Bedford County planners delay Forest fire department relocation vote

By Justin Faulconer, Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: February 5, 2008

The Bedford County Planning Commission hesitated to give the planned relocation of the Forest Volunteer Fire Department its full backing Monday.

Commission members voted 4-3 to wait on approving the half-mile move from the department’s current location on Burnbridge Road to eight acres of county-owned property behind the Forest Library on U.S. 221. A vote is expected to take place Feb. 19 when the commission next meets.

Though chairman Fred Fralick called the move “long overdue,” he was the deciding vote in the postponement. He and several members wanted to wait so company officials can meet with nearby clergy to discuss the plan.

A yes vote from commission members would be considered by the Board of Supervisors when it meets on Feb. 25. If approved, the board would join in a lease agreement with the company for the new facility.

The Forest Fire Company has been operating at its current site for 50 years, but Fire Chief Monty Coleman told the commission that the developing Forest area needs the new station.

“Forest is growing rapidly - we can’t keep up,” Coleman told commission members. “We’re going to build this building for the community.”

Plans have been in the works for more than a year, Coleman said, and the kickoff campaign for fundraising has not yet begun. Coleman did not disclose cost estimates.

George Nester, director of community development, said spring is the anticipated start date for the project. He said a new building would total 10,800 square feet with six equipment bays on C-1 (office district) zoned land. Financing would come solely from funds raised by the company.

Nester said there would be two entrance roads leading to the new station. One would connect the station to Thomas Jefferson Road and the other to U.S. 221.

When trucks leave for fires and emergencies, they would always take the road connected to U.S. 221 beside the library. The Virginia Department of Transportation would also install an emergency activated signal controller on U.S. 221, which Nester said would provide better response time in an area congested with traffic.

Coleman said the company feels it’s safer for the nearly 30,000 people in Forest if the trucks exit through the route with the emergency signal rather than through Thomas Jefferson Road.

Developers and engineers for Farmington, a residential area growing on Perrowville Road, have pledged support for the company’s expansion.

The commission’s purpose for ruling in the matter is to make sure the project fits with the county’s comprehensive plan. It could have held a public hearing for citizens to chime in but was not required to.

Fralick said he thought the plan wasn’t “controversial enough” for a hearing but felt company officials should act as “a good neighbor” in talking to Forest Presbyterian Church leaders before further action is taken.

Also Monday:

• The commission voted 4-3 to reappoint Fralick to a second term as chairman. Once again, Fralick had the deciding vote and said he hoped the commission could work out its differences on the issue. A unanimous vote also reappointed Steve Stevick as the commission’s vice chairman.