Planning Board narrows Lewis Street rezoning to B2 only for spring Town Meeting

LINCOLN — December 13, 2022 — Lincoln Planning Board narrows spring Town Meeting rezoning to Lewis Street only. The board voted 5-0 to recommend a Briggs family accessory apartment on a 2.6-acre Old Concord Road lot to the Zoning Board of Appeals, conditioned on Board of Health septic approval, then spent two hours on B1 and B2 zoning. Members agreed to phase out contractors and light manufacturing in B2 by making them non-conforming, to allow but not require mixed use on Lewis Street with a 15-unit-per-acre baseline and a possible 20-unit bonus for ground-floor commercial, and to require commercial use in any B1 housing redevelopment at the mall. Co-Chair Gary Taylor said an incentive is needed because "housing pays and commercial doesn't." Member Margaret Olson pressed for faster movement: "Otherwise, we're going to be at this for the next four years." Members Rob Ahlert and Taylor will draft the B2 article with planning staff, targeting a first public hearing in early February.