Neighbors press council on parking, tandem spaces as TreeTop Home seeks to reconfigure 5 Bennett Street plan

Attorney James Giuliano, representing TreeTop Home LLC, asked the City Council on April 1 to continue the special‑permit application for a proposed four‑family dwelling at 5 Bennett Street to May 6 while the project team reconfigures units to two bedrooms each. Giuliano said the redesign requires more extensive architectural work than simply shrinking bedrooms and asked for more time. "I would request that the council push this off to May 6 to give the architect a little bit more time," he said.

Councilors and members of the public spent substantial time addressing parking and neighborhood impacts. Multiple councilors asked for a formal response to a March 28 memo from DPW Superintendent Jay Duran covering drainage, water, sewer, sidewalks and curb cuts. Councilor Campbell and others focused on tandem parking: they said tandem spaces can work when designed and enforced but expressed concern about on‑street spillover on Bennett Street, which has posted parking restrictions on one side. Resident Christopher Sylvia, 13 Bennett Street, told the council he was most concerned about street congestion, snow clearance and the proposed reduction of landscaped area.

Councilors asked the applicant to show a dumpster location, a snow‑storage plan and parking maneuverability diagrams; some asked the petitioner to consider redesign options to reduce or avoid tandem parking if feasible. Giuliano said the project team has already included a provision to provide an on‑site dumpster and will supply formal responses to the DPW memo and revised drawings before the committee meeting. The council continued the public hearing to May 6 and referred the matter to the special‑permits committee.