LYNN — The Conservation Commission will stop all hearings and items related to an eight-home subdivision known as Lanzillo Lane, until the applicant, Frank Lanzillo, refiles the project application.
The commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to table any more votes related to the project as newly-appointed members were not present at a meeting about the project in December 2021.
The refiling of the project would restart at the December 2021 date rather than the original filing date of Jan. 6, 2020.
Assistant City Solicitor James Lamanna appeared before the commission Tuesday and said the Law Department recommended the best course of action was for Lanzillo to refile the project dating back to the December meeting. This would give new members additional information.
Lanzillo’s attorney, Sam Vitali, said it is unclear when or if his client would refile the project.
“We would have to talk to the Law Department and understand the process,” Vitali said. “What we have right now is a plan that was dated and revised to comply with the concerns of the commission.”
Vitali wanted the commission to vote on the plan Tuesday after it underwent two years of site visits and peer reviews.
“At this point, we’ve done everything that is required and more,” he said. “No matter what we do, it seems like we are never going to reach the finish line. There might be differences of opinion and I understand, but to hold somebody in limbo for over two years isn’t right. Let’s have some finality on this plan.”
Recently-appointed commission member Paul Guthro said the reason he wants Lanzillo to refile is because he wants to see the project completed without breaking any regulations related to drainage or stormwater systems.
“It has been extremely frustrating going through this process,” Guthro said. “I would have liked a Lynn Water & Sewer engineer here with us tonight to talk about this like I asked at the last meeting.”
Michael Toomey, a commission member who lives in the neighborhood where the development is proposed, did praise Lanzillo’s recent draft dated March 8 that added a stormwater checklist. He added, however, that halting discussion of the project and asking for a refile was the best course of action.
“We now have a stormwater checklist, which is required under the Wetlands Protection Act,” Toomey said. “I am not, however, going against the law department’s advice.”
Lanzillo Lane is the project of the Danvers-based Z&L Development Company. The site of the project is on Judge and Quinn roads, a residential area near Lynn Woods that sits 100 feet from a wetlands area.
Due to its proximity, the plan requires approval from the commission, which has not decided on the project’s submission for more than two years.
“We just want to bring this long process to an end,” Vitali said.
