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Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Council Chair and Members of the County Council County of Hawaii March 19, 2025 Page 2 The applicant is requesting a Change of Zone from an Agricultural 10-acre (A- 10a) zoning district to an Agricultural 5-acre (A-5a) zoning district for a 12.043-acre portion of 22.349 acres of land. This request will not change permitted uses under the agricultural zoning, rather it will change the possible density of the zoning, allowing the subdivision of the 12.043-acres into two lots. The applicant, Ho`oulu-Lahui is a non-profit organization that supports the Kua O Ka La New Century Public Charter School (hereinafter KOKL), which has been operating on the subject property after its previous facilities were destroyed in the 2018 Kilauea lava flow in Puna. The purpose of the rezoning request is to facilitate the subdivision of the land and allow the applicant to acquire a 5-acre portion of the larger property that currently houses the school. The rezoning is necessary to meet the minimum lot size requirements for subdivision, enabling KOKL to transition from a lease arrangement to fee -simple ownership, ensuring long-term stability for the school. The remainder of the property, including Nani Mau Gardens, will continue its existing use under the ownership of Nani Mau Garden Group LLC. Both Nani Mau Gardens and KOKL are operating under an existing Special Permit (SPP No. 73-159), which was amended by the State Land Use Commission in 2009. Upon successful rezoning, the applicant will apply to subdivide the property immediately with plans to complete it by early 2026. Since no new development is planned, costs will be minimal and limited to necessary subdivision improvements. During this process, KOKL will continue operating under its existing Special Permit, and once the rezoning, subdivision, and land acquisition are complete. Upon successful subdivision, the school intends to apply for a new Special Permit to formally support its continued operations, including additional office space and expanded community education opportunities. Additionally, the existing Special Permit will need to be amended to remove charter school uses from the Nani Mau Gardens portion of the property. To consider an area for any type of zoning designation, the applicable goals, policies, and standards of the General Plan must be adequately addressed. It is only through such a comprehensive policy analysis approach that evaluations and decisions can be made to better time and stage developments to achieve growth determined by the General Plan and related planning documents. The implications of these evaluations and decisions must also be considered as they may have an impact on similar areas in the County.