Editor, the VOICE:
“Planned” development was supposed to ensure increased city services to serve new growth. However, the City of Black Diamond’s failure to manage growth has led to: a brand-new fire station with no staff, no equipment, and no plan to use it.
This stems from a failed agreement with OakPointe, the developer behind the city’s rapid expansion. Under Ordinance 970 (2011), the City and OakPointe’s Development Agreement: •Section 13.4 required construction of a new fire station. •Section 13.6 provided funding for new emergency services staff at a rate of 1.4 full-time firefighters/EMTs per 1,000 new residents, as set by the 2009 Comprehensive Plan.
To ensure funding, a fiscal analysis was required in 2019 [City Code 18.98.080(3)(A)]—but it wasn’t completed until August 2021, two years late. Even worse, the projections have since been proven completely inaccurate.
Despite the city’s rapid growth, in September 2021 leadership signed a fire district contract that failed to provide the necessary staff and funding increases. As a result, Black Diamond’s fire and emergency medical services now remain the same as before Ten Trails, even though the city’s population has surged by 75%.
With no action from City Hall to slow down growth or address the crisis, Mountainview Fire & Rescue District has decided it can’t sustain operations under these conditions. They have triggered their three-year termination clause, officially ending service to Black Diamond in 2027.
This isn’t just poor planning—it’s a failure of leadership.
What can we do? Start by commenting on the city’s draft Comprehensive Plan, Public Hearing April 8, 2025 at 6 PM. Insist on better standards for safety and city services to hold developers accountable. The City staff involved with this new Fire Station fiasco should be fired. All the City Council Members involved with this new Fire Station fiasco along with the Mayor should resign immediately.
Geoff Bowie
