COM 0493.000 2008-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Honorable J Yoshimoto, Chairman and Members of the County Council Page 3 The Federal Emergency Management Agency Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) designates the property as Zone "X", an area determined to be outside of the 500-year flood plain. The property is unclassified by the Agricultural Lands of Importance to the State of Hawaii (ALISH) System. Soils within the properties are unclassified by the Land Study Bureau. The Change of Zone request from A-20a to FA-3a is not inconsistent with the North Kohala Community Development Plan (CDP). The North Kohala CDP adopted by Ordinance No. 08 151 on November 5, 2008 designates the area as Existing Upscale Development under its North Kohala Environmental and Cultural Concept Map. The CDP also supports the use of agricultural lands for active agricultural purposes in North Kohala. In existence since 1974, the property is currently the site of an arboretum and botanical garden promoting the awareness of and research on the use of flowering plants in the Hawaiian and environment. The botanical garden will be retained, and portions of the garden will be incorporated into some of the subdivided lots. Thus, the proposed FA- 3a zoning would conform to the North Kohala's CDP land use strategy envisioned for this area. All utilities and services are available to the site. Access to the properties is from Ala Kahua Drive, a paved two-lane private road with a 22-foot pavement width within an 80-foot right-of-way. The roads are owned by Ala Kahua Drive LLC, a subsidiary of Kohala Ranch Development Corporation. Ala Kahua Drive intersects with the Akoni Pule Highway approximately .5 miles to the west. Potable water is provided from the private Kohala Ranch Water Company (KRWC). The applicant states that the KRWC has indicated that sufficient water can be made available to the properties. There are two wells on the site that provide irrigation water for the garden and a tank with a 50,000 gallon storage capacity for the irrigation system. As there is no municipal sewer system in the area, wastewater will be disposed of into individual wastewater systems meeting the standards and requirements of the State Department of Health. Electrical and telephone services are available to the site. Police services are located within Kapaau, approximately sixteen (16) miles from the property. Fire services are located at the Mauna Lam substation, approximately eight (8) miles from the project site. The subject request is not contrary to Chapter 205A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to Coastal Zone Management Area. The property is not situated within the Special Management Area. It is located approximately'/2 mile from the nearest coastline and therefore, will not be impacted by coastal hazard and beach erosion. There are no identified recreational resources, historic resources, public access to the shoreline or mountain areas, scenic and open space preserves, coastal ecosystems, marine resources or other natural and environmental resources in the area. Thus, the proposed use of the