Plans for Aurora hospital project go to commission

Village officials poised to take action on requests for annexation, rezoning

Ozaukee Press, December 14, 2007

By Steve Ostermann
Ozaukee Press Staff

Aurora Health Care’s plans to construct a 480,000-square-foot hospital and medical center on Grafton’s east side will go to the village Plan Commission for recommendations this week.

The much-debated project, which was reviewed during a Nov. 27 public hearing attended by more than 100 people, requires village approval of annexation and rezoning — two major steps in the approval process.

During a 6 p.m. special meeting Thursday, Dec. 13, at Village Hall, the commission will consider petitions from the Boerke Co. and Meridian Grafton LLC requesting both approvals.

The developers of the project — which is proposed for a site northwest of the intersection of Highway 60 and Port Washington Road — are requesting annexation of 80 acres currently in the Town of Grafton.

Another request asks for the village to rezone 66 acres for a planned-unit development. About 28 acres are currently zoned for freeway interchange commercial use, and another 38 acres are zoned agricultural.

In addition, the commission is expected to make a recommendation on a certified survey map that would create two lots for the project and to consider site and architectural plans for the 89-bed hospital, a cancer-treatment center and an 80,000-square-foot medical office building.

The medical complex would be across from the Grafton Commons shopping center, which is anchored by the Costco Wholesale Store. Surrounding the complex would be parking areas for more than 1,000 vehicles.

The recommendations are expected to be forwarded to the Village Board for action Monday, Dec. 17.

Village officials and a number of local residents have voiced support for Aurora’s plans, contending the hospital would enhance health care for local residents and be a major asset to Grafton’s quality of life.

“This fits in very well with what we’re doing as a community,” Village President Jim Brunnquell said during a recent review of the plans.

“It’s a great boon that Grafton was selected for this project. It will bring jobs to the community and give us a health-care facility that provides competition and service.”

However, other residents and health-care officials have questioned the need for a new hospital within several miles of Columbia St. Mary’s Ozaukee Hospital in Mequon and contend having two such facilities in the area will drive up health-care costs.

Among the critics has been Therese Pandl, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Columbia St. Mary’s.

Pandl said Ozaukee County currently has 2.2 hospital beds per 1,000 residents and will have three per 1,000 residents when the Mequon hospital is built to capacity. Aurora’s Grafton hospital, she said, would increase that ratio to 4.1 beds per 1,000 residents, far larger than the generally accepted ratio.

In response, Brunnquell said village officials should consider the hospital plans based on “what is good for Grafton” and not “to sit in judgment of the health-care industry.”

In a report to the commission, Village Planner Mike Rambousek recommended approval of the annexation and rezoning requests and survey map.

Rambousek also proposed 18 conditions for approval, including village review of landscape, lighting and sign plans and state approval of permit applications for the project.