REP PC 058 2020/10/20 2018-2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DATE: October 20, 2020 Re: Comm. No. 1076/Bill No. 199 PLACE: Council Chambers Hilo, Hawai`i TIME: 2:05 p.m. Council Chair and Members Hawai`i County Council Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Bill No. 199, reports as follows: Bill No.199, introduced by Committee Chair Ashley L. Kierkiewicz by request, is a Planning Director initiated amendment to Chapter 25, Article 1 and Article 5, of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as amended), relating to Primary Airports. The Windward and Leeward Planning Commissions both forward favorable recommendations for this amendment which would establish a"Primary Airport" land use within the Limited Industrial and General Industrial Zoning Districts, provide a definition of a Primary Airport, and identify accessory uses. Planning Director Michael Yee and Jeff Darrow, Planning Program Manager, were present in the Hilo Council Chambers. They gave a brief history of Kona Airport's Master Plan under the State Department of Transportation(HDOT) Airport Division to build an airport hotel, conference center, and create a definitive definition of"Primary Airports" including accessory uses. They explained that implementation of the Master Plan had been in the works for years, but zoning issues needed to be addressed in order for the project to move forward. Present in the Kona Council Chambers was Craig Bisgard, Property Manager for the Kona Airport, and Chauncey Wong Yuen, the Hawaii Airports District Manager for HDOT. Mr. Wong Yuen shared the history behind the State's decision to create a Master Plan dating back to 2010 and the obstacles endured to date. He shared that while Kona Airport is aesthetically pleasing, it is operationally dysfunctional as to the actual needs of airlines and travelers, and safe accommodations do not exist for travelers in inclement weather situations or at times when flight schedules are disrupted. He said existing local hotels and resorts are supportive of this plan, as it appeases another market. He noted that hotel construction is the primary goal, ancillary services are secondary and that fixing the Zoning Code is essential to this. Committee Member Karen Eoff pointed out that the airport is currently not in compliance with zoning codes. She shared she does not have a problem with the Master Plan but wanted to address community concerns that a resort would be built on the coastline, which she does not support. She obtained clarification from the Planning Department that a hotel with overnight PC Report No.: 58