SLIPPERY ROCK — Borough council on Tuesday approved a land development plan for the Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company’s new fire hall.

Council voted 6-0 to approve the project with Councilman Ron Steele abstaining because he is the president and captain of the fire company.

The project, expected to cost $3.5 million, has three phases. The first phase will include a 5,300-square-foot building to house ambulances, an access road that will exit on New Castle Street and a paved area.

The second phase will include an 8,000-square-foot fire hall to house fire vehicles. This building will be accessed from Elm Street. It also would include the removal of the current fire building. The third phase will include a 4,375-square-foot meeting hall and additional parking off Elm Street.

There will be a sign on New Castle Street to indicate that emergency vehicles could be entering and exiting the facility, as well as telling drivers not to block the entrance.

At a meeting in October, Councilman Royce Lorentz asked about the possibility of a traffic light system that would flash yellow normally and would turn red when emergency vehicles exit onto New Castle Street.

Steele said Tuesday that company officials talked with the state Department of Transportation, and PennDOT said that the company is not required to have additional signals other than the ones proposed.

Given the high cost of a new traffic signal and the fact that PennDOT has no problem with the plans, Lorentz said he would drop his proposal.

Councilman Bob Bowser agreed. “If they (PennDOT) have no opinion, I have no opinion,” Bowser said.

Steele noted that all emergency vehicles are required to begin flashing their lights in the fire hall’s garage during emergencies. Borough solicitor Neva Stanger also noted that there is no major accident history on that part of the road.

In an interview, Steele said that the company still has to get an approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection. He said the company hopes to break ground in the spring, and will begin bidding soon for contractors and seeking bank funding.

The current facilities include a main building built in 1978 and the “bingo hall” built in 1939. Fire officials said the facilities are out of date and cramped.