Lynn ZBA will hear Green St. proposal again

LYNN – Sean Crowley will appear before the Zoning Board of Appeals Tuesday for the fourth time in as many months to try once again to win approval for his Green Street development project.Crowley first pitched a proposal to build six row houses on 113-117 Green Street but after a meeting with neighbors agreed to downsize the plan to five homes. Neighbors have protested the size of the project, the fact it would overshadow their homes and in their opinion, lower their property values.Crowley calls their concerns unfounded.”I was born in 105 (Green Street),” he said. “My sister bought the house and lives there now. I bought 107 ? I’m not going anywhere. I’m clearly invested in the area.”ZBA members sent Crowley back to the drawing board at its last meeting in June when member Norm Cole claimed that the plans Crowley submitted did not match what he was proposing to do. Member Jeanne Curley scolded Crowley for wasting the board’s time and told him he should be prepared for a decision to be rendered Tuesday. Cole and Ron Mendez also warned Crowley that this would be his last chance to win them over.Crowley maintains that his plan will improve the neighborhood and “eliminate the attractive nuisance that comes with having three empty lots on the street.”While Councilor at large Daniel Cahill has sided with the neighbors speaking out against the project Crowley has at least one city official in his corner. Community Development Director James Marsh said he thought the project would be good for the neighborhood. He said the project would offer market rate homes that could add up to $15,000 to the city tax rolls and it would clean up a blighted area.”He lives there, his sister lives there, he’s invested in the project,” Marsh said. “It’s five two-bedroom units and he’s a mere 50 feet away.”Neighbors have said they believe Crowley will take the money made from the project and use it to move off Green Street but Crowley said he has no plans to do that.”I’ve lived here my whole life and I have no plans to leave now,” he said.The ZBA hearing will be held Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in City Hall, room 302.