Needham ZBA Denies Falcon Street Setback Appeal, Clears Chestnut Street Acupuncture Office

NEEDHAM -- March 19, 2026, Needham's Zoning Board of Appeals denied an abutters' challenge to a Falcon Street building permit and approved a parking waiver for a new acupuncture office at a March 19 meeting. The board voted 2-2 to reject a motion to dismiss the appeal filed by Andrew Yost and Stuti Venkat, owners of 106 Falcon Street, on timeliness grounds, the permit for the adjacent home at 98 Falcon Street had been issued November 28, 2025, and their formal ZBA appeal arrived January 5, 2026, 38 days later. Attorney George Johnson Jr., representing property owner and developer Paul Pisano, argued that Massachusetts court precedent in the Connors and Galvin cases required a direct permit appeal within 30 days. After the dismissal motion failed, the board heard testimony from acting Building Commissioner Joe Prandek, who testified the house meets setback requirements, including a 16.6-foot clearance where a two-foot jog is required, and that its floor area ratio of 0.377 falls below the 0.38 maximum, despite an earlier typographical error that listed the second floor at 140 square feet rather than 2,140. The board then voted unanimously to deny the appeal. In a second item, the board granted two special permits to Carnation Acupuncture LLC and Chestnut Needham Property LLC for 105 Chestnut Street, Unit 35, waiving a requirement for seven parking spaces down to four and approving multiple non-residential uses in the building, with operating hours set at 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week and occupancy capped at four people at any time.