By Terry Morris
The Dayton Daily News
KETTERING, Ohio — Residents of the neighborhood just west of a proposed new city fire station on Far Hills Avenue presented a wide-ranging appeal of the plan’s recent approval by the city Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning Commission during a public hearing that began at 7 p.m. Tuesday and ended just before midnight.
Douglas Jenks, David Homan, Mark Messer and Richard Heil of Greendale Drive, William Fahle and Stuart Schafer of Winding Way and Richard Dungan of Blue Gate Circle made formal presentations against the rulings and, in some cases, opposed the overall plan that would reduce Kettering’s fire stations from seven to five and relocate many of them in new facilities.
They addressed Council for as long as 30 minutes apiece.
Wayne Waite of the law firm Freund Freeze & Arnold represented the city of Kettering. City Law Director Ted Hamer presided over the proceedings, which were part of a City Council meeting.
Council, which has remained officially neutral, is expected to vote on the appeal and whether to proceed with the station on Far Hills at its April 10 meeting, said Mayor Don Patterson. The zoning board issued its ruling Feb. 27, the Planning Commission on Feb. 29.
Opponents of the plan raised several issues including: whether due process has been followed, prioritizing city plans over public concerns, loss of an estimated $96,000 in annual property tax receipts if the station site (currently owned by Miami Valley Hospital) becomes public property, the speed the plan is progressing, lack of timely information and precise cost estimates, impact on quality of life, safety and property values near the station, reduced fire and rescue response times in other parts of the city when an existing station on Shroyer Road is closed, increased traffic and why other locations the city previously ranked higher were not chosen first.
“We’re not trying to rain on your parade. We have watched our property values plummet. The city has conceded it (the proposed new station) will reduce property values,” Jenks said.
“Our fear is that it will fundamentally change the unique character of our pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.”
City Manager Mark Schwieterman was questioned by both sides, sometimes sharply by appellants.
Acting Fire Chief Terry Jones also was questioned .
Waite sought to demonstrate that city staff, the board of zoning appeals and the planning commission have followed proper procedures and that, therefore, those decisions should be upheld.
Kevin Kinsley, 32, a former Kettering volunteer firefighter who lives directly across from the proposed station in a house he grew up in at 3467 Far Hills, spoke in favor of the plan.
“I think it’s a perfect location and it’s very important to have a good fire department,” he said.
Copyright 2012 Dayton Newspapers, Inc.