Planning board closes Hickory Club hearing after parking study shows available spaces

The Needham Planning Board on Aug. 25 closed the continuation of the public hearing for the Hickory Club, a proposed private membership indoor golf and performance club at 1 Garden Street, after hearing an updated parking analysis and brief board discussion.

An applicant representative read findings from a VHB traffic study and related checks of quarterly satellite imagery, reporting that “VHB found that the parking lot experiences overall compete capacity at around 10:40AM when 234 out of 707 parking spaces, approximately 33% were occupied,” and that on no occasion in the samples did the lot exceed roughly 50% occupancy. Board members said those figures addressed their peak-parking concerns and noted the building is otherwise fully leased except for the portion proposed for the Hickory Club. One member asked about the role of food and alcohol service; the applicant described a primarily bring-your-own model that would limit kitchen permit triggers and said it would comply with local health-department requirements if service expanded.

Chair Justin McCullen said he would entertain a motion to close the hearing after confirming no members of the public on- or off-line wished to speak; the hearing was closed by voice vote and the board’s staff said a draft decision would be prepared for the next meeting. The board did not take a final approval vote on the application at the Aug. 25 meeting.