LYNN — A proposed eight-home subdivision at Judge and Quinn roads, a residential area near Lynn Woods, is drawing heavy opposition from community members.
Residents say they are concerned the new development will cause their homes to flood, increase traffic in the area and that blasting will damage their property.
There are also concerns about the impact on wildlife, because the existing forested land would be cleared to allow for the construction of the single-family homes, according to a proposal from Danvers-based Z&L Development. The project was discussed at Tuesday’s Conservation Commission meeting
“We’re not happy,” said Theresa Collins, who lives at 54 Judge Road. “There’s so many new developments. We’ve gone from a dead end to too many houses around here, plus the water that’s going to come into our cellars, plus the trucks and drilling and blasting. I wish they’d just leave it alone.”
Collins, 53, said the development would essentially be built in her backyard; a portion would be directly behind her house. Her backyard continues uphill and her fear is that stormwater runoff from the development will affect everyone on her street.
The area’s drainage system is already old and doesn’t work properly, added Collins’ neighbor, Ken Noseworthy, who said his home has flooded at least four times over the 15 years he’s lived there. A new development would exacerbate that situation and would also increase traffic, he said.
“The water goes downhill like a river,” said Noseworthy, 70. “They’re adding more drainage to a system that doesn’t work.”
No vote was taken on the proposed development at Tuesday’s meeting, which was attended by more than 30 neighbors who oppose the project, said Mary Lester, chairwoman of the Conservation Commission.
Six of the proposed homes are within 100 feet of a protected wetlands buffer zone and need to be approved by the Conservation Commission. The board voted to table a vote on those homes until the developer receives approval from the Planning Board, which is scheduled to discuss the project on Feb. 11.
Up for discussion that evening was the developer’s other notice of intent filed for the project that falls within the jurisdiction of the commission. That project is for construction of a road that would intersect at Judge and Quinn roads and serve as an entryway for the subdivision, Lester said.
The 400-foot paved road would be built from Judge Road and wind around the project area in a cul-de-sac, creating frontage for the eight lots and access for two of the lots on Quinn Road to avoid a disturbance to the wetlands area, according to Frank Lanzillo, owner of Z&L Development.
Lester said the commission tabled a vote on the road as well. But the five-member panel unanimously voted to request a site visit with the developer, on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 9 a.m. The visit will be open to the public and is meant to give commission members a better sense of the project and wetlands area, she said.
The commission has also asked the development company to rework their drainage system plan and stormwater runoff calculations, which the panel believes are inadequate, Lester said.
Lester said the commission, which next meets on Tuesday, Feb. 18, is “a long ways” from voting on the project because it first needs approval from the Planning Board and Lynn Water & Sewer Commission. She noted she doesn’t have a firm grasp on the proposal, but has doubts based on the initial presentation.
“I feel there’s a possibility it would have a lot of negative impact towards abutters and people in the general area, just at a first glance,” said Lester. “I also don’t know what’s in the wetlands until they come in with a plan stating such.”
Michael Toomey, a Conservation Commission member who lives in the neighborhood where the development is proposed, declined comment.
If approved, the 2,200-2,500 square-foot homes in “Lanzillo Lane Subdivision” would sell for approximately $739,000 and two would be rented out to needy families in Lynn for a 60 percent discount on market-rate rent, Lanzillo said.
Lanzillo said he purchased the land four years ago. One of the homes would be for himself, another would be for his sister and the others would provide “much needed homes for the area.” The homes would include three to four bedrooms.
“It’s not really for money,” said Lanzillo. “I’m not like your average greedy developer. I have friends that are realtors and friends that are asking for houses and there are not enough houses available.”
Lanzillo purchased a house at 32 Judge Road from Albert DiVirgilio II, son of a former Lynn mayor, last May for $585,000, and has rented it out. But the tenant is waiting to buy the home until the subdivision is approved and the land is split into 10,000 square-foot lots, Lanzillo said.
No relief is needed from the Zoning Board of Appeals, as the district’s zoning allows for the homes, Lanzillo said.
Regarding the heavy opposition from the neighborhood, Lanzillo said many of the concerns were frivolous in nature, but his team would work to address valid concerns, such as issues with drainage.
“I’m really looking forward to developing the area and working with the neighbors on any valid concerns,” said Lanzillo.
But the concerns are anything but frivolous to neighbors such as Bob Roche and Jodi Langella, who live at 87 Quinn Road and 46 Judge Road respectively.
Roche said the development would be right behind his house. He’s gone through blasting with a past project, which damaged his pool and his home’s cellar wall.
“(They’re) going to do it again and offering me no recourse,” said Roche. “Neighbors who will have water in their cellar will have more. I’m very hopeful it never happens.”
If the development is approved, Langella said she will try to sell her home. She grew up in the neighborhood and moved back six years ago.
“I think it’s an awful idea,” said Langella, who echoed her neighbors’ concerns. “I moved back thinking it was a nice, quiet neighborhood and boom, there’s going to be a McMansion in my backyard. It’s not fair.”