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Needham planners continue hearing on Chabad proposal at 1195 Central Ave amid parking, wetlands and waiver questions
Summary
The Planning Board continued the public hearing on a proposed 19,276 sq ft Chabad and a 7,571 sq ft rabbi residence at 1195 Central Ave to April 28, 2025, after board members and neighbors pressed for written waivers, a binding parking agreement and further town‑engineer review of stormwater and wetland impacts.
The Needham Planning Board on March 17 heard the first public presentation for a proposed Chabad center and rabbi residence at 1195 Central Ave and voted to continue the hearing to April 28 to allow additional review of parking arrangements, wetlands and several zoning waiver requests.
Attorney Walter Sullivan introduced the project team and framed the application: demolish an existing house and barn on the roughly 1‑acre SRB lot and build a two‑building complex consisting of a 19,276‑square‑foot Chabad and a 7,571‑square‑foot residence for the rabbi and family, with a total of 8 surface and 2 garage spaces on site. "We have arranged with the superintendent of schools for parking for certain events," the project team said during the presentation, noting an off‑site arrangement with Newman School. The project engineer described stormwater controls, a front infiltration basin and a 25‑foot undisturbed buffer to protect identified bordering vegetated wetlands.
Why it matters: Board members pressed the applicant for concrete, written evidence of off‑site parking access and for a written demonstration tying requested dimensional waivers to the Dover Amendment/"48 section 3" approach the team referenced. The applicant told the board it will submit a written justification for each waiver (parking, frontage, setbacks, FAR and lot coverage) and expects to file a wetlands Notice of Intent in the coming weeks.
Neighbors flagged parking and property impacts. Kevin Freytag, an attorney representing the Bradley family at 1177 Central Ave, told the board his clients are "particularly concerned" about parking because "there are only 8 parking spots that are actually on this site," and said questions about the permanence and scope of any off‑site school parking agreement need resolution before a decision. Neighbor Gina Bradley confirmed she would not grant a construction or grading easement and said revised plans appear to remove the previously proposed work on her property; the architect confirmed the easement was no longer required.
The board also reviewed town department feedback. Police and the building department signaled no major objections; the fire department’s access concerns were addressed in the revised plans; the conservation agent had not yet submitted final comment and the town engineer reported he had not completed a stormwater review of the revised submission. Board members asked the applicant to provide the town engineer’s outstanding calculations and requested a written letter tying each waiver request to the legal framework the applicant cited.
What the board decided: After discussion the board scheduled a continuation of the public hearing for April 28 at 7:00 p.m. and asked staff to confirm the procedural deadlines in writing. The continuation gives the town engineer time to complete a stormwater review and allows neighbors and the applicant to submit supplemental materials requested by the board.
Next steps: The applicant agreed to return on April 28 with the requested written waivers and with supplemental engineering information; the board will consider the new material and take public testimony at that continued hearing.
