GUEST OPINION by Richard S. Krawzcun: The ever-changing nature of Capital Health System’s hospital proposal made it impossible to present a plan to the public.
The May 15 letter submitted to the State Health Planning Board stated the opposition of Lawrence Township to the certificate of need application of Capital Health System. The State Health Planning Board has full jurisdiction over the location of hospitals based on medical care need. The Health Planning Board held a May 10 public hearing on CHS’s application and the deadline for comments was May 16.
I have received many positive responses to my letter, however, two common questions have been raised. Why does Lawrence Township now oppose the relocation of Capital Health Systems’ Mercer Hospital to Lawrence Township? Why was there no public hearing in Lawrence Township about this issue?
To answer these questions, I would like to share a brief chronology of the township’s involvement with the hospital. On Jan. 14, 2005, at a meeting with CHS officials and township staff, CHS presented a concept for a two- to three- story building on a residential scale with surface parking and extensive healing gardens.
From this first meeting CHS was informed that acceptance of the project would be predicated on a satisfactory traffic study. Any project of this size, even one permitted under current zoning, would be required to perform such a study to analyze the impact of traffic and whether existing infrastructure could handle that impact.
On April 30, 2005 a second meeting was held. The goal of CHS was now to build a 350-bed facility on a 32-acre tract on Princess Road. The township responded that the proposed site was not large enough and suggested acquiring an adjacent 10-acre site to accommodate the project. CHS shared a proposal that a regional cancer center was planned for an existing building across from the site on Princess Road.
The next meeting took place on July 26, 2005. CHS then outlined plans to maintain a medical presence in Trenton at the Mercer hospital campus. The hospital would now be 320 beds and 30 neonatal beds. The use of the building previously identified for the regional cancer center would now change to a diagnostic imaging facility. CHS’s traffic consultant presented an initial traffic review.
The township responded that the traffic study needed to include additional items: the impact on and use of Kings Road for access to the site, ambulance routes, particularly as it relates to Princeton Pike and northbound I-95 traffic exiting onto Franklin Corner Road. Prior site plan approvals for property on Princeton Pike and Lenox Drive also had to be included in the analysis. The study would need to identify impacts and infrastructure improvements. The township made it known from the beginning that the cost of improvements would be the financial responsibility of CHS.
The next meeting to discuss the project occurred on Dec. 21, 2005. CHS reported it had purchased, the 32-acre parcel on Princess Road, and that negotiations were underway for a 10-acre adjacent site. CHS officials also said there were some obstacles with the purchase of the existing adjacent building. CHS informed Lawrence staff that the cancer center would now need to be added to the hospital site and the proposal was for a 600,000 square-foot, six-story hospital, and a 100,000 square-foot building for medical offices, that would be four stories, and a 75,000 square-foot cancer center. A concept plan was presented that depicted a potential hospital build-out of 500 beds. One of CHS’s consultants immediately indicated that the township was not supposed to see that slide. The traffic study had not yet been completed. The last meeting between the parties took place on Feb. 14. CHS asked the township to consider fast tracking a partial site plan approval for only the cancer center. The answer was no, since the township Planning Board would not consider anything less than a complete site plan with all supporting studies. I informed CHS’s consultant there would be no further meetings until submission of a complete traffic study.
As of this writing only a preliminary traffic study remains complete. It is important that it is understood that at no time has township staff endorsed the proposal of CHS for the relocation of their hospital to Lawrence approvals can only be granted by the planning or zoning boards, or the Township Council for matters of re-zoning. CHS was afforded the same courtesies of meeting with township representatives as would be afforded to any other party proposing a project of this significance.
Finally, as the scope of the project grew through many transitions it became clear that the project was not suitable for the proposed Lawrence site. In fact, what is now conceptually proposed might not be suitable for any other locations in town.Why was there no public hearing? The State Health Planning Board has complete jurisdiction over the certificate of need application. An opportunity for a local public hearing would occur before the township Planning Board amending the Master Plan for this purpose, or before Township Council if a re-zoning were to be supported.
It should also be evident that based on the changing scope of the project as outlined above, there was no plan to fairly put before the public. It simply was a moving target.
Richard S. Krawzcun is the municipal manger of Lawrence Township.

