Public hearing for firehouse in Town Of Ossining

[Monty 35]

OSSINING — The Ossining Fire Department is planning to build a new firehouse on Hawkes Avenue, part of a longstanding and often controversial quest to add a station to a neighborhood where new condominiums have proliferated.

By ROBERT MARCHANT

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original Publication: April 24, 2006)

If you go

What: Ossining Town Board's Hawkes Avenue firehouse hearing

When: 7:30 p.m. tomorrow

Where: Police-Court Building, 86-88 Spring St.

OSSINING — The Ossining Fire Department is planning to build a new firehouse on Hawkes Avenue, part of a longstanding and often controversial quest to add a station to a neighborhood where new condominiums have proliferated.

The Ossining Town Board is expected to hold a public hearing on the firehouse plan at its meeting tomorrow, with representatives of the fire department on hand to answer questions.

An earlier plan to build a firehouse on Hawkes Avenue, on top of an old dump site owned by St. Augustine Church, fizzled in 2004 when soil samples showed the site was too unstable for heavy construction. Now a 2-acre parcel on Hawkes Avenue near Deerfield Lane is being eyed by the village of Ossining — which provides most of the fire service to the town of Ossining — for the construction of a roughly $1 million facility.

Some local residents are opposed to the latest plan to build a firehouse in the area, just as they were when the earlier proposal came forward.

Hale Sims, a teacher who has lived in the neighborhood since the 1970s, was dismayed by the prospect of a firehouse near her home.

"Our real estate would go down, rather than up, and our quality of life will suffer," she said. Sims said the neighborhood was well-served by a facility about two miles away on Campwoods Road and questioned the need for a new fire station.

Mayor Eugene Napolitano said fire department leaders have presented a compelling case that the new condo complexes that have been built there over the past 20 years needed their own station. "That part of town needs fire coverage, and it will help the residents with fire insurance," he said.

Fire Chief Mauro Santucci said that while the fire station on Campwoods Road was nearby, all the department's other equipment and facilities were clustered around the village of Ossining. "Besides that one station, every engine, every piece of equipment is west of Route 9. If it comes to an emergency, it will seem like an eternity before those trucks get there," he said.

The chief said the Hawkes Avenue project, still preliminary, would be open to input from local residents, but public safety was the top priority.

The Town Board is only looking at a small legal aspect of the firehouse proposal. Town law allows its government to build a municipal facility in a residential neighborhood, but it doesn't say anything about allowing other municipalities to build within town borders. The Town Board would change the zoning law to allow the village of Ossining to build a facility, in this case the proposed firehouse, in a residential section.

Town Supervisor John Chervokas said the firehouse seemed like a good idea. "There are over 600 condo units there, that part of town boomed in the '80s and '90s. It has been well served, but this would be an improvement. The closer, the better," he said.

The Ossining Town Planning Board will oversee the review of the firehouse proposal if the Town Board approves the required zoning change. No formal drawings or cost projections have been completed. Earlier community protests against the construction of a firehouse in the Hawkes Avenue neighborhood touched on tax increases, noise and traffic hazards.

I wonder, is there any 'proof' of changes to property values? Is it concern over parties / gatherings, sirens? If it is sirens, that should be easy to resolve. Who can really justify routine use of sirens?

I did a quick google on the topic but didn't find anything. I wonder if property values would actually increase. I would imagine the home insurance companies would rather have a fire house on the block instead of 2 miles away. As for the arguement about taxes, pretty much it's going to effect everyone the same regardless of where the house is actually built (assuming they build it elsewhere in the district).

[mikeinet 37]

"Our real estate would go down, rather than up, and our quality of life will suffer,"

YEAH, WHEN YOUR HOUSE BURNS DOWN FASTER!!

We're not talking about building a new McDonalds...

GEESH.

[firecapt32 282]

Just some advice for the OFD and their Chief--- do a public education for the citizens--get them on your side!! It will make the fire station become a reality much faster.

Your department is in the forefront of the fire service in the county--highly respected amoung your peers. the people of the area should know that and everything else about the department. Talk in fact and figures not in speculation . make your statements true,be honest with the citizens of Ossining and I'm sure you will get your station.

[Guest]

Is this for a completly new company, with new apparatus, or is Ossining planning on relocating a company?

[nyemt131411 3]

Is this for a completly new company, with new apparatus, or is Ossining planning on relocating a company?

