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REPORT OF THE <br /> COMMITTEE ON PLANNING <br /> DATE: October 5, 2022 Re: Comm. No. 973/Bill No. 207 <br /> PLACE: Council Chambers <br /> Hilo, Hawaii <br /> TIME: 10:30 a.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. 207, reports as follows: <br /> Bill No. 207, submitted by Mayor Mitchell D. Roth, via Communication No. 973, dated <br /> August 24, 2022, amends Section 25-8-15 (Hamakua District Zone Map), Article 8, Chapter 25 <br /> (Zoning) of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as Amended), by changing the district <br /> classification from Single-Family Residential— 10,000 square feet(RS-10)to Single-Family <br /> Residential— 15,000 square feet(RS-15) at Honoka`a, Hamakua, Hawaii, covered by Tax Map <br /> Keys 4-5-010:136 and 4-5-024:010. The applicant is Lehua Village Partners, LLC, and the <br /> subject parcel is 14.32 acres. Bill No. 207 was introduced by Chair Ashley Kierkiewicz, by <br /> request. <br /> The Windward Planning Commission forwards its favorable recommendation for this change of <br /> zone request, which would allow the applicant to downzone the property and proceed with <br /> creating Lehua Villages, a Planned Unit Development(PUD)totaling 40 lots. Lehua Village 1 <br /> would consist of 20 lots to be sold at rates pursuant to affordable housing guidelines, and Lehua <br /> Village 2 would consist of 20 lots to be sold at market rate. The properties straddle the east and <br /> west sides of Lehua Street, north(makai) of the Hawaii Belt Road and south(mauka) of the <br /> Honoka`a Park complex, portion of Papa`anui and Haina in Hamakua. <br /> The applicants, Roger and Teri Meeker, and their partner, Jack Larsen, were present before Your <br /> Committee in the Hilo Chambers. <br /> Mrs. Meeker expressed that she was fortunate enough to have purchased a home in Waimea <br /> through the Affordable Housing Program. She explained that she wants to help local residents <br /> attain affordable housing similarly to how she was able to. Mr. Meeker explained that he has <br /> lived on the island for more than three decades and is well aware of the housing shortage, <br /> especially in Honoka'a, where there has been a water moratorium in place for the last several <br /> decades. He described the project as in-fill development near a school, hospital, and local <br /> businesses. He donated one acre to the Department of Water Supply to build a reservoir to <br /> supply more water to Honoka`a. He elaborated that they are downzoning to create fewer lots, due <br /> to the unusual topography and geography of the parcel. <br /> PC Report No.: 79 <br />