[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",6216042,"mediaKeyId","3655589-43a1a6aef82c81706fa9c01cb281c05b","parentId",3655589,"title","Wingate site plan revision: dog run, bocce court and two EV chargers approved for hearing closure; board to draft decision","audioSeconds",513,"startMs",287000,"endMs",800000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3655589-43a1a6aef82c81706fa9c01cb281c05b&start=287&end=800","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3655589-43a1a6aef82c81706fa9c01cb281c05b/thumbnail_287000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6216042/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Wingate-site-plan-revision-dog-run-bocce-court-and-two-EV-chargers-approved-for-hearing-closure-board-to-draft-decision","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216042-4563a0dee1ba49f98078db460ad3e8ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1773084271&Signature=Xl~TVORpomODZ8Qt~6u~uNy6URPs1WxA40medIIDfB0wfBsrv~2zx56UM5TJT0dh4lZ-7-7ei-zX9zxHIPy3SbNTxAnCp9heC9Cddq3MVvyxTwKhPQukjqnBKs3D5DbJE0ExTGBFkNMZ9ygGXOn1CPbv6VPObve6xcyKbH9QFl5XUyNl4ts8-iPnFbjlyQ60dI1TFAaFlchcZxFrBV1UO1Tqbgy5Lbd9vMq-X88ndwjm5TYZcSpO-~Agu-vpcpzUQPmE4SYo9QZuSF~2Duygs~6RZVxfVEPFOXVy8RzF49zVXe9xOwMTKnwrLGf86fVh7-ExpUw~17j79nVMHfszkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Needham, MA","date","2025-06-04T13:12:09Z","article","The Needham Planning Board on June 3 considered a minor site‑plan modification for the Wingate senior campus and closed the hearing after the applicant described several small changes to the previously permitted site.

David Feldman and Tom Miner presented the proposal to the board. The plan would add two electric vehicle charging stations (to serve four parking spaces), a bocce court, a small dog run, an extension of an internal sidewalk to provide a firm path from the resident entrance to Gould Street, and the reinstatement of three parking spaces that had been removed earlier in design.

Tom Miner said the project remains in compliance with the town's parking requirement: \"We're still in compliant more than in compliance with the the parking requirement under the zoning by law.\" The only department to register concerns was the Board of Health, which asked how dog waste and maintenance would be handled; the applicant said there will be a dog‑waste station supplying bags, a waste receptacle, a possible water station and daily policing of the area by maintenance staff. The dog run is sited in an already shaded landscape area and the developer said they do not expect heavy dog use — \"I think right now on on the entire campus, there's 1 dog. At most, there was 3.\"

Planning Board members asked for public comment; none was raised during the hearing. The board voted to waive the notice of hearing and later voted to close the hearing. Artie Crocker, the chair, said staff will prepare a draft decision for the board to vote at the next meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Board 06/03/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Planning Board closed a hearing on a Wingate site plan revision that adds two EV chargers (four spaces), a bocce court, a dog run and three restored parking spaces, and directed staff to draft a decision for a future vote.","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},6216046,"Developer previews mixed-use alternatives for Muzzy site; board asks for studies and outreach",4544,821000,5365000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3655589-43a1a6aef82c81706fa9c01cb281c05b&start=821&end=5365","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3655589-43a1a6aef82c81706fa9c01cb281c05b/thumbnail_821000.jpg","/articles/6216046/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Developer-previews-mixed-use-alternatives-for-Muzzy-site-board-asks-for-studies-and-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216046-86d709d5fd42a91cada9c9dc2ea79b83/orig.mp4?Expires=1773084271&Signature=kkFkK281h7DnjVPM3BJZTE7hKlNhkHy4LCO4CiAK5u1BgTLrjMdfF94~2MOXmag5h0pSQOaaEIsBlRBzs-19Pa58~OrkOOsHxoiOJay1lCexJTy5fxeMDZrGezXS2ZF6VfBYbNALAFpRU8jgbwC0ULsg7hMOAwr8xXIHc24gLAJZuS0B7jLcmLUjfQ2ae36Eq82imYPkCTs120m6MUcsP5pM0l874sMZI5ryKF2wCAO0W9RdSq6B8orAb5-PKuGqWqnNonh3TW8OjvSicBb3TnRr8ZGDC5FC08zy36rSZJdWPfLLwdaBcOUsNosIz2IcRN1Vy-qGMtsN-W9SaQ2w~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bulfinch representatives told the Needham Planning Board on June 3 that persistent weakness in the life‑sciences market and rising construction costs have prompted the firm to explore other uses for the Muzzy property, including senior housing, multifamily rental, medical office and a possible hotel.

The proposal revisits a plan the board previously approved as roughly 480,000 square feet of office and laboratory space with about 1,400 parking spaces and 10,000 square feet of ground‑floor retail. Robert Schleger, a principal with Bulfinch, said the firm does not want the site to remain vacant: \"rather than leave a graveyard type of, large parcel of land at the entrance to the community, we would explore alternative uses.\" Tim Sullivan, counsel for Bulfinch, and Eric (presenter) summarized conceptual options that place taller massing toward the interior of the site and residential‑scale buildings along Highland Avenue and Gould Street.

