Woburn City Council Approves Permit For Forest Park Fire HQ

WOBURN, MA — Woburn City Council approved at their Feb. 4 meeting a special permit at Main Street and Forest Park for the construction of a new fire station. The city proposes to build a new fire headquarters on park land, as well as renovating three of the existing five fire stations. Council also passed an petition for a state-required land swap, which would convert an equivalent amount of city-owned land into parks and recreation land.

The land swap will need approval from the state legislature and is required to conform to Article 97, a state land use law. In addition, council still needs to approve funding for the project, totaling $30 million. Mayor Scott Galvin is expected to discuss the appropriation with the City Council Finance Committee, Monday. The $30 million would be borrowed.

City Engineer John Corey and design architect Richard Rice from Dinisco Design presented the plan to council, ahead of a public hearing. According to Rice, the Fire Station Building Committee looked at a number of other options, including building three stations, converting a current station into a new headquarters, or using other city land, including the Joyce School. Building three new stations, rather than building one and renovating three, would cost an additional $15 million, he said.

Corey said that construction would not cause a great deal of additional noise, and the parkland and recreation space along Brentwood Road would not be affected.

Chief Stephen Adgate said that with the new arrangement, 90 percent of the city would fall under 5 minute response times, versus 80 percent currently.

Council approved the special permit with 13 conditions, 11 recommended by the city engineer. Alderman Darlene Mercer-Bruen added the final two conditions, requiring that the existing dirt road in the park remain a walking trail, and that the city conduct a traffic management plan.

The full meeting is available here, from Woburn Public Media Center. The extended agenda is available here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.