Members of the Town of Needham Senior Center board reported that the Planning Board voted to move forward with a proposed 189‑unit housing project, which would designate 12.5% of units as affordable.

Board members who attended the Planning Board meeting said the developer has generally been responsive to town requirements and agreed to additional measures requested by town departments. The Police Department raised safety questions about crosswalks and said it would support additional crosswalk installations; the developer agreed to consider the recommendation. The Department of Public Works (DPW) raised questions that remained under review.

Board members noted traffic control and spillover onto side streets such as Portland remained an open concern; the developer said it would include a notice in tenant welcome materials asking occupants not to use certain side streets. Senior center board members said they had asked the developer to hold a public information session at the senior center so residents can ask about unit types, availability and traffic mitigations.

Why it matters: The project could affect parking, traffic and housing availability for Needham residents. The developer’s offer to present to seniors is intended to provide direct information to a potentially affected constituency.

Ending: The board said it would work with the developer to schedule a presentation for center users and will announce the date once confirmed.