 |
|
|
|
|
Fire station gets nod from city planning commission
Last-minute deal with architect paves the way
Task force to appeal
By Oakley Brooks
The Saratoga Planning Commission haltingly approved plans for the fire district's new station recently, but only after the district's architect agreed to consider redesigning the building's front tower--one of the station's signature facets.
The agreement was reached during a June 27 meeting. The final 4-2 decision to approve the design capped more than three hours of public comment heard over two separate planning commission meetings that revealed a concerned citizenry equally ambivalent about the project.
In an initial vote, the commission was split evenly (3-3) on whether the larger and more dynamic building was appropriate for the site of the current fire station on the corner of Saratoga Avenue and Saratoga-Los Gatos Road.
But Commissioner Ruchi Zuts hi then convinced the station's architect, Chris Ford, to diminish the size of the station's tower. Zutshi subsequently voiced her approval of the station, and on a second vote, the design got the necessary four votes to pass. Commissioner George Roupe was absent from the meeting.
Members of the Firefighter and Citizen Task force said they would appeal the decision to the city council.
Eighty-eight percent of Saratoga Fire District residents voted to replace the outdated and seismically unsafe Village station last April, agreeing to fund the project with $6 million in property taxes.
Several planning commissioners cited voter support in explaining their own approval of the Julia Morgan-inspired station design. But other citizens and commissioners said they still had reservations about the size and design of the new station.
A chorus of task force members and other Saratoga residents called for the district to reduce the overall size of the station while expanding the area of the station that houses trucks. They proposed relocating the fire district's administrative offices to the former Contempo Realty building--just behind the station site. The district has acquired that building to use as a temporary firehouse during the construction period.
Fire Chief Ernie Kraule was visibly pleased after the station's approval.
"We'll get the community a new modern fire station that they and the firefighters deserve," said Kraule
Kraule said he anticipated the appeal to the city council by task force members, but that engineers would begin looking at the logistics of the new building this week.
Meanwhile, task force Chairman Dave Dolloff stewed outside the civic theater after the planning commission vote.
"They're basically building a building that's so large, it's misusing the space," said Dolloff.
|
|
|
|
Saratoga, California Since 1955
