Some Crown Hill residents are concerned that housing Fire Station 35 temporarily on the playfield of the former Crown Hill School will hold up plans for a new public park, already held up for the past two years.

Fire Station 35 needs the temporary location while the station at its current location, 8729 15th Avenue Northwest, is rebuilt to meet earthquake safety standards and modern firefighting practices. It houses one engine company and a reserve engine.

"Originally the project would take about 18 months to build but there is an opportunity to increase it to take about three more years, which is a ton more time than 18 months," said Carrie Ferrence, Crown Hill Neighborhood Association president. "It could be an endless project."

Ferrence sees the time allotment as a major hindrance to building a new park planned for that site with money that was set aside from the 2000 Pro Parks Levy.

A portion of the 3.5-acre property, owned by the Seattle School District, was allotted $1 million in funding for development of Crown Hill Park. But plans were held up while the district figured out if it would sell the now surplus property.

"There isn't a real ideal or great place for (the fire station) to go," she said. "They have so many criteria, as in having easy road access, having to be within 100 yards of their old location..."

The city and the school district are still in discussion regarding the possible leasing of this land for the station.

"The site works well in terms of response times for the fire department," said Christina Faine, fire levy communications officer of the Capital Programs Division in the Fleets and Facilities Department.

"It would be housed on a portion of the site in temporary tents and trailers for about a year," she explained.

Currently Small Faces Child Development Center and other programs are housed in the old school building, located at the intersection of Holman Road Northwest and 14th Avenue Northwest. It's been deemed surplus by the district, and earlier last week a proposal to purchase the building property by master tenants Small Faces was voted to move forward.

Lynn B. Wirta, building manager and executive director of Small Faces, said she has signed a letter of intent for the fire station's temporary location and now the next step is to sign the lease.

"The fire department, school district and Small Faces all talked together," Wirta said. "But the actual agreement (for the temporary location) is between Small Faces and the fire department. We found this to the effect that it would be a good neighborly thing to do and that even though it may be annoying with alarms going off it's a support of the community resources and keeps the fire station in our neighborhood with great accessibility."

She added that for the kids it's a blast just knowing that they have a fire truck on their playground.

According to Wirta, preliminary measurements and how sewer, power and water will get to the temporary location are still being arranged. She expects a lease will be signed by November.

Wirta said Fire Station 35 is anticipated to relocate to the temporary location by January until mid-2010.

However, the Department of Planning and Development is proposing to amend the city's land use code to address the temporary relocation of fire stations. The proposal would extend the time period allowed for the temporary use of a site as a fire or police station from 12 to 24 months with the potential for one renewal for an additional year.

Faine said that if the proposal were to pass Fire Station 35 would have the option to extend their stay at Crown Hill School if more time was needed for the rebuild. But she said the city anticipates the station to only stay at the location for about one year.

A public hearing for the proposal to change the land use code change is set for Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 9:30 a.m. in the City Council Chambers, 2nd floor, Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave.

Allison Espiritu may be reached at 783-1244 or allisone@robinsonnews.com.