COM 0700.000 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

Metadata

Thumbnails

Annotations

Jump to thumbnail

Pete Hoffmann, Chairman and Members of the County Council Page 5 Thus, as urban uses already exist in the immediate area, the urbanization of the project site will not contribute towards scattered urban development. While the property is within the State Land Use Agricultural and County's Agricultural (A-Sa) zoned district, it is not currently being used for active agricultural purposes. The project site is currently vacant and has been previously bulldozed. The property is unclassified by the State Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of Hawaii (ALISH) Map and the Land Study Bureau's Overall Master Productivity Rating is "E" or "Very Poor." Thus, the reclassification ofthis 10- acre azea from the Agricultural to the Urban designation will not be detrimental to the reduction ofthis area from the agricultural land inventory in the County. From a land use perspective, it is a more feasible alternative to infill urban development within this particulaz azea of North Kona. In doing so, it would alleviate the conversion of more productive agricultural lands in more appropriate locations within the North Kona area for urban type uses. Furthermore, an Urban classification would complement the existing and future residential land use patterns of the surrounding properties in view of the neazby Kona Palisades Subdivision, Lokahi Subdivision and the 108-unit Seascape Condominium affordable housing project. The Executive Director of the Land Use Commission has written a comment letter (Exhibit 11). The Planning Director's response is attached as Exhibit 12. Based on the above, the approval of the State Land Use Boundary Amendment from the Agricultural to the Urban District complements the State Land Use District Regulations and County General Plan and is supportive of the Hawaii State Plan. Chance of Zone The applicant is requesting a State Land Use Boundary Amendment from the Agricultural to the Urban District and a Change of Zone from Agricultural 5-acre (A-Sa) to a Multiple Family Residential 1,000 square foot (RM-1) district for approximately 10.001 acres of land for the development of a 306-unit affordable housing rental project. The applicant has represented that all units will be tazgeted at the 60% of median income level. The Planning Department's proposed condition allows rentals at up to the 80% of median income level, to allow some flexibility in the development of the site. This will address a critical problem in the community -the need for affordable rental housing. According to a recent study, average monthly rents on the island increased by approximately 40% between 2003 and 2006.