Needham Conservation Commission Closes Two Hearings, Issues Trail Maintenance Permit

NEEDHAM -- March 26, 2026, Needham Conservation Commission closes hearings on two residential projects and streamlines trail maintenance permitting. The commission voted unanimously at its March 26 meeting to close hearings and issue orders of conditions for 665 Central Avenue, DEP file 234-963, and 120 Wildwood Drive, DEP file 234-965, while continuing hearings for 27 Perry Drive and 160 Edgewater Drive to April 9. At 665 Central Avenue, consultant Diane of Field Resources presented a revised plan including 10 native trees and three native shrubs, exceeding replacement requirements, and a signed operations-and-maintenance agreement for a stormwater infiltration system; the order of conditions will not be released until soil evaluation data is submitted. At 120 Wildwood Drive, consultant Susan MacArthur of MacArthur Environmental Consulting presented plans to demolish and rebuild a single-family home with minimal buffer zone impact; that order is held pending stormwater system sizing specifications from the applicant. The commission also voted unanimously to issue a three-year negative determination covering routine trail maintenance across Needham's public trail network, replacing the need for individual RDA filings for activities such as clearing fallen trees and installing erosion-control diverters, and waived the associated filing fee and abutter notification requirement.