FIRE STATION OK REMOVES HURDLE FOR PROJECT.

Byline: JIM SKEEN Staff Writer

PALMDALE -- A fire station for the Anaverde master-plan community has been approved, removing one hurdle for the stalled project, and one city councilman said Monday that he is working with the developers to come up with a plan to resolve another key stumbling block -- the financing of a dam.

The Empire Companies gained city approval to build a fire station on 1.4 acres on the south side of Avenue S near Bridge Road, inside the proposed 5,200-home, 1,985-acre development.

The fire station is to be constructed with materials similar to the surrounding homes, including a clay tile roof, stucco and trellises, colored in earth tones.

``It's going to have leading-edge, very attractive architecture,'' said John Mayfield, chairman of the Planning Commission. ``As we grow, we need these types of emergency support facilities.''

In addition to the station, Anaverde's specific plan calls for four neighborhood parks, four school sites, one community park and a commercial center.

The development agreement requires the developer to dedicate a site and begin building a fire station before the 1,000th home is occupied.

Progress on the development, however, has ground to a halt in recent weeks over a dispute between the city and Empire over a number of issues, including a flood-control dam that city officials want built downstream.

City officials refuse to issue building permits for about 500 homes yet to be built in Anaverde's 1,400-home first phase and forbid grading for the second phase until the developers make significant progress on both financing and designing a dam to control normally dry Anaverde Creek.

``The fire station was one hurdle,'' said Assistant City Manager Laurie Lile. ``Its approval is good news. There are many issues; many of those are still outstanding.''

Anaverde officials said the dam was not mandated in the original approvals and that retention basins built into their project will actually reduce storm runoff into Anaverde Creek. Anaverde officials say that while there is disagreement over whether they are required to provide the dam, they are looking for ways to make the project a reality.

Anaverde officials had proposed a financing plan based on use of an existing community facilities district, created so that homeowners over time would pay for Anaverde infrastructure.

Under the dam-financing proposal, the district's tax rate would be increased from 1.8 percent to 2 percent of a home's value for new buyers coming into Anaverde, not those who have already bought homes. The tax amount could increase up to 2 percent each year.

That proposal was rejected by city officials as being too burdensome on homeowners.

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Dispenza said he is discussing a similar financing idea with the developers, but with a sunset clause on the tax.

``There's no way we're going to go for an open-ended tax,'' Dispenza said. ``We can put in a tax on new homes, one that homebuyers know about upfront, and leave it on for whatever period it takes to pay off the dam. People can see what their money went for.''

james.skeen(at)dailynews

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