Dear Editor:
As an abutter to the proposed Veritas Christian Academy K–8 development at 164-172 Cochituate Road, I feel compelled to raise several urgent concerns that many neighbors share but may not yet fully understand.
Two private residential properties are slated to be transformed into a high-capacity school campus for approximately 450 students, complete with new parking areas and sport courts. As currently planned, the project includes an eight-foot retaining wall and fill placed directly at the property line with no setback whatsoever, a situation made possible only through the application of the Massachusetts Dover Amendment. This wall will support a parking lot and play court after the complete removal of the existing tree buffer that currently protects neighboring homes.
For my property, this design has immediate and serious implications. With no setback and no remaining vegetation to absorb water, stormwater runoff will be directed straight toward my yard, creating risks of flooding, erosion, and long-term property damage. This is not a theoretical concern — it is an engineering and environmental issue that directly affects my home, safety, and financial well-being.
Beyond the environmental impact, the project raises broader community issues. The school is a private, tuition-based institution that does not serve the general public and does not provide special-education services that town schools are required to offer. Yet the surrounding neighborhood will bear the brunt of the increased traffic, noise, and infrastructure strain. The already overburdened intersection at Route 27 and Old Connecticut Path is certain to experience significantly more congestion, raising safety concerns for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Meaghan Smith
Shaw Drive
