1 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS MEMORANDUM April 14, 2014 TO: City Council FROM: Carl J. Weber, Director of Public Works James Jensen, Fire Chief SUBJECT: Action on Fire Station #1 Site Selection; Review and Approval of Program Budget; Approval of Resolution of Necessity; and Authorization to Proceed to Final Design and Bidding. (File Res, No. 2014-1075) Summary On October 14, 2013, the City Council considered three alternatives for addressing the current inadequacies of the existing Fire Station #1. Those alternatives included: (a) minimal repairs to the existing station, (b) renovation and expansion of the existing building, or (c) complete replacement. At that meeting, six of the Council members present favored complete replacement and the necessary steps to implement. Subsequently staff retained a professional design team to complete design of a new central fire station facility. On Monday, November 25, 2013 the Council directed the City Administration to proceed with planning for a new station to the north of the existing station. The City Council’s preference was the site between the existing station and the corner of Centerway and Milton Avenue. The current station could be used until the new station was constructed. A Public Information Meeting (PIM) was held at the current Fire Station #1 on Wednesday, February 26, 2014. On March 3, 2014, the Council referred both Options #1 and #2 to the Plan Commission to make a determination of compliance of the sites to the City of Janesville Comprehensive Plan and to review the layout and architectural design. On April 8, 2014, the Plan Commission reviewed both site options including the architectural design of the proposed facility. The majority of the Commission believed Option #1 was not compatible within the existing neighborhood because it forced the proposed building in a location that was too compact. There was a motion by Commissioner Marklein with a second by Commissioner Voskuil to forward the proposed acquisition of land on Milton Avenue delineated as Option #2 for construction of a new Central Fire Station to the City Council with a favorable recommendation and to endorse the preliminary architectural design for the proposed new Central Fire Station along Milton Avenue, noting that the Plan Commission has not reviewed the financial aspects of these transactions. The motion carried on a 3-2-0 vote with Commissioners Dongarra-Adams and Brunner opposed stating that they would not vote
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DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS MEMORANDUM April 14, 2014
TO: City Council FROM: Carl J. Weber, Director of Public Works James Jensen, Fire Chief SUBJECT: Action on Fire Station #1 Site Selection; Review and Approval of Program
Budget; Approval of Resolution of Necessity; and Authorization to Proceed to Final Design and Bidding. (File Res, No. 2014-1075)
Summary On October 14, 2013, the City Council considered three alternatives for addressing the current inadequacies of the existing Fire Station #1. Those alternatives included: (a) minimal repairs to the existing station, (b) renovation and expansion of the existing building, or (c) complete replacement. At that meeting, six of the Council members present favored complete replacement and the necessary steps to implement. Subsequently staff retained a professional design team to complete design of a new central fire station facility. On Monday, November 25, 2013 the Council directed the City Administration to proceed with planning for a new station to the north of the existing station. The City Council’s preference was the site between the existing station and the corner of Centerway and Milton Avenue. The current station could be used until the new station was constructed. A Public Information Meeting (PIM) was held at the current Fire Station #1 on Wednesday, February 26, 2014. On March 3, 2014, the Council referred both Options #1 and #2 to the Plan Commission to make a determination of compliance of the sites to the City of Janesville Comprehensive Plan and to review the layout and architectural design. On April 8, 2014, the Plan Commission reviewed both site options including the architectural design of the proposed facility. The majority of the Commission believed Option #1 was not compatible within the existing neighborhood because it forced the proposed building in a location that was too compact. There was a motion by Commissioner Marklein with a second by Commissioner Voskuil to forward the proposed acquisition of land on Milton Avenue delineated as Option #2 for construction of a new Central Fire Station to the City Council with a favorable recommendation and to endorse the preliminary architectural design for the proposed new Central Fire Station along Milton Avenue, noting that the Plan Commission has not reviewed the financial aspects of these transactions. The motion carried on a 3-2-0 vote with Commissioners Dongarra-Adams and Brunner opposed stating that they would not vote
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in favor as they would like to have Option #1 added into the recommendation for consideration by the City Council. At this time, staff is seeking selection of a preferred site location and design. Staff Recommendation Staff recommends that:
1. The Council select a preferred site option for Fire Station #1 (staff has not made a recommendation due to the conflict between the Council direction to be sensitive to property owners wishes and minimizing property acquisition);
2. The Council approve the project budget; 3. The Council approve the resolution of necessity (File Res. No. 2014-1075); and
that 4. Authorize staff to proceed to final design and construction bidding based on the
preferred site option selected by the Council. City Manager’s Recommendation Concur with staff recommendation. Suggested Motion I move that:
1. Site Option # ___ and the proposed general building layout for Fire Station #1 be approved;
2. The program budget be approved; 3. That Resolution #2014-1075 authorizing the acquisition of necessary properties
to complete the construction of the preferred option be approved; and that 4. Staff be authorized to proceed to final design and bidding.
