FLAGSTAFF — Northern Arizona Healthcare filed a request with Coconino County Superior Court to throw out a referendum on the city’s special election ballot this fall that would put the question of rezoning for its new hospital up to voters.It claims voters who signed the petition for the referendum “were not given accurate information about NAH’s new hospital project,” NAH said in a statement.”The referendum petition voters signed says the site will be used to construct retail and commercial space, with no mention of health care facilities. In fact, under the terms of the zoning ordinance, NAH is not allowed to construct retail and commercial space on the hospital site,” it said.Environmental community has concerns: Flagstaff group protests new hospital plan, citing lack of informationIn May, Flagstaff City Council voted to rezone a large swath of undeveloped land near Fort Tuthill County Park for the first phase of the new hospital project which includes a new 700,000-square-foot hospital. If approved, construction is expected to cost $800 million and be completed in 2027.It is the new project’s second phase that is expected to include housing, a hotel and health care-centered retail and restaurants to round out the health and wellness village.Soon after the vote, various community groups formed the Flagstaff Community First coalition who eventually collected thousands of community signatures leading to the approval of Proposition 480 to appear on the ballot.”NAH supports the public’s right to refer ordinances to the ballot, but is asking for the disqualification of the referendum because voters were not given accurate information upon which to make their decision to sign the referendum petition,” they said.Arizona case law requires a court to disqualify any referendum from the ballot if the description “communicates objectively false or misleading information” about the measure being referred.The court is likely to consider the request in the coming weeks.Reach the reporter at LLatch@gannett.com.The Republic’s coverage of northern Arizona is funded, in part, with a grant from Report for America. To support regional Arizona news coverage like this, make a tax-deductible donation at supportjournalism.azcentral.com.This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Northern Arizona Healthcare challenges ballot referendum
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