Quincy ZBA approves several residential projects, sets follow-ups; neighbors raise flood and scale concerns

Quincy — The Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 28 approved four residential proposals with conditions, accepted one withdrawal and continued two hearings after design and neighbor concerns. Chairman Marty Akins presided over the meeting.

The board approved a reduced rear addition and related site changes at 130 Willow St. (case ZBA 2459), granted modifications for the porch and shed at 87 Dorchester St. (ZBA 2477), allowed a third-floor addition at 122–124 Hannon Circle with requirements to remove an existing garage and use pavers for new parking (ZBA 2486), and reauthorized a previously approved single-family design at 166 Bassett St. (ZBA 2482). The board also accepted a withdrawal for 115 Newbury Ave. (ZBA 2449) and continued hearings for multiple cases, including the enclosure-of-balconies matter at 1 Edwin St. (ZBA 2455) and a design revision for a third-floor request at 170 Rota St. (ZBA 2466), both reset to return Feb. 11.

Why it matters: several approvals included conditions meant to limit added impervious surface and reduce neighborhood impacts; neighbors said flooding history and visual scale remain community concerns in several cases.

What the board heard and decided

130 Willow St. (ZBA 2459): Architect Jim Chen told the board his client reduced the proposed rear addition to 20 feet in depth, removed lower-level garage parking, and will retain two exterior parking spaces. Chen said the revised dwelling would be about "2,425 square feet." A nearby owner, who identified himself as Jonas of 134 Willow St., said the neighborhood sits in a flood zone and already uses basement mitigation systems; he urged the board to limit added impervious surface because "we already have mitigation systems in our basement" and asked where…