The Needham Conservation Commission on Dec. 18 continued a notice‑of‑intent hearing for 68 Bridle Trail after discussing stormwater and resource‑area concerns tied to a proposed pool, spa and patio.

Diane Simonelli, representing homeowners Evan and Jennifer Tabaski, described a plan to install a saltwater pool and small spa over an existing patio with approximately 1,100 square feet of new impervious surface. Simonelli said runoff from the patio and pool area would be routed to a proposed infiltration chamber intended to recharge stormwater on site.

Staff and commissioners focused on two technical items: the placement of the infiltration chamber adjacent to an existing retaining wall and how to handle any pool discharge. “If the commission isn’t comfortable with infiltration of pool water, they could require that it be pumped to a truck instead of allowing it to go to an area,” a staff member said. Commissioners expressed concern about allowing saltwater to infiltrate directly to soils and suggested the commission could require that any pool draining be removed from the site or routed through a holding/treatment measure before infiltration.

Deb and Tim, the commission’s staff reviewers, also noted missing application materials: a completed checklist, soils information to support the infiltration design and an operations and maintenance plan. Staff asked that the applicant depict three conservation markers along the retaining wall and clarify the location of buffer lines on submitted maps.

Simonelli said the project keeps work in lawn areas and that the proposed chamber is sized to recharge runoff; she offered to modify details if the commission prefers a different approach. Commissioners agreed additional technical information was needed and voted to continue the hearing to Jan. 8, 2026.

The commission will revisit the project after the applicant supplies soils logs, an O&M plan, clearer mapping of resource area lines and a plan for addressing pool discharge, if the commission chooses to restrict infiltration of pool water.