There has been discussion about relocating the Blue Hill Fire Station from its location at 42 Water St. for many years, from many perspectives. Among the rationales expressed in the past have been:
- A view that the “prime,” harborfront location of the station could be put to better use for the community
- Concern about the effects of sea level rise and increased storm intensity on the building
- The low clearance of the main fire truck bay doors, which has required the town to purchase, at extra cost, specially constructed fire trucks that can enter the building
- The possibility (likelihood?) that, at some point, the Town will need to employ (and house during shifts) a core group of firefighters
- The fact that the building, which is almost 60 years old, is no longer configured to accommodate modern firefighting standards, like ventilation, post-fire contamination reduction and facility safety
- The prospect of increased costs of maintaining the existing building in the coming years
Taken together, they caused the town to undertake an evaluation of the options available for relocating the station in 2024-25 and, in September 2025, to acquire a vacant dormitory building and surrounding land within the central Blue Hill Village area as the site of a new Public Safety Building.
Actions to Date
To date, the Town has appropriated expended approximately $1.8 million in connection with the new Public Safety Building.
- Funds appropriated. At the April 2024 Town Meeting, voters approved a $50,000 appropriation to begin to plan for relocation of the fire station. Then-Select Board member James Dow formed a committee, on behalf of the Select Board, to begin that process.
- Engineers/architects engaged. Later that month, the town engaged Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB), a civil engineering firm, and Port City Architects to advise on the process of considering a relocation of the fire station and to advise on alternate locations and designs for a replacement facility.
- King grant. In June 2024, the town was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation. Using those grant funds, the Town solicited proposals from civil engineers and architects with expertise and recent experience in designing fire station and emergency services facilities in Maine.
- Site selection. Over the ensuing months, a town committee met to discuss ideas, locations and the myriad of concerns associated with a relocation of the facility. In addition to the reasons to consider relocation mentioned above, the committee also evaluated the cost (purchase, construction, maintenance), community impacts (including the effects on property owners’ Homeowner’s Insurance premiums), comments made during the 2024/25 Comprehensive Plan process, and the advice of the civil engineers and architects retained to assist with the evaluation.
- Town approval of site purchase. At a Special Town Meeting held in August 2025, the town’s voters approved the purchase of the site, together with land associated with the town’s primary school, for $1,875,000 (of which the town estimates that $1,800,000 was attributable to the Public Safety Building site). The transaction was completed in September 2025.
- Public Safety Building Committee. Shortly after the purchase was completed, the town formed a committee, consisting of representatives from the Fire Department, the Ambulance Corps, the Select Board, and members of the public with applicable skills, to advise the Select Board on the design, construction, and financing of the Public Safety Building.