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commentFacing repeated questions about whether the Broadlands Homeowner's Association Board of Directors has a formal opinion on the proposed Broadlands Regional Medical Center, board members Tuesday night weighed the pros and cons of taking a position as a governing body, but in the end took no action.
Board President Cliff Keirce, who has been open about his personal support for the hospital, raised the question after he received questions from local leaders, residents and media about the board's position.
"We did take a position several years ago," he said. "So I'm just putting it out there to see what you want to do."
Some board members were concerned about the reaction any official opinion would garner from the Broadlands community, since the issue has split many residents.
"I would rather deal with it one on one than get attacked as a board," resident member Eric Bazerghi said.
Representatives of developer Van Metre make up five members of the nine member board, and Van Metre Vice President Roy Barnett told the board they would have to abstain from any vote on the hospital. Van Metre sold Hospital Corporation of America the land along Broadlands Boulevard where the hospital is proposed.
One of the main reasons the board members expressed interested in taking an official position on the application, they said, is positions from corporal bodies often bear more weight to county officials.
While no official position was taken at Tuesday's board of directors meeting, the board did debate the impact the hospital would have on the community versus by-right office development. By right, the property could develop 800,000 square feet of office space, which some members were concerned about for the amount of traffic and a lack of mitigation it would bring to the site.
"We've looked at the other options for the property, we've done the research on the property and on the uses," resident member Staci Kapinos said. "I think as a use and what the impact would be to our neighborhood, it's a good use."
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