Prince William County, VA Residents oppose new fire station

[OSD122]

Residents oppose new fire station

Potomac News

Jaclyn Pitts
Potomac News
Thursday, October 27, 2005


Traffic. Noise. Safety. Compliance.
Those were four words heard repeatedly at the Dominion Valley Country Club on Wednesday night regarding a proposed fire station within the gated community off U.S. 15.

Gainesville District Supervisor John T. Stirrup, in addition to representatives of the Prince William County Planning Office and Department of Fire and Rescue, spoke to community residents about the specifics of the Dominion Club Fire and Rescue Station.

Fire and rescue Chief Mary Beth Michos said she had hoped to have this meeting sooner and was surprised that so many people were opposed to the station, which would serve Dominion Valley and the surrounding area.

She said many concerns she'd heard involved safety issues for children in the community, since the station's trucks would use private roads to exit the development.

"But safety is just as important to us as it is to you," she said.

One of the big issues concerning the proposal was that the plan violates some guidelines stated in the 2003 Comprehensive Plan.

However, Planning Director Steve Griffin noted that those are just that -- guidelines.

And Battalion Chief Matt Smolsky of the county fire and rescue department explained other issues the fire department deals with besides fighting fires, including handling cases of cardiac arrest.

The station would be located near the intersection of Antioch Road and Ryder Cup Drive within the community, which alarmed many residents due to safety, traffic, noise and possible pollution concerns.

He also noted that the area fire stations are already at or above capacity, so a new station would benefit the area.

"It seems like daily we're busting at the seams," he said.

Paul Meyer, a Dominion Valley resident, presented the community's viewpoints through a slide show and the Comprehensive Plan violations, including insufficient lot size and sight distance.

"[This plan] represents gross disregard for the safety of the Dominion Valley community," he said. "It would be an easy switch to put [the station] off [U.S.] 15."

Other residents expressed concern over diesel emissions, road safety and accidents, noise and fencing or buffering.

Resident Elizabeth Harding spoke in favor of the station, as she said she "came up through the fire service" and worked for Michos.

Another resident, Suk Lee, said he thought it would be reasonable to ask for a study of the area with regard to road safety.

After residents spoke, department officials addressed questions raised during the public hearing.

[DennisTheMenace]

It is a NIMBY issue, they want the protection they just don't want the trade offs for tha protection in THEIR neighborhood. The station is going to be built the question now will be where.

[hwoods]

Do one of two things. Build it where the FD planned to put it, or, option 2, don't build anything. BUT, DO NOT BUILD IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. As Dennis put it, NIMBY is the problem, and the LAST thing you do is give in to these people.

[medicmaster]

Sounds like that same horse**** with the NORTHstar aeromedical program a few months ago in New Jersey. Assmongrels...

Since a Fire Station is city property...wouldn't eminent domain kick in here?

[MalahatTwo7]

Were these people born stupid or did they really have to work to attain those lofty heights?

[fighterfighter]

Sounds like that same horse**** with the NORTHstar aeromedical program a few months ago in New Jersey. Assmongrels...

Since a Fire Station is city property...wouldn't eminent domain kick in here?

Prince William is still building volunteer stations. So the property is owned and operated by volunteers. The county is only paying for it. Lets just hope where ever it's built the volunteers will be able to staff something @ night!
For a Wash/Metro department to be run by Vols. thats just funny to me!

[Dave1983]

Pretty silly if you ask me. I would love to have a fire house in my neighbor hood.

But it doesnt surprise me. A developer built a couple ritzy houses across the street from one of our stations. Now, this station has been there for 30 years, so they new it was there before they moved in. But low and behold, it didnt take but about a month and these dimwitts are passing around a patition asking that the station be closed, for many of the same reasons mention in the story.


Idiots.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

It is the same old song.

These people are right. They deserve the level of fire protection that they are willing to support.

Wouldn't it be something if every dissenter is asked to sign a liability waiver not to sue the FD if they con't get to their house fast enough when Daddy is lying on the floor with "grape head"?

[hwoods]

Prince William is still building volunteer stations. So the property is owned and operated by volunteers. The county is only paying for it. Lets just hope where ever it's built the volunteers will be able to staff something @ night!
For a Wash/Metro department to be run by Vols. thats just funny to me!

Could we have an explanation of what is "Funny" to you?

[MetalMedic]

Gated community eh? Fine, build the station outside of the gates and refuse to cross the line. Then let the gated community find their own fire protection solution...

I know... that is a bad attitude. I guess it must be nice to have some many $$$ that you do not welcome having a station located closer to your property to lower your insurance rates.

[MalahatTwo7]

Could we have an explanation of what is "Funny" to you?

I was kinda wondering that too. However, I like George's suggestion of getting the dissentors to sign a liability waiver. Asking anyone to sign a waiver for anything always gets'm excited. Might (ya "Sure" he says) get some of them to open their eyes a bit.

