Residents near a property that could become the next ambulance base in Fayette discussed their opposition to a conditional zoning request made by the Howard County Ambulance District at a public hearing at City Hall on Tuesday. The chief concerns centered around having a large building in a residential area, already narrow streets, and frequent emergency activities.

The district purchased three lots at 205 South Williams Street on Nov. 21 for $153,920. The property sits about two blocks south of the current ambulance base at the corner of Davis and Williams streets at the Keller Building. The district wants to keep its current facility and add a new building to house up to two ambulances and provide living quarters for employees working 24-hour shifts.

The hearing took place at the start of the regular meeting of the Fayette Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Four people spoke against the measure, and Southwest Ward Alderman Grafton Cook read a letter from one constituent articulating several reasons why the property should not be rezoned.

Sarah Palmer, who lives across the street from the property in question, brought up several concerns, including narrow streets and culverts that do not properly drain during rainy weather. Neither South Williams nor Cooper Street is wide enough to accommodate two vehicles at a time, she said.

“Water backs up because the culverts have been smashed by the garbage trucks and other people driving over the corners in that intersection,” she said, adding that water runoff from a new parking lot could exacerbate the problem.

Palmer also inquired whether the conditional use, if granted, would remain with the property if the ambulance district eventually sold the lot. “What we don’t want is for that property to be sold with a conditional use on it, such that anyone could come in and build something other than a single-family residence,” she said.

Other area residents also said they don’t want a commercial building in the center of their neighborhood. Many suggested the ambulance district take advantage of the Keller Building adjacent to the current ambulance base. Space recently opened there the Fitzgibbon Family Health Clinic shut down.

One concerned resident, Melissa Vroman, whose property adjoins the lot purchased by the ambulance district, said the sewer system is already inadequate and that adding a commercial structure will only worsen the problem.

“I have experienced recurring sewer backup issues on my side of the street. During periods of heavy rain, I am unable to flush my toilet due to these backups,” she wrote. “I have contacted the City Utility Department regarding this issue. First was phone calls, which I was told I would have to wait until the sewer upgrades were complete. After upgrades were complete, I sent an email to the department that was not answered and the problem remains unresolved. The property on the proposed lots has not been occupied in the 13 years I’ve lived here, so the impact of intensified use from the facility on the sewer system is unknown. Given the current unresolved issues, I believe it would be irresponsible to approve a conditional use that could further strain an already inadequate system without a thorough infrastructure evaluation.”

Vroman also cited narrow streets and noise from sirens as other reasons she does not support the zoning request.

“In addition to my residence, I purchased three nearby lots with the intent of preserving the residential character of the area and preventing additional development,” Vroman wrote. “There is an existing city easement between my lot and the lots proposed for this project. I respectfully request that this easement, along with its purpose, limitations, implications, be explicitly reviewed and considered as part of the evaluation of this conditional use request.”

Gwen Wilder, chair of the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, said the group felt conditional use was appropriate and passed on the measure to the city council for approval.

Ambulance District Director Frank Flaspohler, who arrived 36 minutes into the meeting after the concerned citizens had left, said that plans regarding the property are still fluid and that the district board is still considering different options. He said the board wanted to make sure the property would be rezoned for conditional use before paying for building and engineering plans.

“The primary reason they bought that lot was that it gave them a for-sure spot,” he said. “They had been looking for a couple of years to find something. When it came up, it was close enough to where they could use both buildings if they had to.”

Flaspohler said if the district constructs a new building there, it would house at least two ambulances and crew quarters. It could also include administration offices and storage space. “At the very least, it will be a garage and house ambulances.”

Flaspohler said he and members of the ambulance board would attend the next council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 10, to further answer questions.

In email correspondence with Alderman Cook and Mayor Greg Stidham, Flaspohler said that if the ambulance district did not build on the recently acquired lot, it could easily sell it, as it has already received several offers.

The ambulance district also announced recently that it will seek voter approval of a 1% countywide sales tax in the April 7 election. If approved, it will eliminate half of the district's current property taxes.

The Fayette Board of Aldermen meets regularly at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month in City Hall. Meetings are open, agendas are published in advance, and the public is invited.