The Vancouver City Council approved two different development agreements Monday night, one clearing the way for a new fire station and the second buying time for officials to do some planning.
The first agreement, a contract with Mackenzie Engineering allows the firm to begin developing a design for the new Fire Station 11, near the corner of Northeast 117th Avenue and Northeast 87th Street.
Mackenzie’s contract totals $491,980, paying for the development of a base architectural and engineering design for the proposed station in Fire District 5, but city staff anticipates additional costs and, if needed, can increase the contract up to a total cost of $800,000. The design will take into account the development of Fire Stations 1 and 2, which were recently completed. Mackenzie is instructed to meet with the city up to five times during the development phase and the designs are due no later than Dec. 31, 2020.
The other agreement, a moratorium at Tower Mall, now called the Heights District, was extended by the council. The moratorium on development on the site was first approved June 5 and extended in November. As City Attorney Bronson Potter explained, the moratorium allows the city to begin its planning process for the site and prevent new development or expansions of existing developments that may not fit within the future site plans. The city recently launched an 18-month visioning effort coordinated with city leaders to develop a development plan for the 12-acre site.
