Long Grove fire district seeks final approval for new station site
Six months after voters authorized $16.5 million in borrowing, the Long Grove Fire Protection District is seeking final approval to secure a site and build a new station.
The Long Grove village board Tuesday will consider a special use permit for a fire station at 5159-5161 Aptakisic Road, a two-parcel property that includes a single-family home to be demolished. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at village hall, 3110 Old McHenry Road, and will be available on Zoom.
The board is expected to vote on the request, which has been under consideration since an initial review in July by the village's advisory plan commission and zoning board of appeals. That hearing was continued until August considering public comment and other questions.
Long Grove permits fire and police stations as a special use only within the village's three residential districts. As the fire district didn't provide more information on alternative sites considered, the advisory panel recommended denial.
Additional material regarding the site selection process and development proposal was provided after the hearing and village trustees sent it back to be reconsidered. On Oct. 3, the panel voted 4-1 to recommend approval with conditions.
The village board is expected to vote Tuesday.
“It has been quite a road,” said fire Chief Paul Segalla. “We're cautiously optimistic.”
This past April, residents by a 400-347 vote approved a fire district request to borrow $16.5 million by issuing bonds to acquire land and build and equip a new station to replace the original at 1165 Old McHenry Road in Long Grove.
That was built in 1982 for a much smaller, all-volunteer department and despite additions has outgrown the space, according to the district.
The district's territory since has expanded and relocating the station would provide better road access and ensure service demands are met safely and quickly, officials said.
The property on Aptakisic just east of Route 83 was a farmstead that was demolished, replaced with a single-family home in 1974 and subdivided, according to village documents. The home is being rented and will be demolished if the station is built there.
“We had pretty limited spaces where we could go and try to find a property that was available and affordable,” Segalla said.
The district has a contract to buy the property. If the board approves the special use request Tuesday, a closing date will be set and detailed design work, which is expected to take upto eight months will begin, he added.