May 30, 2019
In case you haven’t heard, there is a giant hospital planned for right next to the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Elk Grove. The City of Elk Grove has released a Notice of Preparation (NOP) of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the California Northstate University Medical Center Campus Project. The City is encouraging public input during the NOP’s 30-day review period ending on 6/27. See the Notice of Preparation at https://bit.ly/2JLqKDW.
Community’s Concerns
The greatest concerns expressed by the community so far include:
- Lack of transparency on behalf of CNU and city officials/unwillingness to correct false data and “misquotes” via the media
- A facility even more expansive than originally disclosed elevates residents’ concerns
- Financial failure, similar to the Elk Grove “Ghost Mall”, would leave behind an eyesore/empty shell of a hospital that would ultimately need to be demolished
- Displacement and/or destruction of local small-businesses
- Unreliable jobs projections, based on the original 24,000 being revised to only 1,400 over the next 10 years
- A hospital more than 6x higher than the tallest homes in the West Elk Grove/destruction of the aesthetics of the surrounding area
- Unsustainable traffic increases along Elk Grove Blvd., at the on-ramp and off-ramp of I-5 and on one of three main arteries into the Stonelake residential community
- Parking overflowing onto community streets
- Major safety concerns for nearby schools
- Negative impacts on the natural environment
- Lack of security available to accommodate the heightened safety risks
- Impacts to local wildlife, such as the many birds who depend on the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge to survive
- Growth Inducement
“Neighbors Ensuring Stonelake Transparency” (NEST)
Information about NEST and their concerns can be found at https://egnest.com/ and/or https://stonelakeneighbors.com.
[You may know of the]…recent demolition of what became known as “The Ghost Mall” within the City of Elk Grove It was a failed project of former Mayor Gary Davis. Davis is now a paid consultant to California Northstate University. Coincidentally, Davis had moved into the Stonelake neighborhood just a few months prior to the CNU hospital announcement.
https://egnest.com/
Habitat 2020/ECOS’ Concerns
The ECOS Habitat committee is also tracking the hospital proposal.
The Friends of Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is a member of Habitat 2020 and submitted a letter outlining their concerns on May 13, 2019, prior to the release of the Notice of Preparation. You can read that letter by clicking here.
ECOS and Friends of Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge expect to send a joint letter on the NOP soon.
Environmental Documents
The Notice of Preparation and more documents on the hospital can be viewed at egnest.com/documents.
The Scoping Meeting is set for June 24, 2019 5:30 pm at elk Grove City Council Chambers.
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