Design Review Board gives feedback on proposed six-unit building at 339 Chestnut Street; will send comments to ZBA

The Needham Design Review Board on March 26 reviewed a proposed six-unit apartment building at 339 Chestnut Street and provided formal design comments to be forwarded to the Zoning Board of Appeals with the town’s departmental review package.

Attorney George Genter Jr. presented the application under a comprehensive-permit review as a local-initiative project, saying the proposal is a partnership with the town and would replace an early-20th-century office building with a new three-story structure containing six rental units, two of which would be designated affordable.

Why it matters: The proposal would add small-scale rental housing and two affordable units on a 6,200-square-foot lot with constrained frontage and limited on-site landscaping. The project is before the Zoning Board of Appeals and will be considered at an upcoming hearing in April.

Key project facts presented by project architect Scott Melcher: - Lot area: about 6,200 square feet with 40 feet of frontage; building set off property lines by approximately 5 feet. - Proposed building: three stories, six dwelling units (one 1-bedroom affordable unit on the first floor, one 1-bedroom affordable unit on the third floor; remaining units primarily two-bedrooms). - Unit sizes shown in the presentation: first-floor affordable unit ~600 sq ft (front), first-floor rear unit ~900 sq ft (one-bedroom); upper-floor two-bedroom units ~900 sq ft and ~986 sq ft. - Parking: eight spaces at grade in front of the building (two compact, six full-size; one van-accessible adjacent to entry). - Accessibility: two first-floor units are designed to be accessible; there is no elevator. - Materials and massing: horizontal siding in three exposures (narrow to wide), a cornice/cap and a 3-foot screen wall at the roof to hide mechanicals and a potential future photovoltaic array.

Board feedback and concerns Board members generally praised the building as a visual improvement over the current structure and supported the project’s inclusion of affordable units. Members raised several design and maintenance questions: - Landscaping and edge treatment: many of the planting areas shown in the rendering are offsite or located on neighboring parcels; the board cautioned that narrow planting strips between sidewalk and parking often fail and suggested low-maintenance surfacing (gravel, groundcover, or decorative concrete) or simple landscape details that are easy to maintain. - Security and privacy: the board supported a fence treatment at the property line — a low metal fence on the south side to allow light to windows and a privacy fence near trash storage — and the applicants proposed a gate for maintenance access. - Color and material balance: one member said a darker accent tone as shown “pops” from the rest of the building; the project architect noted the accent will wrap the right-side façade to provide continuity. Board members were split on whether the darker accent felt integrated or too visually separate. - Trash and utilities: the board welcomed the proposed screened enclosure for trash and recommended durable screening materials facing neighbors.

Procedure and next steps The DRB will forward its written comments to the Zoning Board of Appeals as part of the departmental review packet. The applicant indicated a ZBA hearing date in mid-April; project representatives discussed an April 17 hearing date during the meeting. The DRB did not take a final action to approve or deny the project; its role at this stage is advisory to the ZBA on design issues.

Ending: The applicant will refine materials and landscape details as needed; the DRB’s recorded comments will accompany the application at the ZBA hearing.