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I i i I s r Maile David, Council Chair and Members of the County Council County of Hawaii Page 3 community and public uses, and neighborhood and convenience-type commercial uses; overall residential density may be up to six units per acre. Additionally, the use continues to be consistent with the Land Use element of the General Plan. The requested Single-Family Residential zoning would continue to be consistent and compatible with the transition of this particular section of the Waiakea area into residential uses. This area consists mainly of residential subdivisions. To the west is the Kula Ridge Residential Subdivision consisting of lots zoned RS-15, to the east is the Komohana Estates Subdivision consisting of lots zoned RS-15 and to the south across West Kawailani Street is the Ku`ulei Subdivision consisting of lots zoned RS-10, as well as other residential subdivisions. A letter of opposition from a neighbor to the north of the property, dated March 15, 2021, raises concerns with the adjacency of the proposed residential subdivision to existing lands zoned Agricultural. This area of Hilo has been in transition from older Agricultural lands to new residential subdivisions, and the subject project is in accordance with this. The request is not contrary to Zoning Code and is not contrary to the original reasons for granting the change of zone. The property is located within an area adequately served with essential services and facilities such as water, transportation systems and other utilities. Access to the property will be from an adjacent 50-foot roadway lot that runs along the western boundary, which connects to West Kawailani Street. Condition D of Change of Zone Ordinance No. 05-110 requires that interior subdivision roads be provided with curbs, gutters and sidewalks meeting with the approval of the Department of Public Works. Additionally, Condition F requires a 10-foot wide road widening strip along the Kawailani Street frontage of the property. Lastly, a condition of tentative approval for SUB 92-000010 requires an additional 10-foot wide "no vehicular access" planting screen easement along with the 10-foot-wide road widening strip, which runs along the Kawailani Street frontage of the property. The Department of Environmental Management is recommending installation of a dry sewer and onsite treatment system for the proposed subdivision or connection of the subdivision to the public sewer once it becomes available, in accordance with Section 21-5 of the Sewer Code. The nearest County sewer line is located over a mile from the subject property and there are no projects planned in the foreseeable future to extend the County sewer to the property. Historically, the Department of Health has allowed individual wastewater systems to be installed on properties where a public sewer is not available. A policy shift to require dry sewers for all new subdivisions should be applied universally rather than on a piecemeal basis through rezone ordinances. Additionally, this new requirement would add significant cost and reduce affordability of new homes during a time when Hawaii County is trying to improve home affordability for its residents. For these reasons, the Planning Director does not support implementing DEM's recommendation for this rezone amendment and instead supports installation of individual wastewater systems to service the proposed subdivision.