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Commission recommends rezoning for Murfreesboro Medical Clinic ER, conditioned on state certificate of need
Summary
The Planning Commission recommended rezoning a parcel on East Pitts Lane from CF to CH so Murfreesboro Medical Clinic (MMC) can site a freestanding emergency room; commissioners conditioned their recommendation on issuance of the state Certificate of Need and advised council to time its public hearing accordingly.
The Murfreesboro Planning Commission on Aug. 6 recommended rezoning about 2.05 acres along East Pitts Lane from CF (commercial fringe) to CH (highway commercial) to allow a freestanding emergency department associated with Murfreesboro Medical Clinic (MMC).
Planning staff (Miss Smith) told commissioners that the CF zoning does not permit a hospital or freestanding emergency department under the city’s zoning definitions; CH zoning would permit an emergency clinic. Staff recommended approval because the CH district is consistent with neighboring commercial uses along Las Casas Pike and because an ER would be complementary to the clinic under construction on the parent parcel.
Joey P., CEO of Murfreesboro Medical Clinic, addressed ambulance traffic concerns raised by residents and commissioners, saying a freestanding emergency department typically serves walk‑in or privately transported patients in the neighborhood. Gordon Ferguson, former CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital, supplemented that with local data from a similar facility: “about 1.4% of our total ER visits coming to that facility are arriving via EMS. The vast majority are coming through private vehicles,” he said, and added that roughly 14% of patients at that other facility are transferred to the main hospital after initial stabilization.
Commissioners and staff discussed the legal and procedural relationship between a zoning decision and the state Certificate of Need (CON). Commissioners agreed the body could recommend approval to city council but that final action at council could be delayed until the state acted on the CON. The commission voted to recommend approval “subject to all staff comments conditional on issuance of the Certificate of Need.” The recorded vote was unanimous for those present: Miss Abelwater (Aye); Miss Savorwater (Aye); Mr. Carroll (Aye); Mr. Prince (Aye); Mr. Rollins (Aye); Mr. Wright (Aye); Chair Halliburton (Aye).
Because the CON hearing was rescheduled to Sept. 24 at the state level, staff and the applicant agreed the city council public hearing should be scheduled after the state action. Planning staff will convey the recommended condition to City Council.
If the CON is not issued, the applicant said it would not pursue alternate nonmedical uses incompatible with the proposed site plan.
