The Riviera Beach City Council approved a site plan June 18 for a new three-story Fire Station 86 and an adjacent water storage tank on Singer Island, following staff presentation and public comment.

The site plan — presented by Scott Evans, assistant director of development services, along with Fire Chief John Curd and CSA Architects — locates the new tank and the station to avoid an existing wetland on the parcel. Evans said the applicant designed the layout specifically “to fit it onto that small portion of area that's buildable” and to avoid wetland impacts.

Why it matters: The project replaces an older fire station and an older water tank. To maintain uninterrupted service, the plan calls for first demolishing the existing fire station only after a new water tank is built and operational, then decommissioning the old tank and constructing the new station adjacent to the new tank.

Design and flood resilience: Chief John Curd said the station’s first floor is intentionally designed to flood — “This building is designed to allow that water to roll through the first story of the building,” he said — while critical systems (electrical, HVAC, elevator machine rooms and hot-water equipment) and living areas sit on the second and third floors. The third floor will contain the captain’s office, kitchen, day room and other living spaces; the second floor holds bunk rooms and a wellness room.

Architect Christian Pena and project manager Terrence Bailey explained an architectural “tower” element that raised concern among nearby condominium owners. Pena described it as both an aesthetic entry element and as space that houses mechanical and service access. Bailey added that converting that small tower area into fully occupiable space would trigger substantial additional building-code requirements (elevators, stairs, HVAC) and cost, yielding poor return relative to the small usable area.

Height and visibility: The council asked about visual impacts on adjacent condominium views; Evans confirmed the new tank would stand about 47 feet from finished grade. The architect provided sight-line studies from nearby towers showing the new tank and station placement.

Public comment: Multiple speakers raised concerns about property boundaries and submerged land ownership of the Singer Island parcel. Fane Loosman and Payne Loesman told the council their survey dispute and a related legal case left unresolved questions about whether parts of the site lie on submerged lands that may belong to nearby property owners. Loosman said the city’s 2022 replat moved a historic section corner and shifted boundaries; he asked the council to address title and boundary concerns before construction proceeds. Staff recommended obtaining title insurance for the property; Evans acknowledged the need to resolve title questions.

Timing and next steps: Staff said site-plan approval unlocks permitting; construction activity could begin in July if the council approves the forthcoming guaranteed maximum price (GMP) at the July 16 meeting. Project schedule presented showed work beginning in July 2025 and completing in November 2027, assuming timely GMP approval.

Vote: Planning and zoning recommended approval; council’s roll call on the site plan was unanimous.