Fredericksburg’s third fire station moved a step closer to fruition Tuesday night, as the city council voted unanimously to approve a $1.8 million contract with DJG, Inc., for its design.
Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley said that construction of the new station, which will be built at 3340 Fall Hill Avenue in the Bragg Hill area, is currently slated for fiscal year 2027 with a planning cost of $20 million.
Councilor Jon Gerlach (Ward 2) asked whether the adjacent basketball court and softball/baseball fields will remain following construction, and Mayor Kerry Devine inquired about the fate of the nearby community garden.
“Our goal is to preserve both of those assets as well,” City Manager Tim Baroody said.
Baroody added the city plans to collaborate with nonprofit Sunshine Ballpark to ensure that a new baseball field will be built “within a stone’s throw” of the current diamond.
City Council also formally punctuated budget season by passing on second reading its FY2026 budget. The $136.9 million budget includes $6 million of appropriation holdbacks, which are built in as a contingency plan to address adverse economic conditions.
HFFI questions progress on preservation
During public comment, Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc (HFFI) staff preservationist Danae Peckler told councilors that “little progress has been made” on goals that were set last year by a historic preservation working group, along with input from city staff.
In particular, Peckler lamented that city staff’s $50,000 ask in the Comprehensive Plan for a city-wide historic preservation economic impact study was not ultimately included in the long-term planning document.
Peckler identified expansion of the city’s tax rehabilitation tax credit and ongoing conversations surrounding neighborhood conservation districts as initiatives that can improve Fredericksburg’s housing stock and availability. While the city already has a historic district in place for its downtown corridor, efforts to create conservation districts in neighborhoods including College Heights and College Terrace gained traction in recent months.
“These discussions really have a chance to benefit us all,” Peckler said.
Councilor wants to streamline data on partner agencies
At the onset of the current budget season, Councilor Janaan Holmes(at-large) wanted to review the city’s partner agencies. So, she took home the binder that includes the nonprofits and various other organizations that receive city funding.
“It is cumbersome, to say the least,” Holmes said Tuesday.
To better support those agencies in the future, Holmes wants to formalize the city government’s approach. She volunteered her own services and nominated fellow Councilor Susanna Finn (Ward 3) to form a committee that will review the city’s relationships with partner agencies starting this summer.
