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Commissioners approve purchase of Flowers Crossroads parcel for Northside Fire & Rescue station
Summary
The board approved a request allowing Northside Fire & Rescue to buy a 2.2‑acre parcel for a future fire station in the Flowers Crossroads / Flowers Plantation area; commissioners pressed for appraisals and noted high per‑acre prices.
The Johnston County Board of Commissioners approved a request on June 16 for Northside Fire & Rescue to purchase a portion of a 9.6‑acre tract in the Flowers Crossroads/Flowers Plantation area for a future station.
Northside Fire and Rescue representatives told the board the department seeks a 2.2‑acre parcel that would be build‑ready with water and sewer already on site. Emergency‑services staff said the larger 9.6‑acre tract will be subdivided into four parcels and Northside would acquire one of those pieces when the board approves the request.
Chief Driver (Northside Fire & Rescue) and county emergency‑services staff presented response‑time heat maps and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) deployment overlays showing that high residential density and growing call volume in the Portofino/Tuscany/San Marino areas of Flowers Crossroads give rise to a documented need for an additional station. Northside reported about 1,871 incidents last year and said overlapping calls have increased; staff said call growth in the district has risen roughly 28% over four years.
The board discussed site cost and civic equity. County staff reported nearby commercial acre prices and said comparable commercial parcels in the Flowers area have been selling for about $1,000,000 per acre; the parcel under consideration was described in the meeting record as having an asking price of approximately $1,100,000 for the whole tract (board requested formal appraisal). A county official noted funds offered for the purchase came originally from residents within the fire district under the previous funding system and would be used for the district’s needs.
Commissioners asked for documentation before closing: commissioners requested environmental/phase‑1 reports, confirmation of site utilities, and a formal appraisal. County staff told the board the developer (Track West Development) planned to close on the tract around June 25 and the county’s purchase closing would follow in July (dates provided in meeting by the presenter). The board approved the request to proceed with the purchase by voice and hand vote; the meeting record does not list a roll‑call tally.
Several commissioners voiced concern about the high per‑acre cost, requested an appraisal be completed prior to final expenditure, and noted the long‑term need for the station given traffic and development patterns in that corridor. The board asked staff to supply the appraisal, environmental diligence, site‑development scope and final purchase terms before closing.
