Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves using part of Clint Dempsey Soccer Complex for new municipal fire station
Summary
After a public hearing, the council voted unanimously to approve using roughly 3 acres of the Clint Dempsey Soccer Complex at 600 E. Pillar St. to site a new municipal fire station; staff and NYSA said the location meets ISO response requirements and may enable park improvements and grant matches, though much of the site lies in the floodplain and will require elevation and mitigation.
The Nacogdoches City Council voted unanimously to approve the use of a portion of the Clint Dempsey Soccer Complex at 600 East Pillar Street to site a new municipal fire station.
Fire Chief Mike Brown said the city needs approximately three acres for a station that meets ISO and response-time requirements; staff and the Nacogdoches Youth Soccer Association (NYSA) discussed the proposal and agreed the station could be sited without detriment to the association's operations while enabling broader master-plan improvements to parking, access and drainage (presentation and discussion at SEG 821–892).
Chief Brown and Community Services Director Jessica Sowell explained advantages: no land acquisition cost (the site is city-owned), a multi-company station with room for an aerial ladder apparatus, improved emergency response access near University and East Main, additional public parking on non-event days, and a potential reduction in vandalism due to a 24/7 presence. Sowell said locating the station up front also allows the city to relocate U6 fields to safer, less busy areas and could help the city secure a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) grant (application submitted August 1; notification expected January 2026).
Members of the public and council asked about floodplain constraints and access. Staff acknowledged the majority of the proposed site lies in the floodplain but said construction above base elevation is permitted under city ordinance and that engineers are evaluating mitigation options; TxDOT bridge and right-of-way changes near East Main are expected to improve direct access in the long term (questions and staff answers at SEG 996–1041).
Speaker 2 moved to approve the use of the recreation area for the fire station; the motion passed unanimously. Staff said final design is still preliminary and will require detailed site and floodplain engineering before construction.
Council noted the collaborative approach with NYSA and Parks & Recreation and asked that staff return with project design, funding details and any required permitting steps.
