Lincoln Planning Board Debates Community Center Siting at South Lincoln

LINCOLN -- January 10, 2023, Lincoln Planning Board members expressed divided views on whether community center functions should be located in South Lincoln, warning that a school-campus-only plan could be voted down at town meeting. At the January 10 session, Co-Chair Lynn DeLisi said she had faced "a lot of pushback" at a recent community center committee meeting when she urged flexibility in siting, with some members calling for a vote to lock in the school campus as the sole location. Co-Chair Gary Taylor said he could "certainly see an argument" for placing functions closer to the Lincoln Station area but questioned the feasibility of unwinding a process already far along. Member Rob Ahlert said he was not convinced the benefits of a South Lincoln location outweighed the complexity, particularly with Housing Choice Act zoning already in play. The board took no formal action beyond voting to adjourn.