Community Impact reports that during a public hearing on February 11th the Montgomery County Fire Chiefs Association came out against new county development regulations due to their concerns that a new requirement could slow response times in an emergency.
Representatives from the fire chief’s association expressed concerns regarding the required width of streets in subdivisions in commercial and residential developments in the county.
The county would only require a minimum road width of 22 to 26 feet according to the proposed regulations. Fire Chief of Montgomery County ESD #1 Jason Oliphant said the 22 to 26 foot minimum in subdivisions would result in a “significant risk for delayed emergency response times.” He supported the minimum to be set at 28 feet for subdivisions.
Oliphant passed along that what can prevent a fire truck or ambulance from being able to travel down a road is that, in many subdivisions, in the county residents park along curbs in front of their homes.
Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams said, “Weaving in and out through this traffic is going to potentially cause patients and people a delayed response.”
County Engineering Director Thomas Woolley was asked by commissioners to work with the fire chief’s association to implement the recommended improvements to the county’s development regulations.
Another public hearing on the matter is ahead in a future commissioners court meeting. The meetings are held at 501 North Thompson Street, Suite 402, in Conroe.
