ATTLEBORO — The owner of a 8.6-acre parcel tucked between MacDonald Lane in Attleboro, John Rezza Drive in North Attleboro and Interstate 295 got stiff opposition to its application for a zoning change that would allow the construction of 24 duplex homes.
Opponents argued at a public hearing before the city council and planning board Tuesday that the 48 total units would send streams of cars through their single-family home neighborhoods.
MacDonald is a four-home road and would serve as the access to the development, while John Rezza, which backs up to the parcel in North Attleboro, is already heavily used as a “cut through,” residents said.
Residents on both roads don’t want more traffic.
Parcel owner, Laurel Knoll Land Trust, could put 16 single-family homes on the hilly and heavily wooded lot by right under current zoning, but is hoping to triple that.
The land is currently zoned for single-family homes. Laurel Knoll is seeking a general residence designation which allows more homes on the same size lot.
A traffic engineer for Laurel Knoll said peak traffic on MacDonald would be 22 vehicle trips in the morning and 27 in the evening if the project is built.
Laurel Knoll’s lawyer, Ed Casey, argued the development would add to the diminishing housing stock in the city, while engineer Scott Rolfe said that the huge “baby-boomer” generation, those born between 1946 and 1966, will need homes like these as they retire and “downsize” which they’re already doing in big numbers.
Casey said the increase in density is also needed to accommodate young couples starting out.
He said the homes would be “upscale.”
Preliminary plans call for the homes to contain 1,600 square feet, have a master bedroom on the first floor and two other bedrooms on the second floor and sell for as much as $370,000.
Councilor Richard Conti argued that the homes can’t be both upscale and starter homes.
Elizabeth Sousa of MacDonald Lane said the project is too big.
“We basically want it to stay as is,” she said. “We feel it’s way too much for our area.”
John Cangiano of Rezza Drive agreed.
“If they are going to do something there, they need to shrink it up,” he said.
The planning board will issue a recommendation before the council takes a vote.
George W. Rhodes can be reached at 508-236-0432.
