PLACEMENT: Departmental
TITLE:
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FUTURE FIRE STATION ANALYSIS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
The Board is asked to accept the Future Fire Station Analysis, which looks at the existing Levels of Service and future growth in the western areas of Martin County.
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DEPARTMENT: Fire Rescue
PREPARED BY: Name: Lisa A. Wichser, P.E., CFM
Title: Chief Project Engineer
REQUESTED BY: Don G. Donaldson, P.E., CFM, County Administrator
PRESET: 10:30 AM
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
Goal 14.1 of the Comprehensive Growth Management Plan is, “To use sound fiscal policies to provide adequate public facilities concurrent with, or prior to, development in order to achieve and maintain adopted standards for levels of service and to exceed the adopted standards, when possible...” The adopted level of service for Fire-Rescue is 8 minutes 90% of the time in urban areas and 20 minutes 90% of the time in rural areas. The Fire-Rescue staff has identified several unfunded capital needs in the FY25 Capital Improvement Program:
1) adding a new fire station to serve the currently underserved and future growth in the western Palm City area;
2) relocating a fire station from inside the Indiantown Governmental Facility to better serve future growth; and
3) relocating a fire station from the Tropical Farms residential neighborhood to better serve future growth.
Metro Forecasting Models (MFM) was contracted by the County in January 2020 to provide continuing planning and consulting services using a special land use model, known as the Interactive Growth Model. Under this contract, MFM was retained to use existing Calls for Service types and locations, the capacity to respond to calls, and local input to develop a drive-time analysis of the existing fire stations and to help determine the optimal location to serve the existing population and future growth. MFM has prepared the Draft Fire Station Analysis for the Board’s consideration. In summary:
1) a new fire station near the northbound off-ramp from Interstate 95 (I-95) onto SR-714 (SW Martin Highway) will adequately serve the existing communities in western Palm City as well as the predicted growth in the Newfield community;
2) relocating the existing fire station from inside the Indiantown Governmental Facility on SR-710 (SW Warfield Boulevard) to property along CR-609 (SW Allapattah Road) will adequately serve the existing communities in Indiantown as well as the predicted growth in Terra Lago community; and
3) relocating the existing fire station from the Tropical Farms residential neighborhood to either of two locations will adequately serve the existing communities in Tropical Farms as well as predicted growth in the area.
David Farmer, CEO of MFM, will present the Draft Fire Station Analysis.
ISSUES:
The Board is asked to consider the two options for the relocation of existing fire station from the Tropical Farms residential neighborhood. Both options provide adequate coverage for the service area.
The first option (Option A) is along SW Waterside Way, which is the road that leads to the County’s 30-acre parcel. The parcel was acquired to consolidate the various maintenance entities within the County (General Services administration and vehicle maintenance, Parks and Recreation administration and maintenance, and Public Works field operations, stormwater maintenance, mosquito control, environmental management, and traffic signs and signal maintenance). The current site plan does not anticipate a future fire station; including a fire station would restrict the consolidation of the maintenance entities and another site would be required to supplement the current site.
The second option (Option B) is along CR-711 (SW Pratt-Whitney Road) near SW Bulldog Way. This property is the subject of an application for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zoning Agreement including a Master Site Plan for a mixed-use development. The proposed Master Plan identifies a fire station at along CR-711 (SW Pratt-Whitney Road) south of CR-7018 (SW Bridge Road). The MTM analysis found that the site at SW Bulldog Way will better serve the area along I-95 and existing and proposed developments east of I-95.
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
Legal review is not applicable.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECOMMENDATION
Move that the Board accept the Draft Fire Station Analysis and provide input regarding the relocation of the existing fire station from the Tropical Farms neighborhood.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Provide staff direction.
FISCAL IMPACT:
RECOMMENDATION
None
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
DOCUMENT(S) REQUIRING ACTION:
☐Budget Transfer / Amendment ☐ Chair Letter ☐Contract / Agreement
☐Grant / Application ☐Notice ☐Ordinance ☐Resolution
☒Other: Metro Forecasting Models’ Draft Fire Station Analysis
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