HomeMy WebLinkAboutS20 - Temporary Fire Station Santa Ana HeightsITEM S20
TO: Members of the Newport Beach City Council
FROM: Dave Kiff, Deputy City Manager
SUBJECT: Temporary Fire Station in Santa Ana Heights - Authorization to Enter
into 2 -year Lease Agreement with the County of Orange
RECOMMENDED Authorize the Mayor to execute a Lease Agreement with the County of Orange
ACTION: (and /or the Orange County Development Agency) to lease Agency -owned
property at 2332 Bristol, 2301 Zenith, and 2331 Zenith for the placement of a
temporary fire station serving the Airport Area and eastern Santa Ana Heights.
BACKGROUND: At the City Council's retreat held January 27, 2001, the City Manager presented
information to the Council regarding a change in fire and emergency medical
service standards for Newport Beach's airport area and unincorporated Santa
Ana Heights. This change resulted from the Orange County Fire Authority's
(OCFA) decision to close Station #27, a fire station at the edge of John Wayne
Airport (near Campus and Dove). Station #27 had suffered fire damage itself in
a late December 2000 fire. OCFA determined that - in part because of asbestos
contamination - Station #27 was not salvageable. OCFA then moved the engine
company from Station #27 to Station #28 northerly of the 405 Freeway near
Gillette and Main in Irvine.
To shorten the response times to Newport Beach businesses in the Airport Area
and to residents in Santa Ana Heights, the City Manager then directed the
placement of a short -term fire station at the Radisson Hotel near Birch and Dove
Street in Newport Beach. At the same time, he directed the Fire Department to
seek a longer -term (up to 24 months) but still temporary station somewhere
closer to Santa Ana Heights.
We looked at privately -owned lots (with little success) and then met with County
officials, including Supervisor Wilson's office, and others regarding potential
sites for a temporary station. As the Council is aware, on February 13, 2001, the
Council heard and approved an agenda item that ratified the City Manager's
decision to site a new fire station in Santa Ana Heights. The Council also
directed the Manager to prepare to hire permanent personnel (instead of using
overtime) to staff this station. The commercial parking lot identified as a first
choice in February did not work - the property lessee was unable to commit to a
24 -month agreement given a pending sale of his company.
County and city staff agreed that a three- parcel Orange County Development
Agency -owned site at Bristol near Spruce and Zenith could serve the area well.
Please see Attachment A for a map of the affected area. The Orange County
Newport Beach City Council
Staff Report - SAH Fire Station
March 13, 2001
Page 2
Development Agency is the redevelopment agency for County of Orange. The
Agency's board of directors is the County board of supervisors.
On February 26, 2001, we invited area residents to attend a neighborhood
meeting regarding the proposed fire station site. We distributed about 200 fliers
to residents along all or portions of Zenith, Orchid, Spruce, Cypress, Orchard
and Bay View avenues in advance of the evening meeting (see Attachment B).
About 15 people attended the meeting, hosted by Chief Riley and attended by
the Engine Crew responsible for the area. Most residents were supportive of our
proposal as long as the Fire Department pledged to follow certain neighborhood-
friendly protocols, including:
• Ingress and egress on Bristol whenever possible;
• Restricted use of red lights and sirens when in residential areas;
• No direct traverse of Orchid, Spruce, or Orchard unless a call required the
fire engine to go that direction;
• Fencing along the Zenith/ Orchid side of the property to protect 20051 Orchid
from view and/ or sound impacts of the station's stay.
Our proposal for facilities on site include a mobile housing unit (a doublewide
trailer), a canopy or shell for the engine, and decomposed granite or asphalt for
ingress, egress, and 3 -5 parking spaces.
We then corresponded with Supervisor Wilson's office and with the County
Executive Office to determine what legal and permitting arrangements should be
made regarding the property. At a meeting on Friday, March 9, County staff
asked that we prepare a Lease Agreement for the property and submit a Public
Property Encroachment Permit associated with any right -of -way impacts.
The Lease Agreement is now under development, but was not ready for formal
Council review as an attachment to this Staff Report. The Agreement - when
finalized -- will include the following terms and conditions:
• County shall transfer permitting authority on the three parcels, including
environmental work, neighborhood notification, and preparing and issuing
any grading or building permits for the site to the City;
• City shall indemnify and protect the County against any litigation associated
with the City's stay on the site;
• City shall pay $1 rent per year for use of the three - parcel site;
• County shall authorize a term /stay of 24 months;
• City shall remove facilities and restore the site to its vacant state upon
cessation of our stay at the site.
THIS AGENDA This Agenda Item asks the City Council to authorize Mayor Adams to execute a
ITEM: Lease Agreement on the City's behalf to prepare and occupy the subject property
for up to 24 months. This Lease Agreement is NOT attached to this staff report
since it is being drafted by the City Attorney for review by the County Counsel.
Only when counsel for both sides has reviewed and approved the Lease
Agreement shall the Mayor sign the Agreement.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is expected to review and approve the
final Lease Agreement at its March 20, 2001 Board meeting. Council
authorization for the Mayor to approve the Agreement today allows City staff
Staff Report - SAH Fire Station
March 13, 2001
Page 3
and the Fire Department to rapidly complete permitting responsibilities and to
place a unit on the site as early as the week of March 19 -23, 2001.
ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A - Map of Santa Ana Heights area
Attachment B - Flier to Area Residents re: February 26, 2001 meeting
4A HEIGHTS
ED PROPERTIES
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NOTICE
OF A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING
Attention: Residents of Cypress, Orchid, Orchard,
Zenith, Spruce, and Bay View
In late December 2000, the Orange County Fire Authority vacated the fire station
that serves your neighborhood. Since late January 2001, the Newport Beach Fire
Department has served you from the Radisson Hotel. We can't stay there much
longer. As we consider sites to build a permanent fire station for your neighbor-
hood (we're looking at permanent sites on Birch or Acacia), we need to find a place
to serve you nearby with a temporary fire station (a fire engine and a housing
trailer). We think that the property at...
2332 Bristol (and 2301 & 2331 Zenith)
... might work for us for up to 24 months. Fire stations CAN be good neighbors -
in addition to being close to you in an emergency, we can leave sirens off and red
lights off 'til we're out of earshot. We can also completely avoid driving through
residential areas unless we're trying to get to your home. These "sleep protection
measures' do work in other neighborhoods -- but we'd like to tell you about them
in person and to hear your thoughts.
Please join us at a Neighborhood Meeting to talk about this issue:
6:30 p.m.
Monday, February 26, 2001
Muth Interpretive Center (Back Bay Interpretive Center)
head east on University off of Irvine Avenue
Call 949 -644 -3002 for more information or to ask questions if you cannot attend the
meeting. Come see the engine, talk to the firefighters, and decide for yourself!