This story was corrected on July 20. An explanation follows the story.

The Huntington Terrace Citizens' Association may refrain from filing an appeal of Suburban Hospital's expansion plan, if the two groups are able to meet and decide on ways to make the plan more compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, an association representative said Tuesday.

In advance of a unanimous approval by the Montgomery County Council of Suburban's request to abandon one block of Lincoln Street for the expansion, lawyers for the hospital and the citizens association agreed to meet within the next 30 days to talk. The $230 million expansion plan would require demolishing 10 homes in the block of Lincoln Street between Old Georgetown Road and Grant Street.

"We appreciate the county council's very thoughtful review of our petition to abandon one block of Lincoln Street and are thrilled with this decision," said spokeswoman Ronna Borenstein-Levy. "This is great news for our patients and the greater community served by Suburban Hospital."

The abandonment can not take affect until all appeals have been settled. The citizens’ association may still file an appeal, but first wants to meet with the hospital, said Bob Deans, a member of the association's board of directors.

"We've always supported the expansion, but we've believed it was important to do so in a way that makes sense for the community," Deans said.

"We're still intending to appeal, as of now, but we've got a little more time on that — a couple weeks before that deadline looms. What we're really hoping is we can sit down with Suburban and work out some remaining issues, discuss some ideas," he said.

The association on July 12 sent a letter to the hospital's president and CEO, Brian Gragnolati, and lawyer, Barbara Sears, detailing examples of changes they would like: continued quarterly noise testing, relocating two historical homes planned for demolition, and restricting Southwick Street garage access except for emergencies.

Leslie Ford Weber, Suburban’s senior vice president of government and community relations, said the hospital is open to meeting with he group, but could not say whether the hospital will make changes to its plan to accommodate the citizens’ association's desires.

Weber declined to say whether the changes proposed in the association’s letter could be considered.

sgantz@gazette.net

Correction: Brian Gragnolati’s correct affiliation with Suburban Hospital. He is the hospital’s president and CEO, not a lawyer.