The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection gave Lexington the ‘go-ahead’ to build the new high school as planned. The decision followed a review of wetlands on the LHS property prompted by a resident appeal.
“Based on review of the information and plans provided and observations made at the site visit, MassDEP has determined that the project meets performance standards pursuant to [the law] for [the wetlands on the property].
Therefore, based upon the above findings, MassDEP is issuing the attached [superseding order of conditions] affirming the Commission’s [order of conditions] approving proposed work in the areas of interest subject to protection under the Act and Wetlands Regulations pursuant to [the law],” MassDEP’s superseding order, which it issued on Sept. 30, states.
That means there do not need to be changes made to the new school’s design, but the project must comply with the conditions the Conservation Commission issued in June.
“From the project team’s perspective, this decision was certainly a relief but not a surprise given all of the approvals in place already for the high school building project,” Town Manager Steve Bartha said during the Select Board meeting on Monday.
This order from MassDEP came after a group of 12 residents signed an appeal calling for MassDEP to reconsider the Conservation Commission’s conditions, arguing it did not adequately protect the wetlands on the property. The concerned residents argued that by law, the SBC must evaluate, and, if feasible, adopt a design for the new high school that avoids on-site wetlands.
As a result, MassDEP sent Jill Provencal, a representative from the department, to Lexington on Aug. 27 to survey the wetlands on the property. That visit led to the department’s decision to allow Lexington to continue constructing the new school as it is currently designed.
The project’s price tag has been affected, however.
Due to the appeal, construction on or near the wetlands on the LHS property had to halt from July until Sept. 30, which is when MassDEP issued its decision.
The delay will likely add between $1 million and $2 million to the total project costs, Bartha said during Monday’s meeting. Those costs come from construction-cost escalation, resequencing, schedule compression, premium time, and shifting more work into winter months. The funding will be taken from the existing contingency budget.
Bartha added that there will be more opportunities for residents to appeal.
If no further appeal is filed, the construction team will get back to work on the property’s wetlands later this month, he said. And at this rate, the new high school is still scheduled to open for the 2029 to 2030 school year.
But if there are further delays, the move-in date for the new school could be pushed back. If it’s moved to Dec. 2029 (during the week-plus winter break that LPS students and staff get for the holidays), about $20 million could be added to the project. Pushing the opening to summer 2030 or later could add at least $30 million and potentially exhaust the existing contingency budget.
“Should an appeal be filed, we would certainly look to get that adjudicated quickly,” Bartha said.