Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — A handful of residents have raised complaints about the city's decision to paint its new fire station red.

Councilman Bud Romberg brought the concerns to the city at Tuesday night's council meeting. Romberg said he had been contacted by a number of people about the bright red color of the newly expanded Mountain Fire Station near the corner of U.S. Highway 40 and Walton Creek Road.

Romberg said the red firehouse contradicts the city's requirement for developers to use earth tones for buildings in that area.

"I am not sure if I see how we are practicing what we are preaching," Romberg said.

At the entrance of town, the Mountain Fire Station's bright color stands out as people travel up the Yampa Valley, Romberg said.

"I wonder if we really shouldn't take a look at it," Romberg said. "I am not sure if it is fair asking people to do one thing and then have the city do something else."

City Manager Paul Hughes said the Planning Commission approved the color. During the planning commission process, people also had a chance to comment on the color and no one did.

The old Mountain Fire Station was not painted red; neither are the downtown fire station and ambulance barn.

The city started expanding the Mountain Fire Station this fall. The old 3,000-square-foot building was expanded by more than 4,000 square feet. A 900-foot ambulance bay was added on to the bottom and a 3,060-square-foot second floor was added for offices, living area and training spaces.

The expansion moves the Steamboat Springs Fire Department's full-time operations to the mountain fire station and will house the full-time, 24-hour a day staff, as well as Assistant Fire Chief Bob Struble's office and an ambulance.

TCD was contracted to finish the project by Friday. The expansion cost $930,000.