Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
Hospital saga: In their own words
Cliff Keirce, Broadlands resident since 1997 and president of the homeowners association:
'A good thing for the county and a good thing for Broadlands'
I knew [the BRMC site] was always zoned for commercial, had always been presented as an office park. After [the hospital] was proposed, my initial concern was, 'Is this going to be a good fit with homes right across the street?' That we needed another hospital in the county was pretty clear to me.
We noticed Loudoun Hospital was basically overbooked from the day it opened its doors at the new campus [Lansdowne in 1996]. Reston moved us out of labor and delivery up to pediatrics – too many incoming. Hospital space was at a premium even before BRMC was announced.
OK, what does it mean to have a hospital in a community? I know Lansdowne is somewhat separated from residences, but Reston is surrounded by them. Fair Oaks has residences around the hospital. Having residents around a hospital isn't all that unusual, it seemed to me.
When I needed a procedure that wasn't offered in Loudoun, I had to go to Inova Alexandria or wait six months to get into Inova Fair Oaks. I couldn't wait six months.
I sat in Reston once for four hours. The only time I heard an ambulance was when they "blipped" it on at the light at the entrance. That was the only noise I heard.
Helicopters average at most three times a week at either Loudoun or Reston. That doesn't seem that great a burden.
The hospital will be hundreds of feet back from Broadlands Boulevard. An office park, by right, can build to 50 or 75 feet of the road.
I think the potential for negative impact on the community is far less than if something by-right comes in.
Mark Booth, Broadlands resident since 2002:
'A lose-lose scenario'
I am opposed to the hospital mainly due to the increased traffic and noise that will result from this type of use. The increased traffic generated by a hospital complex ... is significantly higher than that of an office park, which is the approved use. The emergency vehicle traffic and the 24-hour-a-day nature of a hospital will result in a very different character for this community.
Both of these issues were studied by the Planning Commission when they denied the original Broadlands application. The planning staff concluded [in depositions taken during HCA's lawsuit against the Board of Supervisors] that in spite of all the best efforts by HCA – and I sincerely believe these were best efforts – these impacts could not be fully mitigated and the remaining option available is to consider alternative sites.
There is still lack of acknowledgment of the basic facts of this case – this is a rezoning issue, it is not a simple special exception. Planning staff acknowledged this in the original application, but did not require HCA to address the 16 criteria that are required for consideration of a rezoning.
[Before we bought our home] we investigated the property that was proposed [later] for the hospital. We were assured it was supposed to be an office park. The proximity of an office park was a plus when we moved in.
We probably don't need a hospital there. We may in the future need more beds. Placing two hospitals next to each other won't produce the results the community is looking for – it will result in less development of tertiary services because these two hospitals are in such close proximity competing over the same patient pool. ... Residents here are counting on those services being provided here, and that's why they are supporting this hospital, yet there's a low probability they'll ever get them.
You must be logged in to post a comment.