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Fire Training Building Approved for Westbrook

The Westbrook Chemical Engine Company will soon get to train its volunteer firefighters indoors, now that the Zoning Commission has approved a town application to build a training and storage facility at the north end fire station property at 725 West Pond Meadow Road.

The proposed facility is a 40- by 80-foot metal building planned for the rear of the four-acre north end fire station parcel. The building would have a poured concrete slab floor; underground connections to connect the building to electricity are planned. No septic system or water connections will be made to the structure.

Funding for the facility was already secured by a June 2016 Town Meeting vote that approved $143,000 for the project.

Each year the Fire Department must conduct state-mandated training to keep the 64 members of the town’s volunteer department certified to perform their duties. With no indoor training spot at the north end station, the town’s representative John Palermo told the commission that the department had to perform the training outside. This has meant that the training aids and props needed would be set up and taken down on each training day. Having an indoor space for training will allow the props to always be available and ready to aid firefighter training, whenever it is scheduled.

Prior to the vote, the commission held a public hearing on the Town of Westbrook’s application, giving neighbors and any others with concerns a chance to ask questions and offer comments.

Neighbor Al Magriz of West Pond Meadow Road told the commission he had lived next to the property for 12 years, and while the fire house had been a good neighbor, he was concerned about whether the new building would add outside lighting and more noise.

Neighbor Cheryl Blum asked about the building’s new exterior lighting and its time of operation.

Palermo stated that the lights on the outside of the building would be shielded. He also said that training could occur on any day of the week, as it does now, but though it sometimes makes noise, this would not occur early in the morning or late at night. He also stated that outside firefighter training had been going on for years there; with training moving indoors, any external noise should be reduced.

Palermo also said that the department will move trailers and equipment now stored outside into the new building, once it is finished. In response to a firehouse neighbor’s question, he said that no hazardous materials will be stored on site. He also stated the training would not include starting any fires at the site.

After the Zoning Commission closed the hearing, it voted to approved the application, subject to several conditions: that a landscaping plan be submitted to the zoning enforcement officer, that the hours of operation be stipulated as 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and that the applicant consider other exterior color options other than the red proposed. Also added was a condition that the town take reasonable steps to minimize noise levels at the site.

After the meeting, Blum said that Palermo was really trying to work with the neighbors.

“They are really doing their best,” said Blum.

Blum said that Palermo had even said he would bring exterior color samples by to share with the neighbors before the town makes a final paint choice.