By Tom Nash The Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a controversial 35-room hotel and restaurant project at 371 Beacon St. last week despite only receiving a complete application on the day of the meeting. The project has been unpopular with neighbors who say the site where the project would be located, an abandoned gas station on the corner of Somerville Avenue and Beacon Street, is too congested with traffic. Residents have also expressed concerns that the developer would not have the funds to complete the hotel.

Much of the Jan. 20 ZBA meeting was spent by both Planning Board staff and project attorney Richard DiGirolamo explaining why it didn't matter that the application turned in to the city did not include the address, phone number or actual identity of the applicant, as required by Somerville ordinance.

"We realize there was not a signature on the signature page," Planning Director George Proakis said. "I brought this up with Mr. DiGirolamo, and he supplied them to me."

Residents who registered concerns about traffic congestion and parking issues were largely rebuffed by the board members, who said the development would help revitalize Somerville's side of Porter Square.

"Over a course of hearings and the design review process, I think what I'm looking at is a fabulous design," Chairman Herbert Foster said. "That particular site has been an eyesore for years … I don't think this project is going to impact traffic in that area all that much."

Seth Goodman, who has led opposition to the hotel project, said questions regarding the site owner's multiple appearances in civil court for withholding of renters' security deposits and lack of information on the application were largely ignored by the board.

"Surely enough troubling questions about the developer and their application were raised that, at a minimum, the ZBA should have continued the case to get to the bottom of things," Goodman said in an e-mail after the hearing.

"Many doubts have been raised as to the developer's stewardship of such a visible project that could have significant negative impact on it's immediate area if not managed properly," he added. "We would like some answers."

Community group Somerville Residents for Sensible Development issued a statement on Monday condemning the city for not vetting the project more thoroughly. Five ordinances proposed by the group currently before the Board of Aldermen include a measure mandating full disclosure of who owns or would benefit from a development project.

"These are exactly the kinds of situations our full-disclosure ordinance will prevent from happening," group member Teri Swartzel said in a statement.