←

If I'm not mistaken, Steamer (E-98) will be going out there. Also, I remember something about Utility 51 going out there as well, since they roll with FAST.....

[TRUCK6018 50]

I wonder, is there any 'proof' of changes to property values? Is it concern over parties / gatherings, sirens? If it is sirens, that should be easy to resolve. Who can really justify routine use of sirens?

←

The "proof" is in their NIMBYistic mindsets.

From a realistic point of view, Ms. Sims states in the article that the community is "well served" from the fire station two miles away. I don't think her homeowners insurance would see it that way. Ideally, per the Insurance Services Organization, a first due engine company should be no more than a mile and a half away per Item 560 of the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule.

[Guest]

They will get it. I used to belong to Senate Hook and ladder upstairs from them, and we just built a new firehouse for our new truck, since then I see things have changed since I have left the department, but steamer is a great company and they do things right so im sure things will work out right.

[SteveOFD 176]

It will be for Ossining Steamer Co. (E98) and the FAST Utility (U51).

[ex-commish 490]

In other parts of the country, including NYC they have closed firehouses under direct protest from the citizens that would be affected yet here you have people who are protesting building one??? Am I missing something??

I could see of it was a 7-11 store or other similair business.

Good luck to OFD !!!

[ONLOCATION 24]

There will be no exterior Warning Devices (sirens) on the Building. Point Blank relocating them out there will benefit the Taxpayers in the long run, ofcourse we know that and they just want to complain about everything.

Watching the Past Village board meeting on the Tarrytown Firehouse Issues I gotta tell ya its amazing what people make-up to start s***. There worrying about kids playing on the street and having the Firehouse located on the same street, well lets think that the Firehouse was located there 4 years or whatever before it was taken down so what do u did then? Watch your kid maybe? Teach them not to play in the Street and when u see a Big-a** Fire Truck coming to get outta the way?

New apparatus and new updated equipment is needed for the GROWING of the world we live in, there is no question about it. I don't know of any town around here down-sizing on the amount of Construction of building and creating Jobs and Tax Revenue. Also Chief Santucci is correct on the Issue of all the other apparatus being located west of Rt. 9, then think about that and take into consideration when they eventually change the traffic pattern on the road to a Single lane north and south (Unknown if this is really going to happen but was aware it was being considered by the state).

[nyemt131411 3]

There will be no exterior Warning Devices (sirens) on the Building. Point Blank relocating them out there will benefit the Taxpayers in the long run, ofcourse we know that and they just want to complain about everything.

Watching the Past Village board meeting on the Tarrytown Firehouse Issues I gotta tell ya its amazing what people make-up to start s***. There worrying about kids playing on the street and having the Firehouse located on the same street, well lets think that the Firehouse was located there 4 years or whatever before it was taken down so what do u did then? Watch your kid maybe? Teach them not to play in the Street and when u see a Big-a** Fire Truck coming to get outta the way?

New apparatus and new updated equipment is needed for the GROWING of the world we live in, there is no question about it. I don't know of any town around here down-sizing on the amount of Construction of building and creating Jobs and Tax Revenue. Also Chief Santucci is correct on the Issue of all the other apparatus being located west of Rt. 9, then think about that and take into consideration when they eventually change the traffic pattern on the road to a Single lane north and south (Unknown if this is really going to happen but was aware it was being considered by the state).

←

What is the road now? I can't remember for sure, but isn't it one each way? (First I was thinking Havell, which is one way(at least it was....)

[SteveOFD 176]

Hawkes Ave is the bridge that goes over Rt 9A just north of the intersection with Rt 134.

[nyemt131411 3]

Hawkes Ave is the bridge that goes over Rt 9A just north of the intersection with Rt 134.

←

....Now i remember.....thanks!

[spin_the_wheel 460]

It will be for Ossining Steamer Co. (E98) and the FAST Utility (U51).

←

How will this effect response times, do most of the company members live in the vicinity of the current house. Is there enough manpower on that side of town to maybe form a new company with a quint?

[ONLOCATION 24]

There are drivers within blocks of the New Planned Station, Ossining already has 9 Companies 2 in which are Truck companies, It will improve response times to the 3 Condo Complex Communities on the Edge of there District and the Rest of the area in which they cover. Also giving them direct Access to Rt. 9A north and south bound.

Edited April 28, 2006 by ONLOCATION