[DennisTheMenace]

Having a firehouse a block from my home was kind of fun when I first moved in, but those weeks when there are five calls a night between 11pm and 4am do get old. But I knew the station was there when I bought the place. These people should be allowed the right to want a station somewhere else and to have a roll in the selection of the site. If they moved in next door to an existing firehouse and wanted it removed for their own personal reasons then I would say screw-em, but this is being put on them after the fact. Prince William County still has enough open and undeveloped areas that they could place a firehouse in a location that can still provide a quick responce while providing minimal intrusion into the neighborhood. Frankly if I was from PW and lived outside the gated community I would be pretty ****ed at the appearance of the county providing what looks like a private station inside a gated community.

[gunnyv]

Same thing happens around military bases. I live just outside of a ANG base w/ F-16s, KC-135s, C-130s, Chinooks, and USCG helos. I can watch them climb off the runway from my back door-to me that stirs lots of feelings of pride and security, to many of my neighbors it's irritating noise.

The base was established in 1915. My subdivision was built 1991-1995. They have no right to complain. Same goes for established fire stations.

[DennisTheMenace]

Same thing happens around military bases. I live just outside of a ANG base w/ F-16s, KC-135s, C-130s, Chinooks, and USCG helos. I can watch them climb off the runway from my back door-to me that stirs lots of feelings of pride and security, to many of my neighbors it's irritating noise.

The base was established in 1915. My subdivision was built 1991-1995. They have no right to complain. Same goes for established fire stations.

In Beaufort, SC the older residents let the new residents know that is not noise, it is the sound of freedom.

[hwoods]

Having a firehouse a block from my home was kind of fun when I first moved in, but those weeks when there are five calls a night between 11pm and 4am do get old. But I knew the station was there when I bought the place. These people should be allowed the right to want a station somewhere else and to have a roll in the selection of the site. If they moved in next door to an existing firehouse and wanted it removed for their own personal reasons then I would say screw-em, but this is being put on them after the fact. Prince William County still has enough open and undeveloped areas that they could place a firehouse in a location that can still provide a quick responce while providing minimal intrusion into the neighborhood. Frankly if I was from PW and lived outside the gated community I would be pretty ****ed at the appearance of the county providing what looks like a private station inside a gated community.

Dennis raises a couple of good points. We have one "Gated" community here, and if we have our way it will not remain gated for long. We were successful in blocking an attempt to erect gates for a second community, and we're not backing down from trying to get rid of the gates at the first one. The point here is the streets are public, not private, property, and gates impede our response. We have a zoning change in place now that allows Fire/Rescue facilities to be constructed without going thru any public hearings or otherwise following zoning law requirements for new construction or land use. The folks in Prince William could be learning from us.........

[DennisTheMenace]

Dennis raises a couple of good points. We have one "Gated" community here, and if we have our way it will not remain gated for long. We were successful in blocking an attempt to erect gates for a second community, and we're not backing down from trying to get rid of the gates at the first one. The point here is the streets are public, not private, property, and gates impede our response. We have a zoning change in place now that allows Fire/Rescue facilities to be constructed without going thru any public hearings or otherwise following zoning law requirements for new construction or land use. The folks in Prince William could be learning from us.........

Chief, I don't know the rules on the Maryland side of the river, but most of the gated communities in DC(mostly just in the Georgetown/foxhall areas) and Virginia are responcible for their own streets, they are not "public" property but rather the property of the home owners association, who are responcible for maintaining them, not the county or state. We have the entry codes for all the gated communities in our area. I know a few jursidictions require a "master code" for entry to all the gates.

[hwoods]

Chief, I don't know the rules on the Maryland side of the river, but most of the gated communities in DC(mostly just in the Georgetown/foxhall areas) and Virginia are responcible for their own streets, they are not "public" property but rather the property of the home owners association, who are responcible for maintaining them, not the county or state. We have the entry codes for all the gated communities in our area. I know a few jursidictions require a "master code" for entry to all the gates.

Thanks Bro, The one gated community that we have has a Security person on duty at the main gate, and they get it open when they see us turn the corner. There is a "Back" gate also, and it is equipped with a siren activated opening device. (Put the Siren on Yelp, the gate opens). We are third due at a Condo development that is totally private property, they have the Siren switch device also. We've never had a problem with them, it's just the slowing down, hitting the siren, etc. Our whole point is that we demand (and almost always get) unimpeded access to whoever is having an emergency.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

C'mon, use your head. You have a gate clearing device on every apparatus that does not require you to slow down.

The front bumper.

[DennisTheMenace]

C'mon, use your head. You have a gate clearing device on every apparatus that does not require you to slow down.

The front bumper.

Many of the gates around here, anti-terrorism devices, will win that fight.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Many of the gates around here, anti-terrorism devices, will win that fight.

So the gates are stronger and more "terrorist proof" than the 8 dollar an hour security guard in the shack?