The Vernon Township Fire District is planning to construct an additional fire station along US 31 in northern Vernon Township, according to a legal notice published in this week’s Times.
The fire district has a signed purchase agreement to buy a 5-acre parcel, located at 334 S US 31, for $86,000.
“That is if the county BZA approves our request for a special exception,” said Lynn Howard, president of the Vernon Township Fire Protection District.
Howard said that if the BZA approves, the fire district hope to build a 2 or 3 bay pole building on the property to house both fire and medical first responder vehicles.
The home that is currently on the property, owned by Matthew Napier, would be razed to make way for the new fire station.
Howard said that the fire district has been looking for a location in the northern part of the township for sometime. “But finding adequate acreage along US 31 that wasn’t farm production ground and that was affordable was a challenge,” he said.
Howard said that when completed, the station will decrease fire and medical response times to areas north of Uniontown.
“We are seeing growth not only in housing in that part of the township but also with the number of calls for fire and medical first responders,” said Howard. “We already have a number of volunteers who live in the northern part of the township and this will allow them to respond to emergencies quicker.”
Howard said that an added benefit of the additional fire station is that property owners north of County Road 100 South to the northern boundaries of the township should see a reduction in their home and fire insurance premiums.
“The insurance industry will lower fire ratings if a responding fire company’s station is within five miles,” Howard said.
The hearing before the Jackson County Board of Zoning Appeals is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8, in the old circuit court room on the second floor of the courthouse.
