The Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission on Wednesday voted in favor of a plan that would make the former Lincoln Fire & Rescue station at 84th and South streets surplus property.
The designation, which will have to be approved by the City Council, will allow the city to sell the property to interested buyers.
The site, which was the former home to Fire Station 12, has been vacant since the fall of 2019, when the station was relocated to a new building at 84th Street and Pioneers Boulevard.
Assistant Fire Chief Pat Borer told the Journal Star last month that both he and a representative of the city's Urban Development Department had been approached by people interested in the 1.65-acre site, but he did not know what any of their plans are.
A Planning Department staff report says the fire station could be redeveloped as a residence but that commercial development might be more appropriate for the site because there is a natural gas pipeline running through it. Under the city's Pipeline Planning Area rules, new residential development must be located at least 175 feet from any existing pipelines, but there is no such prohibition on commercial development.
In other action Wednesday, the Planning Commission recommended approval of an annexation and zoning change of land at West Pioneers Boulevard and South Folsom Street.
The annexation includes more than 61 acres, while the zoning change covers about 47 acres that includes Hope Reformed Church and adjacent land that would be developed into hundreds of housing units and a small amount of commercial space.
Hoppe Development plans to build 650 apartments, town homes and single-family homes on the site, along with about 15,000 square feet of commercial space. About 170 of the units would be designated as affordable.
On Monday, the City Council approved $18 million in housing revenue bonds for the project, called Foxtail Meadows, a first step necessary for Hoppe to apply for federal affordable housing tax credits.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue firefighter Nate Caldwell offers a close-up look at his gear Wednesday to students from the Messiah Lutheran pre-school during a tour at Station 12.
Fire apparatus operator Scott Renken backs a fire engine into the Station 12 garage at 84th and South streets following a weekly inspection. A new station at 84th and Pioneers would replace Station 12 if a ballot initiative to raise $14 million to build four new fire stations succeeds.Â
Lincoln Fire and Rescue Capt. Bob Weddington (from left), firefighter Nate Caldwell and fire apparatus operator Scott Renken offer a close-up look at their station and gear to students from the Messiah Lutheran pre-school during a tour on Wednesday at Station 12.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue Capt. Bob Weddington (from left) and fire apparatus operator Scott Renken speak on Wednesday with students from the Messiah Lutheran pre-school as firefighter Nate Caldwell offers a close-up look at his gear during a tour at Station 12.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue fire apparatus operator Scott Renken grabs his jacket and heads outside for his weekly engine safety inspection between calls on Wednesday at Station 12.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue fire apparatus operator Scott Renken checks the gauges and brakes Wednesday on his engine between calls at Station 12. If voters approve a sales-tax hike on April 7, the station would close and firefighters and medics would move to a new station. Four new stations are part of a plan that would help the city meet its goal of firefighters and medics being able to respond to at least 90 percent of city addresses in four minutes or less.
Students from the Messiah Lutheran pre-school watch intently as Lincoln Fire and Rescue firefighter and paramedic Nate Caldwell demonstrates putting on his gear during a tour at Station 12.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue workers Nate Caldwell (from left), Scott Renken, and Bob Weddington chat between calls on Wednesday at Station 12. The fire station, built in 1965, would be one of two the city would close if voters approve a limited, three-year, quarter-cent sales tax increase.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue firefighter Nate Caldwell offers a close-up look at his gear Wednesday to students from the Messiah Lutheran pre-school during a tour at Station 12.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Fire apparatus operator Scott Renken backs a fire engine into the Station 12 garage at 84th and South streets following a weekly inspection. A new station at 84th and Pioneers would replace Station 12 if a ballot initiative to raise $14 million to build four new fire stations succeeds.Â
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Lincoln Fire and Rescue Capt. Bob Weddington (from left), firefighter Nate Caldwell and fire apparatus operator Scott Renken offer a close-up look at their station and gear to students from the Messiah Lutheran pre-school during a tour on Wednesday at Station 12.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Lincoln Fire and Rescue Capt. Bob Weddington (from left) and fire apparatus operator Scott Renken speak on Wednesday with students from the Messiah Lutheran pre-school as firefighter Nate Caldwell offers a close-up look at his gear during a tour at Station 12.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Paramedic and firefighter Nate Caldwell of Station 12 wears his Lincoln Fire and Rescue badge.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Lincoln Fire and Rescue fire apparatus operator Scott Renken grabs his jacket and heads outside for his weekly engine safety inspection between calls on Wednesday at Station 12.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Lincoln Fire and Rescue fire apparatus operator Scott Renken checks the gauges and brakes Wednesday on his engine between calls at Station 12. If voters approve a sales-tax hike on April 7, the station would close and firefighters and medics would move to a new station. Four new stations are part of a plan that would help the city meet its goal of firefighters and medics being able to respond to at least 90 percent of city addresses in four minutes or less.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Lincoln Fire and Rescue firefighter and paramedic Nate Caldwell vacuums the Station 12Â living room Wednesday while killing time between calls.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Lincoln Fire and Rescue Capt. Bob Weddington catches up on office work between calls on Wednesday at Station 12.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Students from the Messiah Lutheran pre-school watch intently as Lincoln Fire and Rescue firefighter and paramedic Nate Caldwell demonstrates putting on his gear during a tour at Station 12.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Fire and Rescue Fire apparatus operator Scott Renken conducts a weekly engine safety inspection between calls on Wednesday at Station 12.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Fire and Rescue firefighter and paramedic Nate Caldwell mops the cracked hallway floor while killing time between calls on Wednesday at Station 12.
KRISTIN STREFF/Lincoln Journal Star
Lincoln Fire and Rescue workers Nate Caldwell (from left), Scott Renken, and Bob Weddington chat between calls on Wednesday at Station 12. The fire station, built in 1965, would be one of two the city would close if voters approve a limited, three-year, quarter-cent sales tax increase.
The former Lincoln Fire & Rescue Station 12, shown here in 2018, has been vacant since the fall of 2019, when it moved to a new location at 84th Street and Pioneers Boulevard. The city is now seeking to have it declared surplus property so it can be sold.