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Residents urge council to block Wingfield Springs development, call to reopen Fire Station 5
Summary
Public commenters backed preservation of Foothills open space and delivered petitions opposing the Wingfield Springs project while a long‑time resident pressed the council to reopen and staff Fire Station 5, citing budget choices and public‑safety risks.
Cynthia Van Glimp appealed to the Sparks City Council during public comment to preserve the Foothills parkland near Redhawk, saying the area now serves as an accessible, well‑used community space with existing paths, habitat and recreation opportunities that would be lost if developed.
"It's a beautiful safe area for the whole community," Van Glimp said, asking the city to seek grant funding or acquisition to save it from housing development.
Resident Jim Kindness, of Wingfield Springs, urged the council to reopen and staff Fire Station 5, arguing that the city has prioritized other spending over staffing the station and that reopening would improve emergency response times. He cited multiple line‑item expenditures — including turf work at Golden Eagle Park, vehicle purchases, ShotSpotter equipment and the city manager's compensation — as examples of budget choices he believes should be reprioritized toward public safety.
"The money to staff Station 5 is there, you just choose to spend it on different priorities," Kindness said, urging the council to act.
Mickey Jensen, speaking for the Wingfield Springs Preservation Group, presented environmental and infrastructure concerns tied to the proposed Wingfield Springs development and submitted 476 paper signatures in addition to thousands of online supporters asking council to deny the project. Jensen warned of increased traffic, pressure on water resources, loss of open space and long‑term changes to neighborhood character.
Fire Marshal Patrick Chew offered a public‑safety advisory about lithium‑ion battery fires after recent local incidents, urging residents to avoid charging batteries unattended and to unplug chargers when not in use. "If you're using lithium ion batteries as your tools, don't have them fully charged overnight," Chew said, describing thermal‑runaway risks.
The council did not take immediate action on the public comments; multiple speakers requested further review and urged staff and councilors to pursue acquisitions, grants or budget reallocations to address their concerns.
