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Chapel Hill residents will have a chance to learn more next week about the town’s plans to build a new fire station and replace an aging station next door to it with affordable apartments.
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Town staff announced movement on the Weaver Dairy Road Extension project, which was first discussed several years ago, in a news release Thursday. The last plan, in 2020, would have built a new fire station, Chapel Hill Police Department and civic building on the 4-acre site.
The police department has since moved to nearby Millhouse Road, just off Eubanks Road. The town has still not decided if or where to build its civic building, which could consolidate several town departments.
The plan shared Thursday shows a new Fire Station 4 replacing a fire training center and burn tower beside the current fire station building at the corner of Weaver Dairy Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
The town already has a new fire training facility on Millhouse Road. Construction of a new fire station could start in mid-2027, town staff said in the release.
The four- or five-story apartment building could be constructed later on the corner, replacing the existing fire station built in 1981. The apartment building could have 65 to 105 affordable units, plus parking, outdoor space and potentially ground-floor retail. The project will require the Town Council to rezone the land to accommodate dense housing.
A virtual public information meeting about the project is set for 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20.
Only about half of the site is buildable because of steep slopes and a stream that runs across the western end of the site. A stormwater report says the project would double the amount of rooftops and other impervious surfaces on the site, creating more stormwater runoff. It would also change the site’s drainage patterns, the report said.
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The town’s plans include a stormwater pond at the bottom of the hill. A future bus-rapid transit stop and multi-use path are planned closer to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Town staff could bring a potential affordable housing development partner to the council this fall.
“We’re incredibly excited to build a new station to serve our community and create a new, modern home for our dedicated crews,” said Fire Chief Jay Mebane. “I’m thankful to the Chapel Hill community for approving the bond referendum and look forward to inviting them to the ribbon-cutting for the new Station 4.”
The town could pay for the projects using a 2024 voter-approved bond that included $15 million for affordable housing and $15 million for public facilities. Roughly $10 million will be used to build the new fire station. The remaining $5 million will be set aside for a future project to replace Fire Station No. 3 at East Franklin Street and North Elliott Road.
The town and its partner will also apply for federal low-income housing tax credits, staff said.
“These important projects will help us carry out both our Complete Community strategy and our community safety goals,” Town Manager Ted Voorhees said in the release. “This includes modernizing our facilities and building affordable housing, especially on Town-owned land and along our planned NS RAPID (bus-rapid transit) route. I’m thrilled to see these important bond-funded projects come to life.”
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