With Measured Success Officials Grapple with HCA Vote at Multiboard Meeting

By Lynne Smith
Originally Posted on Lincoln Talk and The Lincoln Squirrel. Posted here with permission of the author.

On December 2, Lincoln residents voted with the recommendations of the Planning Board (PB) and the Housing Choice Act Working Group (HCAWG) to adopt Option C. On December 4 at a multi-board meeting, the two groups were aware that the vote was not an overwhelming majority. In fact, Option C received 55% of the votes while Option E, developed by the grassroots organization Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives (LRHA), received 38%. Select Chair Jim Hutchison expressed his view that he would like to see a higher level of support for the proposed rezoning by the March 23 Town Meeting, even though only a majority vote will be needed.

To gain greater support, the Planning Board and the HCAWG have work to do to create Lincoln’s option for compliance with the Massachusetts Housing Choice Act. The PB must develop the bylaws and the HCAWG must communicate them to residents who are now more fully aware of the impact such development can have on the Town.

Developer bylaws for 800+ units are key

At the meeting, members focused on the best ways to adopt bylaws to allow HCA development that will now be concentrated within half a mile of the MBTA station. The HCA model for Option C gives the town credit for 648 housing units, but the LRHA estimates that approximately 800 new housing units could be developed on a by-right basis within that small area. The impact of this development on the town will depend in large part on the content of the zoning bylaws to be proposed by the Planning Board and presumably adopted by the town.

At Saturday’s Special Town Meeting, the Selects presented a chart listing the types of “guardrails,” including requirements for certain Planning Board approvals, which the town can impose on developments. It appears that the Planning Board and Selects expect the members of the HCAWG to be part of this process.

The content of these bylaws is extremely important and must be carefully drafted to impose appropriate standards for by-right development that will win town support and pass HCA compliance requirements.

Outreach and input are important

Select Kim Bodnar emphasized the importance of a steady stream of communication to town residents, especially those most affected by the rezoning in and near the Option C parcels: Codman Road, Lewis Street, Lincoln Woods, Lincoln Road, and the mall. Margaret Olson, chair of the PB, suggested that HCAWG should manage outreach while coordinating with PB and the Selects. (Note: Kim didn’t call out Ridge Road, the Flying Nuns, Todd Pond condos, and Greenridge condos—which are also greatly affected, as construction noise may impact them, and their entry/egress on Lincoln Rd may be affected).

PB Vice Chair Lynn De Lisi said that just outreach is not enough and that every meeting of the PB and HCAWG should allow public input. HCAWG member Terri Perlmutter said that there had been a “loss of trust” as residents felt that developers would be given a “free rein” because details of the zoning were not fully communicated. She felt this created a disconnect with residents. Communication with residents is a vital part of the work of the town-appointed groups.

Meetings and topics need organized scheduling

Between now and March 23, the PB plans to schedule weekly meetings to write and deliberate on the proposed bylaws. Craig Nicholson of the HCAWG suggested that the meetings could be organized by topic — for example, height of the buildings, setbacks, energy efficiency and sustainability, and overall design. This meeting format would help participants focus on the key bylaw provisions, allow residents to tune in to the topics of greatest interest, and help organizations such as the Green Energy Committee, FOMA, and LRHA to contribute expertise in a timely manner. Susan Hall Mygatt requested that draft guidelines be issued prior to the scheduled meetings.

All of these meeting suggestions would facilitate better discussions, shorter meetings, and greater resident participation.

Outside expertise still needed

Director of Planning and Land Use Paula Vaughn-MacKenzie said that Utile, the consulting firm that helped develop the C and D options, could continue its role up through the March Annual Town Meeting. If we run out of grant money for this service, we might have use town funds. Town Counsel will continue to be consulted for zoning bylaws.

Officials at the multi-board meeting said that the Rural Land Foundation (RLF) needs to provide more information about the potential and proposed development at the mall. They also pointed out that residents need to know what it will look like, what the footprint will be, and the details of parking and traffic studies. Susan Hall Mygatt suggested that several residents in town be invited to sit on the HCAWG in an advisory capacity. Rather than commenting on the draft language from “outside” the Planning Board, they could actually help draft bylaws and develop models. This would increase participation in the process and would likely lead to increased public support for the proposed bylaws.

Voting tabulation at Town Meeting

With over 800 people attending the December 2 Special Town Meeting, the Select Board discussed the difficulty of tabulating ballots on the spot. As many residents who stayed for the entire eight-hour meeting noted, about three of those hours were spent wandering around while the votes were tabulated. While it was fun to get coffee and snacks from the Girl Scouts and eat sandwiches brought from home sitting in the hallways of the sparkling new school, it would be better if the time were spent actually discussing the issues at hand. More people could have participated if the meeting were shorter. Select Jim Hutchinson bravely faced the topic head on and said he would look into it. Good luck, Jim!

The multi-board meeting closed with 41 people attending on line and several in the Donaldson Room. Many Lincoln residents will be paying close attention to the Planning Board meetings where the drafts of bylaws will be discussed. Planning Board meeting dates, agendas, and minutes can be found here. (Search by committee name.  If there are minutes missing from a particular date, contact the Board and request that they be posted publicly as per required by law.)