Needham ZBA continues hearing on 40B plan for 339 Chestnut St.; developers seek waivers for 6-unit building

The Needham Zoning Board of Appeals on April 17 heard a comprehensive permit (M.G.L. c. 40B, 760 CMR 56) application from Needham Enterprise LLC for a three‑story, six‑unit rental building at 339 Chestnut Street and continued the hearing to May 15 for further review.

Town counsel Chris Keep told the board that "the ZBA on this application is acting in the place of all other local boards within town," and reviewed key procedural points for a 40B local initiative project, including the ZBA's 180‑day hearing window and the requirement that the board evaluate requested waivers against the standard of being "consistent with local needs." Keep also summarized timing: the ZBA has 180 days to complete the public hearing and, after closing, 40 days to issue a decision.

Why it matters: the applicant requests multiple waivers or exemptions of Needham's Chestnut Street Business District rules that, if granted, would allow residential use on the ground floor, a full third story, higher floor‑area ratio and relaxed lot area/frontage requirements on a pre‑existing substandard lot. The project proposes two deed‑restricted affordable units, which the applicant and town staff said would be monitored under the state and local regulatory agreements.

Applicant presentation and project details

George Gentle Jr., attorney for the applicant, described the proposal as demolition of an existing two‑story building and replacement with a three‑story structure containing six rental units: one one‑bedroom unit and five two‑bedroom units. Two units will be designated affordable: the first‑floor one‑bedroom and a third‑floor two‑bedroom. The application states the site contains 6,200 square feet of land, with 40 feet of frontage; proposed on‑site parking is eight spaces (six full‑size, including one accessible space, and two compact spaces). Above‑grade habitable area was described at about 4,200 square feet and roughly 2,000…