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  • New Albany Fire Department Station No. 4 sits on its location at 2207 Green Valley Road on Tuesday afternoon in New Albany. The station is involved in a proposed business deal where a developer would purchase the property and the station would move to the former Camille Wright Pool property off of Daisy Lane. Staff photo by Christopher Fryer

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October 3, 2012

New Albany fire station move gets OK

Residents speak in opposition of move to Camille Wright at BZA meeting

By DANIEL SUDDEATH daniel.suddeath@newsandtribune.com

NEW ALBANY — The New Albany Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special exception Tuesday that permits a fire station to be constructed at the former Camille Wright Pool property at 224 Daisy Lane.

As requested by the New Albany Board of Public Works and Safety and backed by Mayor Jeff Gahan’s administration, the special exception means Fire Station No. 4 off Green Valley Road adjacent to the Kroger shopping center could be closed and moved to the Daisy Lane site.

The proposed relocation ties into a “valid economic development interest that’s been expressed to the city” that would see a business group purchase the Green Valley Road station, Director of Community Housing Initiatives Carl Malysz told the BZA board.

Malysz spoke on behalf of the administration during the meeting. Though Malysz said due to confidentiality reasons the name of the potential buyer could not be mentioned, City Attorney Stan Robison said during a City Council meeting last month that the reason for the proposal was due to “Kroger expanding.”

According to Malysz, the potential buyer would buy the Green Valley Road station and pay for the construction of a new fire house at the Camille Wright property, which he said could cost up to $1.7 million.

But several residents spoke against moving the station to Daisy Lane, with only city  officials speaking in favor of the proposal. Excessive lighting, noise and issues with traffic flow were some of the concerns expressed by residents opposed to the idea.

“It also concerns me that they’re not telling us everything,” said Rita Smith, whose sister lives near the proposed fire station in a house where the two were raised.

“It looks like to me that this is a done deal, whether the residents want it or not.”

Multiple people wanted specifics about the buyer proposing to purchase the Green Valley Road station, which was constructed in 1993. They also questioned the process, and if they would be allowed to weigh-in further on the matter before the potential business deal is struck and the fire station moved.

Since the proposal was for a special exception, the city council will not have a vote on the issue. But the New Albany-Floyd County Parks and Recreation board will have to agree to convey the Camille Wright property to the city.

The special exception passed 4-1, with Jameson Bledsoe being the lone member to vote against the measure.

He said he supports economic development and job creation.

“But at the same time, a city’s foundation is its residents,” Bledsoe said, as he added commercial interests sometimes seem to trump the wants of the people living in New Albany.

“Sometimes I think we look at things backwards in this city.”

Bledsoe asked almost every resident that spoke what they would like to see the Camille Wright property used for, and most said a park.

“I would like to have it as something for our kids to do,” said Jennifer Farmer, who lives near the Camille Wright site. “I don’t want a fire house I want something nice there.”

Several requirements were added by the staff to the request before it was approved, including restrictions on lighting, the stipulation a drainage basin be added on the site and a vow by the administration that part of the property could be used for a neighborhood park.

Additionally, Fire Chief Matt Juliot said fire engines wouldn’t sound loud horns within close proximity of the Daisy Lane station.

“We want to be good neighbors,” he said.

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05-18 Chemical spill 1.w.jpg

Greenville firemen simulate putting out a fire in a chemical spill accident in an exercise at Floyd Central High School on Friday. The Floyd County Emergency Managment Agency evaluated local emergency services on their response effectiveness.

  • Emergency officials stage bus wreck, gas spill at FCHS

    A school bus had turned over after being struck by a gas tanker, and as the truck leaked chemicals, emergency crews rushed in to try and rescue the kids who were trapped inside.
    Thankfully Friday’s crash scene was only a simulation, but for Floyd County emergency officials, it was an important test to prepare them for a real life scenario.

    May 17, 2013 5 Photos

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