COM 1078.000 2018-2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Aaron S.Y. Chung, Council Chair and Members of the County Council County of Hawaii Page 3 The time extension and condition amendments are being sought due to the applicant's costs of required infrastructure improvements. The applicant states that they cannot commit to the target affordable rental level as represented in 2005, particularly due to the heavy on -and off-site infrastructure costs. Additionally, due to the global economic meltdown that occurred over a decade ago, the applicant believes that securing the required financing to initiate and complete the project was too difficult to complete and thus decided to prioritize exploring alternative uses of the property, and exploring sources for construction financing. The applicant believes that the current economic outlook is amenable, however time is still needed for the applicant to address the various conditions of approval, to incorporate and finalize plans, and to secure the required financing. Lastly, although there has been no physical construction that has occurred, the applicant states that they have expended a considerable amount of "soft" funds. These funds include nearly $1 million spent for more detailed land use planning and the preparation of infrastructure construction plans for this project, as well as the adjoining commercial/residential project proposed by Pua`a Development, LLC. While the proposed requests meet the Urban Expansion LUPAG designation and are in an area served by existing infrastructure, several primary factors necessitate this unfavorable recommendation. First, the zoning of the subject property is not consistent with the goals, policies, and actions of the Kona Community Development Plan (CDP) and the General Plan. Second, the retention of the existing zoning would not result in an appropriate land use pattern at this time, therefore the Planning Director believes that a Project District zoning designation is more appropriate. Additionally, the Director feels that the requested time extension and amendment requests would support the continuation of a speculative entitlement of the subject property for the purpose of resale. The zoning of the subject property does not conform to the goals, policies, and actions of the Kona Community Development Plan and the General Plan and would not result in an appropriate land use pattern at this time. In considering time extension and other amendments to change of zone ordinances, the Planning Director must determine how the requests conform to applicable goals, policies, standards and courses of action of the current General Plan and adopted Community Development Plans. The subject change of zone ordinance was approved by the County Council on August 5, 2005, just over three (3) years prior to the adoption of the Kona CDP on September 25, 2008. The County Council also recently approved a slate of interim amendments to the Kona CDP September 18, 2019.