Lincoln Planning Board approves first detached protective-use ADU on Old Concord Road

LINCOLN — December 9, 2025 — Lincoln Planning Board approves first detached protective-use ADU and tees up dark-skies bylaw fight. The board unanimously approved Joanne Wise's 897-square-foot accessory dwelling unit at 241 Old Concord Road, conditioned on six white pines six-to-eight feet tall for abutter screening, a redesigned walkway kept out of the 10-foot buffer, and a revised exterior light fixture to limit light trespass onto Jim Hutchinson's property. The board also cleared a minor change at the 1.8 Ballfield Road community center site to remove three 12-inch trees, and approved removal of five 75-to-100-foot hazardous white pines at 44 Old Winter Road. The longest discussion concerned the Dark Skies Subcommittee's draft general bylaw, which would convert the 2014 zoning standards into a town-wide bylaw covering Lincoln's roughly 257 streetlights. Co-Chair Gary Taylor urged a phased approach: "step back and say we need to divide this thing into three or four steps."