Regular Meeting (Service Area Assessment)

Executive Summary
Cedar Area Fire & Rescue (CAFR) is a full-time fire department providing fire, Advanced Life Support (ALS) medical, and technical rescue services to a four-township area encompassing Cleveland, Centerville, Kasson and Solon Townships. From 2016 to 2024, the department has grown from a part-time Basic Life Support (BLS) transporting agency with three full-time medical/suppression staff to the current full-time ALS transporting agency with nine full-time medical/suppression staff, a full-time fire chief, and additional part-time and administrative support personnel. The major increase in staff between 2016 and 2024 is placing an increasingly unsustainable occupancy load on the existing Cedar station.

Population
The four townships that make up the CAFR service area had a combined population of 5,555 as of the 2020 Census, accounting for 24.9% of Leelanau County’s full-time population. The population in the service area is aging, with the median age projected to increase from 54.2 in 2022 to 55.1 by 2027. The population over the age of 75 is expected to increase by 18.9% between 2022 and 2027.

Housing
It is estimated that between 2022 and 2027, the service area will need 95 new rental units and 486 new for-sale housing units to meet demand. One major housing project, Cedar Cove Estates in Solon Township, is planned to add 30 housing units.

Commercial and Recreational Zoning
The service area contains multiple commercial and recreational zones scattered throughout the townships, with the majority centered around villages or major roads. Some commercial-type occupancies are also allowed in non-commercial zoning districts.

Non-Residential Occupancies
The service area contains a variety of non-residential occupancies, including assembly, institutional, industrial, and high-risk recreational uses. Kasson and Solon Townships have more and larger commercial districts than the northern townships.

Growth Patterns
Growth continues throughout the service area, with residential and commercial construction occurring in all four townships. Kasson and Solon Townships have seen the most multi-family and commercial construction.

Traffic Considerations
The M-72 corridor in the service area sees high traffic volumes and a history of crashes, including four fatal crashes between 2015-2019. Road conditions in the southern townships are worse than the county average.

Service Area Concerns
Specific areas of concern include the downtowns of Maple City and Cedar, the southeast portion of Solon Township, the southwest portion of Kasson Township, the northwest portion of Cleveland Township, and the M-72 corridor.

Response Times
Response times vary greatly across the service area, with some outlying areas seeing average response times of 15 minutes or more from the existing Cedar station. Poor road conditions can further impact response times.

Recommendations
The staff at CAFR recommend constructing a new station in Kasson Township, located on or near M-72 between Coleman Road and Maple City Road, to improve coverage and response times in the western portion of the service area.

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