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The Bellingham City Council has unanimously approved St. Joseph Hospital’s
Institutional Master Plan. This plan looks at site and facility needs for the
hospital through 2025. St. Joseph can now pursue a certificate of need with the
Department of Health to add more beds. The approval also allows St. Joe's to
build additional square footage at Main Campus. Below are answers to other
frequently asked questions about the plan:
What is the purpose of the institutional master plan?
- City-required document to guide development within the institutional
zone of Area 7 (Cornwall Park Neighborhood). The last plan was created in
1982
- Defines boundaries & development parameters/ identifies & minimizes
impacts
- Ensures adequacy of City utilities, streets and systems
- Establishes appropriate land uses, development standards and
conceptually defined plans for development
- Does not replace need for approval and permitting process of specific
building projects
What did the hospital learn during research for the plan?
- Whatcom County’s population will grow by approximately 48 percent from
2000-2025
- 19 percent of the total population will be seniors. People over the age
of 65 average five times more days in the hospital
- St. Joseph will need to grow from 253 to 466 beds and add 500,000 square
feet by 2025 to support the population growth
What are the major changes in the new Plan?
- Most development standards remain the same with the exception of making
changes to meet new City standards and to add a lighting standard
- Updated IMP document will guide development until 2025
- The institutional zone boundaries remain the same
- Helicopter flight plans and location will remain the same as present
approvals
Who contributed to the plan?
- St. Joseph Hospital
- City of Bellingham planning and public works staff
- Community Advisory Committee, including representatives from nearby
neighborhoods and businesses
What kind of work was done to create the plan?
- St. Joseph voluntarily completed an environmental checklist that
included traffic, noise, plant/animal/fishery analysis
- The hospital shared the plan’s development and the environmental
checklist information at three public open houses (Sept. and Dec. 2005 and
April 2006) and on its Web site to gain input and seek feedback
- The hospital also received support and input from the City of Bellingham
and the Washington State Department of Transportation
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