Laserfiche WebLink
Maile David, Council Chair <br /> and Members of the County Council <br /> County of Hawai`i <br /> January 09, 2022 <br /> Page 6 <br /> 264 timeshare units were already approved for and located within the Waikoloa Beach <br /> Resort master plan. Electrical services will be provided by Hawaiian Electric—Hawai`i <br /> Island. All other essential utilities and services are available to the property. <br /> Pursuant to the concurrency section of the Zoning Code(HCC 25-2-45(d)), the <br /> applicant submitted a Traffic Impact Report(TIR) that assessed the traffic impacts of <br /> "Areas A and B" of the Kumu Hou project("Area C' is not expected to generate any <br /> meaningful traffic). The TIR studied three (3) intersections in the vicinity of Kumu Hou <br /> including at Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway/Waikoloa Beach Drive (South); Queen <br /> Ka`ahumanu Highway/Waikoloa Beach Drive (North); and Queen Ka`ahumanu <br /> Highway/Mauna Lani Drive and found that all three intersections currently operate at <br /> acceptable levels-of-service (between LOS A and LOS D) in the AM and PM peak <br /> hours. The applicant noted that data used for the analysis was collected in 2019 at traffic <br /> count survey stations along the highway and at Waikoloa Road due to the lack of <br /> accurate traffic data attributed to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic at the time of the study. <br /> For purposes of TIR, Kumu Hou was assumed to be fully built-out by 2045, at <br /> which time, the project was expected to generate 356 and 430 new vehicular trips during <br /> the project's AM and PM peak hours, respectively. The TIR concluded that while the <br /> LOS ratings along Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway could be worse in 2045 compared to <br /> 2019, these declines are expected to be the result of regional growth rather than directly <br /> attributable to the Kumu Hou development. <br /> The TIR provided several recommendations to mitigate future traffic impacts, <br /> including the provision of adequate site distance, adequate loading and turn-around areas <br /> for service, delivery and refuse collection vehicles, sufficient turning radii, <br /> wayfinding/destination signage, improved pedestrian facilities including ADA sidewalks, <br /> shared use and other facilities,bicycle facilities, shuttle services, and the preparation of <br /> additional traffic studies to verify projected traffic after the completion of the 676 <br /> residential/timeshare unit or if project conditions should change significantly. <br /> After review of the draft TIR, the State DOT provided comment disagreeing with <br /> some of the TIRs analysis and resulting findings, the most significant of which is the <br /> study's reliance on the yet to be programmed widening of Queen Ka`ahumanu Highway <br /> in the vicinity of the project. DOT requested that the TIR be revised to re-analyze future <br /> traffic conditions without the widening assumption(which may have a direct, negative <br /> impact on LOS findings). Additionally, DOT further requested that the report be updated <br /> to identify future direct impacts from the project to State roadways (if any), identify <br /> appropriate mitigation measures and commit to implementing them as required and <br /> approved by DOT. Further, DOT suggested that the TIR be updated to include follow-up <br /> activities including commitments that local and fair regional mitigation be implemented, <br /> planned updates to the TIAR, suggest,permitting triggers, and articulate fair share <br />