Fire District 3 moves to raze house beside Sequim station

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A vacant house beside Clallam County Fire District 3’s Sequim station is slated for demolition, with district leaders outlining plans to use the aging structure for short-term training before clearing the site.

District outlines plan for Johnston property next to Station 34

Recent project information posted through a public capital-projects platform describes a proposal from Clallam County Fire District 3 leadership to raze a house, garage and several outbuildings on the Johnston property at 305 S. 5th Avenue in Sequim, directly adjacent to Station 34. The district acquired the parcel in earlier years, and it now sits as a largely vacant residential lot next to one of the agency’s primary urban stations.

Publicly available materials state that the buildings would first be used for limited-duration training, then demolished by district staff under state statutes that allow fire districts to self-perform certain public works. The project description places the estimated internal cost at about 110,000 dollars, with the goal of turning the site into a cleared, fenced yard tied to the existing station.

The initiative appears aimed at removing older, unused structures that no longer fit operational needs while keeping options open for the station’s long-term footprint. The proposal does not commit the district to a specific new building or expansion on the lot, instead emphasizing site preparation and risk reduction.

According to the project summary, the district anticipates handling the majority of the work with its own personnel, though there is acknowledgment that outside vendors may still be necessary for specialized demolition tasks, debris hauling, fill and base materials, and future improvements once the land is cleared.

Safety, liability and maintenance concerns drive demolition push

The move to demolish the house next to Station 34 reflects a broader conversation in fire and municipal agencies about what to do with aging residential structures that have shifted from active use to liability. The Johnston property buildings have been described in project documents as aging and vacant, creating potential safety and maintenance concerns in a growing community hub near downtown Sequim.

Vacant homes and associated outbuildings commonly raise issues ranging from unauthorized entry to structural deterioration. In a public-facing summary, the district characterizes its plan as a way to eliminate ongoing maintenance expenses and safety risks while tidying an important corner of its operational campus. Clearing the structures is framed as creating a secure, flexible site rather than a finalized redevelopment project.

The parcel’s proximity to the busy Sequim station adds urgency, as fire districts often seek to ensure that property immediately surrounding key facilities is both secure and available for evolving service models. With Station 34 serving as the city’s main fire and emergency medical hub, adjacent land can influence everything from apparatus movement to future administrative space.

Reports also note that once the buildings are removed, the site would be backfilled, topped with a base course and enclosed with fencing, yielding a finished pad that reduces groundskeeping demands while keeping redevelopment pathways open.

Training use reflects wider practice in fire service

Before demolition, the Johnston house and associated structures are expected to serve a short-term role in firefighter training, according to the project description. While not all such exercises involve live fire, vacant houses owned by public entities are often used for realistic drills in search, rescue, ventilation and building-entry techniques.

This approach mirrors other recent activity in the Sequim area. Earlier in 2026, public notices from the City of Sequim and Clallam County Fire District 3 described the planned removal of an unsafe two-story house in Gerhardt Park, where the structure was slated for use in training exercises ahead of demolition. That situation involved a city-owned property declared surplus, with the fire district partnering to remove it as part of the city’s park-improvement plans.

Using soon-to-be-demolished buildings for practice is seen across Washington and beyond as a way to derive operational value from structures that are no longer viable for housing or other public use. In many cases, it allows firefighters to hone tactics in real-world layouts rather than purely in simulators or purpose-built training towers.

In the Johnston property case, the district’s project narrative emphasizes that the primary objective remains removal, with training framed as an efficient interim use before the parcel transitions into a cleared support yard.

Regulatory, environmental and cost considerations

Transforming a residential property beside a fire station into an extension of district facilities involves multiple regulatory steps. While detailed permitting material has not been fully outlined in publicly posted summaries, similar projects in Sequim have required city demolition permits and review by regional clean air agencies when live fire or extensive disturbance is involved.

The Johnston plan anticipates self-performed demolition under a section of state law governing fire district public works, but it also leaves room for outside contractors for specialized tasks such as asbestos abatement, large-volume debris hauling or fencing installation. Cost estimates around 110,000 dollars suggest the district expects to control budget impacts by relying heavily on its own crews and equipment.

Environmental considerations typically include dust control, handling of potential hazardous materials and proper disposal of construction and demolition debris. Public documents related to other recent demolitions in Sequim highlight coordination with regional air-quality regulators, which set conditions for any training burns, if those are part of the plan.

Once cleared, the Johnston parcel would effectively become an extension of Station 34’s south yard, surfaced with base material that can support vehicle parking, equipment staging or future building foundations. Fencing would further secure the area, addressing concerns that can arise when a vacant residence sits beside critical emergency infrastructure.

Future use of the site remains flexible

While the demolition proposal is specific about removing the house and outbuildings, district materials intentionally leave the future of the cleared site undefined. By stopping at a secured, graded yard, Fire District 3 maintains flexibility to adapt the parcel to changing needs, whether administrative, operational or support related.

Recent history suggests the district is actively reshaping its real estate portfolio around Sequim and surrounding communities. Over the past several years, district leaders have explored property sales, relocations and station upgrades in outlying areas as staffing patterns and call volumes evolve. Preparing a centrally located lot next to Sequim’s main station fits within that broader pattern of aligning facilities with service demands.

For nearby residents and travelers passing through the neighborhood around South 5th Avenue, the most visible change in the near term would be the disappearance of a long-standing house and garage from beside the station. In their place, the community is likely to see a more open, utilitarian space that reads as part of the fire district campus rather than a separate home.

Any longer-term redevelopment of the site would likely surface in future public planning documents and budget discussions. For now, publicly available information indicates that Fire District 3’s immediate priority is to safely remove an aging residence next to Station 34 and convert the land into a secured, low-maintenance asset that supports emergency services in Sequim.