Planning Board renews Verizon and AT&T tower permits, deadlocks on Lewis Street density

LINCOLN — February 7, 2023 — Lincoln Planning Board renews two cell tower permits, deadlocks on Lewis Street density. The board voted unanimously to renew Verizon's special permit at 23 Cambridge Turnpike for 10 years, then 4-0-1 (Lynn DeLisi abstaining) to grant AT&T a co-location permit allowing a six-foot, 10-inch tower extension and a 240-square-foot fence expansion; RF consultant Don Hayes modeled worst-case exposure at the adjacent Commons at 10 percent of the federal limit. The board then split on whether to bring a Lewis Street rezoning at 15 units per acre — structured to comply with the revised state Housing Choice Act — to the March 25 town meeting. Co-Chair Gary Taylor and member Margaret Olson urged action, with Taylor saying, "We are the people that should be thinking about how to preserve our community." Member Bob, DeLisi and member Eve said the draft was not ready, leaving the board short of the three votes needed to advance. The board instead agreed to pursue a narrower procedural cleanup of the B-2 bylaw and separately endorsed a letter to MEPA arguing Massport's Hanscom Field expansion violates its 1978 master plan.