Fire officials add second access to proposed Bayview fire station, headquarters

Progress on the proposed $5.4 million Bayview facility is still on going, and a small change was made at the latest South Whidbey Fire/EMS commissioners meeting Aug. 13.

Progress on the proposed $5.4 million Bayview facility is still on going, and a small change was made at the latest South Whidbey Fire/EMS commissioners meeting Aug. 13.

The district updated language on its plat to allow for two public accesses at the proposed station and district headquarters.

“We wanted the language removed that restricted it to one access,” said Chief Rusty Palmer. “Because we’ve basically got two accesses, the road that comes to the side of the parking lot beside the building, and the road where the fire trucks come out.”

A public comment period was opened after the language was changed and no comments were received, the Island County Planning Department said Wednesday.

Tim Goodman of Carletti Architects said the design schematics have not changed since they were first presented in September 2014.

Carletti was tasked with making the facility fit in with surrounding buildings.

The new building, about 14,000 square feet with an estimated cost of $5.4 million, on Bayview Road between Good Cheer and Bayview School, would have dual functions. One is as a new fire station, which will include overnight sleeping quarters for first responders and four large bays for engines and tenders. It will also serve as the district’s new headquarters for paid staff.

The fire protection district ranges from Possession Point to Classic Road.

The Freeland station — which is the second-busiest in the district — will retain its capacity as a working fire station.

Palmer expects to have the building permit by June 2016 and estimated it would take at least one year and perhaps two years to build.