Plans for New Fire Station 4, Affordable Housing Move Forward
Published on August 13, 2026
The Town of Chapel Hill is moving ahead with plans to build a new Fire Station 4 and make space for an affordable housing development at the intersection of Weaver Dairy Road Ext. and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
“These important projects will help us carry out both our Complete Community strategy and our community safety goals,” said Town Manager Ted Voorhees. “This includes modernizing our facilities and building affordable housing, especially on Town-owned land and along our planned NS RAPID route. I’m thrilled to see these important bond-funded projects come to life.”
In 2024, community members approved a bond referendum for $44 million to fund a range of projects, including $15 million for affordable housing and $15 million for public facilities.
These two projects will be built in phases, with the Station 4 project slated to start later this year. Once that’s complete, the affordable housing development would follow.
In order to maximize the number of affordable homes, the Town property needs to be rezoned. Town Council is expected to consider rezoning the property this fall. A virtual public information meeting about the rezoning request is scheduled for Thursday, August 20 at 5 pm.
New Fire Station 4
Opened in 1982, the current Station 4 is more than forty years old and beyond repair. The Town expects to use $10 million of the $15 million set aside for public facilities in the 2024 bond referendum. The remaining $5 million would go toward the eventual replacement of Fire Station 3 at E. Franklin Street and S. Elliott Road.
The Town will build the new Station 4 at the current site of a fire training facility next to the existing station. While the new station is under construction on the site of the training facility, the current station will remain in service. The project is expected to begin with the demolition of the training facility later this year.
“We’re incredibly excited to build a new station to serve our community and create a new, modern home for our dedicated crews,” said Fire Chief Jay Mebane. “I’m thankful to the Chapel Hill community for approving the bond referendum and look forward to inviting them to the ribbon-cutting for the new Station 4.”
The Town plans to request bids for construction of the new station in mid-2027.
New Affordable Housing Development
Once the new Station 4 is open, the Town plans to demolish the existing station and construct affordable housing in its place, at the corner of Weaver Dairy Road Ext. and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
“This is a great opportunity to use well-located Town-owned land to deliver on our goal of creating more affordable housing,” said Alicia Arnold, the Town’s Director of Housing and Community Development. “We expect as many as 100 affordable units with easy access to the upcoming NS RAPID transit service, grocery stores, healthcare, and much more.”
Town staff are in the process of selecting an affordable housing development partner and expect to announce that decision this fall. The development team will continue the engagement process to give community members an opportunity to share thoughts on the look, feel, and amenities of this new community.
Staff expect to finance the project with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, as well as a portion of the $15 million affordable housing bond approved in the 2024 bond referendum.
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