At a public hearing March 18, Justin Saviano, the town engineer, and Edward Olsen, superintendent of Parks and Forestry and the town tree warden, told the Needham Planning Board that 15 trees must be removed to allow a South Street water‑main replacement and associated stormwater treatment work.

Nut graf: The work includes stormwater best‑management practices intended to treat runoff before it reaches resource areas and the Charles River; the town said it will pursue roughly a 2:1 replacement (about 30 trees) and coordinate new plantings with affected residents and Parks & Forestry so replacements do not conflict with infrastructure.

Saviano told the board the trees slated for removal are concentrated in a few locations related to underground structures and to the existing route of the water main; one privately owned property will be directly affected, while the remainder are in the public right‑of‑way. "In total, there are 15 trees," he said, and the project team presented locations and condition assessments to the Select Board and Parks and Forestry in advance of the hearing.

Edward Olsen said many of the specimens are invasive species or trees in failing condition, including elms affected by disease and a stand of regenerating black locust that he described as undesirable. Olsen told the board the plan is to remove the poorer condition and invasive specimens, install the stormwater structures, then plant native species such as serviceberry, river birch and red maple. He estimated about one‑third of the 30 replacement trees may be planted near the immediate project pockets, with the rest sited elsewhere in town.

During public comment, one resident, Floyd Alwan of 1125 South Street, asked whether his property had been identified for tree removal; staff replied only one resident would be directly affected (a white pine and a dying red maple at 1115 South Street). Saviano said affected property owners were notified by mail and that project staff had gone door‑to‑door.

Board discussion focused on ensuring replacements preserve the scenic road character. Planning Board members pressed that, because South Street is designated a scenic road, replanting should prioritize restoring the street frontage and that final replacement locations should be worked out with abutters and Parks and Forestry. Saviano and Olsen said the project team would avoid planting proximate to stormwater structures and would consult neighbors about on‑property replacements.

The Planning Board closed the hearing by voice vote after no additional speakers appeared. Ending: Staff said the project will return for a subsequent Planning Board agenda item once plans have been updated to reflect technical details discussed and the locations of proposed tree replacements.