RELATED BLOG ITEMS:
Oct. 10, 2008 - Two Developments in the Hospital Wars
Oct. 8, 2008 - HOAs Chime In on Hospital Plans
Sept. 22, 2008 - Hospital Public Hearing Postponed

On the eve of a public discussion on the Broadlands hospital land-use application, 12 residents belonging to the Concerned Citizens of Broadlands were at the Broadlands HOA monthly Board of Directors meeting last night to express their dissatisfaction with their community leaders’ recent endorsement of the proposed Broadlands Regional Medical Center.

“Thanks for misrepresenting us,” said Broadlands resident Karen Rodier, addressing the board. “Thanks to you, everyone thinks the whole community approves of this hospital.”

Rodier is a mother of three who lives less than a mile from the proposed 164-bed hospital that HCA wants to build on a 58-acre parcel at Belmont Ridge Road and Broadlands Boulevard.

Like other CCB members, Rodier is concerned about an increase in traffic that a hospital would bring, although, she said, her main worry is the constant construction noise.

“A hospital is never done, and I work from home,” she said. “I can already hear the blasting and the trucks’ beep-beep-beeping all day long.”

Broadlands resident Karen Nixon said she used to live near Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, and she is vehemently opposed to BRMC.

“An office park has definite times — 9 to 5 — and is quiet on the weekends,” she added. “I can gauge when my kids can ride their bikes based on that. If it’s close to 4:30 p.m., I can tell them it’s time to come in; I can’t do that with a hospital.”

Mark Booth, who lives on the same street as the Rodier family, told the board: “Your vote creates an appearance that the residents-at-large are in support of the hospital.… Not every person is for it.”

In response, Cliff Keirce, president of the Broadlands HOA, responded that he and the three other resident board members who voted to endorse BRMC, invested hundreds of hours researching the plans. They determined the proposed hospital would be a better use of the site than a by-right office park.

“We’ve had several meetings with the applicant and have seen the traffic studies,” he said. “They’ve listened to our concerns and have made adjustments to their proposal based on our requests.”

The board’s hospital endorsement does not speak for all community residents, Keirce added, comparing the board’s decision with that of an organization throwing its support to a candidate.

“Union leaders, for example — I belong to one - may vote to endorse Barack Obama,” he said. “But not every union member may feel that way.”

On a separate CCB note, Rhonda Paice, the attorney representing the group, filed a complaint with Julie Pastor, the county planning director, on Oct. 9 stating that BRMC’s application failed to fully disclose all of its company holdings, as required by law.

The applicant’s (HCA Virginia) attorney, Mark Looney, replied in a letter to Paice and Pastor that further disclosure is not required.

No word on the complaint from the county planning office as of this writing.

And while we’re on the subject, in my Oct. 10 hospital posting I promised readers an update on responses from CCB representatives about exactly how much Inova, which currently operates the only Loudoun hospital, has donated to CCB to date. (It’s rumored that Inova is the main supporter of this resident group opposing BRMC.)

Both CCB community liaison Rebecca Zoellner and CCB attorney Rhonda Paice e-mailed me earlier this week in regards to my question.

Zoellner wrote: “CCB was active against BRMC for seven years before seeking out Inova’s contribution, and before this, members willingly funded this cause and continue to do so today.”

Paice wrote: “There is no question that CCB and Inova have a compatible goal in keeping the BRMC out of Broadlands. That does not make Inova's donation to CCB sinister - and those who seek to make it so are wasting their time. If Inova were seeking to build at Broadlands, CCB would be opposing its application as well.”

The Planning Commission’s Public Hearing regarding Broadlands Regional Medical Center’s land-use application is tonight at 6 p.m. at Eagle Ridge Middle School at 42901 Waxpool Road in Ashburn.

Which event do you think will be more exciting? Tonight’s presidential candidate debate or the local hospital debate?