Murphy – Commissioners agreed to deed county-owned land to the Murphy and Hiwassee Dam fire departments at virtually no cost instead of leasing the property to the agencies.
“Transfer this property fee-simple so the county doesn’t have to be involved in this piece of property again,” Cherokee County Commissioner C.B. McKinnon said at the July 20 board meeting, adding that leasing the land would create a situation where a future board could change the agreement when the lease expires.
“They’re going to invest, I’m guessing, hundreds of thousands of dollars to build on a piece of property they don’t actually own. Who knows what’s going to happen in the future?”
The Murphy Fire Department will acquire about 1.04 acres of county-owned land next to the former National Guard Armory on James A. Mulkey Drive in order to build a new facility. Department officials do not anticipate any issues regarding sufficient parking for the armory with construction of a new fire station.
Officials say the location of the new facility would provide enough space for fire apparatuses to back out of the building without extending over property lines that separate the fire station from the armory.
The Hiwassee Dam Volunteer Fire Department will acquire about 2.79 acres of county-owned land close to the baseball field near the intersection of Line Drive and N.C. 294. The department plans to construct a new building on the land to serve as its headquarters, plus store and maintain vehicles and equipment.
“The building will not impact the baseball field,” County Manager Randy Wiggins said, adding that fire officials will have to reroute the road that accesses the ball field.
While lawmakers have agreed to both deals, officials with the fire departments are still drafting the necessary paperwork to finalize the transactions. The deeds are expected to contain a clause stating that if the corresponding building ever ceases to be used as a fire department, the property reverts to the county.