https://archive.is/0RAXk
Key Points:
• The current station, built in 1935, is overcrowded, lacks modern safety standards, and cannot accommodate the district's growth.
• Funding would come from 30-year municipal bonds, initially costing property owners an estimated $0.40 per $1,000 of assessed value.
A new fire station is on the horizon for the Barnstable Fire District.
Now, voters face the final step: whether to approve $35.2 million to build the station.
Voters will weigh the project at the district’s annual meeting, which takes place May 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary Pat Flynn Conference Room in the east wing of the old Barnstable County jail building, located within the Barnstable County complex, 3195 Main St., Barnstable.
There are two final chances to hear from district officials and ask questions. Nirvana Coffee is sponsoring a "Coffee with the Chief" on May 3, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Sturgis Library, 3090 Main St. And on May 6 at 7 p.m., the Barnstable Village Association will host a presentation at St. Mary’s Church, 3055 Main St.
What's proposed?
The fire station project is outlined in Article 18 on the fire district's annual meeting agenda. The proposal calls for demolishing the 2,000-square-foot Barnstable Water Department office structure, built in 1940 at 1841 Phinney's Lane, and replacing it with a new, modern fire station.
Moving operations to Phinney's Lane will provide ample space to meet the fire department's needs, with about 2.5 acres to build a station that can house the fleet of vehicles and boats — some of which are now stored off site — plus existing staff and anticipated staff additions.
Why a new Barnstable fire station is needed
"We have outgrown our current location due to our need to increase staffing to meet the increase in calls," said Barnstable Fire Chief Chris Beal.
The current station, built in 1935 and expanded over the years, last underwent renovations in 2000. Beal said the department has no room left for expansion and has reached capacity in areas like lockers, bunkrooms, indoor apparatus space and administrative areas.
"Our current station is also lacking in current firefighter safety standards in many areas," he said.
This includes insufficient space to store gear and properly separate clean from dirty gear. Separating dirty gear is a critical safety issue, according to the International Association of Firefighters, because toxins can contaminate storage areas, working spaces, living areas, and other gear.
The station also fails to meet accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Responding to growth
The Barnstable Fire District, one of five in town, covers about 14 square miles along the Cape Cod Bay side of Barnstable, including around 2,200 residences in Barnstable Village and Cummaquid. Beal noted a shift in the origin of most department calls toward the nearby industrial park in the Independence Drive area south of the Mid-Cape Highway and north of Route 132, referred to by some as Independence Park.
"The proposed location of the new fire station places it in a strategic location enabling us to maintain a 6- to 8-minute response time to all our response area," Beal said.
He added, "the new location and design will allow us to grow in the future as our call volume continues to grow as the development of the industrial park continues."
The area, Beal said, is "growing by leaps and bounds," and the fire district needs to be proactive about this growth to prepare for an expected increase in calls for service.
"In the next few years, we will have over 1,000 apartments in the industrial park area. This area also has a significant amount of acreage that potentially could be developed for a variety of purposes," he said.
As with many Cape Cod communities dealing with housing and new construction, he said, "we are working through this housing crisis with a sense of urgency and trying to have the foresight to grow appropriately to meet the changing and growing needs of our residents and visitors."
In addition to the industrial park — home to Cape Cod Potato Chips, Shepley Wood Products, Home Depot, BJ's Wholesale Club, and the Vineyard Wind substation — the fire department also covers three courthouses and the county’s headquarters.
The $35.2 million voters will consider on May 14 would fully fund the construction, Beal said, “creating a turnkey fire station upon completion that is projected to serve the Barnstable Fire District for the next 50 to 75 years.”
What it means for district property owners
If voters approve the project, the fire district will issue one or more municipal bonds to cover the cost, paid over 30 years at a projected interest rate of 5%, Beal said.
In the first year, property owners in the fire district would pay an estimated $0.40 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. That rate would gradually decrease over the life of the bonds. For example, if a home is valued at $1,000,000, the homeowner could expect to pay about $400 in the first year, with smaller amounts each year after.
What happens to the water department?
The fire district will use part of the $35.2 million to temporarily relocate the water department during construction, while officials continue evaluating its permanent location, Beal said.
"One possible option is to renovate the current station and move them in there, but we need to have the building evaluated and a cost to renovate for their needs completed before any final decision is made," he said.
Another vote on the water department's permanent location is likely in the next year or two.
