COM 0795.001 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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U alternative areas so people can have choices. He said if there were significant impacts, a large group of people would be coming out today testifying they do not want this project. Mr. Fuke then stated he has prepared proposed findings and conditions if the Commission looks favorably on the request. Director Goldstein agreed with Mr. Fuke that the project is not inconsistent with the General Plan; nevertheless, that is looking at it in a particular perspective. She said the other perspective to look at is where the overall town core might be located so that the commercial uses are focused in that area, noting the ML zoning districts also allow for some amount of commercial kinds of uses. In response to Chairman Balog's inquiry, Director Goldstein said that the Planning Department was looking at urban expansion more on the mauka side of the highway, and one thing to consider is allowing access for this development would defeat the whole purpose of a bypass highway. There was some discussion on the allowable uses within the ML and MCX zoning districts. Mr. Fuke noted that the General Plan Long Range Plan shows residential uses all the way up to the bypass. He questioned wouldn't the Commission want to have the lightest of industrial uses closest to the residential area? David Taylor, President of the Puna Community Council and Puna Traffic Safety Council who submitted written testimonies into the record, stated that they opposed most vehemently the proposed change that would negatively impact the flow of traffic along the bypass road, noting that the proposed rezoning could allow a K-Mart, etc. that would draw tremendous traffic to the area. He said he did not know how anyone could make an educated determination of what the traffic flow will be until the elementary and high schools are in and that the commercial center has already been identified and should remain as such. He said the proposal would be inconsistent with the Puna Community Plan and it would not make good planning sense to have these two areas separated by what they see almost as a freeway that should not be crossed at all. Roy S. Blackshear of W. H. Shipman. Inc. strongly recommended denial of the application. He felt business and commercial functions should be concentrated in a central area and a bypass should be built without any traffic hindrances. Robert Saunders, president of W. H. Shipman, Inc. said there already is a large inventory of such available zoned lands in Puna, the proposal would defeat the purpose of a bypass and create a major traffic jam, and the proposal could allow a K-Mart. He noted the Commission should look at the proposal from a Puna Regional standpoint. -13-