Planning board members pressed for data and local impacts. Adam (Planning Board member) asked the developer for market information and vacancy figures for hotels; Bulfinch replied they had not obtained detailed comps yet but said senior housing demand looked promising. Sean Manning of VHB, the traffic consultant, described the traffic work completed for the prior approval and said reprogramming the site to housing and medical uses would likely reduce peak trip generation but that a new traffic study would be required.

Board members repeatedly emphasized parking, transit and neighborhood effects. The developers said they are considering a shuttle between the site and the Needham commuter rail station as part of mitigation and that a mix program could reduce overall parking compared to the prior project. Eric described a conceptual scheme placing 135–160 senior units, a market housing block in the northerly corner (roughly 200–250 units in the conceptual illustration), a 100–125‑key hotel, and medical office at the Highland corner; he stressed that those quantities are early, conceptual ranges.

Planning director Lee told the board the applicant would need to submit formal impact studies if it pursued zoning changes. Board members asked Bulfinch to begin neighborhood outreach before filing and to return with updated traffic, stormwater and fiscal‑impact studies, a parking demand analysis, and a clearer parking/parking‑structure strategy. Artie Crocker, the planning board chair, said the board would accept emailed public comments at planning@needhamma.gov and gave the public a brief comment period at the meeting.

No formal vote or zoning amendment was requested or taken at this session. The developer indicated an intent to start public outreach immediately; Bulfinch said it would aim to bring a zoning amendment forward in a timeline that could target a town meeting warrant for May 2026 if public engagement and technical work proceed as planned.

The board closed the discussion for the night and asked staff to track incoming public comments and to schedule follow‑up appearances by the applicant when updated studies are ready.","Bulfinch presented alternatives to the previously approved life‑science plan for the Muzzy site, saying market and cost conditions have prompted consideration of senior housing, multifamily, medical office and hotel uses.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":44,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6216037,"Planning Board endorses ANR plot showing 4,000‑sq‑ft parcel transfer between Frank and Webster streets",116,171000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3655589-43a1a6aef82c81706fa9c01cb281c05b&start=171&end=287","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3655589-43a1a6aef82c81706fa9c01cb281c05b/thumbnail_171000.jpg","/articles/6216037/Town-of-Needham/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Planning-Board-endorses-ANR-plot-showing-4000sqft-parcel-transfer-between-Frank-and-Webster-streets","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216037-b77ffadbe63e4232e40cc6006daebf5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773084271&Signature=dO3Q68pvaxwMoHIQRe5rHBIICPOSQL2~KCSErHKBEJkJIDTlV0oAslwwjX3qXZjP-bt5-rSGYDvHANCEKLIUh8Ew4gad7TswVlRx0UJO0Kfoy18PFdxsQwEvKGmaDz5kIui~41m~ujRWxDz6N01YDWoPV6J6aTR8csaKM568ym3v1y14f94cXXIw03MVS9b9aQ4vvfWpPUo~up4Yx08BkzATVv--SAIN2rtCW60z9k6Dzqc-Ck7-0BHLOOhhYSRGU-TsqmNtcrQtcWvxekCIuHlqMcR95BkXHh7lgbLRKZgOEafj1axevgrEc6KKzmMt76gwbpkIxI1yt-hmOKzX3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its June 3 meeting the Needham Planning Board voted unanimously to endorse an Approval‑Not‑Required (ANR) plan that transfers a parcel from a Frank Street lot to the adjacent property with frontage on Webster Street.

Planning Department staff described the plan as an ANR involving two lots: one with frontage on a public way (Frank Street) and the other accessed via a private way but with required frontage that provides legal access. \"Essentially, this is an approval not required plan and involves 2 lots ... It's a parcel of around 4,000 square feet, and it's being conveyed to the property immediately behind it,\" planning staff reported. The engineering department and planning staff reviewed the submission and recommended the board endorse the plan.

The board took a roll‑call vote: Natasha, Adam, Justin and Chair Artie Crocker each voted \"aye.\" No member raised substantive concerns; the board moved quickly to the next agenda item.

The owner listed on the filing, Devon Sapucci, was not present at the meeting. The endorsement was a technical approval of the plan and did not authorize any change in use or new construction on either lot.","The Needham Planning Board unanimously endorsed an Approval‑Not‑Required (ANR) plan that carves a roughly 4,000‑square‑foot parcel from a Frank Street lot and conveys it to the lot immediately behind with frontage on Webster Street. Planning staff and the engineering department reviewed the plan and recommended endorsement.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wingate site plan revision: dog run, bocce court and two EV chargers approved for hearing closure; board to draft decision

Developer previews mixed-use alternatives for Muzzy site; board asks for studies and outreach

Planning Board endorses ANR plot showing 4,000‑sq‑ft parcel transfer between Frank and Webster streets