CEDAR HILLS -- Pedestrians crossing in front of the fire engine bays in the new public safety building will only be a temporary problem, town officials say.
Some are worried that a parking lot south of the new building forces the public to walk across the firetruck driveways, creating a safety concern."The parking area there (to the south side of the bay driveways) is intended to be temporary. The permanent parking is west with a separate driveway and everything," said Scott Trainor, city administrator.
"Also, when there's a fire, there's a couple of minutes involved as the firemen get their gear and get on the truck. There won't be an immediate danger with no time for people to move."
Consultant Rod Despain told Planning Commission members recently the site plan for the south side of the intersection of Canyon Road and Cedar Hills Drive should perhaps be rotated so people coming into the city offices won't be crossing in the path of fire engines or emergency equipment.
"The shared use causes me concern," Despain said. "I think it needs to not conflict."
Trainor said the $530,000 building and improvements will be done in three phases of construction and the parking on the south will only be used for a short time.
"We actually are still looking at other possibilities, too," he said.
The new building is proposed to go out to bid within the next two weeks with groundbreaking before July. The city expects to be in the building by Jan. 1, 2000, Trainor said. He said city employees are feeling cramped in the trailer that currently serves as the town hall.
"It's a constant flow of traffic with builders, contractors, homeowners, concerned citizens, developers and just everybody coming in and out. We have four full-time staff members there and are adding another building inspector plus we need space for our community police officer," he said.
The new building will have 4,000 square feet of garage space and 4,000 feet of office space with an unfinished basement level. Initially the building will house the town offices, the volunteer fire department and the community police officer.
Public safety impact fees and revenues from a 5 percent franchise fee will go toward repaying a 20-year revenue bond used to finance the building.
Residents are invited to a public hearing June 1 at 7 p.m. in the Cedar Ridge Elementary School at 4501 W. Cedar Hills Drive to look over the site plan and give comments.