MELBOURNE, Fla. – Should a fire station be built on part of a park?
Melbourne firefighters want a big, new station to replace the old building they’re in now at Sarno and Wickham roads, but some neighbors aren’t happy about a proposal to put it at Jimmy Moore Park.
During a council meeting Tuesday, the proposal was denied, according to the city’s mayor.
“Although this does (have) some advantages and the fire station does need to be replaced, it was very concerning to me that the proposed fire station would take away a large portion of green space in Jimmy Moore Park,” Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey wrote on Facebook Wednesday morning.
DENIED - Proposed Fire Station 72 on Sarno and Wickham.
At last night’s Council meeting i led a push to DENY City staffs recommendation for a new station 72 fire station. This is why????
The City recommended moving the station off the corner and into the park. Although this does has some advantages and the fire station does need to be replaced, it was very concerning to me that the proposed fire station would take away a large portion of green space in Jimmy Moore Park.
City Staff recommended the fire station be monstrous and at a cost of over 10 million dollars. More concerning was the proposed large 8’ wall on the backside of the park separating the residential area and the 3 story height on a “training area”.
As i am in ongoing discussions with Brevard County for the 53 acres of vacant land off Sarno, (just to the west of this location, that would be the location of our new Melbourne fairgrounds and fire training facility, the fire station could be moved here as well. This would literally save the citizens of Melbourne upwards of 10 million dollars in the near future that could be used to invest in Jimmy Moore Park and other Melbourne Parks.
I want to thank my fellow Council Members for following my lead on this important issue. This Council has not only made our Police and Fire amongst the highest compensated in Brevard but showed a commitment to keep green space in our parks as well.
I will update our residents on developments as we move forward.
Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey's Facebook post
If approved, Mark Ketchum would have seen the new fire station and a privacy wall from his backyard instead of the playground and green space that sit at the park now.
“Alternative sites that were wrongly rejected is the main reason other than the aesthetic value of trees being cut down,” he said about why he’s against the idea. “The city council are undermining the reason this park was built in the first place.”
Melbourne community correspondent James Sparvero interviewed Fire Chief Chuck Bogle ahead of Tuesday’s city council discussion.
Bogle said the proposed location is the best option.
“The reason we picked part of the park is that we did an extensive look at the surrounding area. I know some of them; they don’t want the station at that particular location. They want us to put it west of Wickham Road, which we’ve looked at, but it just doesn’t suit our purposes to the best as this particular location does,” he explained.
“If you build a park behind my house, my property value goes up,” Ketchum said. “If you build an 18,000 square-foot, 40-foot tower building, my property value goes down.”
Ketchum made that point to the council when he spoke at Tuesday night’s meeting.
“We citizens expect the city of Melbourne and Brevard County to preserve and improve our parks, not undermine the reason that they were built in the first place,” he said during public comment.
Neighbors applauded Mayor Alfrey when he weighed in.
“This ain’t about public safety,” he said. “This is about saving the city millions of dollars, and doing the right thing, and keeping this park. So, I’m gonna right now, until we get this worked out, I’m not supporting this.”
The vacant lot near Sarno and Wickham roads where Alfrey is proposing the fire station be built is now home to Brevard County’s Renaissance Fair, and it could also host more events as Melbourne’s new fairgrounds. Brevard County’s first fairgrounds is coming to Melbourne
In April, Alfrey told Sparvero all the space could also be used for training firefighters.
Council member Mimi Hanley, though, sounded concerned about rejecting the park location.
Firefighters said putting the station at the park would be the best for response times.
Neighbors said an extra 30 seconds wouldn’t make a difference.
“When it’s your loved one, and it’s you in that accident, it means everything,” Hanley said.