Santa Clarita hospital campus expansion will carry on.
A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge rejected a lawsuit against the City of Santa Clarita over the approval of the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital master plan expansion, on Thursday, concluding that "The petitioner has not established that there was any prejudicial abuse of discretion."
KHTS News Brought To You By:
The lawsuit had been filed by Santa Clarita Organization for Planning the Environment (SCOPE) and Community Advocates for Health Care SCV. It challenged the adequacy of the project's Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
"We are very pleased that the court rejected the lawsuit in its entirety," said Roger Seaver, President and Chief Executive Officer for Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. "Our community depends upon the services of its only hospital and it is imperative that we move forward with the master plan development so we can continue to provide our residents with the highest level of community health care. We will continue to work with the entire community to make the Henry Mayo Hospital campus the best it can be."
The Expansion Plan was passed in November of 2008, and the lawsuit was filed one month later. The plan includes the addition of up to 120 beds, a neonatal intensive care unit, expanded imaging services and intensive care unit, more surgery suites, parking structures, and several medical office buildings.
The court found that the "EIR included a comprehensive analysis of the aesthetic impacts..." of the project. Furthermore, the court found that the "[City] Council's consideration and conclusion that the project was consistent with the UDC [Unified Development Code] is supported by substantial evidence."
"This ruling confirms that with a committed hospital board, staff, physicians and community there are no limits to what we can, and will achieve," stated James D. Hicken, Chair of the Board for Henry Mayo Hospital. "We are very proud to be part of this great community and feel blessed to have the opportunity to move forward with this important project to increase the quality of care for our residents."
Seaver said that the hospital's goal is to begin construction at the earliest in March of this year on the parking structure and helipad.
Santa Clarita hospital campus expansion will carry on. 
