East Norriton residents oppose hospital construction
By NADIA MARIA SMITH
CS&T Staff Writer
EAST NORRITON— Nearly 600 East Norriton residents attended the Saturday, July 9 East Norriton Board of Supervisors’ meeting to “re-do” the process of public comment concerning Einstein Hospital’s proposal to build on the current site occupied by Wood’s Golf Center.
Most of the citizens who spoke during the eight-hour town meeting opposed the construction, stating several reasons including traffic congestion, noise pollution from ambulances and helicopters, environmental impact on sewer run-off, and contamination of drinking water from wells.
Other protestors included members of the Pro-Life Union of Southeastern Pennsylvania, who oppose the hospital because it is not clear whether abortions will be performed there. The Einstein network, according to the Pro-Life Union, performs the greatest number of first- and second-trimester abortions of any hospital in the five counties of southeastern Pennsylvania. Their fear is that the new hospital will do the same, said Kathleen Sobocinski, a former East Norriton township committee woman of 14 years, and the chairwoman of the Pro-Life Union.
Sobocinski knows from her years as a committee woman that “abortion is an issue that comes to a township, and the community has the right to say whether they want it or don’t want it — regardless of whether it is legal,” she said. “Pornography is legal for adults, but that doesn’t mean we want it in our neighborhoods. Nor do we want abortion,” she added.
But the board of supervisors felt differently. Anyone who objected to the hospital because of abortion found their microphone turned off during the Feb. 19 zoning hearing. Their treatment elicited criticism from residents. “Regardless of the stance, everyone has a right to be heard at a public meeting,” said Barry Papiernik of the East Norriton Citizens’ Group, which is not opposing the hospital because of abortion.
When the township supervisors attempted to place firm restrictions over the Saturday meeting, the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania (ACLU) threatened a lawsuit stating that “if the meeting is not conducted in accordance with the law, we will bring suit on their behalf (East Norriton residents) under state law to void the proceedings or under federal law for damages and injunctive relief,” said staff attorney Mary Catherine Roper in a letter to the supervisors. “We believe that several provisions of Resolution 2410 and several practices reported to us violate either the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act or the United States Constitution.”
Residents reported that there were still hostilities July 9 toward those who objected to the hospital because of abortion during the meeting, which officials say has no bearing on zoning or land permits.
Despite the objections, the supervisors reaffirmed their decision to allow the institutional zoning for the hospital, giving the green light for the hospital to move a step closer to building on the property.
CS&T staff writer Nadia Maria Smith may be reached at npozo@adphila.org or (215) 965-4614.