Jesus Armas

By Jesús Armas, Government Affairs Liaison

Hello, my name is Jesus Armas. My role with this project is to work with numerous governmental agencies to get the green light to enable Sutter Medical Center Castro Valley to be constructed.

This is an exciting and new experience for me. For three decades, I worked for a number of California cities and was involved in reviewing various projects as they were presented to those cities for approval. In this case, though, my role is reversed, and I’m on the side trying to get a project approved. Definitely a new experience… and quite an eye-opener.

As you learn more about the project, I’m sure you will agree that not only is this project critically important to the community, but is also beautiful. In a nutshell, the project consists of a new hospital and medical office building, and related aesthetic and landscape improvements on the campus. Clearly, it represents a substantial commitment by the Sutter Health organization to Castro Valley, Hayward, San Leandro and adjoining communities that comprise the Eden Campus area.

A project of this scope and complexity only gets approved after it is thoroughly evaluated by various agencies. Typically, approvals are granted by local government bodies, such as a City Council or County Board of Supervisors. In this instance, however, because a hospital is involved, approvals must also be obtained from the State of California. Each level of government has jurisdiction over different aspects of the project—the State for the hospital, the County for the medical office building.

As part of the evaluation process, it is necessary to identify any potential impacts, such as traffic, noise, etc., associated with the project and to indicate how those impacts will be addressed…or “mitigated.” This assessment is documented through the preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). Once the DEIR is prepared, it is available for public review and comment for a period of 45 days. After the comment periods ends, a second or Final EIR is prepared that responds to all the comments submitted by interested individuals, organizations or agencies. The information contained in the FEIR is intended to help the decision makers, ultimately your elected officials (Board of Supervisors), decide whether or not to approve the project.

Before it even gets to the Board, however, Sutter will be presenting the project to both the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) and the County Planning Commission to gain their input and comments. In fact, Sutter has already attended two meetings of the MAC to obtain feedback and guidance on the project. Sutter is committed to working cooperatively with affected agencies to ensure that the project in its final form is one that we can all take pride in, and reflects positively on the community.

Here are some important dates for you to keep in mind:

• The Draft EIR is expected to be released and available for public review around mid-November, with the comment period lasting until approximately the end of the year.

• The Final EIR will be prepared thereafter.

• It is our goal to have the MAC and County Planning Commission formally consider the project during the first quarter of 2009.

• Assuming we meet this timeframe, the project, including the FEIR, will be considered by the Board of Supervisors next Spring.

I certainly want to hear from you about this project. I invite you to keep returning to this site to get the most current information about the project, and dates for various public meetings. But most of all, I invite you to send me your thoughts, comments and questions about this important community asset.