The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov) invites residents to provide input on revised set of proposed site options for a relocated Fire Station #5 as part of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) 2020 Project 6 – Fire Station #5 Replacement. The current Fire Station #5 is located at the corner of Whit Davis Road and Cedar Shoals Drive and was built in 1974. 

Revised site selection criteria were approved by the Mayor & Commission on May 7, 2024. These revised criteria were used to evaluate properties within the search area for the new Fire Station #5. Out of 113 properties in the search area, only nine properties were identified that met all of the revised site selection criteria. ACCGov staff is requesting comments and input on the properties identified that have met the criteria.  

Two drop-in public meetings are scheduled for residents to learn more about the project and provide feedback. The first is on Tuesday, September 24 at the ACC Tennis Center (4460 Lexington Road) from 5:00-7:00 PM and the second is on Thursday, September 26 at the Hilsman Middle School Media Center (870 Gaines School Road) from 5:00-7:00 PM.

Public input will also be accepted on the proposed sites with an online survey available on www.accgov.com/fire through Sunday, September 29. The project webpage also contains additional project information, including a recording of a presentation to the Mayor and Commission at their February 13, 2024, Work Session meeting that includes a detailed project introduction.

Earlier in 2024, residents provided comment on the revised site selection criteria. On November 7, 2023, the Mayor and Commission had voted to reject the previous top three candidate sites and to direct staff and the Site Selection Committee to re-evaluate the site selection criteria. Staff presented the revised site selection criteria to the Mayor & Commission at the February 13, 2024, Work Session. The revised criteria were approved on May 7, 2024.

Approximately $6 million has been designated for the Fire Station #5 Replacement through SPLOST funds. This funding includes land acquisition, design, construction, a fueling station, station equipment, and other related costs to meet facility standards for a suburban design comparable to previous fire station design prototypes.

After public feedback on proposed sites ends, staff will present public input results to the project user group and the Site Selection Committee in October 2024 in order to develop the top three candidate sites for the new Fire Station #5 location. These candidate sites will then be presented to the Mayor and Commission for a vote.

Additional public input opportunities are planned as the project moves through additional phases for final site selection and design.

For more information, contact the SPLOST / TSPLOST Program Management Office at 706-613-3025 or [email protected] or visit www.accgov.com/splost.