[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6228979,"mediaKeyId","3465364-65c8b24c8aaa42800536163319d7c53e","parentId",3465364,"title","Planning board closes Scenic Road Act hearing for 11 Edgewater after applicant and arborists agree on tree plan","audioSeconds",213,"startMs",240000,"endMs",453000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3465364-65c8b24c8aaa42800536163319d7c53e&start=240&end=453","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3465364-65c8b24c8aaa42800536163319d7c53e/thumbnail_240000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6228979/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Planning-board-closes-Scenic-Road-Act-hearing-for-11-Edgewater-after-applicant-and-arborists-agree-on-tree-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228979-8f6898a2dd9ab2876048fa67223bbad8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448565&Signature=ECrQ9EB5Ahb3wTvKGbB1~yHJ0zWTqVRLwwhnAUgNRMYoSY7wwQzcdbaSS2JXHpywZmOl6LcbYBim6bz8fMMuU4mHgjNoI43LXqflQLQo63Wr6dHerYU3b-mdfLiOblLUUXDnTqPRp8keHgUINCNiJPcr2LBRQT3i~SAqIFC1b0VfFiyBhGlKLltF7VRssIxluA0gDjGgzY-gau7d3mucNUotvGkHlJWfkNPbwJX~fzXf3I0lQ~2HnSSOP4VU8n4uy9KFLH-QtpFUAmC4iRu4mFzk8-RSPL-6uD6s9TSNglIG5EyJKeQnHHBxkh3QxQ2-8eADKoTwBatDyWAIOcPqjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Needham, MA","date","2025-05-23T16:29:52.12Z","article","During a brief public hearing, a homeowner seeking Scenic Road Act and public shade tree approvals described a planting plan for 11 Edgewater Drive. The applicant said he worked with town staff — including the tree warden and an arborist — on a plan that replaces multiple trees in the scenic‑road buffer and adds additional trees on both sides of the property.

The board confirmed it had received comments from the town’s engineering department and that police and building departments had no objections. With no public opposition or outstanding technical comments, a board member moved to close the hearing; the board voted to close the hearing and indicated the project will move forward to the next administrative steps for permit issuance.

Ending: The applicant was thanked by board members; no further hearings were scheduled in the public record for this item at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Board 05/20/2025","oneSentenceSummary","An Edgewater Drive homeowner presented a planting and removal plan for a Scenic Road Act/public shade tree application; the board closed the hearing after confirming town arborist involvement and that engineering and police had no objections.","taxTitle","Town of Needham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",54445,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6228983,"Beth Israel Needham proposes 52‑space valet lot across Chestnut; board presses for pedestrian buffer",123,4163000,4286000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3465364-65c8b24c8aaa42800536163319d7c53e&start=4163&end=4286","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3465364-65c8b24c8aaa42800536163319d7c53e/thumbnail_4163000.jpg","/articles/6228983/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Beth-Israel-Needham-proposes-52space-valet-lot-across-Chestnut-board-presses-for-pedestrian-buffer","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228983-3c78c1d9269ab73291f039a6193e6e3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448565&Signature=D97I3vUC6wZNrTHDaWHWmOHjP~gfd~qYBXApGkUxG8BwlSEQDgB4YAR8EBBwvBEOh-ILghxFUaTvWj3ooAMA80gfQyRm1KkLLBWNpN80vG5jqfb1HEdeGfA9npmnMtzc2ilwWvQdjGY0sQpxJtAw-Z03FXxIeMXyskpe9M5XKzhrFWp8s0NxjRgryHdqZgwTpZG16DEGOIV3hBGshDI0OR~19dLI7sdwYdKgd2SFcqdJhKedmbRdlnSVKADewpXfp9-XKKSiRsvtQLZZLUzr~OS023xW49QXpZgc~GfV4AgOFolKYsm3Twsr~KEIL43o3Pn89KbZ57rOtTqIF-MwxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Beth Israel Deaconess (BID) Needham presented a plan to demolish two properties on Oak Street and convert the lots into a valet‑only parking area intended to relieve on‑site visitor parking shortages.

John Fogarty, president of BID Needham, said hospital demand has risen since nearby hospitals closed and that the hospital’s emergency and outpatient volumes now exceed past levels. “We’re playing a little bit of catch up,” Fogarty said, describing the proposal as a short‑term strategy to reduce patient circling and access challenges.

