Planning Commission

Planning Commission Minutes City of Bellingham, Washington Thursday 7:00 PM July 6, 2023 City Council Chambers Video Recorded https://meetings.cob.org - Call to Order The Planning Commission meeting was called to order by the Chair at 7:00 PM. Roll Call Present: Mike Estes (Chair), Jed Ballew, Scott Jones, Barbara Plaskett, Mike McAuley, Russ Whidbee Absent: Rose Lathrop Approval of Minutes No minutes were submitted for review. Public Comment Period During this time, citizens may take up to three (3) minutes to address the members about any topic not on the agenda. Citizens wishing to speak during this time will be recognized by the Chair for comment. No public comments received. Agenda Items Public Hearing 1. St. Joseph Medical Center Institutional Master Plan (IMP) p. 2 Steve Sundin provided an overview of the proposed amendments to the IMP. He shared the proposed reconfiguration of St. Jospeh’s Medical Center site plan and their anticipated growth through 2042. He pointed out that the updates provide clarification on the both the phasing and development schedule, as well as the associated improvements. He clarified there are no proposed changes to the existing IMP boundaries, internal zone boundaries and permitted uses. Steve spoke to the recurring themes found in the written public comment. He specifically spoke to the revisions made to the proposed expansion and how it differs from the existing IMP. He also shared some of the changes that could be expected by relocating the helipad to the top of the new West Pavilion building. He shared that a major concern in the public comment was the existing flight path does not seem to be followed and there is no enforcement occurring to correct the issue as it pertains to the existing Planned Development Contract. Steve explained the criteria the proposed IMP must meet to be approved and stated that staff believes the plan meets the specified criteria with six conditions.  Include an additional street improvement standard in Section III-B of the IMP;  Amend the language in Section III-C related to pedestrian and bicycle facilities;  Require pro-rata contribution to the Phase I of the City’s Birchwood / Meridian / Squalicum Parkway round-about project;  Repeal and replace Planned Development Contract #PDC 90-21;  Add language to IMP that requires Inadvertent Discovery Plans be prepared and kept on project sites; and  Add language to IMP regarding electric charging stations for both bicycles and vehicles, as well as provisions for bicycle storage. Chuck Prosper, St. Joseph’s Medical Center and his team presented the most significant updates to their IMP. They shared their vision for the campus and the different ways they plan on accommodating the anticipated growth for Bellingham and the surrounding communities also serviced by the hospital. They highlighted the proposed changes to the traffic circulation both on campus and along Squalicum Parkway, the updated phasing and development schedule, and those changes made to the standards. They shared their vision for the new West Pavilion (additional patient care space, larger emergency department and childbirth center) with rooftop helipad, Central Utility Plant, and the Airlift Northwest Building. St. Joeseph’s team acknowledged that each of those projects would have a separate permitting process. They spoke to how these proposed changes and new development will address the crucial issue of patient flow. They shared the importance of the rooftop helipad so that a faster and more efficient response can be provided to patients in need of critical care. The team shared the existing procedures for transporting patients by helicopter and spoke to some of the reasons an exception to the flight path might be made. They shared the style of helicopter being flown in Bellingham and pointed out that this model is drastically less noisy than others. PUBLIC HEARING COMMENTS Chet Kenoyer spoke to the growth in Whatcom County over the years and stated that the hospital expansion is desperately needed. He shared a personal story about a medical situation that happened to him and emphasized the importance of the proposed rooftop helipad for patients needing urgent care where every second counts. Barbara Lupo spoke to the fact that PeaceHealth (St. Joseph’s Medical Center) is the largest employer in Whatcom County and the expansion is long overdue. She spoke to the collaboration efforts and the community benefit that will be realized from the proposed developments. Jack Estrada spoke to the health care challenges of living on an island, and the importance of having medical flight options to transport emergencies that the hospital on San Juan Islands is not equipped to care for. He spoke to the fact that time is critical in experiencing a positive outcome in a traumatic medical situation. Kerry Gustafson expressed her support for the amendments. She stated that the community needs to have an efficient health care system that is able to provide critical medical care through efficient transportation. Leslie Finch expressed her support for the proposed amendments. She stated she lives in the Cornwall Park neighborhood and although she hears the