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Needham working group recommends small attic exemption in FAR, debates caps and stairs
Summary
After lengthly debate, the Needham zoning working group recommended drafting an exception to count a modest amount of attic space (about 200 sq ft) outside FAR while otherwise counting habitable attic area; members also discussed capping attic at a percent of second‑floor area and using objective tests (stair type, dimensions) to prevent loopholes.
A Needham zoning working group spent the second half of its Dec. 20 meeting debating whether attic or half‑story area should be counted in the town's floor‑area ratio calculation and how to prevent builders from exploiting ambiguous definitions to create de facto third floors.
Speaker 1 opened the exchange by asking, 'How about the attic?' and the group examined multiple models used by nearby towns. Participants noted variations in…
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