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CARLSBAD: Training center project moves toward construction
By BARBARA HENRY - Staff Writer | ∞
CARLSBAD ---- The city's Planning Commission will consider approving a conditional use permit Wednesday for a long-sought training center for city firefighters and police officers.
During their 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall, commissioners also are expected to approve environmental documents related to the project.
Once the permit and environmental document decisions are made, the city can authorize an architectural firm to draft final construction plans, city special projects director Skip Hammann said Friday.
That architectural work is expected to take six to nine months, he added.
"If everything goes well sometime next summer, we'll be going back to the council ... requesting their permission to advertise (for bids) and construct the facility," Hammann said.
Plans call for the training center complex to go on a 4-acre ball field area within the city's Safety Center site on Orion Way. The proposed $24.5 million complex would include a two-story shooting range for police officers and mock "buildings" that firefighters can use for training exercises, as well as shared classroom space and an outdoor training area for automobile extrication exercises.
The firefighters' burn prop buildings include a two-story "home" and a four-story "commercial structure."
The city's police officers have been campaigning for years for a new shooting range. Their old, outdoor facility was demolished to make way for the city's new municipal golf course and they have been driving to southern San Diego for training.
The project's hefty estimated cost and its proposed location have led to some delays.
The council voted 3-2 late last year to move forward with the plans, with councilmen Matt Hall and Mark Packard opposed. The two men had argued that the city should seek support from neighboring communities to pay for the construction work, since police officers and firefighters in other towns may use the buildings for training sessions.
A majority of the council disagreed, saying such joint ownership agreements are difficult to arrange.
There also has been debate over whether the 26-acre Safety Center complex has enough space for these buildings as well as a proposed public works facility. In order to accommodate all these structures, a city skate park may need to relocate, city officials have said.
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Scott wrote on Nov 18, 2008 9:01 AM:How about a combined effort of the North County where Carlsbad, Oceanside, Escondido and the Sheriff's Department build a regional training facility that they all use and split the costs.
I know the Palomar College Police/Fire academies buildings in San Marcos are used by all outlying agencies and they get to train with each other for mutual aid and fire storm issues.
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