2005/12/05 Council Agenda Packet

The Direction of Everett's Growtb? The hospital claims it needs to expand in order to meet the needs of a growing population. That same growing population needs affordable housing. The hospital also claims that it is not in a position financially to pursue any other options, specifically relocating to a "greenfield" location because the upfront cost of building ground -up would be an estimated $400 million at one time. The hospital also claims, however, that if it is not granted its request to the city to expand onto the Donovan block, it will be forced to leave the city to a location that better suits its needs. If the hospital doesn't have enough money to relocate instead of building on the Donovan block, how will it afford to leave if it can't build on that block? We believe the hospital is playing to the city's worst fears in making these threats, in order to be granted the option that is most convenient and expedient for their interests, without regard for the reality of the situation, their financial condition, or their neighbors. A review of the 2002 financials for PEMC shows a nearly $2 million deficit. Expansion in that economic climate is counter -intuitive. The hospital also claims to need more beds to meet the increase in population, yet it leases floors 3, 4 &5 of the Pacific Campus to Bethany Nursing home, equaling 111 beds. Reports from current hospital staff indicate high vacancy rates in the hospital's existing beds. In fact, it seems as though this plan is meant to solely benefit the hospital, who will reap financial windfall from their potentially lucrative new Cancer Center and Medical Office Buildings in order to subsidize their general hospital operations. Poor planning on the part of the hospital does not make a civic crisis on our part—or shouldn't! The hospital also owns the Rite Aid property on North Broadway, the park on the corner of 13d' and Colby, and several empty lots around the Pacific Campus—all of which present options for growth. Aside from the Rite Aid lot, the other properties all once had houses, demolished by the hospital for its use, then never utilized. Is that what's in store for this neighborhood? Paragraph 1.5 of the Comprehensive Plan allows for continued operation of hospitals and clinics within those residentially zoned areas designated for them but also protects "from further encroachment the residential neighborhoods adjoining the areas where these medical land uses are located". If PEMC is basing their future space needs on the current growth rate, the area within this residential neighborhood will never be enough. The land grab could continue while land in commercially zoned areas around the city remain unused, misused or under utilized. Once the city allows the hospital to expand eastward onto the Donovan District, the die will be cast. There is no guarantee from the hospital or the city that this expansion will ultimately be all that is needed. There would be a threat to the remaining blocks for future expansion by the hospital or another health care provider. The area around the Pacific campus should serve as a very real future landscape for the area around the Colby campus with the addition of multiple clinics At current levels of use, if PEMC says there are around 1500 employees at the Colby Campus which equals a minimum of 3,000 car trips through the neighborhood in a day—not to mention the trips of the patients and visitors. Locating the proposed cancer clinic/medical office building (planned for the corner of Wetmore & 13`) in a commercial zone such as the Rite Aid property would alleviate some of the impact of further growth on the surrounding neighborhoods of 13`x, 14 h and Colby Avenue. The increased traffic with the increased number of patients coming and going, the noise of construction during the planned 20 years of growth, decreased property value for nearby homes, loss