BY ALLEN HOWARD
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP -- The Hamilton County Board of Zoning Appeals has approved Jewish Hospital Kenwood's request to build a helipad 35 feet from Kenwood Road.
Board members listened Wednesday to arguments for and against the request, but said they were satisfied that their concerns about traffic safety along Kenwood Road had been answered.
Ron Panioto Jr., board administrator, said the request will come before the board again for final approval after a letter is received from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department that stipulatesg a mulched area near the landing pad will be removed and replaced with grass.
The hospital also must agree to remain a Level 3 trauma unit, which means it will serve as a backup for Mobile Care to University Hospital.
"The majority of the patients transported by Air Care usually go to UC," said C. Francis Barrett, attorney for Jewish Hospital. "They come to Jewish if a doctor determines that the patient needs to get to the nearest trauma unit."
Mr. Barrett presented a letter from the sheriff's department, stating the department will allow hospital security to patrol traffic when helicopters are landing and taking off from the helipad. Plans also include installing flashing signals near the intersection of Kenwood and Galbraith roads when the helicopters are landing and taking off.
Jean Bresnen, who lives right behind the hospital, said she was not impressed with plans presented by Mr. Barrett about traffic safety on Kenwood Road.
"This is a residential area, and there is already too much going on," she said. "Now to have a helicopter flying overhead just destroys the neighborhood. Our poor area has suffered enough." She begged the board to deny the request. But board members agreed their concerns about the helipad had been answered.
Lori Thompson, Sycamore Township administrator, said the board was split on the issue at its meeting last month.
Opposition also came from the Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission, which objected to how close the helipad would be to Kenwood Road, the lighting necessary to land a helicopter at night and the impact it would have on the surrounding neighborhood.
In a letter to the board, the commission also suggested that because hospital officials had turned the hospital into a regional complex, it should consider spending more money and building a rooftop heliport.
"Landing pads are built on rooftops in urban hospitals because of congestion," Mr. Barrett said. "Besides, the neighborhood has already rejected a rooftop landing pad out here."
He said the helipad is planned for next to the emergency room.
