The Powell City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance that will complete a rezoning request by Powell Valley Healthcare.

The hospital is planning to build an ambulance garage on the east end of the Powell Valley Clinic parking lot. In the course of looking into the requirements for the building, however, it was discovered the property is zoned residential limited, which doesn’t permit hospitals. 

If the council approves the ordinance on two more readings, the property will be rezoned residential general (like the rest of the PVHC campus), which does permit hospitals. 

The Heartland assisted living facility also sits on the same property. Exactly how the property got zoned residential limited and whether it occurred prior to the construction of The Heartland is unclear.

A public hearing on the rezoning request at last month’s Planning and Zoning Board meeting received no public comments. 

Scott Shopa, director of facility management for PVHC, has said the ambulance garage will not impact the surrounding residential area. Ambulances will not be dispatched from the facility, except in a catastrophic event. 

June Minchow, director of Emergency and Critical Care Services at Powell Valley Healthcare, said the hospital has two crews of EMS-trained providers on call 24 hours per day. In a mass casualty event, these crews would be mobilized to respond, but normal operations will not require dispatching from the garage. 

Despite staffing shortages, Minchow said the hospital hasn’t had a situation where that issue impacted emergency calls. 

“Obviously there can be situations that overtax all EMS systems, but thankfully to date we have been able to answer all calls for emergency medical service and to staff all of the needed trucks,” Minchow said. 

Shopa said if the council approves the third reading of the rezoning ordinance, the garage project will go out to bid near the end of January. 

Back in July, Park County commissioners agreed to give Powell Valley Healthcare $298,493 to construct the new ambulance station and $209,025 for a new ambulance, with the federal dollars coming from the county’s share of the American Rescue Plan. PVHC said the garage could house the entire EMS fleet, while also being available for drive-up testing and vaccination.