Planning board approves acupuncture clinic at 210 Pleasant Street

The Malden Planning Board voted unanimously Oct. 8 to grant a special permit allowing Acupuncture, Herbs & Beyond to open an acupuncture and wellness clinic in a 946-square-foot storefront at 210 Pleasant Street (part of the property known as 190 Pleasant Street).

The decision followed a public hearing during which petitioner Tao Zhang, who identified himself as operations manager for Acupuncture, Herbs & Beyond, said the applicant seeks “to open an acupuncture and wellness clinic at 210 Pleasant Street” and described interior build-out to create treatment rooms and an employee break room. Planning staff recommended approval provided the board made the required zoning findings.

The planning report described the site as located in the Central Business Zoning District and classified the proposed use under the city code as a licensed massage therapy salon (which may include acupuncture) allowed by special permit in that district. Staff noted the proposed interior alterations would create four therapy rooms plus an employee break room within the 946-square-foot space, and that no exterior changes were proposed.

Board members asked the petitioner about the scope and timeline of interior work, hours of operation, needle disposal, trash removal, employees and parking. Zhang said the build-out would require partitions and some adjustments to mechanical, electrical and ductwork, and that he expected construction to take roughly one to two months after permits. He said hours would be weekdays and Saturdays, that needles would be stored in a sharps container and collected periodically by a vendor, and that tenant parking included two spaces from the building owner while customers would use the city garage or street parking. He said the business already operates clinics elsewhere in Greater Boston and that this would be the chain's ninth location.

Planning staff read a report and recommended approval subject to conditions including that development match the approved plans and that the special permit allow only acupuncture and/or wellness services at the 946-square-foot storefront (any future expansion would require an amendment). Diane Chuja made the motion to grant the special permit with those two conditions; Risa Gray seconded, and the board voted to approve the permit.

The board’s formal findings and conditions were entered into the record as part of the planning department recommendation. The hearing record includes a petition of support signed by about 20 nearby residents and several letters of support that were submitted with the application.

By granting the permit, the board authorized the tenant to proceed with interior work under city permitting processes; any additional or different uses, or expansions beyond the approved 946-square-foot licensed massage therapy/acupuncture salon use, will require further board action.