Needham Board of Health Issues Rodent Compliance Demands at Highland Avenue Property

NEEDHAM — March 20, 2026 — Needham Board of Health orders cleanup at rat-infested Highland Avenue dumpster site. A management company representative for Copper Investments appeared before the board Friday after the division issued order letters in January and March citing open dumpster gates, chewed lids, and rodent burrows running from the adjacent MBTA rail embankment to a shared enclosure serving several food establishments. The representative committed to weekly landscaping cleanups, increased trash pickups from two to four per week, and installation of railroad ties or pressure-treated lumber to slow sand runoff from the Keolis-controlled embankment — but board members pressed on months of unresponsiveness, with one member asking that the company "make sure that is not an issue going forward." Staff will send a codifying letter and revisit the matter next meeting. Separately, the board began a discussion on whether restaurants with consistently strong inspection records should receive reduced permit fees, with a draft proposal and comparative data from neighboring towns expected by May. The division also marked the achievement of public health accreditation, with staff identifying performance management as the primary area targeted for improvement.