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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON PLANNING <br /> DATE: February 16, 2021 Re: Comm. No. 51/Bill No. 11 <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> Hilo, Hawaii <br /> TIME: 3:00 p.m. <br /> Council Chair and Members <br /> Hawaii County Council <br /> Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br /> Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Bill No. 11, reports as follows: <br /> Bill 11 amends Ordinance No. 09-132 which reclassified lands from Agricultural—3 acres <br /> (A-3a) and Open (0)to Project District(PD) at Ka`u, North Kona, Hawaii, covered by Tax Map <br /> Key: 7-2-005:001. The applicant is Palamanui Global Holdings, LLC, Area: 695.284 acres. <br /> The Leeward Planning Commission forwards its favorable recommendation to amend conditions <br /> of approval. The Palamanui Development project includes 1,116 residential units, a 70-acre <br /> business park, 230 acres of open space, a 74-acre dry forest preserve, and a 30-acre university <br /> village town center with a 120-room hotel, retail shopping, commercial amenities, and a 20-acre <br /> regional public park. <br /> Bill 11 was introduced by Committee Chair Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, by request, and postponed <br /> on February 2, 2021 after Committee Member Holeka Inaba asked for more time to discuss the <br /> affordable housing, connector road, hotel, and park components with Mr. Steve Collin and <br /> Mr. Roger Harris, representatives of Palamanui Global Holdings, LLC. <br /> Mr. Inaba moved to amend Bill 11 with the contents of Communication 51.10. Committee <br /> Member Richards seconded the motion. Mr. Collin and Mr. Harris summarized the amendments <br /> to the draft ordinance they agreed to with Mr. Inaba. The affordable housing requirement was <br /> reinforced, with Palamanui agreeing to build affordable housing units that do not exceed <br /> 100 percent of the Area Median Income. The hotel will still remain in the plan due to the benefits <br /> outweighing the costs. The first obligation regarding the 10-acre park remains as well, but with <br /> an additional minimum of two acres dedicated to an outdoors performing arts amphitheater. The <br /> Road One obligation language was changed to ensure completion of the road by the time the <br /> 900'h housing unit is built. The motion to amend Bill 11 to Draft 2 was carried with seven <br /> affirmative votes, and two members absent. <br /> Committee Members Maile David, Tim Richards, Rebecca Villegas, and Heather Kimball <br /> expressed their gratitude for the amount of work and effort put into the project, and thanked <br /> Mr. Collin and Mr. Harris for Palamanui's investment into the community. Ms. Kierkiewicz thanked <br /> the representatives for their time, and recognized that this project has been in development <br /> throughout several administrations; she then expressed her gratification that it is going forward with <br /> an agreeable resolution. <br /> PC Report No: 11 <br />