Board rejects plans to expand 2-family house to 5 condos in South Boston

The Zoning Board of Appeal today rejected plans to expand a two-family house at 847 East 5th St. into a five-unit condo building, saying it was completely out of character with the triple deckers on the rest of the block and had too much parking.

As it did with a smaller redevelopment proposal for the site in 2020, the board rejected the plans without prejudice, which means developer James McClure can come back with revised plans in less than a year.

Board member Hansy Better Barraza said she had no problems with putting five units on the site, but said the way the proposed building was "massed" was not in character with the surrounding neighborhood. "It's a very kind of suburban typology to bring here," she said.

Board member Katie Whewell objected to the seven parking spaces, to be arranged mostly under the building, and the loss of open space on the lot.

Rendering of building's proposed rear, showing decks and some parking:

Direct neighbors, the City Point Neighborhood Association and City Councilor Ed Flynn questioned whether there was enough room for the drivers of parked cars to maneuver to get out of the spaces without causing a menace to pedestrians and children playing nearby, said the building would create a wall right at the property line that would deprive neighbors on both sides of sunlight and fresh air.

"All of our sunlight comes through windows" that would be completely blocked by the new building, one neighbor said.

McClure's attorney, Kevin Cloutier, said BTD raised no objections to the planned parking and said there was enough room that drivers could make a three-point turn and leave the building head on, rather than in reverse. He said McClure specifically put in seven spaces to stave off any concerns from the neighborhood about the proposal causing parking problems on the street.