Falmouth advisory committee presents $70 million concept for new police station at 100 Brick Hill Road; neighbors raise site, parking and lighting concerns

The Town of Falmouth’s police station advisory committee presented schematic designs, a project schedule and preliminary cost estimates Thursday as it advances plans for a proposed new police facility at 100 Brick Hill Road.

Committee members said schematic design and third-party cost estimates are underway, with a Select Board discussion planned for March 23 about whether the project should go to a town meeting and ballot referendum. If the town approves the project, the committee said it expects to put the project out to bid between Jan. 1 and Feb. 14, 2027, with a potential construction start in March 2027.

Why it matters: presenters argued the existing station is too small and in deteriorating condition to meet operational needs. Captain Doug Dosta summarized a staffing analysis the department used to size the proposed facility: current staffing stands at 67 sworn officers and seven civilian employees, and the study recommends a gradual increase in sworn and civilian positions to support traffic enforcement, investigative capacity, community engagement and specialized units.

"This staffing issue reflects directly on the place we need to go to," Captain Doug Dosta said, describing longer shifts during storms, limited training space and operational strains that a new facility would address.

Design and program: the design team said its space-needs analysis initially produced a larger program that was then reduced by removing noncritical spaces and shifting some functions to a lower-cost outbuilding. The architects described a two-story building about in the schematic phase, with a provisioned site for a future modular firing range rather than a permanent range in the initial contract. The team said they are aiming for materials and massing that fit the residential context, citing pitched roofs, dormer elements and durable siding to reduce perceived scale.

Parking and vehicles: project materials presented a working parking count of roughly 149 spaces (subject to refinement during permitting). The department reported operating about 43 staff vehicles (plus two anticipated), 16 support vehicles and about 23 personal vehicles that arrive at shift change; designers said they expect roughly 59 public parking spaces to serve lobby, records and shared meeting-room uses. The firm said the town’s zoning does not include a municipal parking table, so the planning board will set final parking requirements.

Cost and tax implications: design leaders said the preliminary all-in project estimate is about $70 million; roughly $5 million has been bonded or expended, leaving an estimated $65 million to finance. Using example bond terms and current interest levels, presenters estimated annual debt service of about $4 million to $6.5 million and estimated an early, preliminary tax impact of approximately $135–$225 per year for the median home value cited ($792,000). They stressed these numbers are preliminary and subject to revision when independent cost estimates return.

Opposition and neighborhood concerns: multiple neighbors raised concerns about the site layout. One resident asked that the staff entrance be moved to reduce cruiser headlights pointing at adjacent houses at night; the design team said it would study whether the entrance could feasibly be shifted.

Resident Mike Souza (52 Brick Road) urged that the impound lot and outbuilding be located away from homes to avoid late-night tow activity and noise. Designers said topography, proposed ball-field locations and grading constraints limit options for locating those facilities farther to the rear of the parcel.

Resident Julene Augusta said the conceptual footprint shown at the forum appeared wider than the version previously presented at town meeting and recommended stretching the footprint linearly along the parcel to increase buffers for neighbors; the project team said operational adjacencies inside the building informed the current footprint but that they would continue to study alternative arrangements.

A former dispatcher, Mary, recounted leaks, mold and cramped communications space at the existing station and said officers have slept in the building during major storms. "It was mold. I was dispatching. ... the floor was soaking wet under the pedal that I used to talk on the radio," she said, urging construction "for the future."

Next steps: the committee said it will take public feedback into account as it refines schematic designs and cost estimates and will return to the community and the Select Board for additional review. The advisory committee provided an email contact for additional comments and said designs and costs will be refined after third‑party estimators complete their work.

What the meeting did not do: there were no formal votes, binding commitments or schedule changes adopted at the forum; the Select Board will consider ballot and town meeting timing in March and any financing decisions would follow from town meeting outcomes and future Select Board action.