Background Fire Station #1 was constructed in 1957 and has served as the central fire station and administrative offices ever since. During the last 56 years, a great deal has changed in the fire service and the equipment they use. For example, in 1957 there were no females in the fire service. This is reflected in the open dormitory design of Station #1 and its original design without separate shower facilities. Separate shower facilities have since been constructed; however, the open dormitory remains. There is little separation between the sleeping quarters and a curtain provides privacy between a hallway and an open locker room area. Significant changes have also occurred in the equipment used by fire personnel. In the last 56 years fire apparatus has gotten bigger and more specialized. For example, in 1957 we did not have a boat and trailer for water rescues, a water tender, a brush truck, a rescue truck, command unit, reserve apparatus, hazardous materials unit, or a technical rescue trailer. The Fire Department put its first ambulance in service the year that the station opened.
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Fire Station #1 houses numerous pieces of daily used fire apparatus and rescue equipment. Currently, multiple fire response vehicles are often stored in one bay, requiring movement of vehicles prior to response; trailers separated from tow vehicles, requiring movement and hooking up prior to response; vehicles stored outside. Initial funding for design and site acquisition of a new central fire station in the amount of $1,500,000 was provided in various note issues beginning in 2006. Of this amount, $1,375,975.65 remains. Analysis Staff has completed an evaluation of nine potential sites in the service area of the current central fire station. That evaluation determined that the current site can best address the needs of the Fire Station #1 service area and therefore a new station should be constructed on or near the existing Fire Station #1 property. The optimum response time to service areas is the current location block. Three options within the block of the current station have been evaluated for placement of the new fire station building. Option #1, would occupy the footprint of the existing station as well as seven lots to the north. As such, it would require that the existing station be demolished before commencement of the construction of the new station and, therefore, the existing staff and fire apparatus would need to be temporarily relocated to an alternate site at cost, expense, inconvenience, and loss of valuable response time. The only somewhat reasonable compatible temporary facility within the current Fire Station #1 service area is the existing Transit Services Center which is projected to be vacated in the summer of 2014. While this facility can reasonably accommodate the vehicles currently housed at Fire Station #1, there would need to be improvements completed to accommodate the on duty living quarters for the emergency response staff. Since the transit facility is not centrally located within the Fire Station #1 service area, it is much less functional from an emergency response perspective than existing Fire Station #1. Temporarily operating the central station from 900 N. Parker Drive would place much of the near east side and Fourth Ward areas out of the four minute response travel time. The transit facility location is too far to the west and north to work well within the existing fire station service area configuration. Access to southbound Parker Drive would also be difficult, which would create additional delays. The transit facility has been examined and proposed as a possible temporary option, but the negative factors of that site weigh heavily against locating the new station over any part of the existing building. In addition, the existing station property occupies steep terrain which requires a more expensive stepped footing than would be the relatively flat site, Option #2. Option #2, the preferred building site, would occupy the twelve lots between the existing facility and Centerway Avenue to the north of current Fire Station #1. Developing Option #2 would allow the existing central station to remain open and
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functional with optimum response times and no extra expenses resulting from temporary relocation of staff or apparatus, and no extra building costs. The current station could be used until the time that the new facility becomes available. The level of service provided would remain equal to that currently provided. The building footprint would be relatively level easily accommodating the proposed new building. This site requires the acquisition and relocation of at least 11 homes. Staff does not believe it makes sense to leave one house between the fire station and Milton/Centerway intersection so the Option #2 budget includes acquiring 12 properties. Option #3, Is similar to Option #1 with the exception that it is built in phases with the administrative wing and 4 apparatus bays being built in Phase 1 with the remaining 4 apparatus bays being built in Phase 2. This will allow staff to remain on site throughout construction. However, the phasing disrupts the construction process thus increasing project costs. Because of site terrain, there can be no rear access to the southerly two bays restricting the flexibility of that portion of the facility. This option was developed in response to the Council direction provided at their March 10 meeting that staff be sensitive to the interests of the potentially affected property owners. That was initially presumed to mean minimizing the number of homes to be acquired. However, subsequent to the Council meeting on March 10, two property owners who had voiced opposition to being acquired at that Council meeting communicated to the Council and staff that they now oppose Option #1 as they do not wish to continue to live near a new station. This has created a conflict between addressing the wishes of the property owners and minimizing property acquisition. A summary of comparative costs of the three options are included as Attachment A. Site layouts of Options #1, #2 and #3 are included as Attachments B, C and D. Attachments E1 and E2 show the floor plans and programmed uses of the proposed building. The floor plan is identical for each of the options with the exception that Option #2 and #3 are reversed from Option #1 so as to best accommodate ingress and egress of emergency vehicles. The formal “necessity resolution” that authorizes the City’s negotiated or eminent domain acquisition of the properties for the new station is attached. cc: Mark A. Freitag, City Manager Maxwell Gagin, Management Analyst
RESOLUTION NO. 2014-1075
A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY AUTHORIZING THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY FOR
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FIRE STATION FOR THE CITY OF JANESVILLE
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the City of Janesville intends to construct a new fire station for the purpose of
providing fire fighting services to the citizens of the City; and
WHEREAS, the City of Janesville Plan Commission reviewed and recommended the location
and use of the new downtown fire station without making any comment about the financial
aspects of the project; and
WHEREAS, funding for the acquisition of real estate and related relocation expenses, pursuant
to Chapter 32, Wisconsin Statutes, is hereby approved and appropriated by the Common Council
of the City of Janesville in the amount necessary and desirable for acquisition, relocation,
incidental costs and expenses, and as budgeted and/or as to be borrowed; and