Planning Board endorses citizen petition requiring mailed notice of rezoning

LINCOLN — March 19, 2024 — Lincoln Planning Board endorses citizen petition mandating mailed notice for rezoning proposals. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to support Article 28, brought by resident Barbara Peskin with assistance from member Susan Hall Mygatt, requiring any town board proposing changes to density, height, setbacks, building size, lot coverage, or allowed uses to mail notice to affected property owners at least 14 days before the first hearing or vote. Co-Chair Margaret Olson said she had been initially reluctant but concluded "for something of significance we really shouldn't be springing votes on people." The board separately accepted the March 19 draft of the Housing Choice Act design guidelines as regulations, and told the Agricultural Commission its requests for stronger lighting, green space, and water-table protections — prompted in part by a 2022 incident in which a Lincoln farm well ran dry — would be queued for post-Town Meeting work. Co-Chair Lynn DeLisi said it would be "unreasonable and unrealistic" to take up additional bylaw topics before Saturday's HCA vote.