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Eye Doctor's Business Approved To Take Flight

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE

dlwhite@tampatrib.com

Published: February 18, 2009

TAMPA - Hillsborough County commissioners say the benefits of a helipad for a medical eye-care center on Lake Eichenfield near Brandon Regional Hospital would outweigh any negative consequences.

At the Feb. 10 land-use meeting, commissioners voted 5-2 to approve a Brandon eye doctor's request for a planned development that includes a 4,000-square-foot, two-story medical office and commercial apartment building and dock with a helicopter pad.

The 1-acre site is north of Eichenfield Drive, east of Vonderburg Drive on a lake nicknamed Doctor's Lake - due to the number of doctor's offices in the vicinity.

Rick Henderson, an ophthalmologist in Brandon for 26 years specializing in the treatment of eye injuries and diseases, said the main purpose of the helipad would be to fly in eye specialists to perform surgery on patients at Brandon Regional Hospital, where Henderson is on staff.

The hospital has its own helipad 400 feet away, but it is used strictly to transport patients. Henderson said he must transport eye patients or fly specialists in 12 to 15 times a month for specialized eye surgery.

Land-use planner Michael Horner said the helipad will be on a dock 123 feet into the lake. Henderson's helicopter will use two flight paths, neither of which will go over homes or apartments.

The flight paths are different from those used by the hospital's helicopter and have the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration. The county and state have OK'd using the man-made lake for a helipad.
Veteran pilot and flight instructor Ron Beasley said Henderson will use a model R44 helicopter, manufactured by the Robinson Helicopter Co., the world's leading producer of civil helicopters.

"The R44 is one of the safest, quietest helicopters available," he told commissioners, noting that he has never received a noise complaint. In addition, the helicopter approach is 70 percent over water, the preferred approach for helicopters, since there are no obstructions.

However, land-use planner Ethel Hammer, representing physicians Paul and Susan Levine, who have owned four parcels along the lake north of Henderson's property for 25 years, said the helipad would hurt her clients' ability to use their property.

"This helipad is the only one out in a lake in Hillsborough County," Hammer said. "The county approved one a year ago near a lake but not in a lake. This sets a dangerous precedent. There's at least one other doctor on this lake who owns a helicopter."

She said her clients are especially concerned about the noise and safety impacts. The helipad is only 400 feet from Brandon Regional Hospital's helipad, and the closest helipads in the county are 1,800 feet apart, she said.

Hammer asked that the county limit the hours of operation to before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. and deny Henderson's request to build the helipad before developing the office building.

"The helipad is supposed to be an accessory use, not a principal use," she said.

Brandon endodontist Michael Orrantia, who owns two parcels west of Henderson's site, agreed. He's preparing to construct offices, including rental space, and fears the proximity of the helipad will harm his chance of leasing space to tenants.

"Our patients deserve a quiet, calm environment," he said.

Brandon resident Lisa Rodriguez, a member of the steering committee in the process of developing a community plan for Brandon, noted that the area near the proposed helipad has been earmarked as a major activity center in Brandon, with an emphasis on pedestrian-friendly activities.

She said the structure would be just two blocks from Clayton Park, All Persons Playground, Center Place and the Brandon Regional Library.

Commissioner Kevin Beckner said he would only vote for the helipad if flights were limited to before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. so they won't disrupt businesses. However, since Henderson wanted flexibility for emergencies, he couldn't support the application.

Commissioner Mark Sharpe, however, thought the helipad was an appropriate use for the area.

"This one is near a hospital with a helipad, so it's not incompatible, and there is a large number of medical offices in the area, so it's an appropriate use," Sharpe said. "In looking at the issue of sound, I find these helicopters make less noise than a boat. It takes a helicopter 45 to 60 seconds to take off, and they generate 75 decibels or less. A lawn mower generates 90 decibels."

Commissioner Jim Norman agreed.

"You've got a much louder helicopter taking off 400 feet away," he said. "If my family had an emergency, and someone being flown in would save their sight, my answer would be 'yes.'"

Commission chairman Ken Hagan said he lives in the flight path for Bay Flight, a nonprofit emergency medical helicopter transport service.

"Those helicopters shake the house," Hagan said. "I don't even notice the smaller helicopters unless I'm outside playing baseball with my son."

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524.

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