Temporary Police HQ Gets Green Light from Planning Board
Planning Board grants special permit for 18-month move to former water treatment facility, requests detailed plans for new police station
Work will soon begin to convert the former water treatment plant at Vine Brook, 171 Middlesex Turnpike, into a temporary police station. The move sets the stage for the construction of a new permanent facility in the place of the current police station in the Town Center.
Town Counsel, Lisa Mead, and Kevin Witzell from Kaestle Boos Associates, the architectural firm charged with working with the the town to design the new building, appeared in front of Burlington's Planning Board on February 6 to present the town's request for a special permit for what's called a minor engineering change.
The temporary location needs minimal site changes, said Mead. The plan will add 52 temporary parking spaces on a gravel lot, a "pervious surface" that will allow water to get through and not cause any drainage issues. The only changes to the building itself, they said, would be interior, in order to avoid any energy code triggers that might be set off by disrupting the building's outer envelope. These interior renovations will transform office and treatment areas into police facilities, though there will be no shower facilities on-site.
The board unanimously approved a special permit allowing the police department to operate from the converted building for 18-24 months while their new station is under construction.
Captain Dan Hanafin of the Burlington Police Department addressed concerns about public access, saying the temporary location will have similar visitor parking to the current station.
Board members asked for more details on lighting, signage, and traffic flow for the temporary site. They also stressed the importance of informing residents about the move through a public education campaign. Google Maps and other virtual mapping software, said the team, will change as soon as the move is made to ensure anyone looking for the station can find it easily.
Planning Board member Barbara L'Heureux expressed concern about the timeline for the new build, given the Planning Board hasn't yet seen updated conceptual plans for the new building.
Kevin Witzell, the project architect, assured the board that updated plans would be presented for the Building Committee to provide feedback, and then the final plan will be presented to the Planning Board for approval. The Building Committee next plans to meet in early March.
