CHOICES settles with PeaceHealth
February 21, 2005
Coalition for Health Options In Central Eugene-Springfield (CHOICES)
The Coalition for Health Options in Central Eugene-Springfield (CHOICES) today announced that its steering committee has reached agreement with PeaceHealth regarding PeaceHealth's plans to locate its new hospital and associated medical facilities in the Gateway area of Springfield, as well as its plans for redevelopment of its current hospital facilities in downtown Eugene.
"For three and a half years, CHOICES has advocated for community involvement in hospital siting decisions. While, regrettably, this agreement does not prevent PeaceHealth from moving the bulk of its hospital services from downtown Eugene, it will require PeaceHealth's ongoing commitment to more public involvement in internal planning decisions and a broader evaluation and consideration of livability issues," said CHOICES Coordinator Jan Wilson.
The settlement includes:
- A requirement that PeaceHealth fund the work of an independent consultant team to forward plans and design recommendations for viable nodal development of the areas surrounding the proposed hospital building site at RiverBend. CHOICES has long argued that the traffic and livability concerns from the regional hospital could only be alleviated with effective nodal development.
- Specific height limitations (three stories) for housing development around the hospital, in addition to the height limitations already secured by PeaceHealth's earlier agreement with John and Robin Jaqua. CHOICES sought to improve on the view protections and shield the adjacent rural neighborhoods from looming structures.
- A seat for a CHOICES community representative on the internal PeaceHealth committees that will propose development details for RiverBend and redevelopment details for PeaceHealth's existing Sacred Heart campus at Hilyard, in Eugene. In combination with the Jaquas, who received enforceable employment commitments through their settlement earlier, CHOICES seeks to hold PeaceHealth to its promise to continue providing significant employment opportunities in the central city.
- A commitment that, within two years, PeaceHealth will begin marketing or redeveloping its Willamette Street site, and that, if it chooses to market the site, it will not restrict its use, especially by preventing its being used for medical services. Standing alone, this ensures that downtown Eugene will not have a large vacant block of land in its core. In conjunction with the commitment to not oppose McKenzie-Willamette's certificate of need application, this provides opportunities not previously assumed to exist.
CHOICES credits the excellent work of Chief Judge David Brewer, of the Oregon Court of Appeals, in mediating the settlement. "Without Judge Brewer," states CHOICES steering committee member Tom Bowerman, "we would still be making these decisions through court appeals. We felt we could get essentially the same outcome, with significant less cost to both sides, by sitting down to talk."