NORTHFIELD — As residents prepare for Wednesday’s Special Town Meeting on financing construction of a public safety complex, the Conservation Commission is reviewing the project’s possible riverfront and wetland hazards, including a generator near Mill Brook and the stormwater drainage system in the parking lot.

Matthew Struz, project manager with Colliers Project Management, and William Murray, director of landscape architecture and planning with Places Associates, met with the Conservation Commission last week to share building plans and stormwater control measures. Most questions and comments from commissioners focused on ensuring the cleanest stormwater runoff and most effective pollution prevention rather than only meeting minimum state regulations.

The Conservation Commission’s biggest concern is with a diesel generator near Mill Brook. Murray explained the generator cannot be moved to the front of the building, to be located on a 26.96-acre property at 121 Main St., because it exposes the tank to damage from the public. The double-wall steel tank is equipped with alarms that sound if anything is wrong. Someone must check the generator weekly and there is a failsafe mode in the event that lights go out.

“It’s extremely uncomfortable to have it that close to these resources, and if that’s my sticking point, that’s my sticking point,” commented Conservation Commissioner Victoria Luksha.

Luksha also said the project is “cutting it close” to riverfront disturbance limitations. The project will impact between 2,900 and 3,900 square feet of Mill Brook, which is about 9.9% of the riverfront on the property. According to Massachusetts law, the legal amount of riverfront impacted must remain under 10% for any lot. However, the public safety complex will not disrupt anything within 100 feet from Mill Brook as prescribed by state law.

The northern parking lot of the safety complex includes catch basins, oil cleaners and a SNOUT system to collect contaminated water and separate oil and debris from the runoff. According to Murray, these are low-tech but effective stormwater systems.

“The building and site have been as refined as we can get them to be as compact as possible,” Murray said. “No. 1 it meets the standards, No. 2 it’s low-tech and No. 3 it’s easy to maintain.”

At least one resident who attended last week’s meeting shares the Conservation Commission’s apprehension about the building’s potential contamination of wetland resources. Tess Powers, an abutter to the south, voiced her unease about potential water contamination from stormwater runoff.

“We’re not talking about building a school building,” Powers said. “We’re talking about potential spills as a fire department. I mean, the No. 1 death of firefighters is cancer from all the stuff.”

Fire trucks will be washed inside the apparatus bay to prevent water contaminated with chemicals and carcinogens from entering Mill Brook. The apparatus bay drain connects directly to the sewer.

There will be indigenous crabapple, maple and oak trees around the building, as well as a line of juniper shrubs to separate the public safety complex from surrounding properties. The project contractor is required to hire a botanist to remove invasive hogweed without herbicides.

The Conservation Commission began its hearing on the public safety complex’s plans on April 12, and continued its hearing to May 3. Before the next meeting, the state Department of the Environmental Protection will send its notes and concerns on the project for the Conservation Commission to consider.

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