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Large Tower Road proposal continued after board expresses concern over scale and FAR
Summary
The Zoning Board continued an application for a new 3,548‑sq‑ft home at 9 Tower Road that requires multiple variances (front, side, rear setbacks and FAR). Board members said the design is too large for the lot and asked the applicant to return August 25 with revisions.
An application to construct a new single‑family home at 9 Tower Road was continued to August 25 after the Zoning Board expressed widespread concern about the proposal’s size and lot coverage.
Architect Qiong Wu presented a 3,548‑sq‑ft modern house for a 10,890‑sq‑ft R2 lot that would require several variances, including a front setback reduction, side‑yard relief, a large rear setback variance and a substantial increase in habitable floor area ratio (32.6% proposed vs. 18% allowed). Wu explained that the lot is smaller than typical for R2 and that the design seeks to meet modern family needs; the board repeatedly pushed back on whether the proposed massing and FAR are appropriate for the Tower Road neighborhood.
Board members noted Tower Road’s atypical lot sizes and said the proposal looked more like an R3/R4 scale home on a smaller lot. One member summarized the concern: the plan "is just too much house for the size lot that it is." After extended questioning and comments, the applicant requested a short recess to consult the client; the hearing was continued to August 25, 2026 without re‑notice.
The continuance preserves the board’s comments and schedules the application for further review at the next available hearing date.
