REP PC 118 10/18/2006 2004-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DATE: October 18, 200~a Re: Comm. No. 1090/Resolution No. 465-06 PLACE: Ben Franklin Building, 2"" Floor TIME: 9:30 a.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Communication No. 1090 and attached Resolution 465-06, reports as follows: Resolution No. 465-06, transmitted by Communication No. 1090 from Council Member Pete Hoffinann, presents "A Resolution Requesting the Planning Department to Initiate a Zoning Code Amendment for an Ordinance Changing the District Classification from Unzoned and Agricultural (A-la) to Agricultural (A- SOOa) at Waimea, South Kohala, Hawaii, covered by Tax Map Key 6-5-001:020, ht Order to Preserve the Waimea Pu`u as Cultural and Open Space Resources and to Preserve Their Agricultural and Recreational Uses." The 2005 Hawaii County General Plan states that "[t]he pastures and pu`u immediately above Waimea Town have been identified as a vista of exceptional natural beauty." The 1992 Northwest Hawaii Regional Plan identifies the Waimea pu`u as "significant cinder cones" and recommends that "these distinctive geological features should be preserved and protected." Portions of the pu'u known as Hokd`ula, Pu`u`owa`owaka, and Pu`u I{i aze located within that certain parcel of land comprised of approximately 420.17 acres situate at Waimea, South Kohala, Hawaii, more particularly described by Tax Map Key 6-5-001:020. Hoku`ula is the site of a decisive battle (circa 1650 A.D.) in a major war between the Kingdom of Maui and the Kingdom of Hawai`i' The Hokii`ula Battleground was listed on the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission's 2006 Properties and/or Entitlements for Partnership List for "preservation for recreational purposes," with recommendation that this "important historical site should be on the State and National Registers of Historic Sites." The property is currently owned by the State of Hawaii and leased to Parker Ranch until the year 2011 under a pasture lease, and being utilized as productive grazing land, watershed and a forest reserve buffer zone and is located within the State Land Use Agricultural District. Changing the district classification of the property from Unzoned and Agricultural (A-la) to an Agricultural (A-SOOa) zoning designation will preserve the area's natural beauty, agricultural and recreational uses and important cultural and open space resources. At the October 18, 2006 Planning Committee meeting Mr. Bob Hunter and Mr. Tom Noon presented public testimony in support of Resolution No. 465-06. Mr. Hunter stated that the proposal to change the zoning recognizes the area as sacred for many reasons and has been a pilot project of the Waimea CDP. Mr. Hunter then read a legend about the pu'u to the committee members. Council Member Safarik noted that current zoning being one half "unzoned" and the other half Ag 1-acre. Mr. Hunter stated that the proposed change would still allow agricultural uses but that it would also open it up for park use and PC Report No. 118