The Normal City Council on Monday approved a site plan and construction contract for a new fire station that is expected to take several years to build.

Council members also approved a revised site plan for Rivian, which is adding another major expansion to its electric vehicle factory.

The Normal Planning Commission held a public hearing on the fire station project earlier this month. The council approved contract negotiations in spring 2023. The $7.7 million east-side fire station will be located at the intersection of Hershey and Shepard roads in the southwest corner of the Blackstone neighborhood, which was rezoned for the purpose in 2019. The entire project has been in development since 2009.

City Manager Pamela Reece said the 10,000-square-foot fire station has been “in the works for years” and that there have been delays until now because the city has been waiting for state grants.

Council action Monday implemented the second step of a three-phase plan to relocate the fire station. Eventually, a third fire station is planned in Normal.

Council member Kathleen Lorenz attempted to spark discussion about the plans for the third fire station at Monday’s meeting, expressing hope that the council would “take some time to make sure that the assumptions in the 2014 plans regarding the third station are still relevant.”

Council member Kevin McCarthy, serving as mayor pro tempore in Mayor Chris Koos’ absence, said discussions would have to be limited to Monday’s agenda items, but clarified that the council “does not yet have a process” regarding plans for the third ward.

Reece added that step three of the project is expected to move forward within a year.

In her comments on the phase of the project approved Monday, Reece said, “This particular location significantly increases and enhances our service needs for northeast Normal… This has been an issue of concern for years.”

Reece added that response times at Normal Community High School and Mercy Creek assisted living facility in particular were below emergency response time targets.

Council member Scott Preston echoed this in his comments, saying Monday’s measures will allow emergency services to reach these “critical areas.”

Reece also said, “We’re trying to create a public space and a public amenity for our operations that will provide a good neighborhood for Blackstone Trails residents. We know not everyone is excited about having a fire station so close, but we’re also going to add a lot of landscaping… We think this is a good solution and an amenity that everyone will be proud of.”

The site plan for the single-story facility includes 18 parking spaces and a single electric vehicle charging station, as well as 20% green space consisting of trees and shrubs concentrated on the north and east sides of the proposed building.

At the end of the meeting, Lorenz added that “this action tonight is necessary without the slightest doubt.”

Rivian

Rivian’s revised site plan was approved without discussion.

The plan calls for an expansion of Rivian’s factory site by 18,500 square meters, where the electric car maker can build a new building and employee parking spaces.

The new parking lots will have 1,127 and 1,418 spaces respectively. The proposal also includes an extension of an existing southwest employee parking lot, while a new storage area for built vehicles is proposed on the northeast side of the site.

The change will also include the addition of six new signage to guide vehicles, mark gates and direct pedestrians.