Aria Health requests time to investigate other ‘alternatives’

LOWER MAKEFIELD -- The attorney for Residents Against Frankford’s Relocation (RAFR) is calling an early victory regarding whether a medical center and two other buildings should be built by Aria Health (formerly Frankford Hospital) at the intersection of the Newtown Bypass and Stony Hill Road.

Ron Smolow, RAFR attorney, said that Aria Health wants time “to investigate other possibilities or alternatives that might be acceptable” to his client.

Aria Health asked for six months to put the case, currently on appeal in the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas, on hold.

“It seems like a good idea to me and I think it’s good for my client,” Smolow told BucksLocalNews.com

“It looks like Aria is looking for other possible uses for these 41 acres in Lower 0DNHfiHOd,” KH sDLd. “,W’s JRRd nHws.”

Smolow noted that Aria wants to take until late June to look at the alternatives. “I’m not sure if that’s a hard or soft deadline,” he said. “I have no objection.”

TKH LRwHr 0DNHfiHOd TRwnsKLS ZRning Hearing Board in July 2012 voted to deny Aria Health a special exception WR EuLOd D KRsSLWDO Ln Dn RIfiFH/rHsHDrFK zone. A previous board had granted the exception, which RAFR appealed to county court arguing that they should be able to present more evidence.

The matter was remanded by the court back to the zoning hearing board, which decided in RAFR’s favor.

ArLD fiOHd Dn DSSHDO WR WKDW dHFLsLRn Ln county court, which is where the case is pending.

Smolow said if Aria decides to pursue building the medical center, it would have to prove that the zoning hearing board “abused its discretion or committed an error of law.”

He doesn’t believe Aria can do that. “The zoning hearing board’s decision was correct,” he said.

John sanLuvanee, attorney for Aria Health, had no comment when reached by phone.

Smolow said sanLuvanee called him about the idea of RAFR giving Aria Health more time.

“I ran it by my client,” he said about Aria Health considering other alternatives. “It’s just very, very good news for us.”

RAFR said it is going to wait to hear from Aria Health. “We’ll see what they want to do -- if [Aria wants to] move ahead in court and ask for a hearing for the court to get involved in the issues if they decide they don’t want to look at alternatives,” Smolow said.

DDvLG 7UuHORvH, wKR UHSUHVHnWV LRwHU 0DNHfiHOG Township in opposing Aria Health’s proposal, said the WRwnVKLS EHnHfiWV WKDW WKHUH LV nR VHW WLPHIUDPH IRU Aria Health to look at alternatives.

“We haven’t seen any alternatives,” he said. He speculates that the proposed facility could be “scaled down or different. We’ll see what it looks like.”

The bottom line, Truelove said, “It’s good for us the hospital is still not being built. From our point, it’s a win.”

Irene Koehler, RAFR chairman, agreed with Smolow. “We are very happy that the hospital is taking the time to reassess building an unwanted, unneeded hospital that is so opposed by the township and the community.”