SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A lot of noises are associated with hospitals, be it the sounds of ambulances, traffic, and medical helicopters. For that reason, neighbors in Elk Grove are speaking out against a new project that would turn a California Northstate University campus into a "teaching hospital."
The city approved a $900 million bond in August from the California Public Finance Authority for the project, which is being proposed at the California Northstate University Medical School, located at the 9700 block of Taron Drive in Elk Grove.
Calfiornia Northstate University officials estimate the project would cost about $750 million.
READ ALSO: Rau Fire burns south of Elk Grove
Nazareth Beruman told ABC10 he and his family moved to the neighborhood because of the peace and quiet.
“We are not supporting the traffic that is going to come with the hospital,” Beruman said.
Beruman's neighbor, Peggy Martin, agrees the noise would be too much.
“We have the normal ambulance coming through here or fire trucks for emergency situations, but we don’t know about an hourly basis or daily basis like that might happen,” Martin worried.
The medical school is located between the noise of I-5 and busy Elk Grove Boulevard, which is why neighbor Valerie Maulet thinks people should already be used to the noise.
“It’s very heavy during commute hours in the morning and in the evening, but I’m used to that. I knew that when I bought the house,” said Maulet.
Plus, Maulet said the benefits of having a hospital nearby outweighs the downside.
“We have no other emergency medical facility anywhere near us. We don’t have anything in Elk Grove, not emergency anyways,” Maulet said.
Brian Holloway represents the medical school and says the City of Elk Grove is currently reviewing the application for the hospital. The project is in the environmental impact report stage. Holloway said part of that includes a test helicopter noise run. A test run is scheduled for Nov 1, 2019, around noon.
“We have 10 noise monitoring stations all over the neighborhood to see what the impacts or that noise and the noise of the helicopter will be,” said Holloway.
If the project is approved by the city, he expects the hospital could open its doors between 2022 and 2025.
Continue the conversation with Mayde on Facebook.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story listed the California Northstate University as part of Sacramento State's campus. It is not. It also stated that the project would cost $900 million. The $900 million was a bond approved by the city for the project. The estimated cost for the project is $750 million. We regret the errors.
FREE ABC10 APP:
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for ABC10's Daily Blend Newsletter