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MVHS SEQR Blog

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SEQR Blog | MVHS SEQR | City of Utica | SEQR References

The Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) requires an environmental "SEQR" study, as well as a Certificate of Need (C.O.N.) before they can secure a $300M New York State Grant. The City of Utica Planning Board adopted the project, Utica's Planning Board's SEQR Review.

Read NYS DEC's SEQR Q&A's, our collection of SEQR References, and our SEQR timeline/blog below...

Read SEQR Section

3.11.4 Reasonably Foreseeable Catastrophic Impacts

March 8, 2019 - In article titled, State review for downtown hospital includes less parking, one reads...

The planners will have to decide whether to accept the [SEQR] statement or to request more changes, Thomas said.

“At some point, they have to vote to make it final and then, at least 10 days after that vote, they need to vote to approve finding statements,” he said.

That means they have to vote on mitigation measure they want incorporated into the project plan, he said. Once that happens, the SEQR process will be over. Health system officials have said they plan to begin acquiring properties in the hospital footprint once SEQR is over.

January 17, 2018 - We attended the Planning Board meting today, however the MVHS hospital was not on the agenda. We had a letter to present anyway, "Attn: Utica Planning Board, Re: Nexus Center", yet the Chairman didn't seem to require his copy...

December 10, 2018 - Officials deny rigging hospital site study, but who accused them?

Their emails make it pretty clear, Steve DiMeo and a few politicians (Brindisi & Picente) rigged hospital siting, no accusing required!

Plus, MVHS CEO Scott Perra already confirmed it in April of 2017, "Our Politicians Are The Ones, Mr Tony Picente, Anthony Brindisi and Mayor Palimeir...". This was repeated a few days later by MVHS COO Robert Scholefield, have a listen as Mr. Scholefield states, It Was Made Clear To Us...

November 16, 2018 - Tonight in under 15 minutes, Utica Planning Board accepted the MVHS Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS)...

The UticaOD was there and covers some details with Greg Mason's story titled, Utica board accepts hospital project’s draft environmental plan. Our audio of meeting joins the rest of our documentation, and ss soon as the DEIS is posted on City Of Utica MVHS SEQR page, we'll dissect and create a fully linked index.

October 29, 2018 - MVHS states their SEQR DEIS has been submitted...

View the Updated MVHS New Hospital Timeline.

July 31, 2018 - Hospital project consultants, O'Brien & Gere, have started Traffic Recording for Hospital Project, Downtown Utica Footage Being Analyzed for Environmental (SERQ) Study...

How many cameras, their placement, duration, and with or without projected (one, two or three) MOB's? Was it hockey season, the college students and professors downtown? How about the "U District" (the casino, ballfield, beer museum, hop farm, and the second hidden parking garage)? Based on current downtown population or the forecasted MVEDGE "hospital induced economic growth" based on the EIS? Hey, was their EIS every done? See #emailgate, page 35...

" On May 17, 2017, at 9:00 PM, Steven J. Dimeo wrote: >>> >>> Several people have asked about an EIA on hospital. I suppose you can do an EIA although I am not sure how you measure all impacts. My guess is that measurements might look at multiplier impact that can be captured within downtown which might be of interest to city. Hospital is shifting impact within region - downtown gains but there are impacts elsewhere I. City (st E's neighborhood and new Hartford).Utica probably gains on sales tax and economic inducement caused by repurposing key properties downtown. What is not known is whether hospital captures activity that goes elsewhere or attracts business that comes into the region. It is a tougher model to calibrate >>> >>> From email I couldn't tell who was doing EIA - oneidas , aud >>> authority , Mohawk gardens , county Sent from my iPhone "

So many questions!!!

July 20, 2018 - We watched and recorded their meeting last night. The way the meeting ran, questions they asked each other and discussed, clearly tells us the Planning Board is NOT qualified as they assured residents they were.

News coverage of meeting...

July 12, 2018 - Read Common Council President Michael Galime SEQR Input...

June 8, 2018 - Yesterday the Utica Planning Department held a "Public Meeting", as our politicians called-in over 100+ union members...

There out of contract obligations, we also know they Were Given False Information, yet they left after their Sidewalk Nastiness.

Inside the "State" Office Building, the Oneida County Executive, Anthony J. Picente, Jr, sent-in 7 employees to speak on behalf of "his" county. Yet over a dozen concerned citizen spoke, and Frank-Montecalvo Replies to SEQR Scoping Draft via certified mail.

Another property owner sends-in his "public input", Joe Cerini's SEQR Response. Joe owns 418 Lafayette Street and directs the Utica Planning Board to enter 710 Pages Of #Emailgate into the Draft Scoping Document Appendix!

June 4, 2018 - City of Utica calls for "Public Meeting", SEQR for the Oneida County hospital project, Utica Hospital Environmental Impact On Agenda.