The applicant’s architect and parking consultant showed a layout for a valet operation that would add 52 spaces to the hospital’s existing on‑site capacity. Board member Adam Block summarized the arithmetic the team used: by his count the hospital currently has about 152 on‑site spaces and the proposal would add 52, bringing the site total to about 206 spaces.

Why it matters: The lots lie on Oak Street between Chestnut and the railroad, within walking distance of downtown and residential properties. Residents and board members were concerned about how a permanent, paved lot at the sidewalk edge would affect pedestrians and the neighborhood character.

Board concerns and applicant response: Planning Board members and the applicant agreed the additional spaces respond to a real access problem but differed on streetscape treatment. Several board members asked the applicant to provide a vegetated buffer along Oak Street rather than leaving parked cars directly adjacent to the sidewalk. The design team said the lot is intended to be valet‑operated (not self‑parked), that no vehicular access is proposed from Oak Street (all ingress/egress would use the Freeman Place driveway and the Chestnut signal), and that eliminating the dotted‑line perimeter spaces on the Oak Street side could create room for a planted edge — but at the cost of several parking spaces. Margulies Architects said adding a second deck would not be efficient on this footprint because ramping would consume space and yield few net additional stalls.

Operational points and waivers: The hospital said the lot would be used for patient and visitor parking managed by a professional valet operator and would not be general public parking. The applicant indicated they will seek relief from several site‑design standards (parking setbacks, stacked/valet‑type parking conventions, bicycle rack requirements and some landscaping/planting minimums) to achieve the proposed layout. The board voiced willingness to consider relief from drive‑aisle width rules if that would allow a meaningful vegetated buffer, subject to safety review.

What the board asked for: Planning Board members requested that the hospital return with design options showing a buffer alternative (and the attendant loss of stall count), and asked for clarity on current employee parking arrangements and any town lot permits the hospital uses for staff. Members also asked the applicant to consider whether a staged design (flat lot now, structured solution later) would affect landscape expectations and to confirm that valet operations and pedestrian crossings would be safe and well‑marked.

Ending: Hospital representatives said they would refine the plan and return for follow‑up. The board did not vote on permits or waivers at the meeting and framed its feedback as design direction: the town supports the hospital’s access needs but asked for a buffer that preserves a pedestrian‑friendly Oak Street edge.","Hospital representatives proposed demolishing two houses on Oak Street to create a valet‑only parking lot to serve patients and visitors. The board supported the need but urged a planted buffer along Oak Street and asked the applicant to consider drive aisle and design relief carefully.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6228986,"Needham planning board hears traffic, noise and blasting concerns over proposed DPW fleet maintenance garage",1065,797000,1862000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3465364-65c8b24c8aaa42800536163319d7c53e&start=797&end=1862","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3465364-65c8b24c8aaa42800536163319d7c53e/thumbnail_797000.jpg","/articles/6228986/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Needham-planning-board-hears-traffic-noise-and-blasting-concerns-over-proposed-DPW-fleet-maintenance-garage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6228986-9ce34f2cafc7e32df195f9fd0b3c807a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448565&Signature=eIN4z1~WTVqEgRMj9B5RGA4wCbmzeaskf42gDfeSvMgWcfHvyw-wHCqBORg2O1T5qmlKTYNQIfNGZZk-kITu9sa-x0HmtYSVfpqzJgwwJC00ehpk4YZ161n1g~OIuM5XkvCDNgngBU8KB~YQ04HzdjuYSBynluWqlRUQh~hFvLlz3HyY7LOBTKdX1jbNB3WQ4nZVsKrK8kHr2yH0EUnebm3VXPZhlMvwiZqISNYLlC0tBYYsNyfYfAKaL4lPnwmzmG-QuiDMgzkGHK-yNTN-JfUAipgTCISi6dUuVXcGBzUZbmPfZXVbg-w2vZSMklPShRvEitc2RB9N1~YYPx7-Yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Needham Planning Board members pressed town staff and consultants on traffic routing, noise and blasting risks during a public hearing on a proposed Department of Public Works (DPW) fleet maintenance facility at the Cogswell site on Central Ave.

Ken Sargent, senior project manager for the Town of Needham, and Tyler Cauffelecchi, project manager at Weston & Sampson, told the board the plan would convert one bay of the existing Cogswell storage garage and add a roughly 12,000-square-foot pre‑engineered metal building for vehicle maintenance, parts storage and staff support space. The proposal includes a covered exterior wash pad, expanded detention and bioretention basins for stormwater, a new low‑pressure sewer line to tie into the town system, and a generator sited north of the new building behind a 10‑foot sound wall.

