County supervisors unanimously approved building a new $3.3 million sheriff’s substation in Pine Valley in East County Tuesday that would improve public safety and service in several backcountry communities.
The Board voted to advertise and award a contract to build the new substation in the County-owned Pine Valley Park, which will modernize, improve and more than triple the size of the current 1970s-era building.
“This new station has long been a top priority for the community and I’m very, very pleased to see this action before the board today,” said Supervisor Dianne Jacob, whose second supervisorial district includes Pine Valley and surrounding communities. “I understand that we can look forward to celebrating the grand opening sometime in 2014.”
The new substation will be 4,100 square feet in size, as opposed to the existing 1,100 square foot substation attached to the Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department.
Officials from the County Department of General Services said the larger size will accommodate roughly nine sheriff’s deputies and include meeting rooms and space that can be shared on a temporary basis with other law enforcement agencies, including the California Highway Patrol and the federal Bureau of Land Management. It will also accommodate members of the Senior Volunteer Patrol Program.
County officials said they hope to award a contract by this summer, complete the design and begin construction by spring of 2013 and open the substation in spring of 2014.
Deputies stationed in Pine Valley patrol a 400-square mile area that includes Pine Valley, Boulevard, Descanso, Guatay, Jacumba and Mount Laguna.
The Board of Supervisors’ vote Tuesday set aside $2.1 million to the project, adding to the $1.2 million the board previously approved spending.
The County first started looking for a place to build a new sheriff’s substation in Pine Valley in 1999. Several privately-owned sites were considered, but eventually determined to be unsuitable.
