A push to develop a small parcel of land in West Roxbury has sparked a heated debate—and could become a measure of Boston’s willingness to deviate from existing zoning regulations in order to push new residential development across the city.

Allandale Woods , in West Roxbury, sits on Boston’s western edge, right before city becomes the suburbs. The 86-acre patch of forest is tucked between several residential properties, and sits behind an old stone wall that runs along the periphery.

If you’re driving by, Allandale Woods is easy to miss. Step inside and walk for a few minutes, though, and the sights and sounds of the city fade away. In certain spots, Boston actually becomes invisible, with the sound of birdsong drowning out the noise of traffic. 

Which helps explain why a proposed development nearby has sparked a sharp backlash. Developer Jacqueline Nunez wants to build 20 new residential units on a two-acre parcel right next to the forest—land that’s currently occupied by a single-family home, and is zoned for single-family use.

An artist’s rendering of the project is both futuristic and bucolic. The town homes have sloping, triangular roofs, and are tucked between appealingly lush greenery, like an outtake from the film “Avatar.”

In fact, the project’s greenness is its calling card. Nunez says the 64 Allandale development, as it’s called, will create an entire neighborhood that is “net zero”—populated by homes so environmentally sound that they actually produce as much energy as they consume.

But on Monday, the vast majority of the approximately 100 people who packed a Boston Redevelopment Authority meeting on the project seemed to see it as a threat.

Will Holton lives next door, in a seniors’ community that was heavily represented at the meeting. He’s convinced that the tranquility of Allandale Woods will be destroyed if the project becomes a reality.

“Twenty three-bedroom condos, probably people of all ages, including children,” Holton said. “It’s not going to be real quiet.”

But there was another, broader concern voiced Monday—namely, that the city of Boston is poised to go on a high-density development spree that will see existing zoning regulations fall by the wayside.

Jackie Lees lives right next to Allandale Woods. She said she chose her home after carefully researching the neighborhood’s zoning guidelines—and that for Bostonians concerned about zoning compliance, the project is a “canary in a coalmine.”

“I think this is the point where we, as a city, should say zoning should matter for something,” Lees said. “It’s a contract with residents. It’s a contract with the community.”

“If they’ll do it here,” Lees added, referring to a possible zoning variance for the developer, “they’ll do it anywhere.”

Nunez and her team told the crowd gathered in West Roxbury’s BCYF Roche Community Center that the project’s environmental benefits would be considerable. For example, they said the parcel earmarked for development is currently packed with invasive vegetation—which would be replaced by native species if the plan proceeds. Those, in turn, could help repopulate Allandale Woods, they suggested.

A handful of attendees spoke in support of the project. One warned that if Nunez’s vision doesn’t become a reality, a different developer could end up packing the site with mundane McMansions.

Another West Roxbury resident, Michael Loconto, said Nunez’s proposal represents exactly the kind of project Boston should be embracing in the years to come.

“When you think about the way our city’s laid out, we don’t have a lot of open space left,” Loconto said. “So when we do have open space, we’ve got to make sure we’re utilizing it in the best possible way.”

“When I look at a project like this, that takes care to utilize sustainable materials and provide a product that is respectful of the environment…it should be applauded for the effort that it’s making,” Loconoto added.

The debate over the 64 Allandale development comes at a time when Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is urging Boston to build aggressively. He’s called for the construction of 53,000 new housing units by the year 2030.

Whether the Allandale Street development will be part of that total depends, in part, on what the Boston Redevelopment Authority does next. The BRA is soliciting comments on the proposal through May 5.

Even if the BRA ultimately backs the project, Boston’s Zoning Board of Appeals will need to grant a variance—allowing the construction of multifamily homes on a site zoned for single-family use—in order for it to proceed.