NEW GLOUCESTER – Two women who live next to land under consideration for a new town fire station asked questions about issues such as noise and numbers of emergency calls at a selectmen meeting this week.

The abutters live in a residential subdivision next to the land under consideration for purchase.

The public information presentation included a document developed by Board of Selectmen Chairman Steve Libby. He said the primary intent of the property would be municipal use, primarily a fire station and possibly for the highway department also.

The 25-acre parcel on Route 100 across from Pine Tree Seeds has 1,000 feet of frontage along the highway.

Chandler Brothers, a family owned land company with roughly 2,700 acres in New Gloucester, agreed recently to sell the square-shaped lot, which is relatively flat and contains no wetlands, for $168,000.

The abutters, Beverly Roy and Linda Liberty, were told that a design plan for the facility would be developed once the land was purchased. The pair asked about buffers, noise and numbers of emergency calls generated annually. In addition, a trail system is currently heavily used that meanders toward Opportunity Farm on Upper Gloucester Road.

Fire Chief Gary Sacco said the town responds to 450 calls annually.

Once the parcel is purchased by voter approval at a special town meeting in the near future, said Libby, planning will begin. The future fire station would require site-plan review by the town’s Planning Board to address buffering and locations of entrance roads, for example.

Town Manager Rosemary Kulow said payment might come from an undesignated fund balance. However, a tax increment financing segregated fund generated from Pineland’s taxes now totals $721,000, although Kulow said the fund lacks sufficient money to pay for the entire project. The fire station is estimated at roughly $2.5 million.

A capital reserve was established several years ago for land purchase and funding for the fire station.

In other business, selectmen approved funding up to $7,000 to replace a failed septic system for Wayne Robichaud at 136 Sabbathday Road.

Selectmen said they would attach the cost to the homeowner in a payback plan for delinquent payment of taxes. The town technically owns the property, which was foreclosed on.

Finally, Steve Bolton, executive director for Habitat for Humanity in Greater Portland made a plea to selectmen to donate up to three lots in the next five years for an affordable housing initiative.

“There is a strong need for 4,000 housing units today needed in Cumberland County,” said Bolton.

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