LAKEVILLE — A scheduled Zoning Board public hearing March 21 on a proposal to build 200 housing units on six parcels off Freetown Street drew more people than the Lakeville Library parking lot could accommodate, causing the hearing to be postponed to a future date.

Simonds Hill LCC has proposed building 200 units, including 44 single-family homes, 46 duplex cottages catering to an older demographic and 11 10-unit condominium buildings. At least 50 of the units will be deemed affordable and restricted to people with low to moderate incomes.

Because of the affordable units components, the project falls under the regulations of Chapter 40B. That state mandate allows developers to bypass certain zoning requirements if less than 10 percent of the community’s housing stock is considered affordable.

The hearing drew so much interest that residents were turned away, apparently for lack of parking, Zoning Board Chair John Olivieri Jr. told the audience. “The town underestimated the number of people’’ who would show up when they chose the library for a location, he said.

Having a discussion after people have been turned away would be a violation of open meeting law, he said. Instead, Olivieri opened the public hearing only so the board could agree to continue the issue to a future meeting.

At the next Zoning Board meeting on April 25, a date and location will be selected for the continued public hearing, Olivieri said. The likely location will be at one of the schools in town.

Lakeville has 180 days to make a determination on the project. The developer could have extended that timeframe in light of the postponement of the hearing  but opted not to, Olivieri said. This brings the decision deadline to Sept. 17.

Olivieri assured the large and at times vocal audience that “everyone will have a time to talk’’ at the rescheduled public hearing.

Although no official public comment was allowed, some in the large crowd were vocal about the issue, with one resident saying the project was “forced down our throats.’’

Town Counsel Amy Kwesel said that before a final decision is made, the board will listen to public concerns and the project will likely “change’’ from its current iteration.

“We will try to get a better outcome,’’ she said.