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<br /> Pete Hoffinann, Chairman <br /> and Members of the County Council <br /> Page 4 <br /> development already far exceeds probable demand in the North Kona area, so <br /> there is no pressing need for additional commercial zoning, except perhaps for <br /> truly neighborhood-oriented projects that give shopping opportunities to people <br /> close to their homes. There aze vacant commercially-zoned sites across from <br /> Pualani Estates, along Henry Street south of the current Lanihau Shopping Center, <br /> next to the Kona Industrial azea on Queen Liliuokalani Trust estate land, in the <br /> recently-rezoned Honokohau Business Pazk, in TSA Increment IV above the <br /> current Kaloko Industrial Park, and more than 200 acres of vacant commercial <br /> zoning around Makalapua Center. On the east side of the island, while there are <br /> severe traffic problems on Highway 130 from Pahoa to Kea'au, and the situation <br /> on Highway 11 is getting worse, controls on further subdivision or rezoning will <br /> not help the situation because almost all development is occurring on existing lots <br /> and there is such a lazge potential for future development on those lots. On the <br /> other hand, some new commercial zoning might alleviate traffic congestion by <br /> providing places for people to shop closer to their homes. <br /> Specifically, the Planning Director recommends the following: <br /> 1. Bill 318: Bi11318 applies to new zoning. It states that if a new development <br /> would cause the road level of service to fall (or remain) below "D", the rezoning <br /> shall not be approved, unless "transportation improvements or strategies to <br /> accommodate the impacts of the development will be made concurrent with the <br /> development." The requirement for "improvements or strategies" is vague, and <br /> does not give any guidance to what would be enough. <br /> The Planning Director does believe that the Zoning Code should contain <br /> guidance on how traffic is handled in major new zonings, and that mitigation <br /> should be required when the traffic is already bad, or will likely become bad in <br /> the near future. The director also believes that current practices that assure water <br /> supply should be part of the Zoning Code. As an alternative to Bi11318, the <br /> director recommends the bill attached as Exhibit 5 be recommended for approval <br /> as a modification of Bill 318. <br /> Bill 318 would require a traffic impact analysis report (TIAR) when a <br /> project would result in additional traffic demand of 100 trips or more at the peak <br /> hour. This "100 trips hour" standard is recommended as the threshold for <br /> requiring a TIAR by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). There aze <br /> nationally-recognized guidelines, including the "Trip Generation Handbook", that <br /> give estimates of peak trips/hour generated by various land uses. Examples of <br /> projects that would generate 100 trips/hour at the peak hour include 150 single- <br /> family homes, 225 apartments, or a 15,500 square foot shopping center. <br /> Often, the final uses on a property are not clear at the time of zoning. For <br /> example, commercial zoning allows a wide range of uses that generate different <br /> traffic demands, including homes, fast-food restaurants, offices, and gas stations. <br /> <br />