Lincoln Journal
Thursday, March 17, 2005

Firm analyzes base impact

By Chris Cassidy/ Staff Writer

Months before they learn the fate of Hanscom Air Force Base, the four
area towns with land and municipal services at stake have spent thousands of
dollars in an attempt to answer the question - what if the base closes?

In December, the Hanscom Area Towns Selectmen received a $157,000 grant
from the Department of Defense to fund a preliminary contingency plan to
reuse the site of the base if it's marked for closure.

The group has since hired a consulting firm, Sasaki and Associates, to
explore questions surrounding zoning, town services and infrastructure that
might arise if the base were closed.

The consulting firm will provide some of its findings during a March 24
public meeting, during which members of the public will be invited to offer
their input. The final report will be given in mid-May.

Even then, the report won't answer all the questions. It's merely
designed as a preliminary glimpse into the types of uses that could take
place at the Hanscom site.

"It's a little premature to comment on what the preferred uses would
be that emerge from this study," said Lincoln Town Administrator Tim
Higgins. "This report is intended to generate reuse principles. Rather than
saying we'd like a particular use on a particular portion of property, the
current study will be looking more at principles, the types of uses that
would complement the area character and be at benefit to areas at large."

If the base does close, the Defense Department will fund a more
extensive study on reuse later in the process.

"We want to make sure that the reuse happens in a way that is
economically viable long-term but at the same time, we have to be careful so
that the uses aren't so intense they jeopardize some of the other community
values," Higgins said. "It's a careful balancing effort and this is really
just the preliminary phase, in the event that the base is on the list."

At stake are 846 acres of land, 78 percent of which rest in either
Lincoln or Bedford. Both towns face dramatic changes if the base closes.

Through a fee for services arrangement, Lincoln manages the Hanscom
school system. In addition, all 850 units of housing on the base sit within
Lincoln's borders.

If the base closes and the housing units become privatized, Lincoln
would face the burden of educating an influx of students into its school
system without the luxury of receiving compensation from the base.

"We're a town of 5,600 and the estimates we have are that if housing
were converted to private housing, we could see the population increase by
as much as 40 percent," Higgins said.

"Needless to say, that's an enormous growth that would have to happen
in a very short period of time and force us to re-examine the way we deliver
all municipal services, not just education," Higgins said.

Even if all the homes do come onto the town's tax rolls, revenue won't
be high enough to support the increased number of students, according to
Lincoln Town Planner Mark Whitehead.

In Bedford, the town's high school educates Hanscom students, who make
up 16 percent, or 113 of the high school's 720 students. Currently, plans to
renovate Bedford High hinge on three scenarios all affecting student
population: the closure of the base, the continued operation of the base,
and a proposed expansion initiated by Sen. Ted Kennedy and Gov. Mitt Romney.

"Right now, we're just holding our breath, waiting to see what
happens," said Bedford Selectman Sheldon Moll.

All four towns are awaiting the report from Sasaki Associates
concerning the reuse of the base. Rather than lay out a specific plan for
the site, the report gives communities a chance to understand the impacts of
the base closure on public services as well as learn more about the array of
buildings on the site, according to Glenn Garber, one of the consultants
involved in hiring Sasaki Associates.

"This is nothing even remotely close to a plan," Garber said. "It's
really an impact analysis. I think what the pre-BRAC planning process does
is give the towns a nice head start so they can hit the ground running if
there is a base closure."

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