Einstein Hospital Complex at Woods Golf Center
Woods Golf Center is NOT the place for a hospital - Montgomery Hospital should be rebuilt in Norristown. Read more: Norristown not East Norriton best site for Einstein to build and Einstein Healthcare's bad behavior should not be rewarded.
Beware! Recent mailings from the township and Einstein distort the facts.
Don't fall into the trap. These mailings make it seem that a Hospital Complex is inevitable. The sale of Woods Golf Center is not final – there is an agreement of sale dependent upon all approvals from the township, the county, and any other agency needing to review the building proposal. These mailings to residents make it sound like everything is done and ready to move to the land development level with no mention of the legal challenges that are now threatening to undo the zoning changes. Einstein must follow state law and proceed through a lengthy review process of very detailed engineering plans. It is a LONG way from being done! Whitpain Township forced Einstein out of their township because of opposition by residents. WE CAN TOO! Join your neighbors as the fight has already begun!
Why Should I Care?
Einstein’s proposal for a hospital complex at Woody’s represents an unprecedented level of land development in the Township. Traffic and storm water are already big problems. Since Montgomery Hospital in Norristown will close, traffic coming out of Norristown to East Norriton will increase dramatically. Einstein is trying to sneak in under the radar by only talking about phase 1 – no analysis has been done for the expansion we know is coming. Other costly issues to consider include round-the-clock 7x24x365 operation with employee and patient traffic, truck deliveries, ambulance and helicopter noise and exhaust fumes; the cost of increased public services such as police and fire services; bio-hazardous waste; loss of significant open space and recreational area; and air traffic control issues with Mercy Suburban and Wings Air Field so close by with dangerous low altitude flights over the entire township and region.Will my taxes go up?
While Einstein has been providing rough estimates of fees and taxes they will pay, there has not been an independent analysis. Actually, fees paid by “not-for-profit” hospitals may seem large, but fall far short of the actual costs incurred by the township – they are typically an amount that is 30-50% of the property tax that would be collected from a “for-profit” company. The increased burden on public services plus a history of tax shortfalls for hospitals is likely to equal either a significant strain/decrease in available services or an increase in taxes.
ENRO’s Position on Einstein’s Hospital Complex
We all know that Montgomery Hospital in Norristown is in dire need of a new building. We just feel that Wood's Golf Center at the intersection of West Germantown Pike and North Whitehall Road in East Norriton is not the right location. Einstein should rebuild Montgomery Hospital in Norristown and provide medical services in the population center of Montgomery County – the infrastructure is already in place. Einstein does not need to refurbish their current building - there is available property already zoned for hospital use right there in Norristown. It’s the ethical thing to do! Read this editorial for more information: Norristown not East Norriton best site for Einstein to build.
Here are THE FACTS
Read the first ever ENRO Newsletter: East Norriton Watch.
Read the Facts You Need To Know. Legal challenges have already been filed.
Isn't it a "Done Deal"? No!
Einstein and the Township may want you to think that, but it simply is not true. Einstein and even certain Township officials may say that simply to derail any further public debate. Einstein is a developer just like any other and even if the Township likes the proposal, there are many steps in the process. While the Township may have re-zoned the property as a first step, several neighbors have engaged attorneys to file challenges. Even if the re-zonings are ultimately approved, Einstein must follow state law and proceed through a lengthy land development process, which will require a review of very detailed engineering plans. These plans will be subject to public reviews by the Township's Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, allowing further opportunity for public comment and challenge.
What Can We Do Now? Make our voices heard! Join us!
Einstein was forced out of Whitpain Township because the residents
became a very large and well funded organization that eventually
brought more pressure to bear on the Supervisors than did Einstein. The Whitpain residents organization
site has information specific to the Einstein proposal to build in
Whitpain and the issues that proposal raised - the same issues we are
facing in East Norriton!
Legal challenges to the East Norriton zoning changes have been filed. Stay tuned to this site for information as it becomes available. We are organizing community actions and will ask for your help. In the meantime, plan to attend township meetings and ask questions!
Here are questions to ask yourself, your neighbors, and our elected officials. The East Norriton Board of Supervisors is proceeding with this project to build a hospital on Wood's Golf Center without even rudimentary analysis and impact studies. We, the residents, demand better! The East Norriton Residents Organization is initiating our own studies. Stay tuned as we gather REAL data and share the actual facts.
Just like Whitpain, the East Norriton Supervisors must understand that we can work with them to keep Einstein out of our Township. However, if the Supervisors continue to ignore the concerns of the residents, they must understand that their political futures are at stake.
In other words, there is strength in numbers. We must first bring our community together. We have the power to hold our political leaders accountable and protect our community from this ill-conceived proposal.
JOIN! - Let Your Voice Be Heard!
If you're concerned about issues in East Norriton Township:
1. Go to www.EastNorritonResidents.org.
2. Sign Up to join and let us know how you can help. There is no fee to join.
3. Support www.EastNorritonResidents.org with a financial contribution.
4. Attend Township meetings and ask questions - numbers count!
5. Let your elected officials know how you feel by writing them a letter.
Important Information
Here's the first map of Einstein's proposal, however, they have repeatedly stated it is only a Conceptual Map and the actual land development plan will be different. We do not yet know "where they will put what" on the Wood's Golf Center property.
Einstein keeps changing their mind about the services that would be provided at the new hospital. That means that, depending upon what services you need in the future, you would STILL need to go into Philly or other regional hospitals. Let's face it, no single hospital can provide ALL specialties - a burn center, a trauma center, a heart transplant center, a neo-natal center, a neurological center – the list goes on. We don't know WHAT the new hospital would provide! People would STILL need to go to the regional center with the specialty they need.
The Zone Changes enacted on March 10 are:
Ordinance 505 - IN Zone Text Amendments
Ordinance 506 - Zone Map Changes
If you want to read the entire East Norriton Township Zoning Ordinance go to the East Norriton Township site, click on the General Code logo, and go to Chapter 205.
Letters
Read a letter to the Times Herald editor: Einstein should be ashamed of themselves for leaving Norristown.
Read this letter to the people of East Norriton to stimulate your thinking on Einstein's approach to this project.
Read a letter from a local doctor about the Einstein proposal: Proposed hospital is not state of the art for the region.
Read a letter to the Board of Supervisors: Einstein proposed hospital will have a negative impact on the Central Montgomery County region.
Read a letter written in response to the zoning changes on March 10: It’s not too late to save Montgomery Hospital in Norristown.
This letter identifies some issues with the information we are being given. Something does not look right here. Concerns about Misleading Information.
Look at the plans for multiple phases Einstein showed the Whitpain Township supervisors before they were forced out of the Blue Bell location. What are they not telling us?
The Montgomery County Planning Commission letter recommended a larger, deeper buffer zone between residential neighbors and the proposed hospital. Why didn't our East Norriton Supervisors incorporate these recommendations into the zoning changes?