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Quincy board continues 66 Middlesex height case; orders revised plans and conservation review
Summary
The ZBA continued a request to increase a house to three stories at 66 Middlesex St., requiring new plans that keep the building’s height the same as currently exists, add a half bath in the basement, and confirm conservation/DEP review of any digging.
The Quincy Zoning Board of Appeals on May 27 continued a contested application for 66 Middlesex St., where the applicant sought a finding or variance to increase the number of stories and add living space. The board set a June 10 continued hearing and directed the applicant to submit revised plans addressing neighbor concerns about overall height and site work.
Architect Jim Chen presented the case and said the third-floor dormer shown in earlier plans had been removed to avoid a variance for height. "The Third Floor dormer has been eliminated from the drawing," Chen told the board. He described plans to extend the footprint by about 7 feet, 4-1/4 inches to the rear while preserving three bedrooms overall. Residents, however, repeatedly said they were told at an earlier hearing the project would not increase the building height and voiced confusion when the architect described raising first-floor ceiling heights to 9 feet.
Neighbors at the hearing described the existing house as having 7-foot ceilings and contested how much the finished roof peak would change. John Costello and other neighbors asked the board to require a precise certified measurement: the board directed the applicant to obtain a current survey so the exact change in overall height and ridge elevation can be verified prior to any vote. Some neighbors also expressed concerns about the project increasing living area substantially and adding bathrooms and potential future short-term rentals.
At the close of that discussion the board voted to continue the matter to June 10 at 6 p.m., ordering specific revisions: updated dimensional forms reflecting that the roofline and overall height remain the same as currently measured, inclusion of a half bath in the basement plan, removal of attic living space ("nothing in the attic"), and an updated dimensional page that corrects apparent copy‑paste errors in the prior submission. The board also made continued consideration conditional on confirmation from conservation and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that any proposed excavation or "digging" for the rear addition does not trigger additional jurisdictional review.
The motion to continue, with those conditions, passed by voice vote. The board said staff will contact relevant departments to confirm whether the rear excavation requires DEP or local conservation commission review before the June 10 hearing.
Votes at a glance: Motion to continue to June 10, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., subject to revised plans that keep height the same, add a half bath in the basement, eliminate attic living space, correct dimension forms, and confirm conservation/DEP review — approved by voice vote.
