It's called a firehouse by those who work, eat, sleep and train in it. It is just a word, but one that suggests family and connection. A fire station is a building, a physical structure designed by architects and built by construction workers, but a firehouse is something more cohesive, meaningful and functional.

Developers increasingly are being asked to plan for public facilities, including fire stations, in planned communities. Who leads these discussions and negotiations? Should the fire department be brought into the planning process and, if so, when? Often the fire chief is contacted after the deal is made with the developer — a sure path to a fire station, but an unfavorable start to a firehouse.

Unfortunately, the person leading the discussions often is the planning director, who may not be aware of the fire department's needs. The developer also is unlikely to understand the needs of the fire department. Clearly, in this situation, the fire department will benefit by educating the planning department and by holding direct discussions with the developer.

A chief should consider two alternative scenarios for including a fire station within a planned community. The first option is to communicate directly with the developer. The other option is to participate indirectly and have the planning director serve as the lead negotiator.

When negotiations are led by the planning director, efforts to collaborate with the fire chief may fall short of their mark. Besides negotiating on behalf of the fire department, a planning director also balances the needs of public works, streets and sanitation, utility companies, council members, and other interested parties and jurisdictional agencies.

Ultimately, the fire department has the highest stake in the design and construction of a firehouse as its end user. The most successful station design results from a balance of input from the planner, fire chief and developer. The fire chief will need to be well-informed by the planning department of the scale and complexities of the proposed planned community.

Business success for developers rests on ensuring they make a reasonable return on their investment. Their primary objective then is to minimize all project-related costs. If the project approval simply requires the developer to provide a finished station and then turn the keys over to the municipality, chances are neither the fire department nor the municipality will be pleased with the facility. However, by providing the developer with a list of needs and expectations, a fire chief can work toward avoiding the headaches of undersized doors, misplaced egress and angry neighbors.

First, the chief should supply the developer with a program for the station that describes each of the functional requirements, including room sizes, ceiling heights, apparatus bay door widths and more. The fire chief also should provide the developer with a conceptual floor plan and site plan of the fire station based on operational requirements. Lastly, the fire chief should provide the developer with an outline specification that describes the materials, equipment and level of quality needed in the construction of the fire station.

Providing these three critical items before entering into the final agreement is key to building a firehouse that fulfills its mission for the both the department and the developer.

In describing its recently constructed firehouse on its Web site, the Ramsey Rancheria Fire Department in Brooks, Calif., says its “firefighters are humbled and consider themselves fortunate to work from this beautiful, state-of-the-art fire station, responding with new or nearly new fire apparatus, and working with latest technology, tools and appliances.” The fire chief and the developer of the Cache Creek Casino where the station was to be located worked together to create a facility program and design.

The facility needed to address the immediate needs of the resort while providing for a comprehensive mutual aid response network for Yolo County. It houses seven firefighters, a helipad, SCBA and maintenance facilities, and administrative offices in more than 9,000 square feet. The department and developer were so pleased with the outcome that they are in the process of adding 4,000 square feet for a training/EOC room, gym, storage, and additional office and dorm space.

With its facility needs clearly described in a program, conceptual design and outline specification, the fire department can trust the planning director to negotiate the arrangement with the developer. The agreement must, however, make clear that the fire department will lead the design effort in partnership with the developer. This arrangement allows for clear communication and defined roles for the project, and will result in a facility that meets the department's specific operating requirements. An imbalance of this equation can lead to facilities that do not meet fire department or community needs.

The developer who established the master planned town of Mountain House, Calif., held extensive negotiations with the county planning department. They established not only design guidelines, but also infrastructure improvements, schedules and milestones. During this process, the planning director consulted with the servicing fire department as to its facility and equipment needs. The developer hired an architect to quantify the needs and provide a design. After costing the conceptual design, the developer solidified the agreement with the county. The firehouse design was a team effort involving the developer, planning department, fire chief and architect. The resulting 8,800-square-foot station immediately became the firehouse of choice by the firefighters and a community icon for the new residents. It also was the first public building in the new township.

Is there a best scenario for all parties? Clearly, either approach can work and has built appealing and effective structures. The ingredient of success is frequent and straight-forward communication between the fire chief and the planning director, and subsequent negotiation over the parameters with the developer. The planning director must advise the chief regarding the proposed planned community and the chief must, in turn, communicate the fire department's quantifiable needs to the planning director. With this effort, the needs of the developer for profit and the details of the planner need not overshadow the need of the department for its firehouse.

Kirk Van Cleave, AIA, is a principal architect for civic and public safety projects at RRM Design Group.

Kelly Underwood contributed to this article. She is a writing consultant with a background in English instruction and lecturing.