It’s too early to tell if the proposed hospital to be located at Trevino Dr. and Saguaro Blvd. is right for Fountain Hills, but some encouraging first steps are being made.

Fountain Hills is home to many doctors, specialists, clinics and labs, but there is definitely a blind spot in the local offerings for more major undertakings and emergencies. Having a 24-hour facility capable of handling those more demanding community needs would be a feather in Fountain Hills’ cap, allowing folks to receive care without having to drive an extra dozen miles down the road to Scottsdale.

But, as with all major projects, this one is going to take some time. The location is likely to be the topic of debate, though residents might have fewer objections given the fact that we’re talking about a medical facility that could be of critical use to many residents of Fountain Hills.

The zoning is another issue, though the Planning and Zoning Commission may have figured out a decent compromise. As you can read in our 1A coverage, the commission last week recommended keeping the site zoned at C-1, but with a stipulation. The concern was that a C-2 zoning could potentially open the site up to all sorts of other types of developments, potentially less desirable for the surrounding community if the hospital project does not come to fruition. So, thinking outside the box, the commission is opting to recommend that the zoning remain at C-1 with a stipulation to allow for 24-hour operation of the facility.

The town council will still need to kick this idea around during its meeting on June 4, so we’ll be interested in hearing how our local leaders feel about the possible compromise and the project as a whole.