Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Schools topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chicopee mayor seeks $380,000 to study relocation options for Anna E. Berry School
Summary
The Chicopee City Council approved a $380,000 appropriation to fund a feasibility study examining alternate sites, including Sotelo, after wetlands and Article 97 parkland limits at the Garrity Grove site restricted development.
The Chicopee City Council on April 1 approved a $380,000 appropriation to pay for a feasibility study to evaluate relocating Anna E. Berry School, including examining the Sotelo site and options to renovate or consolidate nearby schools.
Mayor said the appropriation will fund additional site analysis after the building commission and project team identified constraints at the current Garrity Grove location. Carissa Lissy, chair of the Anna E. Berry School Building Commission, told the council the commission met on March 20 and found that Garrity Grove poses “Article 97 challenges” and conservation restrictions that limit developable land. Lissy said the designer and city project manager proposed studying three options: a base repair or addition at the existing Berry site, constructing a new building behind the Sotelo School, or consolidating Berry and Sotelo into a single facility that would either add on to or replace the Sotelo building.
"This comprehensive study will provide us with cost estimates for 3 potential options," Lissy said, adding the study is required by the Massachusetts School Building Authority to remain eligible for reimbursement. "It's imperative that we meet this deadline to avoid delaying this project, which will only increase in costs of the overall project." The mayor told the council the work will not change the project's overall timeline, which remains roughly seven years.
City planner Lee Pouliot explained the Garrity Grove parcel needs a wetlands boundary certification from the Conservation Commission; he reiterated that the Article 97 designation (state constitutional protection for parkland) would require replacement land in the same service area if any portion were removed. The building commission said studying an additional site is necessary so the City can meet MSBA requirements and protect the City's eligibility for construction reimbursement.
Councilors voted to receive and pass the mayor's order on the mayor's written recommendation; the roll call recorded 12 yes votes and the motion passed.
The feasibility study will produce cost estimates and a recommended pathway back to the MSBA process; councilors said they will review the study before the City proceeds to later design or construction phases.
