Updated 3 p.m. Nov. 5

Voters have overwhelmingly approved a $5 million bond for the city of Katy to expand its fire services, with 83.7 percent, or 2,985, voting for the proposal and 16.3 percent, or 583, voting against it, according to complete but unofficial results

The bond referendum, the city's first in six years, called for $3.4 million to go toward building a new fire station on Kingsland Boulevard, with $1 million for a new firetruck and the remaining $600,000 allocated for a training tower and additional equipment.

Katy Fire Chief Rufus Summers said he's happy to see the bond approved.

"We're really excited about getting started on doing something and making that place down there as fire safe as we can," he said. "We really need to have that service in that area."

Now that the bond has passed, Summers said department officials will soon begin the planning stages of the new fire station.

"I don't know when that will be done, but I know that we'll probably start on it fairly soon," he said. "We'll have to sit down with the architect and start the designing, and we'll also start talking to some vendors on the new truck."

Posted 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4

A majority of residents voted in favor of a $5 million bond for the city of Katy to expand its fire services, with 80.10 percent, voting for the proposal and 19.90 percent voting against it, according to early voting results.

The bond referendum, the city's first in six years, called for $3.4 million to go toward building a new fire station on Kingsland Boulevard, with $1 million for a new firetruck and the remaining $600,000 allocated for a training tower and additional equipment.

Katy's existing fire station is located on Avenue D, north of I-10, but according to city officials, a second station is needed to keep up with the city's commercial development and population growth.

The new station could include additions that enhance the department's training capabilities, officials said.

This is the first time the city of Katy has called a bond since 2008. Previous bonds have been used to build the city's courthouse and public library.