NORTHFIELD — The town is conducting testing at what has been deemed the most viable site to build a new public safety complex on Main Street just north of Dickinson Memorial Library.
Meetings hosted by the Selectboard, the Emergency Services Facility Committee and a panel of citizens were held this week to discuss progress made by hired architectural firm Caolo & Bieniek Associates Inc. With a space needs assessment, wetlands analysis, core testing and site schematic planning having been completed, officials are hopeful that a site matrix will be developed by Annual Town Meeting on May 2.
In anticipation, further research will be conducted regarding soil stability and the feasibility of installing water, sewer and power systems. Markings were made at the site for Dig Safe Inc. excavation Wednesday, with drilling scheduled for April 28 and April 29 at 8 a.m.
Although the process of pursuing a new facility has been ongoing for years, the release of a video tour showcasing the inadequacies of Northfield’s police, fire and emergency medical services buildings in February reinvigorated efforts. Town officials considered many potential locations for a shared facility before honing their focus on the vacant lot on Main Street owned by Ed Snow.
“This one has the most potential to be viable, but it has not yet been determined to be viable,” Selectboard Vice Chair Barbara “Bee” Jacque noted at Tuesday’s Selectboard meeting.
“It’s the most viable site we’ve been able to discover so far,” Selectboard Chair Heath Cummings added.
Officials hope Town Meeting will yield a vote in favor of Northfield buying the land. Jacque emphasized to citizens during an informal information session held Wednesday at Dickinson Memorial Library that plans specifically relating to building and design work are “not on the table” for Town Meeting.
“There is nothing worded in that warrant article about what we’re building on it,” she said. “It’s strictly about the property.”
Preliminary schemes developed by Caolo & Bieniek Associates involve a 17,000-square-foot space with a double-bay apparatus area to serve police, fire and EMS personnel. The conceptualized lobby has a restroom, multi-purpose conference room and meeting/training room adjacent to it, with three small storage areas branching off of the meeting space. There would be four bunk rooms with two bunks each.
On the exterior, the building would be “traditional in appearance, fitting a historic district,” Caolo & Bieniek Associates Vice President John MacMillan said at Wednesday’s Emergency Services Facility Committee meeting.
The surrounding area would include a 24-space parking lot for first responders, a 50-foot setback, positioning within 100 feet of a wetland buffer and 76 feet of distance from the curb, which would provide response vehicles ample space to back into bays.
“We’re trying to minimize the footprint of the site development area to keep the cost down as much as possible,” MacMillan said.
“My opinion is if we go much smaller, it’s not going to function in the way we need,” added Mark Fortier, EMS chief and Emergency Services Facility Committee member.
Just over a dozen members of the public attended Wednesday’s citizen-run information meeting, which was hosted by resident Annie Chappell and aided by Jacque. There, some residents expressed concerns that building such an imposing structure at the suggested location would harm the town’s walkability, landscape and trail accessibility. Others recommended that if the land were to be purchased, it could be put to use in a way that would better enhance quality of life in Northfield.
Still, some suggested the town refrain from buying the land at all. Jacque advised that this would be risky, reasoning that if Snow were looking to sell the property regardless, another private entity could buy it and construct something less than favorable to the community.
The Emergency Services Facility Committee decided to schedule a meeting for Wednesday, April 27, at 6 p.m. in Town Hall to serve as what Town Administrator Andrea Llamas described as a public information session. The meeting will be accessible in person and via Zoom, and will be streamed by Bernardston-Northfield Community Television (BNCTV).
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-772-0261, ext. 261 or jmendoza@recorder.com.