WATERVILLE — The Planning Board on Monday voted 6-0 to approve final plans for a 12,000-square-foot police station at Colby Circle.

The vote followed about a half-hour of discussion about the proposal, which the board reviewed under the city’s site plan review ordinance.

After the vote, police Chief Joseph Massey thanked everyone involved in the process, including city officials and residents.

“I’m very pleased with the site plan design,” Massey said. “I’m very pleased with the size of the lot. It’s certainly going to meet our needs. I think it’s going to allow for operational efficiency, and I think it’s going to provide a very safe and secure environment, for not only police to work in, but for the public.”

The construction budget, which has not been finalized, is subject to City Council approval. City Manager Michael Roy has said final figures will not be known until the project goes out to bid for contractors.

Council Chairman Fred Stubbert, D-Ward 1, was happy with planners’ approval Monday.

“It took us a long time to get to this point, but I’m really pleased with the results,” Stubbert said.

The city plans to buy the lot for the police station from Hight Partners for $100,000. Hight Partners owns the adjacent Waterville District Court and Social Security Administration buildings, as well as the land on which they stand.

City Engineer Greg Brown told planners the police station lot is just under 2 acres.

The site is served by existing sewer and Kennebec Water District lines, and power is available via a Central Maine Power Co. pole, Brown said.

All utilities are anticipated to be underground. Underground propane tanks also will serve the building.

The existing 28-foot-paved entrance will be widened to include an island.

The city will build and plow the road, Brown said.

A crosswalk will be painted for pedestrians approaching the police station from the southwest, and a “pedestrian crossing ahead” sign will be installed.

“There is no anticipated congestion, either on or off site,” Brown said. “Traffic congestion’s not an issue.”

The station will have 48 parking spaces, 17 of which will be for the public, Brown said.

The police station will have to share an access road with the Social Security Administration building and Waterville District Court.

David Jackson asked about families, with children going in and out of the Social Security Administration building coinciding with police vehicles that may have to leave the site in a hurry.

“That’s a concern for me,” he said.

“Very good point,” Brown replied.

He said the city looked at possibly having a separate entrance for police, but the state Department of Transportation would not allow that.

Planning Board Chairman David Geller asked whether the police station could have an emergency-only egress. Brown said that isn’t possible, given the way the circle and intersection are configured.

He said the city needs to build a police station now, but if the intersection changes in the future, an entrance and exit to the station may be modified.

Massey said there is not a worse entrance than the one the police station has now, off Front Street, where there are pedestrians, traffic and poor visibility. However, police officials drive carefully, with due regard to pedestrians and vehicles, he said.

“I think the chief is right. No matter where you put it, you’re going to have a concern,” Geller said.

Brown said ground tests at the site produced good results.

“For the most part, this piece of property has been undeveloped since 1850,” he said.

Planner Dana Bushee-Hernandez asked when ground will be broken for the project.

“Winter’s coming, and I’m worried,” she said.

Brown said he shared her concern and hopes ground work can start soon.

“We’re working with the architect to speed that process up,” he said.

Bushee-Hernandez said the project feels good.

“It feels right,” Geller added.