The Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Healthy Living Campus on Beach Cities Health District's property at 514 N. Prospect Ave. will be released Wednesday, March 10. BCHD has extended the requisite 45-day public review and comment period to 90 days, extending from March 10 through June 10.
Official public comments about the technical sufficiency of the Draft EIR impact analysis, mitigation measures, and alternatives will be accepted until June 10, 2021 at 5 p.m.
90-Day Public Review and Comment Period: March 10 - June 10
There are a variety of ways to submit written or oral public comments.
Mail: Nick Meisinger re: Healthy Living Campus
Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Inc.
9177 Sky Park Ct.
San Diego, CA 92123
Provide oral comments during one of these public opportunities:
Wed., March 24, 6:30 p.m.
Tues., April 13, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Sat., April 17, Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Public comments at the March 24 meeting will begin following the Draft EIR presentation by Wood Environment at the regularly scheduled BCHD Board of Directors meeting. For more information on how to submit a comment or join a meeting, visit bchdcampus.org./eir.
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Healthy Living Campus Overview (2017-2021) |
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About the BCHD Campus
Our community has the rare and exciting opportunity to reimagine our 11-acre campus to chart the future of preventive health in the Beach Cities. This once-in-a-generation project aims to purposefully create an intergenerational, vibrant, modern campus where residents can engage in healthy behaviors, form meaningful connections and be well…for generations to come.
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State of the Current BCHD Campus |
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extending from Diamond to Beryl and Prospect to Flagler |
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and former hospital site does not currently meet tenant needs and is in need of seismic upgrade |
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is our financial window of opportunity to address escalating building maintenance costs |
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Build a center of excellence
focusing on wellness,
prevention & research
Leverage the campus to expand community health programs & services
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Focus on emerging
technologies, innovation & accessibility
Create an intergenerational
hub of well-being, using
Blue Zones Project
principles
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Actively engage the
community & pursue
partnerships
Grow a continuum of
programs, services &
facilities to help older adults age in their community
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2009-2020 Campus Analysis
- Initial Market Demand Study
- Community Needs Assessment (snapshot)
- Topographic Survey
- Geotechnical Assessment
- Seismic Evaluation
- Design-Build Authority at State Level, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (AB 994) (2018)
- Updated Market Feasibility Study (2018)
- Updated Market Feasibility Study (2019)
- Campus Discussion with staff at Strategic Planning Meeting
- Board Planning Sessions
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Community Outreach
A public outreach process has been ongoing since 2017, made up of a Community Working Group, meetings, open houses and study circles.
Valued insights from neighbors, residents, community leaders and organizations--as well as information gathered from structural and financial consultants--formed the foundation of revisions to BCHD's Healthy Living Campus.
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Community Working Group
May 2017
BCHD formed a Community Working Group made up of residents, leaders and stakeholders to help develop the project. The Group met 17 times.
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Open Houses
Oct. 2017 & March 2019
BCHD held two open houses to engage the community. The events enabled residents to provide comments directly to project team members.
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Livability Design Expert
Dec. 2017
Blue Zones Director of Inspiration & Innovation and one of TIME Magazine's most important civic innovators in the world, Dan Burden met with BCHD to discuss how to create a healthy, vibrant and connected community.
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Study Circle #1: Intergenerational Programs
June 2018
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Study Circle #2:
Gathering Spaces
Aug. 2018
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Study Circle #3:
Center of Excellence
Sept. 2018
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In 2018, BCHD took a broader look at the campus and held three study circles on Intergenerational Programs, Community Gathering Spaces and Center of Excellence. Each study circle provided presentations on each subject and provided opportunities for participants to provide their perspectives and experiences to BCHD. |
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Received Board Direction to Take a Broader Approach
In January 2018, Youssef & Associates presented seismic findings of the 514 building, prompting the Board to direct staff to prioritize safety. Seismic experts provided analysis and preliminary costs that concluded no legal obligation exists to address the building’s structural integrity, but there were issues that should be addressed.
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Overview of Proposed Plans |
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Healthy Living Campus planning has been a multi-year endeavor. The proposed project has undergone four revisions based on community feedback and input from expert structural and financial consultants. |
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2017 Initial Concept
- 2017 Initial Concept (V1) featured the addition of buildings with renovations to the existing hospital building.
- 2017 Revised Initial Concept (V2 and V3) featured changes to the orientation and height of the structures based on community feedback.
- What we heard about the 2017 concept: concerns about density, reduce building heights, minimize impacts, add more green space and accessibility, integrate with community, create gathering spaces and intergenerational uses
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2019 Master Plan Concept
- After learning more about structural issues with the 514 building, BCHD took a broader look at the campus with a Master Plan approach.
- The 2019 Master Plan featured a whole-campus redesign with demolition of the 514 building, added 420 Residential Care for the Elderly units, a Community Wellness Pavilion and maximized open space.
- What we heard about the 2019 concept: reduce RCFE units, decrease construction time, concerns over Flagler Ln. traffic, environmental impacts and building orientation.
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2020 Master Plan Concept
- The 2020 proposed plan will be analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Report, which
- shortens construction time from nine to five years (in two phases instead of three),
- reduces RCFE units from 420 to 220, and
- includes an aquatics center, youth wellness center and 2.5 acres of open space.
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Today's Plans for the Healthy Living Campus |
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In July 2019, BCHD began preparing an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) as the Lead Agency for its Healthy Living Campus as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
- Initial environmental analyses began in Fall 2019
- Five scoping meetings were conducted to gather community input about the potential project impacts that should be analyzed in the EIR
- On Wed, March 10, 2021, BCHD will release the the Draft EIR with a 90-day public review and comment period.
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The refined draft Healthy Living Campus master plan, presented at the June 17, 2020 BCHD Board of Directors meeting, was developed from more than 60 meetings attended by more than 550 residents and drawing more than 1,000 comments during the last three years regarding elements of the campus.
The Board endorsed a project description to continue the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) process — originally started in June 2019 — with the more compact Healthy Living Campus master plan as the basis of the project description. This blueprint will inform the public and project decision-makers about significant environmental effects and identify possible ways to minimize or avoid those effects.
The updated, more compact draft master plan includes:
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A Community Wellness Pavilion with public meeting spaces, demonstration kitchen, modernized Center for Health & Fitness and aquatics center in Phase two. Phase one includes a Youth Wellness Center, PACE and RCFE.
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Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a Medicare/Medicaid program that provides comprehensive medical and social services to older adults.
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Fewer Units: Residential Care for the Elderly (RCFE) units drop from 420 to 220. Pricing has yet to be determined. One plan being considered will offer 10 percent of units at below market rates.
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Smaller New Building Area: New on-campus building area drops 18% compared to the 2019 plan.
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Less Construction Time: Active construction time is shortened from nine to five years in two phases (instead of three).
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2.5 acres of open space for programming to replace acres of asphalt.
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Healthy Living Campus: |
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Why do the Beach Cities need a Healthy Living Campus? |
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How has BCHD engaged the community around the Healthy Living Campus? |
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What is PACE and what are the benefits? |
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Is there a need for seismic upgrades? |
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