By JACOB MARROCCO
On a 4-0 vote, the Johnston Town Council approved a zone change for Morgan Health Center after nearly an hour of testimony during its Nov. 12 meeting.
MHC, which sits in a residential R-15 zone at 80 Morgan Ave. in Johnston, is seeking to become a continuing care retirement community zone as it prepares to expand 10,400-square foot addition at the rear of the facility.
Attorney Wyatt Brochu, MHC administrator Kenneth DeLisi, D’Amico Engineering Technologies Principal David D’Amico and RGB Architects engineer Jason Iacobucci each spoke about the details of the proposal, before several members of the public voiced concerns.
DeLisi, who has worked at MHC for more than seven years, said demands at nursing homes have changed over the past decade.
“The generation that is coming through nowadays is certainly much more internet-savvy,” DeLisi said. “Much more savvy as far as what they expect with level of care as well as the amenities which they receive. This is really the main crux of what we’re trying to do, is keep up with the times.”
D’Amico said the addition would create 12 new beds, as well as allowing the center to convert double-occupancy rooms into single-occupancy. The bottom level will include a maintenance garage, while the three floors above it will house residents.
Iacobucci noted that the new structure will be especially beneficial to “memory-impaired residents,” as it connects corridors to become a walking loop that is used for exercises.
“It allows them to be able to walk this in a continuous loop,” Iacobucci said. “It’s a part of their therapy. It dead-ends at the moment, so it doesn’t really function well in that fashion.”
D’Amico added that the project would create 38 more parking spaces, bringing the facility’s total close to 100. He said it “essentially clicks on” to the existing parking area and removes another dead end from the lot.
There will also be another entrance added to the center, providing for simpler circulation, also coming off of Morgan Avenue. Robert Larkin, a resident of nearby Sprague Circle, was concerned the egress would come off of his road. He was assured that wouldn’t be the case.
“We realize that we are a facility within a community and we try to be cognizant of that and work with the community to do the best we can to integrate within that community and try to satisfy everybody’s needs,” DeLisi said. “Whether that’s through beautification of the property, lighting, anything that we can do. I have an open-door policy with the community. Anybody can come through, I certainly welcome their opinion and input as well.”
Those against the proposal made their feelings known as the hearing moved to public comment. Brenda Lee Troia, who has lived on Sprague Circle for 27 years, said the property owners have removed trees from the nearby wooded area and “put up big spotlights that happen to shine in my yard [and] in my neighbors’ yards.”
“They expanded the parking lot, I don’t remember how many years ago. When they expanded that parking lot, like I said, my neighbors and I see the spotlight – especially in the winter when the trees are bare,” Troia said. “It’s a residential area. I have nothing against Morgan Health Center, but it’s a residential area. The bigger they get, the worse it’s going to be for all of us on Sprague Circle, most especially me and my surrounding neighbors.”
Nick Scarcella agreed with Troia, saying the center’s gazebo can get noisy during the day and that the spotlights are so bright it forces some residents to shut their shades.
“The spotlights, they are very big. They’re like the sun blasting into people’s backyards, especially at nighttime,” Scarcella said.
He even went as far to say that if the addition is approved and built, he would sell his home.
“If they’re going to take up that much space, I’m probably going to sell my house,” Scarcella said. “I’m not going to live behind it. [In] 2014, we probably bought our house. If they expand like that, I’m selling my house.”
Robert Pingitore, who owns property across the street from MHC, spoke in favor of the project and the property owners. While he did ask for improved lighting near the entrance, Pingitore spoke highly of the facility’s record with the community. He said MHC has been a “good neighbor,” hosting car shows in its parking lot and improving its landscaping.
“They’ve made my property look better,” Pingitore said. “If anything, I should improve mine to make it look better with this.”
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here