A fuel island set to be constructed next to Brunswick’s Public Works facility is prompting alarm among nearby residents, who say they are worried about fumes, traffic, disruption and the future of Brunswick’s Senior Gardens — which will be demolished in the construction.

Several neighbors who live in the area of Water Street — which leads to Industry Road, where the Public Works building is located — told the Brunswick Town Council at its meeting Tuesday night that they’re concerned about the possible environmental impacts and the nuisance that a fuel station could create.

Brunswick has been weighing updates to its 42,000-square-foot Public Works facility for years. In the first phase of the overhaul, the town plans to build a new fuel island and salt shed. In December, the council voted to borrow $4.7 million for this phase after deciding not to purchase an adjacent office building at 2 Industry Road.

The primary building, which includes administration, four mechanic bays and eight vehicle bays, was constructed in the 1950s and is uninsulated and undersized, Town Manager Julia Henze said last winter.

A study conducted by Wright-Pierce in 2024 determined that, according to the needs of the department, the updated facility would need to be about 116,000 square feet. As projected, the total cost of the project would be about $40 million.

In the next phase of the project, which is yet to come before the council, the town plans to design and build a new administrative and maintenance building for an estimated $6 million.

Abutters said they were recently informed of the fuel island construction, which could start as early as this summer.

Several commenters at the meeting Tuesday night said they worry about the health risks of building a fueling station close to houses and a day care center, Family Focus, which is located across the street from the site. They also spoke about the potential for noise, light pollution and increased traffic.

“Both our home and our intended child care location fall within less than 50 meters of a proposed fueling location,” Jodi Newcombe, a Water Street resident and local doctor, said at the meeting. “Even a basic review of environmental health data shows that living in such proximity of a petroleum station is associated with increased risks involving respiratory illness and, in children, high risk of potential leukemia.”

Residents Tuesday asked councilors to consider relocating the fuel station and holding a meeting with concerned neighbors to answer their questions.

Henze said the new fuel station is designed to be convenient so it can be used by multiple town departments. It includes two gas pumps and buffers between the station and abutting properties, she said.

Henze encouraged concerned residents to attend the next planning board meeting, when the board is set to vote on the project development. She and the council are also planning to follow up with neighbors and are considering setting a meeting to further discuss the project and peoples’ concerns.

“The council does plan to listen,” Henze said on Wednesday.

SENIOR GARDENS

Another controversial issue is the planned elimination of Brunswick’s Senior Gardens, which is located on the town land where the Public Works Department plans to expand.

People Plus helps manage the Senior Gardens, assigning plots and communicating with gardeners.

The organization, which serves seniors in the community, told gardeners ahead of this planting season that plots on Industry Road will not be available going forward because of the Public Works expansion.

Paul Whitcomb, a Brunswick resident who has long held a plot at the garden, said he felt disrespected by the town’s move.

“Our gardens are being ripped away from us,” Whitcomb said in an interview.

He also worries about what he calls an “environmentally destructive” project.

“The construction of new fossil fuel infrastructure is directly contradictory to the town’s climate action plan,” Whitcomb said.

Stacy Frizzle-Edgerton, People Plus executive director, said the gardens offer immense benefits to seniors, allowing them to meet their neighbors, get outside and grow their own food.

However, she said, the land is owned by the town, which has allowed residents to cultivate it.

“It costs the town money to make these spots available,” Frizzle-Edgerton said.

Town staff are actively looking for a new garden space, Henze said Wednesday, adding that she understands that losing the garden space can be painful.

Frizzle-Edgerton said her organization is prepared to let gardeners know as soon as a new space is available.

“(The gardens are) a very, very vital and important aspect to many adults’ lives,” she said.

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