Fire Department
Arlington Virginia Relocation of Cherrydale Fire Station
November 13, 2002 Meeting Handout
Station 3 was built by the Cherrydale Volunteer Fire Department in 1919.
The Original Ad Hoc Committee consisted of:
- A member from the 12 civic associations served by the Cherrydale station.
- Arlington Civic Federation
- Cherrydale business community as recommended by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.
- Arlington Planning Commission
- Cherrydale Volunteer Fire Department
Ad Hoc relocation report was finished and presented to the County Manager in February 1990 with the following recommendations:
- Relocate the Fire Station in Cherrydale
- Install a medic unit in the station
- Require new buildings, including houses, to be equipped with fire suppression systems.
- Due to the high cost of commercial sites, develop sophisticated land use plans to reduce land cost for the new station site.
Potential site recommendations from Ad Hoc report in order of consideration were:
- Nichols site – Lee Highway (no longer available)
- Rohall (all of Brown Honda) – Quincy Street
- Cherrydale Motors – Lee Highway
- Cherrydale Assoc. – Lee Highway
- St. Andrews (behind the church) – Military Road
- Minar (next to St. Andrews Church) – Lorcom Lane
- Marcey – Military Road (to far north)
- Taylor Park – Military Road (to far north)
Reasons for delaying the relocation project included:
- Expense of facilities
- Change in County demographics
- Change in Fire Chiefs (3) and County Managers (3)
- Nichols did not want to sell just part of the site (site clean-up issues)
- Peete came in and bought site (must still contend with site clean-up)
In 1990 the Ad Hoc study did not consider the needs of the entire County – last analysis was done in the early 1960’s. Changes in the County’s geography & demographics over the past 40 years include:
- I-66
- Metro corridors
- Light rail along Columbia Pike corridor
- Vertical response times and increased population density
- Increased traffic throughout the region
Since the decision to move forward with the Station 3 project:
- Rosslyn’s density was increased
- Crystal City South Track Development was approved
- Rosslyn – Ballston Corridor expanding (new projects not in previous projections)
- Tearing down of garden apartments to build highrise complexes.
- Despite history & delays the site next door is gone, now working toward the best alternative
We are committed to working with the community (residents and business) to meet the needs and desires.
Operational Issues
- Achieve a 3 minute response
- Achieve a 5 minute Secondary Due response
- Near major intersection to provide multiple response directions
- Be able to pull (drive) through the station if possible
- Utilize advanced traffic control systems – Direction of travel only
- Avoid traveling through 5 point intersections
- Currently respond 30% of the time down Quincy Street toward the Rosslyn – Ballston Corridor. This will increase as development continues.
Criteria for a New Station
- Multi-function station having at least 2 bays
- Safe Haven lobby for the community
- Need at least 22,000 square feet (1/2 acre)
- Consider parking under site to meet square foot needs
- Only want to buy land needed and not extra land.
- Will not change current Class 2 ISO rating
- Plan for future growth in the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor
- Impact to community (buffer between commercial and residential if possible).
- Meet response time objectives
- Compatible with neighboring properties (architecture)
- Direct access to the major street network (not directly on Lee Highway)
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
Cherrydale Homepage
Letter of Intent (25 KB PDF Format)
Previous Task Force Meeting Summaries:
July 30, 2003
July 14, 2003
June 18, 2003
Feb. 5, 2003
Feb. 5, 2003
Dec. 19, 2002
Dec. 11. 2002
Nov. 13, 2002
