Lincoln boards advance Housing Choice Act compliance package for March 2024 town meeting

LINCOLN -- June 6, 2023, Lincoln links Housing Choice Act compliance to mall redevelopment in single March 2024 package. The Select Board and Planning Board held a joint virtual session June 6 to begin public deliberation on zoning that would meet Section 3A's 42-acre, 15-unit-per-acre minimum while rezoning the Lincoln Mall for mixed-use redevelopment by the Rural Land Foundation. Consultant Will of Utile presented five candidate sub-districts that together could yield roughly 1,400 units at 16.3 units per acre, above the threshold, though state contiguity rules require the town to drop pieces because no single sub-district reaches 50 percent of the total. RLF board chair Michelle Barnes said the four-acre mall site requires "a minimum of 25 units per acre" to be financially viable with developer Civico, producing about 100 units. Town Administrator Tim Higgins said counsel is reviewing whether both questions can ride a single town meeting article, citing Lexington precedent. Select Board member Jennifer Glass set public forums for June 16 and June 20.