Plans for a new fire station and ambulance bay in Coupeville have stalled as officials hash out permitting details.

The new facility, which is being developed jointly by the Central Whidbey Fire District and Whidbey General Hospital, is hung up while the hospital administration tries to obtain permits for a chunk of land.

“We put an offer on a parcel of land late last summer,” said Scott Rhine, CEO at Whidbey General Hospital. “We want a conditional-use permit to transfer our helipad there.”

The land in question has not yet been purchased and the conditional use permit is needed before the deal would go forward.

Both fire district and hospital officials are looking at this joint project to see if it would save money for both groups.

If the land is purchased, then the proposed helipad would be adjacent to the emergency ambulance entrance.

Rhine emphasized that planning for the project is still in its early stages and that the helipad would have to be relocated if a project with Central Whidbey Fire District could move forward.

“It’s kind of holding up our project,” said Joe Biller, fire chief of the Central Whidbey Fire District.

Larry Cort, planner for the town of Coupeville, said that he expects a revised application for a conditional use permit any day now. He added that national standards concerning a helipad have to be researched to see how they apply to the town.

“We will look at specific impacts at that specific location,” Cort said. “If all negative impacts can be mitigated then (the permit) will be approved.”

Central Whidbey Fire District wants to build a facility large enough to accommodate four fire trucks, a meeting room and sleeping quarters for three people.

Once built, the current Coupeville station will be demolished.

Biller said that remodeling the station’s current location was considered, but the cinder-block building didn’t meet seismic standards and would be cheaper to destroy it.

Biller added that the project is still in the early stages and wouldn’t speculate on a completion deadline.

The station near Greenbank was built two-and-half years ago and cost approximately $750,000 to build. He speculated that the total cost of the new building could be close to $1 million.