Planning Board approves site plan for 10 Independence Ave.; developer to fund intersection, sidewalk upgrades

The Quincy Planning Board on Dec. 18 approved a site plan and parking-waiver special permit for a residential redevelopment at 10 Independence Avenue, subject to 20 special and general conditions that include engineered streetscape work, an impact fee and stormwater and public‑works requirements.

The approval follows a continued public hearing at which the applicant, Marina Bay Management Services LLC, represented by attorney Jeff Toccio and Crocker Design Group, responded to city review comments and presented rooftop and streetscape exhibits showing condenser placement, elevator head‑house height and proposed sidewalk enhancements. Planning staff read the department recommendation and the board voted to accept the recommended conditions.

The board’s approval requires the applicant to obtain any necessary zoning variances and special permits, submit a final engineered streetscape and restriping plan for review by the Department of Public Works and the Department of Traffic, Parking, Alarm and Lighting, and reconstruct sidewalks along the full property frontage to ADA and AAB standards. The developer must also provide a $20,000 impact fee to TPAL (Traffic, Parking, Alarm and Lighting) for further engineering design and construction of roadway and signal elements; obtain drain and building permits; perform pre‑ and post‑development sewer inspections; submit a three‑year stormwater operation and maintenance plan recorded at the Norfolk Registry of Deeds; and meet a series of construction and environmental controls including asbestos, rodent and dust plans.

During the hearing, project representatives said the elevator head house is 6 feet 6 inches tall and roof condensers will be recessed toward the center of the roof and located roughly 25 feet back from the Franklin Street façade. They presented line‑of‑sight exhibits intended to show that the head house and condensers will be difficult to see from Franklin Street, Independence Avenue and the nearby intersection at Adams House, and that the street modifications and curb extension will move curb openings away from the intersection.

Neighbors and local planners raised concerns about building height, compatibility with surrounding historic buildings and traffic safety. Richard Sweeney and Ken Reardon said the building appeared large for the lot and voiced concerns about visual scale and vehicle access near a busy intersection. Mary Ann Peek, superintendent of Adams National Historical Park, spoke briefly in support of careful review and preservation of views to historic resources. A resident who lives directly across the street said the existing site is blighted and expressed support for redevelopment.

Planning staff noted that issues of maximum height and historic district review fall to other boards—the Zoning Board of Appeal for height relief and the Historic Commission for preservation concerns—and that the Planning Board’s authority on this application was site plan review and the parking waiver. The staff memo also reminded the board that the city’s affordable‑housing trigger for required affordable units applies only at 10 or more units; this proposal contains nine units and therefore is not subject to the city’s inclusionary requirement.

The motion to accept the department’s recommendation and the 20 special/general conditions passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The conditions include requirements for final engineered streetscape plans, ADA‑compliant sidewalk reconstruction, the $20,000 TPAL contribution, drainage permits, water‑flow testing, erosion‑control inspections, television inspection of adjacent sewer infrastructure, stormwater O&M procedures and recording, asbestos and rodent plans, dust control, construction management plans, survey monuments, AutoCAD as‑built files and certifications of utility construction.

With those conditions accepted, the board approved the site plan and special permit by unanimous voice vote; the applicant must satisfy the listed conditions before issuance of building or occupancy permits.