Craig Daily Press / Fire board unveils training tower site plan, mock drawings

Archive for Friday, August 17, 2012

Plans to be considered by Craig planning department Monday

Craig Rural Fire Protection Board President Byron Willems examines a mock drawing of the live fire training tower slated for construction on Industrial Avenue behind Kmart.

By Joe Moylan

August 17, 2012

Fire board update on live fire training tower project

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During its regularly scheduled meeting Thursday, the Craig Rural Fire Protection District Board:

• Approved, 5-0, July 19 meeting minutes.

• Approved, 4-0, July fire department bills of $83,245.19.

• Reviewed fire department budget.

• Approved, 5-0, the second reading of the retired reserve firefighter policy.

• Approved, 5-0, rescheduling the next monthly board meeting for Sept. 13.

• Approved, 4-1, the resignation of Robert Floyd.

• Heard monthly chief report.

— Fire board president Byron Willems recused himself from voting on fire department bills.

A new site plan for Craig Fire/Rescue’s live fire simulator is scheduled to go before the Craig planning and zoning department board Monday for approval.

The plans, and a mock drawing of the fire training tower, were unveiled Thursday by the Craig Rural Fire Protection District Board.

Chris Nichols, fire board secretary/treasurer, outlined the highlights of the site package which include plans for drainage, lighting and landscaping that exceed the minimum requirements as defined by city ordinances.

“Right off the top of my head we are required to have 10,500 square feet of landscaping,” Nichols said. “We’re submitting almost 15,000.”

Mock drawings depict the live fire training tower as a white structure.

The color was requested by the city’s planning and zoning department board so the training tower would blend in with surrounding structures.

The training facility itself is estimated to be 70 feet long by 30 feet wide, according to the site package. The tower stands approximately 53 feet tall.

Last month the Craig planning and zoning department approved a 55-foot height variance for the project.

Nichols is confident the site package also will be approved Monday, despite a handful of unresolved issues.

“We’re still moving, but we’ll know more after Monday night if there are any major drawbacks,” Nichols said. “I don’t perceive any once we work out some drainage issues.”

Despite delays stemming from a failure to reach a land transfer agreement with Colorado Northwestern Community College in June, Nichols said construction of the training tower is on schedule to begin this fall.

The simulator will be built on property owned by the fire department on Industrial Ave. behind Kmart.

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