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Quincy zoning board continues hearing on proposed subdivision and duplex at 56 Meadowbrook Road amid board concern over lot size
Summary
The board continued a request to subdivide a roughly 9,600-square-foot lot at 56 Meadowbrook Road into two parcels and build a duplex on the rear parcel after members said the resulting lots would be too small and the duplex too dense for the neighborhood.
The Quincy Zoning Board continued consideration of a proposal to subdivide a roughly 9,600-square-foot lot at 56 Meadowbrook Road and construct a duplex on the newly created rear parcel after several board members said the proposed lot sizes and duplex would be inconsistent with current dimensional standards.
Rob Fleming, representing the applicant, told the board the proposal would split the property into a front lot of about 4,840 square feet that would retain the existing single-family house and a rear vacant parcel of about 4,760 square feet to be developed with a duplex. The design calls for each duplex unit to have two bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, one under‑garage parking space per unit, and additional driveway parking; Fleming said the relief requested concerns dimensional variances and a finding that the proposal would not be substantially more detrimental to the neighborhood.
Why it matters: Board members repeatedly said the proposed rear parcel would be too small for a two-family building under current standards and expressed a preference for smaller single-family infill units or other configurations that fit the neighborhood's scale. The board set a follow-up hearing to allow the applicant to revise plans.
Several members noted that the neighborhood contains a mix of single-family and multi-family lots created under earlier subdivision standards, but that the board should apply current minimum-lot-size expectations rather than replicate older, smaller lots. One board member said: "I prefer to use today's standards than yesterday's standards when I'm making this kind of decision." Another member said a 4,700-square-foot lot "no possible way would I approve" for a duplex.
The applicant told the board the proposal would be subject to Conservation Commission review and that an order of conditions would be requested at the commission's upcoming meeting. The applicant said the duplex would be constructed to meet applicable regulations and that stormwater controls would be implemented; the Conservation Commission review was described as pending and scheduled after this hearing.
Action: The board voted to continue the matter to April 22 to give the applicant time to revise plans and provide additional materials. No variances or special permits were granted or denied at the meeting.
Ending: The hearing was continued; the applicant was asked to provide revised plans to the board and staff at least one week before the continued hearing so the board and neighbors can review.
