Enfield Zoning Board OKs variance for Shaker Pines Fire District training building

The Enfield Zoning Board of Appeals on June 22 approved a variance that lets Shaker Pines Fire District No. 5 build a multi‑story training building at 2837 Bacon Road.

The three‑story, container‑style training structure would exceed the town’s 15‑foot height limit but, the applicants said, needs roughly 25 feet of vertical space to meet National Fire Protection Association and OSHA standards for realistic high‑angle and live‑fire exercises. "We need to have three storeys for us to be able to do that," said James Nolan of Shaker Pines Fire District, who described the proposal as a shared training resource for multiple Enfield districts.

Board members asked detailed questions about on‑site circulation and wetlands buffers and were told staff could grant an agent approval for a minimal, permeable access strip so fire apparatus can drive fully around the building without blocking station apparatus. The applicants confirmed the design includes an access path and that the station would remain operational during training.

After discussion the board voted to grant the variance. The board cited the site’s topography and the applicants’ need to meet state fire‑training standards as reasons for approval. A roll‑call vote was recorded and the motion carried.

The approval relieves the applicant of specific accessory‑structure height and setback rules under the zoning sections cited in the hearing notice; permit documentation and any administrative (agent) approvals will be processed through the town building and zoning office before construction begins.

The board moved on to other business after closing the Bacon Road hearing.