Needham Select Board members told the developers behind a proposed 10-unit condominium complex at 193 Garden St. that they may need to scale back the project after months of neighbor opposition and wetlands concerns.

At the board's Tuesday, Aug. 11 meeting, Fuller Brook, Ltd. presented expanded surveying, additional documentation and design revisions meant to address earlier concerns about the "Gardeners Nest" proposal, Needham Local reported. But the project still calls for the same 10 units the developers proposed in March, and board members signaled it may be time to compromise on their initial vision.

The project, led by Michael and Robert Tedoldi, would place five duplex buildings with four-bedroom units on the 30,000-square-foot lot across from the Needham Bank building near the corner of May Street. Michael Tedoldi has been building for nearly 50 years and previously developed the Miller Green Condominiums at 90-98 Dedham Ave. in 2008. Attorney George Giunta Jr. has represented the project before the Select Board.

Three of the 10 units would be designated affordable at 80% of area median income. The development is being pursued through the state's Local Initiative Program, a "Friendly 40B" process that allows multi-family construction in a single-residence zoning district in exchange for affordable units and local oversight.

Unlike a standard 40B comprehensive permit, the LIP path requires demonstrated local support, including a formal letter from Town Manager Katie King in coordination with the Select Board. The project's final destination is the Zoning Board of Appeals.

That local-support requirement gives the board's pushback real weight. Without the Select Board's backing, the project cannot advance through the Friendly 40B process.

Neighbor opposition has remained consistent since the proposal first came before the board on March 10. Concerns about scale and impact on the parcel's wetlands brought the project back on April 28 and again on Aug. 11. Wetlands consultant Mary Trudeau was listed among the presenters at the most recent session.

When the board first heard the proposal in March, Select Board Vice Chair Cathy Dowd voiced support for the concept. "We really need different types of housing," Dowd said at the March 10 meeting, as we reported on the Garden Street condo proposal on Aug. 7. "I think this fits in Needham."

Five months later, the board's message has shifted.

Needham already exceeds the state's 10% affordable housing threshold, with 1,404 units (11.85%) on its Subsidized Housing Inventory. That means the town retains full discretion over 40B proposals and can reject applications without facing a state appeal.

No next meeting date for the Gardeners Nest proposal has been announced. The developers must decide whether to return with a revised, smaller plan or continue pressing for the full 10-unit scope.