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Honorable James Y. Arakaki, Chairman <br />and Members of the County Council <br />Page 4 <br />negotiations with the Department of Water Supply to construct improvements to the <br />County system that will accommodate this project. <br />Wastewater generated by the proposed use will be disposed off via wastewater <br />treatment systems approved by the State Department of Health. Police services are <br />available from the County's Police Station at Kealakehe, approximately five miles from <br />the project site. Fire and emergency services are available from the station at the <br />intersection of Palani Road and the Queen Kaahumanu Highway, approximately four <br />miles from the site. Electricity and telephone services are currently available to the <br />project area. Due to the relatively small size and nature of the proposed development, it <br />is not anticipated that the project will generate increased impacts on area schools and <br />parks. <br />Lot 1 has no severe geological or topographical problems which cannot be <br />properly rectified or which would render the land unusable. The Flood Insurance Rate <br />Maps (FIRM) indicate that Lot I is located in Zone "X", areas determined to be outside <br />of the 500 -year flood plain. There are no significant drainage ways that adversely affects <br />Lot 1. While there are no indications of surface water flow on-site, the applicant will be <br />required to abide by all applicable County guidelines for run-off generated by the <br />development. The Department of Public Works has recommended that a drainage study <br />be prepared, and the recommended drainage system shall be constructed meeting with <br />their approval. Thus, the reclassification does meet with the standard which states that <br />the lands included within the Urban District "... shall be those with satisfactory <br />topography and drainage and reasonably free from the danger of floods, tsunami and <br />unstable soil conditions and other adverse environmental effects." <br />While Lot 1 is currently within the State Land Use Agricultural and County's <br />Agricultural (A -5a) zoned districts, they are not currently being used for active <br />agricultural purposes. The State of Hawaii ALISH Map does not classify Lot 1 as <br />agricultural lands of importance to the State. The Land Use Study Bureau's Overall <br />Master Productivity Rating for soils within Lot 1 is "E" or "Very Poor." <br />Therefore, the reclassification of this 3.2 -acre parcel from the Agricultural to the <br />Urban designation will not be detrimental to the agricultural land inventory in the County <br />of Hawaii. From a land use perspective, it is a more feasible alternative to infill urban <br />development within this particular area of North Kona that has already been designated as <br />the Urban Expansion core of Kailua-Kona by the General Plan. In doing so, it would <br />tend to alleviate the conversion of more productive agricultural lands in more appropriate <br />locations within the North Kona area for urban type uses. Furthermore, an Urban <br />