Sudbury board approves earth removal permit for proposed Celebration School at 631 Boston Post Road

Sudbury’s Earth Removal Board approved an earth removal permit on Aug. 27, 2024, allowing the export of approximately 2,390 cubic yards of topsoil and natural parent material from 631 Boston Post Road to enable construction of a proposed roughly 10,000-square-foot childcare facility to be called Celebration School. Chair Jonathan Patch opened the meeting and introduced the application (Case 24-01).

The project team — including Vito Colonna, project engineer for Connorstone Engineering, and Josh Fox, project attorney for Rollins, Rollins and Fox — told the board the plan calls for demolition of the existing structure, a driveway at the side of the lot, a rear play yard, a septic system and stormwater facilities toward the front of the property, and retaining walls along property lines to support excavations. The applicant estimated about 2,390 cubic yards would be exported, with site grading aiming for roughly zero net cut/fill across the middle of the site but with localized cuts in the rear of up to about 18 feet and a 9-foot cut near the play yard. Several test pits in the middle and front of the site were reported to show mostly sandy subsoils and no ledge.

Board members raised several site and environmental concerns. Members noted the potential for shallow bedrock toward the rear of the property near the Tillinghast Rock Trail; Colonna said test pits reached more than 10 feet in the middle without encountering ledge but that bedrock in the back could not be ruled out. He said the contractor would use non‑blasting methods, such as pneumatic hammers or splitting, if bedrock were encountered because of the proximity of a neighboring house.

The applicant reported that a lender-ordered Phase I and a transaction screen showed no recognized environmental conditions (RECs), but copies of those reports were not provided at the meeting; the board suggested staff obtain and review MassDEP-searchable records or the reports to confirm that finding. The board also discussed standard construction controls: the applicant described proposed erosion- and temporary stormwater-controls, dust-control measures, stabilized and covered outbound trucks, and silt-fence protection around stockpiles. For the existing septic tank, the applicant said the tank would be pumped by a licensed septage hauler and the contents properly disposed; remaining tank components would either be buried in place or exported as part of the cut/fill, per standard practice.

Board member William Ray moved to approve the application for 631 Boston Post Road with the board's standard conditions; Michael Hershberg seconded. The board approved the motion in a 4–0 roll call vote: Jonathan Patch — Aye; Bryan Gammons — Aye; Michael Hershberg — Aye; William Ray — Aye. The board also approved minutes from Jan. 8, 2024, and adjourned the meeting at 6:33 p.m.

Next steps: the approval is subject to the permit's standard conditions and to any further documentation the board requires; the board directed that environmental records referenced by the applicant be obtained for staff review.