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Residents press council on long-term plan for city-owned Cedar Drive house and temporary fire station
Summary
Residents raised fiscal and procedural questions about the city-owned property at 01 Cedar Drive, requested transparency about bidding or sale procedures, and offered mixed reactions to a proposed temporary fire station on the site; staff said a referendum may be required to sell the property and that planning & zoning recommended a bamboo prohibition be taken to council.
Multiple residents used the citizen‑comment period to press the council for more information about a city‑owned house at 01 Cedar Drive and the proposal to use city property for a temporary fire station.
Eene Woodside (509 College Walk) summarized the property’s history and asked detailed fiscal questions: purchase price, assessed value, improvements (more than $100,000 between 2008 and 2017), operating costs, lost tax revenue, and whether the property will be advertised and offered for bids on the open market. Woodside asked, "What procedures will be followed for purchasing this property on the open market?" and urged transparency on any sale or bidding process.
Other residents urged the council to prioritize life‑safety improvements. Pam Garcia said she supported a nearby temporary fire station and expects that closer emergency response could boost property values and reduce insurance costs. Roger (resident across the street) argued that smaller emergency response vehicles — and even an emergency response boat at the marina — might provide better coverage for the northern finger neighborhoods than a full fire engine. Marina Granger asked whether the city would return the property to the tax rolls or convert it to drainage funding should it be sold.
City Manager Kyle Regler said planning & zoning recommended prohibiting bamboo and that council would need to adopt an ordinance for a ban; on selling city property, the attorney and manager indicated there may be a requirement for citizen approval before disposing of municipal real property, and staff will research the proper procedure.
What’s next: Staff will follow up on procedures for disposal or sale of 01 Cedar Drive and provide council with options; planning & zoning recommendations (including a potential bamboo prohibition) will be scheduled for council consideration.
