Needham ZBA issues special permit for modest enlargement at 381 Webster Street

The Needham Zoning Board of Appeals approved a special permit under section 1.4.6 allowing reconstruction and enlargement of a lawful preexisting nonconforming portion of the single‑family home at 381 Webster Street.

The application: Attorney/representative (“Mister Giunta” in the record) told the board the parcel is a small, substandard lot (described in the hearing as 5,227 square feet with footprints and frontages documented in the assessor’s map) and that an attached shed has been present at least since 1996, making it a lawful preexisting nonconforming element eligible for relief. The proposal calls for demolishing that shed, rebuilding it with a second floor above, and adding a small compliant addition on the west side; the reconstructed deck corner would move from roughly 11.6 feet to about 7.9 feet from the neighbor’s property line.

Neighbor concerns and response: Sarah Orozco, who lives next door at 5 Alverton Road, said she was surprised she had not been informed of the project. "We were never informed about this," she said during public comment. Applicant Todd Krieger joined by Zoom and said they already have bushes along the fence and offered to add more screening if that would help.

Municipal input: Town departments submitted minimal concerns — DPW noted that final plans may trigger stormwater bylaw requirements; Board of Health, Building, Police and Fire had no objections. Several nearby residents sent letters or emails in support, which the applicant entered into the record.

The decision: After board discussion finding the proposed changes would not be "substantially more detrimental" to the neighborhood, a motion to grant the special permit (including binding relief under the code section referenced in the hearing) passed unanimously. The board tied the approval to the plans submitted; any changes beyond those plans will require return to the ZBA.

Next steps: Building permits and any stormwater filings must reflect the approved scope; the applicant may implement the agreed screening with neighbors to mitigate visibility of the reconstructed deck.