North Andover’s Berry Street has athletic fields.
One option discussed was a narrow gravel lane between a vernal pool and the Department of Public Works, linking the station site to the fields. The newspaper reported that this route would involve tree removal, road construction near the pool and wetland fill. The reported discussion identifies a possible route, not a final access plan.
Environmental approval does not settle the access question
The Conservation Commission issued an order of conditions for the proposed fire station.
An Order of Conditions is the Conservation Commission’s permit under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act: it can approve work subject to protections for wetlands and related public interests, or deny work that cannot be adequately conditioned. The decision does not end the wetlands process for everyone; state rules allow certain applicants, abutters and other eligible parties to seek review by MassDEP within 10 business days. That appeal window is one reason the order is an environmental milestone, not necessarily the project’s final approval.
The proposal is for a third fire station.
The Berry Street proposal followed a change in the town’s facilities plan: the earlier approach called for renovating and expanding Station 2 on Johnson Street, but the Fire Department says a third station was later judged a better way to address service needs. The town says design funding was approved at the 2024 Town Meeting and that the Town Manager recommended $7.5 million for construction in the FY27 capital plan. The town’s project page outlines that shift and funding timeline.
Stormwater design changed during review
Stormwater was another focus of the review. A third and final peer review by Horsley Witten Group raised concerns about the initial design; options included a boundary swale or changing the outlet pipe’s direction.
Commission chair John Mason described site walks and design changes intended to direct pond discharges toward the wetland and away from a neighbor’s backyard. Plans also identify areas for stockpiling and erosion control, according to the Eagle-Tribune.
A project amid existing department resources
The North Andover Fire Department’s online profile says the town is protected by two fire stations, housing four engines, one ladder, one brush truck and four ambulances. Those figures describe listed resources, not call volume or the effect a new station would have on response times, according to the department’s town website.
The town’s explanation for a third station ties the proposal to changing demand and geography. North Andover covers more than 27 square miles, and the Fire Department says the population has roughly doubled since Station 2 was built in 1970. The department also reports that EMS calls rose from about 2,200 in 1999 to nearly 4,800 in 2025. On Turnpike Street, its share of calls increased from 12.7% in 2023 to 15.7% in 2025, figures the town cites in its case for a Berry Street location.
Separately, North Andover News reported that the Town Meeting warrant listed Fire Station 3 under Article 9, Capital Improvements, for the May 12 Town Meeting. That warrant reference provides funding-process context.
