School Committee Object To Recycling Center Near Middle School

STOUGHTON, MA — The school committee recently weighed in on a recycling center that is being proposed for an abandoned building across the street from O’Donnell Middle School.

In an unsurprising move, the committee voted last week to object to a special permit application from RecycleWorks which is currently pending in front of the zoning board of appeals. The committee also voted to draft a letter to the ZBA to ask them to consider travel restrictions during school arrival and dismissal times and take into account a tuck route that considers student safety.

The meeting, unusual for matters pending in front of a different board, was the second for RecycleWorks representatives, who also presented the proposal to the selectmen. Stoughton attorney Barry Crimmins said while the recycling center is not a by-right use for the land in an industrial zoned property, the building is for sale and something is going in, noting that by-right uses include a construction yard, truck terminal, manufacturing plant, and publishing plant.

Moe Banville, the COO of RecycleWorks, said that he noticed that many people are concerned about traffic in the area due to students who may walk or ride their bikes to school. He said that he’s been watching traffic during the start of end of school and saw few students walking or on their bikes, but admitted that could increase with better weather.

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He also said he would be open to limiting access to the property from Cushing Street from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m. and 2 to 2:30 p.m. and having trucks use an entrance on Simpson Street, but school officials say that’s not good enough for an area where the high school and West Elementary School border the middle school.

“You’re talking about two different school starting times. I have students that start to get on campus as early as 6 a.m. You’re looking at 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. for high traffic,” Stoughton High School Principal Juliette Miller said. “I have student drivers who have just been licensed. Although anyone can have an accident at any age, my young adults are just learning how to drive and they may not be the best time managers so they may not be driving as slowly as they should to get to their first class.”

O'Donnell Middle School Principal Matthew Colantonio said traffic restrictions in the morning would need to be at least an hour and possibly as long as 90 minutes .

RecycleWorks is hoping to move their recycling operation for beverage packages that are no longer suitable to be sold, such as expired drinks or spoiled milk to Stoughton. Banville said the entire operation would be inside with no audible noise from outside the building. Traffic concerns would be address by telling truck drivers to enter from Simpson Street rather than Cushing Street. Up to 25 trucks a day will visit the facility.

The ZBA will hold a public hearing for the special permit application Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

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