PELHAM – The city of Pelham is moving forward with plans to construct a new fire station on Shelby County 11.

The Pelham City Council approved a $194,750 services agreement with Barry Davis Architects, P.C. for the architectural design of a new Fire Station No. 3 at a meeting on Monday, Nov. 19. Fire Chief Tim Honeycutt said the city is still a long way away from moving dirt on this project, but things are moving in the right direction.

Not much has been decided about the design of the new station except that it will be bigger than the current facility that houses Station No. 3.

In July 2017, Double Mountain LLC donated 2.3 acres of land and $20,000 to the city to be used for the construction of a new fire station. The land sits at the corner of Shelby County 11 and Shelby County 334. Honeycutt said the plan is to relocate Station No. 3 from Shelby County 52 East to Shelby County 11.

Moving Station No. 3 will provide quicker response times for residents who live in the area, Honeycutt said. The move will also give a broader coverage area and enhance the quality of services for residents because of its location.

Fourteen firefighters are stationed at Station No. 3 with three to four firefighters on duty per day. Station No. 3 also houses the department’s hazardous materials equipment.

Once the new fire station is constructed, the Pelham City Council will be left to decide what to do with the old facility.