Several residents voice concerns over new middle school

Residents across the street from the new middle school in South Columbia are raising some concerns before construction of the school begins. It’s been a little more than a week since the district officially bought the land.

At Monday night’s school board meeting, several contracts were introduced that would look at some stormwater and road improvements on Sinclair Road, where the new school would be built.

The stormwater management contract with Engineering Surveys & Services would include a pre-design site visit with Heritage Woods neighborhood representatives, preparation of the necessary stream condition documentation, an additional site visit to document the stream prior to construction and three site visits during construction. Photographs would be taken during all the phases to document the visits.

The road improvement contract with PW Architects would design and engineer a sanitary sewer extension and Sinclair Road improvements for the entry and exit drives. This contract doesn’t include services for other improvements, possibly at Sinclair Road and Route K.

The school district spokesperson, Michelle Baumstark, told ABC 17 News these contracts are standard anytime a new school is built.

ABC 17 News spoke with several residents in the area who said they are mostly concerned with stormwater and traffic from the new middle school.

One resident said currently, in her neighborhood of Heritage Woods, they don’t have major problems with stormwater but she hopes that the new middle school doesn’t elevate any other issues.

Another resident said traffic was her biggest concern, especially with the heavier traffic expected, and she believes this needs to be the district’s first priority.

Darin Preis, school board president, told ABC 17 News that the board will be addressing all the residents’ concerns.

“We know we have to look at utility, stormwater, electricity, roadwork,” Preis said. “Not only for our school but also for the developments that could be coming in.”

Baumstark said the first step in addressing the traffic flow will be the Nifong Boulevard improvements. Those improvements could mean two roundabouts, one at Sinclair Road and the other at Old Mill Creek Road. The city has a public hearing scheduled for Oct. 16 at the City Council meeting.