Police Station a work in progress

Final development plans for a new police station to replace the aging facility in St. Helens continue to elude the city.

In 2020, the city council began reviewing a proposed $22 million police station redevelopment plan.

The original design included a court, city council chambers and more, but as the costs mounted and limited resources were available, city officials decided in January 2023 to reduce the scale of the project.

The project seeks to address the issue of the outdated police station that currently houses the St. Helens Police Department, at 150 S. 13th Street. The 2,200-square-foot building was constructed in 1971. The hope is that a new facility will allow for the continued expansion of the St. Helens police force as population and call volume increases, according to city planners.

Site decision nixed

Earlier this year, the city was moving toward a location decision and land use application for the new police station to be located on property Kaster Road. That changed May 9 during a special meeting when the council decided to deny the application.

City Planner Jacob Graichen said the decision was based on potential shortcomings at the site.

During the discussion before voting to deny the conditional use permit as part of the application, Councilors Mark Gundersen and Jessica Chilton voiced that they felt the city had mitigated the concerns relating to the property but that going through the appeal process was not worth the time or the money.

“I believe the site was mitigated properly; I stand by that site,” Chilton said. “ But, I’m not willing to fight and waste our taxpayer’s money, our city’s money, to try to prove that. I feel like the city is being held hostage by a political agenda, and I’m not willing to go down that path.”

Councilor Sundeen said he felt similarly and that getting the station built in a timely manner is now the main priority. Councilor Russell Hubbard was a member of the St. Helens Planning Commission, which flagged the building of the station in a floodplain as an issue in 2023. Hubbard said that mitigation at the Kaster Road site would cost money, and he was never in favor of the site.

The motion to deny the permit during the May meeting followed months of limbo for the facility after an appeal was filed with the State Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).

Next steps

To gain insight into what will happen next, The Chronicle & Chief reached out to St. Helens Communication Officers Crystal King.

Chronicle & Chief: Since the city council denied the land use application for a police station at the Kaster Road property May 9, what steps has the city taken in seeking a new location for the police station?

Crystal King: The City Council is currently exploring a site in the Houlton Business District.

Chronicle & Chief: What specifically are the current criteria the council is using to select a new site?

King: Sufficient space; correct land use zoning; a location with easy access and egress for police when responding to emergencies; central location for speed of response; if purchasing is necessary, a price that fits the City’s available budget.

Chronicle & Chief: Whether the current designs could be used for the new police station site or not, what are the priorities for the building?

King: Sufficient space for future department growth, ADA compliance, a building that conforms to current policing best practices, sufficient space for growing technology storage, private interview rooms, dedicated space for evidence storage and processing, and a building that fits within the budgeted project cost.

Chronicle & Chief: Where could the new police station best fit in the city?

King: Anywhere that the above criteria works.

Chronicle & Chief: How much has the city estimated that a new police station will cost and how is the city preparing to fund that cost?

King: The Kaster Road location was budgeted at $12.6 million and that is the target budget for any new location. Police station construction will be funded through the public safety fee which is assessed on the City utility bill.

Chronicle & Chief: When should city residents expect to see a decision by the city about a new site for the police station and will there be opportunity for public engagement?

King: This project is a priority of the City Council. Staff is actively working with property owners to secure a site for the project, but there is no identified decision date yet.

Follow this developing story online at thechronicleonline.com and in the Chronicle & Chief Wednesday print editions.