A project that would replace an existing two-family house with a 26-unit residential development on Minot Street in Dorchester drew overwhelming opposition from neighbors during a Boston Planning Department public meeting last Thursday (April 9).
The proposal by property owners Jim Pascal Jr. and Tyler Pascal would replace portions of an existing property at 39 Minot St. with three buildings totaling 26 condominium units. Plans include a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, 20 parking spaces, and four-story structures with roof decks.
“We do understand from the previous meetings that there’s strong opposition to this project,” said George Morancy, an attorney who represents the Pascals.
Morancy was referencing a community meeting sponsored by three local civic groups held at the Richard J. Murphy School on March 25 in which scores of neighbors jammed the cafeteria to hear the plans and offer input.
That opposition was evident throughout the one-hour-and-twenty minute meeting, as more than 70 attendees—many of them abutters—voiced concerns.
City Councillor Erin Murphy summed up the general theme of opponents saying: “We’re not just talking about this is a little too much, this is a little too aggressive. This is going to be life changing to so many of these neighbors and not just the direct abutters…There are many Chickatawbut [Street] neighbors are on here, just that whole neighborhood.”
Councillor Erin Murphy. Reporter file photo by Seth Daniel
Murphy told neighbors she will be submitting a letter to the Boston Planning Dept. to urge that the project be rejected.
Many residents said the scale of the proposal is out of step with the surrounding neighborhood, which is largely made up of single- and two-family homes.
Lauren Woods, a member of the Cedar Grove Civic Association, urged the developers to significantly scale back their plan.
“This isn’t Neponset Ave… it is Minot Street, the middle of a very residential area,” she said.
Parking and traffic impacts were among the most frequently cited concerns. The proposal includes 20 off-street parking spaces—less than one per unit.
“It can be a very tight street… I’m wondering how that would be handled,” said one resident, citing fears about fire and ambulance access.
Other abutters described potential impacts ranging from noise and loss of sunlight to privacy concerns from roof decks.
“We’ll have roof decks looking down into our kitchen… we’ll have no more sunlight,” said one neighbor whose property directly borders the site.
Several speakers expressed frustration that earlier feedback had not led to changes in the proposal.
“There is not a single thing on this plan that has been changed,” one resident said.
Others questioned whether community input would ultimately influence the outcome.
“When is it enough that you hear ‘no’?” asked Minot Street resident Maggie Mancuso.
Steven Harvey, the project manager for the Boston Planning Dept., encouraged residents to submit formal written comments.
“All the comments that we’re receiving now will be part of this feedback document,” said Harvey, noting the comment period remains open through April 24 at the city’s project page.
Harvey summarized the central concerns as “size, scale, and density, parking and congestion, and overall effect on the community.”
Morancy said it is open to considering changes, including potential adjustments to parking, but no revisions have yet been presented.
