REP PC 166 11/17/1998 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DATE: November 17, 1998 Re: C-1OSUBiII No. 332 PLACE: Councilroom TIME: 3:00 p.m. Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Bill No. 332, transmitted by Mayor Stephen K. Yamashiro per Communication No. l OS 1, dated October 26, 1998, regarding the change of zone request by Kaupulehu Developments, at Kaupulehu, North Kona, Hawaii, TMK: 7-2-03: Portion of I, reports as follows: Bill No. 332 amends Section 25-8-3 (North and South Kona Districts Zone Map), Article 8, Chapter 25 (Zoning Code) of the Hawaii County Code, by changing the district classification for approximately I ,078.634 acres of land from an Open zoned district to a Project District. Bill No. 332 was originally placed on the November 5, 1998 Planning Committee agenda, at which time Bill No. 332, Draft 2, was also circulated. Bill No. 332 and Bill No. 332, Draft 2, were deferred until today so a site visit and a public hearing could be held on November 13, 1998. Five Council Members, two staff members, three Council-elect Members, and representatives of Belt Collins, the Hualalai Resorts, OHA and the Kaupulehu project trekked through the a a fields at 1:00 p.m. to view the project site. The hour-long walk into the area provided the hikers with an awe-inspiring breathtakingly beautiful landscapeiseascape in its pristine natural form. As Lee Sichter of Belt Collins explained the projected plans, the hikers could visualize the development of the area. The site visit enabled the trekkers to see the shoreline, the impact of the shoreline nn the project site, the elevation ranges of the ancient a'a flows, the vegetation along the shoreline, the scenic landscape of the backdrop mountain ranges in relation to the project site, etc. The public hearing was held at ti:00 p.m. on November 13, 1998, at the King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel with six Committee members in attendance. There were only ten speakers, although there was standing room only. One speaker opposed the development, three speakers recommended that the bill be deferred until the SMA decision is rendered by the Court system, and six spoke in favor of the bill. Those in favor of the development represented the ILWU, the Hawaii Carpenter's Union, the Operating Engineers Local Union, and themselves. Also a handful of written testimony was received by Your Committee. Lee Sichter of Belt Collins briefly summarized the project and presented some visual aids. Mike Matsukawa represented himself by testifying that he represented the coalition against the development to the Land Use Commission. He explained that the boundary amendment was tiled because it opposed what the LUC stood for. He also noted that the Court is ready to make its decision whenever they feel it is ready to rule. Mr. Alex Kinzler, the applicant, stated that he is hopeful that the Supreme Court will approve the SMA, and prefers not be to be stuck in the appeals process now. PC-166