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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, November 14, 2011 Page 11 In response to Councilmember Pust if additional parking was needed for firefight- ers, Mr. Hutson noted that supplemental parking would be available for firefight- ers hose responding later or after emergency equipment was out of the building and the initial emergency response was no longer an issue. At the request of Councilmember Johnson, Mr. Hutson noted that this was ra- tionale in not incorporating the License Center as a partner in this building, in ad- dition to overall parking needs not able to be addressed on this limited space, and potential concerns for cross traffic with License Center traffic and emergency re- sponse vehicles. Chief O'Neill noted that the Fire Department averaged forty (40) firefighters on any callback for major events, with forty-nine (49) responding to the recent apartment fire. Chief O'Neill advised that most important concern was getting apparatus out the door; and parking could be found elsewhere or on the site once the apparatus was out. Chief O'Neill noted that the current License Center was approximately 3,400 square feet, and incorporating it into the fire station was deemed to not be a good fit. In addition to the public coming and going with emergency vehicles as addressed by Mr. Hutson, Chief O'Neill noted that on the west side of the building in the training area for shifts, firefighters would be lay- ing hose, and practicing engine and ladder operations. Chief O'Neill noted that, while he had heard suggestions to push the building further to the south, it was al- ready up against the retention pond, in addition to addressing grade issues, with current design grades allowing for maximum clearance for the medic unit and one engine to avoid hitting the tailboards; in addition to considering winter weather and slippery driving conditions. At the request of Councilmember McGehee, Mr. Hutson and Chief O'Neill pro- vided rationale for not proposing a parking ramp due to minimum costs of ap- proximately $50 per square foot, as well as efficiencies lacking in a smaller ramp and distances required to get to the upper level at a safe slop, as well as inability to find a suitable connection with the rest of the building's flow. Regarding Councilmember McGehee's suggestion in locating staffing functions over the ap- paratus bay, Mr. Hutson reviewed the discussions related to that consideration, and rationale in determining that it would serve to impact response times as well as negatively impacting the desire for fire department interaction with the public and use of the building for medical screening functions and other contact oppor- tunities. Councilmember McGehee opined that the square footages proposed for this build- ing were very spacious and gracious; and further opined that the space being va- cated by the Department in City Hall could be used for civic functions as well as at the fire station.