How Jupiter is growing: Town OKs building fire stations along Indiantown Road, U.S. 1

JUPITER — Plans for two fire stations have won unanimous approval from a Town Council that has been split on the need for a fire department for the past year.

Cameron May, a firefighter and paramedic with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, had consistently voted against the new department since the council decided to create it last August. The town has contracted with May's agency for fire-rescue services for the past 40 years.

May, however, chose to vote with his colleagues in favor of site plans for stations at Cinquez Park along Indiantown Road and Piatt Place along U.S. 1 when the council considered them Tuesday, July 17, saying "the fire truck has left the station on this."

“I don't want to sit on the sidelines. We have to move forward,” May said. “I’m going to help to hopefully build something really good, unless someone says stop.”

May expressed concerns over the exit points of the fire stations, saying routes for trucks and ambulances could be made simpler. The Florida Department of Transportation would need to approve any changes to have vehicles enter and exit the stations along Indiantown Road and U.S. 1, Jupiter officials said.

More: Jupiter details its plans to build town fire stations at Cinquez Park, Piatt Place

Town confident Cinquez Park station won't halt Indiantown Road traffic

The stations are scheduled to go into service on Oct. 1, 2026, when the town's contract with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue expires.

One would rise on 3 acres at Cinquez Park, near Center Street east of Central Boulevard, and another on 5 acres at Piatt Place, facing the Intracoastal Waterway near Burt Reynolds Park. 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.

Town staff members said they tried to address residents' concerns with the plans.

They said they moved the two-story Cinquez station to the southwest corner of the 13-acre site to keep it further from those who use the park. They said they also will expand Cinquez's dog park and keep a beloved banyan tree in place.

To address traffic on Indiantown Road, fire department personnel will use a traffic-preemption system which changes traffic signals ahead of emergency vehicles.

Earl Mallory, who said he lives near Cinquez Park, questioned whether the system would work, saying traffic near Indiantown and Center often reaches a “dead stop.”

Mayor Jim Kuretski said he understood the uncertainty, but noted that the Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 19, on Central half a mile northwest of Cinquez Park, already handles the gridlock.

“The town listened to the public,” Kuretski said. “This is totally directed to be able to better serve residents.”

The Piatt Place station would take up about 3% of its lot, leaving plenty of open green space, which Town Planner Garrett Watson said could be turned into a park.

He also noted that a mangrove forest to the west of the station site will not be touched. The Piatt Place station will be two stories tall and also have a rain garden.

The station will stand just steps away from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Station 18 at Burt Reynolds Park. Town officials have asked to buy or rent it, but were denied.

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Opponents fear fire station's effects on Jupiter neighborhoods

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.

An email sent to town residents this week by a political-action committee opposing the town department raised the issue of "a looming tax hike" to pay for the stations and the new department, an allegation the town has denied and said the move will save it money over time. The PAC has sued Jupiter to allow voters to block the department from going into service. The matter remains before the courts, with a hearing scheduled for Aug. 16.

Some residents who spoke at the meeting opposed the fire department itself. Others questioned the station locations but offered no suggestions for alternative sites. LeAnne Labeck, who said she lives near Cinquez Park, said her son has noise sensitivities because of autism and is worried about how the sirens would affect him.

Town Council member Andy Fore, who joined the council after the initial vote to break from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, said from the dais it was time for Jupiter to move forward.

“This is a decision that’s been made," Fore said. "We need to all be putting our energy into, ‘What can we do to make this world-class?’ not, ‘How can we stop this?’ ”

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Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com . Support local journalism: Subscribe today .

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: How Jupiter is growing: Town OKs building fire stations along Indiantown Road, U.S. 1