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The Danville Planning Commission is set to review and consider approving two different applications from the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District that would facilitate the use of town-owned property for a temporary training facility while a new one is under construction.
SRVFPD is seeking the commission’s approval to use the former town office site at 510 La Gonda Way for 18 months as a temporary training facility, and to authorize construction and a tree removal permit for its current fire station 31 at 800 San Ramon Valley Boulevard.
“Due to increased service demands and evolving operational needs, the facility
is now considered functionally inadequate,” assistant planner Jessica Lam wrote in a staff report for the upcoming meeting.
Fire station 31 currently consists of a one-story building with three bays housing up to 10 personnel. Under the proposed plan from SRVFPD, the existing facility would be demolished in order to make way for a new two-story fire station, with the second story providing living quarters for up to 14 personnel.
The new building would be appproximately 12,500 square feet, along with a 7,500-square-foot four-bay garage that could accommodate additional vehicles and equipment. The ground floor would house a main entrance as well as offices, cooking and dining areas, and fitness facilities.
The plans would involve removing one town-protected heritage tree as well as multiple other non-heritage redwood trees. Another heritage redwood tree to the right of the southern driveway would be preserved.
While the site at 800 San Ramon Valley Blvd. is under construction, the fire district is proposing that the station’s activities be temporarily shifted to the former town office and police department site at 510 La Gonda Road. That site is slated for affordable housing under the town’s current housing element, but no permanent project is currently in the pipeline.
SRVFPD’s plan would include remodeling portions of the existing building to make way for a gym, expanded kitchen facilities and sleeping quarters, while using the upper parking lot to house one fire engine, one fire truck, and one natural gas truck and employee parking. Town parking at the rear of the site would continue to be available and accessible.
Town staff is recommending that the commission vote to approve both applications at its meeting on Tuesday at 5 p.m. The agenda is available here.
In other business, the commission is set to review and hold a public comment period on the draft environmental impact report for the proposed Martin Hills Ranch development.
Under the proposed redevelopment plan, a 103-acre site on the undeveloped outskirts of the town near Crow Canyon Country Club driving range would be rezoned from agricultural to a planned unit development district and subdivided into 22 housing sites.
The public comment period and commission discussion is set to be centered not on the housing project itself, but the draft environmental documents. Under the draft EIR process, all substantive comments are required to be responded to in writing, with comments from the public and the commission incorporated into preparation of the final EIR. The final EIR is set to return to the commission for review and approval once it is complete.
