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Neighbors express opposition as trustee proposes three single‑family homes at 42 Lyon Street; hearing continued
Summary
The applicant seeks to remove a 1955 house and construct three single‑family homes on a 15,804 sq ft lot; neighbors raised concerns about height, drainage, a retaining wall and changes to neighborhood character. The Planning Board continued the hearing to April 16 for additional follow‑up.
Attorney Edward Fleming presented an application to the Quincy Planning Board to demolish a single‑family home at 42 Lyon Street and construct three new single‑family homes on the 15,804 square‑foot lot. Fleming said the owner, trustee Steven Bayless, intends the homes to be compatible with the neighborhood and that the plan complies with Residence B zoning but requires site plan review because it creates three or more units.
Architect Brian Donahue and civil engineer Jim Burke described the design as three modest 3‑story homes, each with a two‑car garage at ground level and living space above. Donahue said each house would be about 2,000 square feet and that the plan preserves several mature trees at the rear of the lot. Burke said the design includes underground infiltration units and retaining walls to manage stormwater, and each home would have separate water and sewer services.
Multiple neighbors and abutters spoke at the hearing and submitted written comments. Ron Petinelli, who said he lives on Hopedale Street behind the project, said the new houses would “change the very fabric of the neighborhood” and complained about the scale and sightlines from existing backyards. Several neighbors pressed the board on the height and visual impact of three‑story buildings, the height and type of a proposed retaining wall, and drainage concerns; one resident said the wall “looks much higher than 4 feet” when viewed from properties below.
Attorney Fleming said the owner is not seeking zoning relief and that the project as drawn complies with zoning technical standards, and he offered to meet again with neighbors to address specific concerns including landscaping, fencing and whether architectural cupolas would be removed. Trustee Steven Bayless and the design team indicated willingness to prune or remove marginal trees, consider fence and cupola changes and provide additional civil, drainage and landscaping details.
After public comment the board voted to continue the public hearing to April 16 so the applicant can provide follow‑up materials and meet with neighbors. The Planning Board recorded concerns about retaining wall design, drainage details and the visual relationships between the new buildings and immediate abutters; the board asked for clearer landscaping and wall plans and confirmation of how stormwater will be managed.
