As the Golden Valley Fire Department shifts to a duty crew staffing model, the need for a properly located remote fire station with contemporary facilities is critical to serving Golden Valley residents, businesses, and visitors. After seven years of studying options, the City is nearing a decision to go from three to two fire stations that will have both public safety and financial impacts for the entire community. The City is looking for public input before moving forward with site selection.
Building on the City's 2021 Municipal Facilities Study, the City and its consultant, the BKV Group, first identified critical commitments and station location selection priorities (see sidebar). Since Fire Station 1 at Winnetka Ave and Golden Valley Rd provides optimal coverage for the west side of the City, a main priority is locating the second station with quick access to Hwy 100 (see map) to ensure the best response times to the east side of the city.
To identify top potential sites for a new station, BKV developed an anonymous scoring system using selection criteria based on:
- location for 4-minute response time
- buildable land
- cost
- impact
- traffic
- sustainability
Estimated cost is $17 million, including $4 million for acquisition/ relocation, $1 million for design, and $12 million for construction. Potential funding sources include state bonding, local tax levy, and federal funding programs.
If the Council affirms the recommendations for new station location in February, next steps would include outreach to affected property owners and tenants, if applicable, followed by pre-design and potential property acquisitions.
Because the Fire Department serves the entire community, it’s important to hear from as many residents and businesses as possible. Below are several opportunities to learn more and provide feedback.
Read more about the project on the City website. For questions, contact Fire Chief John Crelly at 763-593-8065 or jcrelly@goldenvalleymn.gov.