helicopters, it is often only for between 25 and 50 seconds. She emphasized the fact that time is critical in what the outcome of the medical emergency will be. Erica Garat expressed concern over the proposed amendments to the IMP and encouraged a more thoughtful approach be taken. She shared that the existing IMP identifies expansion occurring in the unpopulated areas to the Northwest, not to the southwest. She stated that the existing Planned Development Contract identifies the safest and least impactful helicopter flight paths. She spoke to the collaborative nature the previous hospital administration had with the neighborhood, and pointed out since PeaceHealth has taken over the experience has not been the same. Jason Garat also expressed concern over the proposed amendments. He stated that, in his opinion, the system as it exists today is timely and consistent with standards of care for hospitals such as Harborview Medical Center and Seattle Children’s Hospital. He reiterated that flight paths are often deviated from and although the community has shared this issue with the hospital, there have been no steps made to correct the behavior. He requested that more a more collaborative approach be taken to update the IMP and that the proposed version be denied. John McGarrity spoke to the collaborative nature of past administrations and the process of how the existing IMP came about. He shared that some of the public meetings he attended on Zoom did not allow for the citizens to share their thoughts, except through the chat format – which he was not able to participate in given his medical disability. He shared some of the suggestions that were made to the hospital about the location of the helipad. Alex Taylor expressed her support for the proposed amendments. She spoke to the benefits the new development will provide to employees and patients alike. She shared some of the proposed designs from the childbirth center. She shared the importance of having the rooftop helipad to accommodate emergent departure in a more efficient and expedient manner. Rachel W. shared some thoughts of a previous speaker who wanted to know, if the hospital administration considered expanding the hospital on the same side as the new air team support station, and then extending an elevator and hallway to the main tower to reduce exposure to the elementary school and the neighboring residents. She also shared the speaker’s concern that despite the hospitals claim that there has been no change in the footprint, a new full parking lot has been added to the site. Public comment closed. Staff responded to some of the comments raised by the public. There was a conversation about the existing process of helicopter landing and then patient being transferred to ambulance for ride to emergency room doors. There was interest in knowing more about timing of helicopter and ambulance rides. Hospital staff helped to clarify along with every second counting, the number of times a patient is transferred from gurney to gurney also is very impactful to the medical outcome and patient risk. There was also a comment made about the additional cost of the ambulance ride through the parking lot. There was a discussion about the flight plans the transport helicopters follow and the reasons there may be deviations from that plan. The hospital administration stated that when a complaint comes in from the community, they pass it to the service providers so that reminders and discussion can be had about the importance of staying on the flight path unless absolutely necessary to deviate. MOTION: Mike Estes / Mike McAuley moved to recommend that staff update the IMP to change any Airlift Northwest references to Air Medical Transport Provider. VOTE: Motion passes 6-0 There was a discussion about the street standard improvements. Staff explained what is being required and how that is different from what the applicant is proposing. It was pointed out that conversations are still occurring between the City and PeaceHealth and that the way the condition is worded, an administrative approval process would be put in place allowing for an alternative solution (that brings about the same result as the required standards) be considered and accepted by the City. It was pointed out that although the proposed location of the helipad makes sense and is necessary in moving our hospital to better efficiency, it is equally as important for the hospital to be a good neighbor and include the community in the planning and decision making to the extent is makes sense. The Commission would like more information on the following items:  How often flight path deviations occur and what are the reasons for those deviations;  How much control over the flight paths does the airport have vs. the pilot; and  Clarification on City and FAA jurisdiction and enforcement authority.  It was announced that the written record will remain open until July 20, 2023 and that there would be a work-session on August 3, 2023. Other Business 1. Director's Report Adjournment Minutes prepared by: ____________________________________________ Heather Aven, Recording Secretary Minutes edited by both staff and Planning Commission members.