#NoHospitalDowntown invites participation here SEQR Rally At State Office Building

May 27, 2018 - Action by citizens and a company responds, Enfield resident alleges wind farm misconduct; Black Oak responds. The resident's letter that drew the response is here An Open Letter to the Citizens and Town Board of Enfield about the Black Oak Wind Project, as well as the formal response letter.

May 23, 2018 - NYS DEC website posts City of Utica news on Oneida County hospital project, Positive Declaration and Public Scoping. Contact information: Brian Thomas, City of Utica, 1 Kennedy Plaza, Utica, NY 13502; Phone: (315) 792-0181, Fax: (315) 797-6607, and E-mail: bthomas@cityofutica.com

May 15, 2018 - We are aware a new web-based page for the City Of Utica MVHS SEQR Review process. We are also reviewing this NYS document titled, New Environmental Assessment Forms Under SEQRA

May 8, 2018 - The MVHS SEQR advances per the Utica Observer-Dispatch...

We agree, cutting corners will not be tolerated, especially for political reasons...

February 21, 2018 - The Planning Board responds, "To the administrators of the No Hospital Downtown (NHD) Facebook Group"

#NoHospitalDowntown alerted of another City Hall meeting. Utica's Common Council to vote to support Planning Board's decision to be SEQR lead agency... SEQRA Lead Agency Resolution: This resolution, if passed, would support the Utica Planning Board as lead agency for the SEQR process of the Mohawk Valley Health System hospital proposal.

February 18, 2018 - Issues can get complicated at times, and the discussion swirling around the new hospital is no exception, "Let's Keep It Simple"... A KISS for Our New Hospital!

February 16, 2018 - We asked to speak, they said no, but speak we did...

Another account..."What none of the news agencies are reporting is that over 10 businesses were in attendance with letters from attorneys outlining why this is ILLEGAL!

Basically, just like when building a home, there are rules and an outline on proper sequence of how things have to be done. Instead of properly following the rules, they’re making them up as they go. It’s like playing monopoly with Elias.

Our attorney could not be in attendance, and sent us with a very thorough letter, explaining clearly why Utica’s planning board should not take lead agency due to their statutory authority. He told us what to do. They refused to let us speak, refused to acknowledge the letter, but we made sure it went on record that we handed it to each planning board member, they proceeded to tell us they weren’t even voting on the matter. THEN, all of a sudden decided in a 3-1 vote that they’d be the lead agency. I mean, what’s our attorney know?! He only litigates Supreme Court cases. Ha ha!

We have peace that good will come of this situation, but it’s really really really hard not to be rude or say mean things when you see the actions of those in charge of this project. It reminds me of watching my 3 boys fight, and how one baits the other to get them in trouble. It gets to the point where you want to say rude things out of frustration, and those in charge want you to say it because they’re antagonizing you to do so. We won’t do it, we won’t stoop to that level.

We won’t make any statements, but keep us and the local businesses in your thoughts and prayers.", Rachel Daughtry, Your Bargain Grocer

Utica's newspaper reports, Utica planning board takes lead on hospital environmental review

Sparks at City Hall meeting, Utica's planning board has voted SEQR, but decision didn't come without protest

February 15, 2018 - Utica's planning board voted to accept the responsibility of acting as the lead agency for the downtown hospital State Environmental Quality Review Act or SEQRA process... WKTV2 Reports On Proposed Utica Hospital SEQR Review

Planning Board member George Mitchell states in, This report the next step toward downtown hospital...

"Has some questions about some elements of the document that he said he plans to submit to Mohawk Valley Health System during the public comment period."

Many were on hand for the City of Utica Planning Board meeting. We asked to speak, were told "No", we spoke anyway. Yet they went on to make the decision as they knew they would...

Accounts of the meeting are posted below, as well as the unfolding story. First the Facebook thread that sparked media, Member Threat Made, But #NoHospitalDowntown Quickly Denounces Comment

Utica Planning Board takes actions...

UPB On SEQR

Link to City posting, City Urban & Economic Development Meeting

February 5, 2018 - Mohawk Valley Health System's application seeking assistance for its downtown Utica hospital... Request for Financial Help, Starts SEQR Process

February 2, 2018 - As reported by the UticaOD, The New York State Environmental Quality Review process has begun for the proposed downtown Utica hospital

October 10, 2017 Utica's projects must be handled correctly...

Learn more about New York State's Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process.

March 30, 2017 Utica's projects MUST be handled correctly...

Last year we attended a Better Utica Downtown meeting. It was here the group was told one of the first questions asked in a SEQR Study is, "Was there an alternate location?" This statement came by way of a Rochester-based Architect & Urban Planner. Thus we say, in regards to 64-acres now owned by the hospital, What's So Wrong With St. Luke's?

Build new hospital at St. Luke's! As we state, All The Advantages Of The 64-Acre St. Luke's Campus and Why We Oppose The Downtown Utica Hospital Concept

No Studies, No Reports, thus we remain #NoHospitalDowntown

Our research is ongoing, please check back. Our research is ongoing, please check back.