Townhouses rejected on narrow Dorchester street

The Zoning Board of Appeals today rejected a developer's plan for seven townhouse units on a lot on Plain Street between Oakton Avenue and Chickatawbut Street, after both neighbors and city officials said the project was too dense in a neighborhood of single-family homes.

The board rejected David Higgins's proposal without prejudice, which means he can come back with a smaller proposal.

Higgins sought permission for seven, two-bedroom units - down from his originally proposed eight - with ten parking spaces. He needed board approval because the land is zoned for two single-family homes, not several connected townhouses.

Several neighbors of the parcel, though, said that would mean too much traffic on the street. One resident, Michael McLoud, who has lived on Plain Street for 30 years, said it would ruin his fast approaching retirement, which he was hoping to enjoy without having to deal with all that traffic and density. William Follett said it would set a "dire precedent" to allow more multi-family development in the neighborhood.

The mayor's office and the offices of city councilors Frank Baker (Dorchester) and Michael Flaherty (at large) sided with the residents who opposed the proposal.

One neighbor, Beth Collins, however, supported Higgins, saying she loved the 9,000 square feet of open space as well as the off-street parking that Higgins proposed.