WATERVILLE — The public can take a look and ask questions when preliminary plans for a new police station at Head of Falls go before the City Council and Planning Board tonight.

Councilors at 5:30 p.m. will review a floor plan and timetable for the project. At 7 p.m., planners will consider the proposal under the site plan review ordinance.

Both meetings will be in the council chambers at The Center, at 93 Main St.

Port City Architecture of Portland is working on the police station design with input from city officials, including police Chief Joseph Massey, according to City Manager Michael Roy.

He said the design officials will look at tonight will not be final.

Both Roy and Planning Board Chairman David Geller said the public may comment on and ask questions about the plans.

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The proposal calls for a single-story 12,000-square-foot station on the parking lot at Head of Falls off Front Street. The estimated cost of a single-story station is $3.2 million.

Some people, including Council Chairman Fred Stubbert, D-Ward 1, think a two-story building would be more appropriate for the waterfront, because it would have a smaller footprint than a single-story building. The city’s estimate for a two-story station is $3.4 million, but Roy notes that final costs will not be known until the design is complete and the project is put out to bid for subcontractors.

In addition to reviewing the project under the site plan review ordinance, the Planning Board will consider a request to rezone part of the property to make building setback requirements less restrictive.

The board has the authority to accept or reject the police station plans, but may only recommend zoning changes to the council, which would make the final decision on zoning issues.

In addition to the police station review, councilors are also scheduled to consider taking a final vote on the city’s property maintenance ordinance and award contracts for both motor fuels and winter road salt.

The Planning Board also is scheduled to consider a plan by Fieldstone Meadows LLC for 42 single-family homes off Fieldstone Drive as well as a plan by Herb and Heidi Goudreau to build an apartment building behind Goudreau’s Retirement Inn at 110 College Ave.

Amy Calder — 861-9247
acalder@centralmaine.com


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