The city needs a new fire station in the Arboretum area of south Charlotte. The problem is where to put it.
The fire department wants to condemn a parcel along Providence Road. But neighbors objected, saying they were notified late. They persuaded the city last month to wait and study the issue some more.
So those neighbors suggested the Raintree community soccer field along N.C. 51. But Raintree residents don't want to give up the field.
"Why would they even think about taking a soccer field that's used every day of the week during decent weather?" asked Betsy Smith, co-general manager of Raintree.
The fire department doesn't like the Raintree idea, either, partly because it's too far from areas on the city's edge that lack effective coverage.
Fire department maps of south Charlotte show major gaps, indicating that in some neighborhoods, the department can't meet the city standard: one truck on the scene in six minutes, 80 percent of the time.
"We don't have the bench depth in the southeast to handle multiple incidents," deputy fire chief Jon Hannan told the City Council Monday evening. "We just don't have enough companies down there."
As part of its 2005-06 budget, the council approved $800,000 for the land. But the council has not approved money to build the station or hire the firefighters.
Hannan said the city will continue studying several alternative sites in the area.
Distributed by the Associated Press
