The Town Council is expected to consider the plans July 16. It decided last year to break from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and start a department.
Palm Beach Post
JUPITER — The town has unveiled construction plans for two fire stations it intends to build in time for the launch of its department in 2026.
One is proposed for 3 acres at Cinquez Park along Indiantown Road east of Central Boulevard, and another on 5 acres at Piatt Place, which faces the Intracoastal Waterway along U.S. 1.
The Town Council is expected to consider the plans at its meeting Tuesday, July 16. The total construction cost for the two stations had not been determined as of last week.
The town’s planning board endorsed the two fire stations on Tuesday, July 9. During the meeting, town staff members said they tried to address residents' concerns with how they developed the plans.
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The two stations — along with an existing station on Military Trail in Abacoa — will serve all areas of town, depending on which is closest to each emergency. The new fire department's service would begin on Oct. 1, 2026.
Jupiter's decision to end its relationship with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue has met with opposition from some residents and from the International Association of Fire Fighters. Town officials cited concerns over rising costs and said they wanted more control over the services it receives and the way its tax dollars are spent.
Dog park to shift south with Cinquez Park fire station
The Piatt Place station will house one fire engine, a rescue vehicle and a ladder truck, and the Cinquez Park and Abacoa stations will each have one fire engine and one rescue engine, according to a town spokesperson.
The town expects at least 10 fire rescue staff members to work from Piatt Place and at least six to work from Cinquez Park and Abacoa.
Town staff said they were careful to preserve Cinquez Park’s dog park and banyan tree and to take steps to keep noise to a respectful level.
Fire Chief Darrel Donatto told the planning board that Jupiter police ran a chainsaw at the future station’s site to study its sound levels, which resulted in “conversational-level” noise to the dog park.
The dog park will be moved a little to the south. This shift will increase the dog park’s area and keep it more than 50 feet away from Indiantown Road, town staff members said.
The two-story fire station building of nearly 14,000 square feet will take up about a half an acre and rise about 34 feet high, under the area's 50-foot maximum. It will also have a community room, which Donatto said residents can reserve for birthday parties.
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Crews would build 23 staff parking spots, but the park would lose 10 of its public parking spaces, leaving it with 57 spots and room for more on a grassy area.
Planning board member Richard Dunning said he generally doesn’t like the idea of building in a park, but said it must be done now.
“You’ve listened to what the residents have said,” Dunning told staff members on Tuesday. “This is what we have to do … for the greater good for the people.”
Planning board member: Building one fire station across street from another is 'unfortunate'
The second two-story fire station would rise at Piatt Place, north of Harbourside Place and just steps away from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 18 near Burt Reynolds Park.
Town officials have asked to buy or rent the county’s station, but were denied. They estimate Station 18 will respond to one call a day when those crews are no longer responsible for the town.
This was the main issue planning board members had with the Piatt Place station. Planning board member Paul Keenan called it “unfortunate circumstances to have such duplication.”
The station building would only take up about 3% of its lot, leaving plenty of open green space at the northern portion of the site. Town Planner Garrett Watson said the land could be turned into a park, saying staff members left it open for “good things to continue to happen.”
He also noted that the mangrove forest to the west of the site will not be touched.
The station of more than 13,000 square feet would feature 26 parking spots, a community room and a rain garden. It may also get a kayak launch.
A graffiti-decorated underground parking garage that sits empty at the site would be demolished when the fire station is built. The town estimates this part of the project to cost $1.8 million.
Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her atmwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism:Subscribe today.
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