Northwest Hub: 11 Groups File Appeals to Seattle Children’s Hospital Expansion Decision
Public appeals of Seattle Hearing Examiner Sue Tanner’s recommendation against the expansion of Seattle Children’s Hospital were due to the city clerk yesterday, and 11 groups went on the record with their opinions.
Seven organizations opposed the hearing examiner’s decision, arguing that the hospital’s expansion achieves a proper balance between benefit to the public and protection of the surrounding area. The groups supporting Children’s Hospital include the hospital itself, Friends of Children’s Hospital, Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) Project Chair Catherine Hennings, the Laurelon Terrace Condominium Association, Laurelhurst residents Steve and Dixie Wilson, the city’s Department of Planning and Development, and the Major Institution Coalition—which includes Harborview, North Seattle Community College, Northwest Hospital, Seattle Central Community College, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, South Seattle Community College, Swedish Medical Center, University of Washington and Virginia Mason Medical Center.
A number of arguments—on both legal and policy grounds—were put forth by the project’s supporters.
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I served on the CAC for 2 years and DO AGREE with the Hearing Examiner and so others on the CAC. So what is stated is false. The CAC submitted 13 minority reports, 13! We all did not agree on everything. The CAC “does not support the hospital.” We support a reasonable expansion and we spelled that out very very specifically in our final recommendation – regarding building heights, traffic, entrances, etc.
It’s just not that black and white. We spent 2 years hashing all this over and wrote a very very long detailed recommendation along with 13 minority reports. Check the minutes. What Ms. Hennings says is completely false. I don’t agree with her at all and didn’t during the entire 2 years. She doesn’t represent everyone on the CAC. Many did not agree with her. She is using her position as Vice-Chair to speak for all of us. That is unethical. I am appalled as a CAC member.
This is a completely misleanding article and the attributions are just not correct. Get the facts straight and do your homework.
It is not surprising that the Laurelon Terrace Condominium Association has joined the Hospital’s appeal of the Hearing Examiner’s decision not to approve its expansion plan as it stands. The Hospital will pay the Association an extra $55,000,000, yes 55 MILLION dollars, in addition to the $36,000,000 already paid for its 130 units (figures approximate), provided that the Hospital is granted its full expansion proposal WITHOUT COMPROMISE on its size. It is this uncompromising attitude of the Hospital that has made this process so contentious.
Thank you for providing additional insights into the Children’s Hospital Appeal. To view a complete version of the story, please click here, http://www.northwesthub.org/childrens-expansion-appeal-302
COH’s attempts to paint Laurelhurst residents as “rich”, “whiners” and selfish pales beside their callous disregard for the safety and sanctity of the Laurelhurst neighborhood. Distortions, omission of facts, obfuscations and outright untruths reveal their true intent – to rezone and destroy our quiet single-family neighborhood with their monstrous expansion.
We are in our mid eighties, on a fixed income as are many of our neighbors, (we are NOT rich!) and are appalled at the prospect of unmanageable traffic, parking, noise and fifteen years of disruptive construction. LCC has patiently and politely endured countless meetings stacked with COH administrators, personnel, doctors, nurses and patients who do NOT live here and could care less about the neighborhood. “Mitigating” the enormous increase in people, traffic, parking and noise is not possible. Outreach should be the hospital’s mission instead of overcrowding the present site. We must NEVER allow private property rights be squashed under the heal of the arrogant powerful.
Sincerely,
Helen and David Belvin