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Wellesley releases Fire Station Master Plan recommending new Weston Road headquarters and phased renovations
Summary
A yearlong master plan presented June 2 finds both Wellesley fire stations functionally obsolete, recommends a new ~26,000 sq ft Weston Road headquarters with Station 2 renovation, and sets a trigger for a third station if response performance declines.
Wellesley officials and consultants on June 2 presented a Fire Station Master Plan that recommends building a new roughly 26,000‑square‑foot headquarters on Weston Road, converting Station 2 into a modern substation, and decommissioning Station 1, while also identifying a possible third station for the eastern part of town if response metrics decline.
Fire Chief Steve Mortarelli told the Select Board that while the department has meticulously maintained both stations, the facilities have reached the end of their operational viability. He reported recent cases of cancer among active and retired firefighters and said current station layouts allow contaminated gear and apparatus particulates to circulate into living and working quarters. Consultant Jeff Shaw said best practice requires a "hot‑to‑cold" transition so firefighters can decontaminate and reach clean areas without carrying contaminants into quarters.
The study found the department currently meets NFPA response targets (90% of calls within four minutes) but identified weaker coverage in northwest and eastern corridors and noted that increased development could erode performance. The plan recommends triggering a feasibility study for a third station if response performance declines by 3% from the 2025 baseline, with action before a 5% total decline.
Site analysis evaluated three town‑owned parcels—two on Weston Road and one at 515 Washington Street adjacent to the police station. The Weston Road options scored highest in a weighted matrix; the Washington Street parcel presents Article 97 and Sudbury Aqueduct constraints. The consultants estimated a 6–7 year timeline to complete the recommended headquarters and renovation, and projected a 2034 estimate for a third station for long‑range budget planning.
FMD Director Joe McDonough told the Board the Town plans to seek feasibility funding at the Fall Special Town Meeting and recommended studying a single preferred site initially to limit costly geotechnical work. Board members emphasized early public engagement, especially for neighbors near Weston Road sites, and asked that outreach clarify operational realities—when sirens and air horns are used and how decontamination and exposure‑control measures improve firefighter safety.
No formal Board vote was taken to commit to a site; the presentation concluded with the Board thanking staff and the consultants for the work.
