The Sylmar Neighborhood Council has withdrawn its support for a $146 million expansion project at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. On July 26, the board accepted the finding of its Grievance Ad-hoc Panel that its decision last month to support the hospital’s 101-bed South Addition was invalid. In January 2006, the board voted not to approve the expansion project unless the hospital conducted an environmental impact report. Because Providence Holy Cross has yet to conduct an EIR, the board’s decision in June to support the expansion led to the filing of a grievance. The grievance panel sided with the complainant, but the council’s board has the authority to accept or reject the panel’s finding. “Last night the board said, ‘OK, we will honor the panel’s time and effort and viewpoint,” explained council vice president Bonnie Bernard. “We respect what they found. We respect their interpretation.”
