Proposed Lynn housing project creates firestorm

LYNN – A proposed housing development at 10-12 Hutchinson Court has abutters and residents on surrounding streets up in arms.Reportedly an overcrowded street as it is, residents spoke out in opposition to the proposal at a Zoning Board of Appeals meeting Tuesday, citing added congestion to the intersection of Hutchinson and Essex streets.Petitioner Robert Zaccagnini’s proposal calls for a two family and a single family home to be constructed on one lot that residents claim is undersized.Resident Jackie Glass said the added homes would make the narrow street that winds its way up to High Rock Tower virtually inaccessible by medical and emergency vehicles.”Everything that they (Zaccagninis) are proposing affects me and I am against this project,” she said. “That lot is only 7,152 square feet and you need about 10,000 square feet just for a single family, so it’s just too small to begin with.”Attorney Sam Vitali, who is representing the Zaccagnini family, said the project is actually appropriately sized for the lot that Robert acquired in the 1990s and the adjoining lot that he owns as well.”The spot previously contained a two family and a four family up until the 1980s, but the buildings got in disrepair and they were torn down,” he said. “What’s interesting, though, is that Glass owns a two family building at 51-53 Campbell St. on a 4,000 square foot lot and another two family at 17 Hutchinson on a 3,000 square foot lot, so it’s apparently one rule for her and one rule for everyone else.”Glass, who hired attorney George Richardson to represent her at the ZBA hearing, said the undeveloped lot is currently used to provide parking for seven to 12 cars and questioned where else they would fit.”They (Zaccagninis) own two other properties on the street and those people park there,” she said. “So the cars would have to go on the street if the property was developed and it’s already congested.”Because of the dispute, Zoning Board of Appeals chairman John Volo said the hearing was continued until Zaccagnini could further explain the proposal at the next ZBA hearing on April 1.”This project is no different than any other project in Lynn, there have been a lot just like this,” he said. “But it depends on what the neighborhood residents think about it overall.”Volo said further explanation would help determine whether the project is a palatable one.Regardless of an explanation, Camble Terrace resident John Nalewski said he doubts he will ever be satisfied with the current proposal.”The problem is that this project poses a horrible safety hazard and an access problem as well,” he said. “It’s a beautiful, safe neighborhood now and I’m going to have to object to both.”Vitali said the only requirement that the Zaccagninis do not meet is that they need a variance for the apartment house zoned district.”We have five parking spots proposed and the project would even mean less density than the prior use for the neighborhood,” he said.Aside from traffic woes, Glass claimed other inequities are in the mix, such as rumors that a member of the Zaccagninis offered gratuities to ZBA members in exchange for their vote of approval.”I’m actually nervous about the whole thing because my daughter told me that one of the Zaccagninis told her that it wouldn’t be unusual to find car tires slashed if anyone opposed the proposal,” she said. “I know there are other residents afraid to speak out in the neighborhood about the development too, and that’s not right.”Vitali discounted the rumor and said 16 neighborhood homeowners signed a petition in favor of the project.