>>> *.** Almost every jurisdiction in eastern Massachusetts, from the >>>>>>>> New Hampshire border to Worcester to the Cape Cod Canal…**”* >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Certainly some serious pressure will and should be placed on State >>>>>>>> Reps. once other towns realize the implications. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Lincoln already has grasped the implications. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> For Lincoln, as was shown in a recent article in the *Squirrel,* the >>>>>>>> land available, given the map proposed by MAPC and this new >>>>>>>> growth initiative (NOT a mandate), the proposed 750 units would have >>>>>>>> to fit >>>>>>>> into a very small land mass. >>>>>>>> In order to reach 750 units, we would need to redevelop with 5-6 >>>>>>>> story buildings, at a minimum. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> It simply is not feasible. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> We should all be contacting our current and future State Reps. to >>>>>>>> ask their positions, and to explain. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> We have regularly added multi >>>>>>>> family housing, including affordable housing to our inventory, and, >>>>>>>> I expect we will continue to do so, but not in this manner. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Sara Mattes >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> *------* >>>>>>>> Sara Mattes >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Jan 24, 2022, at 5:29 PM, Lynne Smith <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> An interesting article for Lincoln. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> https://slate.com/business/2022/01/massachusetts-zoning-apartments-housing-transit.html >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Lynne Smith >>>>>>>> 5 Tabor Hill Road >>>>>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/5+Tabor+Hill+Road+Lincoln,+MA+01773?entry=gmail&source=g> >>>>>>>> Lincoln, MA 01773 >>>>>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/5+Tabor+Hill+Road+Lincoln,+MA+01773?entry=gmail&source=g> >>>>>>>> 781-258-1175 >>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>>>>>>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>>>>>>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>>>>>>> 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]. >>>>>>>> Search the archives at 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>>>>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>>>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>>>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>>>> 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]. >>>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>>> 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]. >>> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> 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