Please post:From Lynn E DeLisi 3/24/2023 Dear Residents of Lincoln, I Am Running for Re-election to the Planning Board and amsorry I was unable to participate in the recent candidate forum due to a priorimportant family commitment.
Lincoln’s local election on Monday March 27 is going tohave crucial implications for the long-term future of the town.You are NOT casting your vote forindividual personalities and their professional backgrounds, but instead are makingimportant choices about decisions that will impact the town for a long time tocome. Probably the most important issue before us now is how to beable to comply with the Housing Choice Act (HCA) of the State of Massachusetts.It is not mandatory to do so. However, the Attorney General recently let it beknown that she expects it to be mandatory and that Towns that do not complywill be penalized. That may not be able to happen by law. Nevertheless, I thinkwe should try very hard and work together as a Planning Board in collaborationwith the Selects committee on the HCA, ANDYOU, to find creative ways to comply that will not change the environmentof Lincoln that we all love. We must not put our current residents inmultifamily housing in that 1/2 mile radius around the station area at risk oflosing their homes or the beautiful surrounding wooded areas to new development. We also have to look carefully at the Town infrastructurethat needs to be in place for new development to occur in any area--ie forsewage, roads for increased traffic, emergency response etc. AND the total costof new development to the taxpayers. LASTLY, non-compliance is still an option. As a PlanningBoard, we will need to present to the Town residents carefully researcheddata to show whether or not zoning changes would ultimately lead to irreversiblelong-term changes to the peaceful, environmentally beautiful town that weenjoy. If it would, then we should absolutely NOT comply with the HCA. We owe thiscareful and thoughtful planning to future generations of residents. After all,our current zoning allows us to have such a unique natural environment becauseof the careful thinking of those Lincoln resident Planning Board leaders whocame before us many years ago. I am asking for your vote so that I can continue torepresent you by working with my Planning Board colleagues to discuss the pro’sand con’s of new zoning that would comply with the HCA. I am open to findingcreative proposals that are compliant with the HCA, but will only do that if wecan preserve the environment that we so love about Lincoln, and if the planningis done by listening and acting on YOUR concerns, as I have in the past. There are other issues that affect the Town as well. Theexpansion of Hanscom Field is one that I am strongly against for many reasons,all of which I think most of us are unified around—the pollution, the noise andmore. A proposal will be presented to expand the Commons as well, somethingthat could have tremendous negative impact on those who currently live there,and I will loudly speak out about. As a Planning Board member, I have a track record of continuingto speak out in favor of residents in order to protect their quality of life. Ihave done this countless times, even when no one else but me speaks out forthem. A few examples are that I spoke out against rezoning the South Lincolnstation area without consideration of the people who live there. I also spokeout against the establishment of a residential treatment home for borderlinepersonality disorder that was being “sold” to us erroneously as an educationalinstitution, and I spoke out against the Minuteman HS with its high tower Ithought unnecessary and then its athletic field with lighting I thoughtexcessive for the neighborhood. I also worked hard on the marijuana studycommittee to keep its production and sales out of Lincoln and away from ourchildren, knowing the psychiatric consequences. Thus I have a record ofrepresenting the residents of each neighborhood in any controversy thatinterferes with their wellbeing. Going forward, I will fight against expansionof Hanscom Field, expansion of the Commons and any changes in zoning that putany current Lincoln residents at risk of losing their homes, as well as anyother issue that arises. We owe it to the town, its residents, and future residentsto do our homework, to provide balanced information for solid decision-making, andnot rush into decisions that will be difficult to reverse. We need to take timeto understand what the people who now live in Lincoln would like to have as a townfor future generations of residents. If you agree, then please vote for me in theMarch 27 election. I am committed to serving the Town of Lincoln and torepresenting YOU. As such, I am interested to know your views on all of thesetopics. I welcome speaking with you 1:1. You can email me at [email protected] or [email protected] or text me at: 516-528-5366 Thank youLynn DeLisi
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