GREENFIELD — The new fire station project remains on track to appear before the Zoning Board of Appeals next month for site plan approval.
The ZBA plans to hold a remote public hearing on May 12 for the application of Pacheco Ross Architects, on behalf of the city, which is seeking site plan approval for the property located at 10 and 12 Coombs Ave. and 33 and 35 to 39 Main St., where the fire station is slated to be built. The firm also is seeking a variance to reduce the 8-foot landscape buffer requirement along Coombs Avenue to 0 feet, and to reduce the required open space for new development.
The meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m., can be accessed via Webex at bit.ly/3OMjrd7.
In other updates at the Fire Station Building Committee meeting on Thursday evening, Mayor Roxann Wedegartner said there was little to share on the status of the parcel of railroad land that abuts the southern side of the fire station property, as she waits to hear back from the owner, Pan Am Railways, on how the company wishes to proceed.
David Singer, co-chair of the Fire Station Building Committee, explained in a phone interview that the city has been looking for avenues to take control of the land to allow for additional space for the station on that southern border of the parcel.
“The fire station land, while it might appear to go right up to the railroad tracks, part of that strip is owned by the railroad,” Singer said, noting this is typical of railroad properties, as they own a buffer of land around the tracks. “It’s not land the railroad really needs to do anything with.”
He said that while control of the land isn’t absolutely necessary, “it would be nice.”
“Otherwise, it’s right up on the (property) line,” Singer said. “This would provide an open space setback for the southerly side of the building.”
Wedegartner relayed to committee members Thursday that the options available to the city, per legal counsel, include a “friendly taking” or the owner “selling” the property to the city for a dollar.
“(The latter) is the preferred option, obviously, because it won’t take quite so long,” she said. “It would still involve lawyers … but not many of them for hours on end.”
Adam Champagne of Pacheco Ross Architects said while the sooner the city can take control of the parcel the better, the more immediate concern — as the start of construction approaches in early fall — is the relocation of the utility pole that sits on the city’s parcel to, if agreed upon, the railroad parcel.
“That’s the more pressing point, I think, because we can accommodate a delay in this as needed,” he said, referring to the question of the railroad parcel. “But the utility pole is a process that needs to be started.”
Champagne also told committee members the firm is getting ready for the 75% cost estimate to go out to its estimator in advance of bidding. He said it may be up to two and a half weeks before the firm hears back with an estimate.
“We’re moving forward and pushing ahead,” he said.
The overall $17 million budget for the fire station includes $2 million for the construction of the temporary fire station on Hope Street, in addition to construction for the new station, professional fees and contingency funds. The temporary fire station, which the department moved into in September, is expected to be used for two years.
Project Manager Neil Joyce suggested the committee schedule a meeting as close to the receipt of the cost estimate “to make sure we are in line with what we anticipate for the budget.”
“If not, we need to be available to make any modifications necessary to stay on budget,” Joyce said.
The committee voted unanimously to schedule an additional meeting for June 2 at 4:30 p.m.
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne