Move to Establish Greenwich's 9th Fire Station OK'd

For years, residents of northwest Greenwich have pressed town officials to build a fire station that would reduce response times and better to protect that sector of town.

Their wishes came one step closer to reality Monday night when the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) set the perameters for First Selectman Peter Tesei to begin negotiations to purchase the land needed for the facility.

Before the BET unanimously gave its authoritization for Tesei, who's also the town's fire commissioner, "to proceed in discussions to acquire the property," the 12-member board set guidelines for the purchase.

"We had a robust discussion with the First Selectman and the Fire Chief on the need for better coverage for the northwest quadrant," said BET Budget Committee Chairman Joseph Pellegrino. "The consensus of the budget committee is the need to have satisfactory due diligence. ... we need a comprehensive strategic plan for staffing and firefighting in the town."

The committee recommended Tesei begin private negotiations with an unidentified landowner for the town's purchase of the property on which to build the town's ninth fire station. The budget committee did not recommend a purchase price so as not to impact negotiations, Pellegrino said.

In the past year, town officials have tried to identify potential locations for the station that would serve what they refer to as the King Street corridor, the north-south artery that borders Westchester County.

Nearly a decade ago, the town had purchased land next to the town-owned Griffith Harris Golf Course on King Street for a combined fire and ambulance station. But last year, land surveys and tests proved the site was too small and adequate to build the planned facility. Since then officials have sought to identify other parcels while increasing staffing at the Glenville station.

Earlier this year, officials informally said they are looking to purchase property in the Riversville Road—John Street area.