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Planning board approves variance enabling new fire station at 500 Anastasia Boulevard
Summary
The Planning and Zoning Board approved a variance to allow a new elevated fire station at 500 Anastasia Boulevard, citing FEMA elevation requirements and site constraints; the applicant committed to underground stormwater chambers and a rain‑garden retention area to mitigate runoff concerns raised by neighbors.
The Planning and Zoning Board on Jan. 6 approved a variance to the Anastasia Entry Corridor design standards to permit construction of a new fire station at 500 Anastasia Boulevard.
Christina Evans, the project designer with Gulfstream Design Group, told the board the 1.27‑acre parcel has three frontages and must place the building toward the center of the lot to achieve a finished‑floor elevation of 12 feet, as required by FEMA for the facility. "The finished floor elevation for FEMA is now 12 feet," Evans said, noting that the elevation and grading needs are critical to allow fire trucks to ingress and egress safely.
The project drew both support and concern from the public. Roger White, president of the North Davis Shores Neighborhood Council, said his neighborhood has long awaited a modern station and backed the project. A nearby condominium resident, Steven Fossett, said he feared added fill could worsen localized flooding and harm property values.
Evans and the project team responded that the site will include underground stormwater chambers and a rain‑garden retention area designed to retain runoff and allow it to percolate rather than flow to adjacent properties. "There'll be underground stormwater; the chambers will retain the water so it's not flooding onto other properties," Evans said. Staff reminded the board that final grading and state/local stormwater permits will be required during the development review process.
Board members said they understood neighbors' concerns but emphasized the public‑safety need for an upgraded station and the difficulty of meeting elevation requirements on historically platted lots. One board member said the existing station was in poor condition and the new facility would improve response and safety at a hazardous intersection on Anastasia Boulevard. Another member noted the city's stormwater code requires pre‑ vs. post‑development proof that water will not leave the site any faster than it does today.
After deliberation, the board voted to approve the variance request. The applicant will return to permitting with grading and stormwater calculations required by state and local regulators.
The board’s approval does not eliminate subsequent permitting requirements; engineers must demonstrate the stormwater design meets local and state standards before construction can proceed.
