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The Village of Manhattan, which has jurisdiction over all new construction within its limits, made several approvals that paved the way for the construction of the new Manhattan Fire Protection District Station.
The Manhattan Fire Protection District provided a brief presentation of the new fire station, which will be built on a public safety campus consisting of four lots on 20 acres and a new access road.
Three ordinances and two resolutions were passed, signaling the go-ahead for ground-breaking in the spring. The ordinances included rezoning two parcels where the new station would be built and a special use permit allowing government use, as one of the parcels is commercially zoned. The resolutions approved the plat of subdivisions.
The new fire station, which has been in the works for about two years, was previously approved by the Manhattan Fire Protection Board of Trustees. Although the Village of Manhattan Board is required to make final decisions on the station’s construction, just as it would with any other type of new construction – from residential homes to commercial units, the project is managed and funded by the Manhattan Fire Protection District.
The current Fire Station 81 was sold to the Manhattan Park District and is being leased back to the fire district until the new station is constructed; a press release distributed on February 15, 2023, conveyed this news to the public.
The press release reported the 2023 deal had a dual purpose: Based on call data, moving the fire station would better serve its residents, and the park district had envisioned having a centralized campus. The fire station building would also give the park district space to house and maintain fleet vehicles and equipment.
Trustee Ron Adamski inquired if there would be signage to alert passing motorists of the fire station ahead, which staff advised would be evaluated.
Trustee Bob Dilling inquired about the size of the fire district, which Battalion Chief Bruce Boyle advised was about 150 square miles. Should more development occur, precipitating a need for additional fire stations, the new Station 81 would serve as the headquarters.
“We have built this building using flow and functionality,” Boyle noted.
“Everything we have done, we have looked at; how do we provide expeditious response to the people of the community? It has been very arduous. There’s a lot of components in the design of a fire station because, unlike many other businesses, our firefighters are there 24 hours a day,” Boyle continued.
Boyle said the new station would be scalable to administrative needs as new stations are built depending on demand. It would accommodate the staff, on-duty firefighters, and those in training.
“It is our goal by moving this fire station to this location to better serve the northeast portion of our fire district. We’ve of course done response studies, and our Station 2 and Wilton Center provide adequate coverage for the south end of the village. By moving, it decreases our response time to the growing areas,” Boyle explained, concerning the decision of the new station location.
Trustee Tom Doyle asked if the fire station would be built with doors tall enough to accommodate ladder trucks, to which Boyle responded that all of their stations have 14-foot doors, and the new station would also fit ladder trucks.
In other news, the village board approved an objection to a 78-acre solar development proposed at Cherry Hill and Manhattan Roads, just outside the village limits. The village advised it is not opposed to solar developments in general, but this one conflicts with the comprehensive plan that calls for commercial development in that area.
Additionally, the board approved a bid for Phase I of the Trask Street drainage project to Austin Tyler for $202,203.95.
Some discussion took place regarding solicitors in Manhattan. Within the village, solicitors are required to obtain a two-week license, and the application for that license includes a background check. The fee has not increased since the ordinance’s inception in 2007.
Solicitors in Manhattan will see total fees raised from $100 to $200 for the initial application and license to solicit within the village. Additionally, the updated ordinance includes a provision that mandates solicitors leave and do not disturb residences displaying a “no solicitors” sign.
If residents observe a solicitor without a license, they should call the non-emergency police number, 815-478-3226, to report it. Manhattan Police will verify if solicitors are licensed. If they do not have a license or disturb a property with a “no solicitors” sign, they are subject to ordinance violation fines.
At the beginning of the meeting, the village board also observed a moment of silence to honor John “Jack” Fitzgerald, a Manhattan community leader who had recently died. Fitzgerald was Manhattan’s longest-serving mayor, among many other community leadership roles. At the end of the meeting, the board members individually offered their condolences to Fitzgerald’s family.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter
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