COM 1048.000 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Honorable James Y. Arakaki, Chairman and Members of the County Council Page 3 The property is situated within close proximity to the employment center of Waimea. The subject reclassification is for land adjacent to the major urban/retail/employment centers of Waimea and, thereby, conforms with the Land Use Commission Rules which encourages urban developments in close proximity to existing developments and in close proximity to existing services and facilities. The property is or will be provided with all utilities and services which are essential to accommodate urban development. Water service is available to the property via connection to the County waterline from Mamalahoa Highway. Access to the property would be off of Mamalahoa Highway. Electrical service is available to the property from Hawaii Electric Light Co. Inc., and telephone service is available from GTE Hawaiian Tel. The property has no severe geological or topographical problems which cannot be properly rectified or which would render the land unusable. The Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) designates most of the property in Zone X, areas determined to be outside the 500 year flood plain. The remainder portion of less than an acre near the highway is within the flood plain of Lanimaumau Stream. It is classified as Zone A, which are areas subject to inundation by the 100-year flood. There are no known drainage improvements on site. The project will be developed in full compliance with the flood control measures. Any improvements to the property must comply with Chapter 27 of the County Code relating to Flood Hazard Control. Thus, the reclassification does meet with the standard which states that the lands included within the Urban District shall be those with satisfactory topography and drainage and reasonably free from the danger of floods, tsunami and unstable soil conditions and other adverse environmental effects." While the subject property is within the State Land Use Agricultural and County's Agricultural (A-5a) zoned districts, it is not currently being used for active agricultural purposes. The State of Hawaii ALISH Map classifies the property as "existing urban development. " The Land Use Study Bureau's Overall Master Productivity Rating for the soils is "C" or Fair. The area has been used historically for warehouse purposes and employee housing. Therefore, the reclassification of this 4.613-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. From a land use perspective, it is a more feasible alternative to infill urban development within this particular area of South Kohala. In doing so, it would tend to alleviate the conversion of more productive agricultural lands in more appropriate locations within the South Kohala area for Low Density Urban type uses. Furthermore, an Urban classification would complement the existing and future single family residential land use patterns of the surrounding properties in view of the surrounding Single Family Residential (RS-10) zoned lands to the south of the project area. Finally, it should also he noted that the reclassification action would conform to the following goals, objectives and/or policies articulated in the Hawaii State Plan: