WAKEFIELD — Superintendent David DiBarri is pleased to share that Northeast Metro Tech’s plan to construct a new school has once again been affirmed as meeting all required wetlands protection requirements.
In 2023, the Wakefield Conservation Commission denied the District’s request for an Order of Conditions to permit Northeast Metro Tech to construct parts of the project, including the much needed new driveway to Farm Street, citing state wetlands protection laws.
The school appealed that decision to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). DEP found that the project would not have a negative impact on local wetlands and is in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations. DEP then issued a Superseding Order of Conditions to permit construction of the full project scope.
A 10-person neighborhood group of opponents appealed the DEP’s decision to the Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Appeals and Dispute Resolution (OADR). Over the past 15 months, OADR held hearings and gathered evidence as part of this review. Construction of areas of the project including the driveway and access road has been on hold as a result.
Earlier this month, OADR affirmed the DEP’s determination in their Recommended Final Decision.
“Thank you to OADR and the Presiding Officer for their careful consideration of all the facts. This ruling has once again affirmed what we’ve known all along — that this is an appropriately designed project by our design professionals,” said Superintendent DiBarri. “Our vision for a new school is guided in part by good stewardship of our local resources. This project will benefit students and our member communities tremendously. I hope we can proceed with construction of the driveway soon.”
Despite the delay, the school building project has found ways to remain on schedule and on budget. That said, additional delays in building the access road could cause financial/scheduling issues.
The school building project will enable NEMT to increase enrollment from 1,252 students to 1,600, answering statewide demand for more room for students in vocational and technical high schools. The project will also enable NEMT to add three new Chapter 74 programs, Marketing, Biotechnology, and Medical Assisting, increasing the number of programs offered from 17 to 20, and to improve accommodations and programming for special education students. To read the full decision from the OADR, click here.
To learn more about the NEMT building project, visit: https://northeastbuildingproject.com/.
