Hema Sivanandam
Bay Area News Group
(TNS)
BRENTWOOD — Just days after the Brentwood Planning Commission rejected plans for a new downtown fire station, a city councilmember filed an appeal. Now, the issue is headed to the City Council for discussion.
Set to be heard on June 10, Councilmember Tony Oerlemans said he filed the appeal and scheduled the discussion because he felt planning commissioners “weren’t asking any questions” and dismissed the application.
Oerlemans said commissioners instead focused on details such as a lack of trees, generator location, and brick materials. The councilmember said he wanted to be “a little more informed and knowledgeable” about the project to make an informed decision on it.
“I felt the City Council should research it themselves and be able to make that decision. I think maybe we could ask if you (fire district) are interested in changing any of that? Could you make any modifications? Is there a reason it’s set this way, or are you guys so set that it has to be this way, then we have to deny it?” said Oerlemans. “I don’t think it was there. It was just a flat no.”
As a Brentwood resident for over 20 years, Oerlemans said he remembers the obsolete Fire Station 54, which was previously used by East Contra Costa Fire Protection District in the same location where the recently rejected Fire Station 94 was proposed.
Oerlemans said firefighters used to hand out stickers to kids, bringing them closer to the community rather than merely responding to emergencies.
“Now I’m not 100% set (the fire station) has to be downtown, but if that’s where the fire department plans on building it, and if it’s going to get delayed to move to a different location, I would prefer not to wait,” he said. “I don’t think the residents of Brentwood should have to suffer for another two or three years without an additional fire station.”
On May 6, the Brentwood Planning Commission denied a design review application from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District to construct the new 8,137-square-foot Fire Station 94 next to Brentwood Veteran’s Memorial Hall on First Street.
A rendering of Fire Station 94. (Source: Contra Costa Fire Protection District)
In their denial, commissioners cited the building’s architectural design as lacking in resemblance to others in the area. They said it also did not reflect the city’s agricultural roots.
Commissioners also found the project fell short in meeting the adequate landscaping required under the city’s Downtown Specific Plan.
This was the second time the project came before the planning commission. In March, commissioners deferred their decision despite hours of discussion as they instructed city staff to provide details on the impact that Fire Station 94 would have on traffic, noise, and air quality.
Following the May 6&nb