The project team said site constraints require significant ledge removal — the consultant described a ledge wall on the site up to about 20 to 30 feet tall — and that the addition is proposed to be largely screened from Central Ave by the existing topography and trees. The design includes four proposed ground‑source heat pump wells (a test well is planned this summer) and rooftop solar as a bid alternate to move the building toward a net‑zero electric target.

Why it matters: DPW fleet maintenance moves from an existing, flood‑prone facility at 470 Central Ave to a site nearer the town’s vehicle operating areas (including RTS), shifting trips and heavy‑vehicle movements toward Central Ave and adjacent neighborhood streets. Residents raised concerns about sight lines, additional truck traffic on narrow streets (especially Marked Tree Road), noise from a standby generator and monthly generator testing, and ledge blasting during construction.

Details and public concerns: Weston & Sampson estimated the facility would staff six full‑time employees on site and provided a traffic estimate of about 32 additional vehicle trips per day tied to repair visits; the consultant said roughly 12 of those would be “heavy vehicles.” The project team said many of those trips currently originate from the RTS/ITS fleet next door and argued moving maintenance closer to the RTS fleet would reduce some cross‑town movements. Tyler Cauffecchi told the board that his firm’s sound study modeled the generator and topography and that measured nighttime background noise at the site is “roughly 30 decibels.” The team said MassDEP noise rules limit increases to 10 decibels above background, putting the project’s nighttime threshold at about 40 decibels along nearby property lines.

Residents urged more operational detail. Holly Clark, a Central Ave resident, told the board: “it’s like, it’s on fire, and we’re only bringing a little more gasoline,” urging a fuller traffic analysis that accounts for nearby projects (Claxton fields, a skate park and new daycare) and existing rush‑hour congestion. Multiple neighbors asked the applicant to document likely truck routes, how many trips would come from RTS rather than from other parts of town, and whether large vehicles would use Marked Tree Road. Walter Hobb and other residents asked whether the proposed heavy vehicles would use Marked Tree or High Rock into Central Ave and requested additional counts or routing data specific to Marked Tree.

Operational and mitigation commitments: The team described stormwater controls that expand existing basins and add treatment before discharging toward wetlands, an oil‑water separator for wash‑bay discharges that will route limited non‑stormwater to sewer (with MWRA and town permitting), and a maintenance regime for separators. The generator is described as emergency/standby power only; the firm expects monthly testing runs of about 15–30 minutes, during daytime hours where the allowable decibel increase is higher. The team proposed fencing atop the ledge and additional absorptive panels if post‑installation monitoring shows higher than modeled sound levels.

Board action and next steps: The board voted to continue the public hearing and request further materials. The board continued the hearing to June 17 (continued by voice vote; no recorded opposition) and asked the applicant to submit supplemental materials by June 10, including: a distribution of vehicle origins and typical routes (how many trips originate at RTS vs. other yards), a breakdown of heavy versus light vehicle trips and expected vendor/delivery frequencies, a construction management plan and schedule that specifies hours and blasting monitoring and pre‑construction vibration surveys of nearby houses, and any additional traffic counts or analysis that incorporate nearby planned uses (Claxton/park projects and the new daycare). The board also asked for a written list of the project’s environmental mitigations (oil‑water separator schedule, geothermal permitting status, dust control and pest control specifications) for use as permit conditions.

What the board did not decide: The hearing remains open; no permit was granted and no design waivers were approved at this meeting. Board members clarified the difference between discussion, requests for follow‑up, and a formal vote: the June 17 session will be set to review additional operational evidence and to determine the next procedural steps.

Ending: The board encouraged the applicant and town staff to provide the requested operational and routing detail so the Planning Board and the public can assess traffic and noise impacts in context. The board signaled it will consider permit conditions tied to noise limits, generator testing windows, and construction monitoring if the project proceeds to approval.","Designers presented plans to add a roughly 12,000-square-foot fleet maintenance building at the Cogswell site and move fleet services from 470 Central Ave. The board asked for more operational and traffic-route detail and continued the public hearing to June 17.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning board closes Scenic Road Act hearing for 11 Edgewater after applicant and arborists agree on tree plan

Beth Israel Needham proposes 52‑space valet lot across Chestnut; board presses for pedestrian buffer

Needham planning board hears traffic, noise and blasting concerns over proposed DPW fleet maintenance garage