COM 0149.000 2008-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

The Honorable J Yoshimoto, Chairman and Members of the County Council Page 4 While the properties are within the State Land Use Agricultural and County's Agricultural (A -20a) zoned district, it is not currently being used for active agricultural purposes. The subject properties are not currently in agricultural use, nor have they been for over 80 years. Seven of the eight warehouses on site were used for storing and maintaining equipment and.trucks associated with the former Puna Sugar Company mill operations, which was considered an industrial use of the land. In the 1990's, an additional warehouse was constructed and the site was used as a fruit processing facility. The State of Hawaii ALiSH Map classifies the subject property as Prime Agricultural Lands and Unclassified. The Land Use Study Bureau's Overall Master Productivity Rating for the soils in the area is "C" or "Fair" and Unclassified. Immediate surrounding properties are in the State Land Use Agricultural district and are zoned A -20a and A -5a. The Hawaii Right to Farm Act, HRS chapter 165, was enacted to protect farming operations on land in the State Land Use Agricultural District when adjacent land is reclassified out of the Agricultural District. A condition of approval will require the applicant notify prospective purchasers, tenants or lessees of the Hawaii Right to Farm Act. Therefore, the reclassification of this 10.373 -acre area from the Agricultural to the Urban designation will not be detrimental to the reduction of this area from the agricultural land inventory in the County of Hawaii. Furthermore, an Urban classification would complement the existing and future land use pattern of the surrounding area in view of the urban uses already in existence in close proximity to the subject properties. 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. Change of Zone The applicant requests a change of zone from an Agricultural - 20 acre (A -20a) to a Limited Industrial - I acre (ML -1a) zoned district for 10.373 acres of land to establish industrial space for lease or rent, and a water and tropical fruit beverage bottling facility within eight (8) existing warehouses totaling 56,658 square feet in floor area. The warehouses, which are not currently in use, will be renovated. Additionally, the applicant is in the process of drilling a well on the site to provide potable water to the proposed water and tropical fruit beverage bottling operation. No retail sales or visitor facilities are planned. The applicant has submitted a concurrent request for a State Land Use Boundary Amendment from an Agricultural to an Urban district.