COM 0525.000 2010-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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The Honorable Dominic Yagong, Chairman and Members of the County Council Page 3 The Land Use Pattern Allocation Guide (LUPAG) Map component of the General Plan is a representation of the document's goals and policies to guide the coordinated growth and development of the County. It reflects a graphic depiction of the physical relationship among the various land uses. The request to change the zoning to a Residential - Commercial Mixed Use (RCX) zoning district conforms to the LUPAG Map, which designates the property and the surrounding area as Medium Density Urban. Such designation allows village and neighborhood commercial uses and single- family and multiple - family residential uses and related functions, up to 35 units per acre. In addition to being consistent with the LUPAG Map, the request would also support the following goals and policies of the General Plan Land Use element: • Designate and allocate land uses in appropriate proportions and mix and in keeping with the social, cultural, and physical environments of the County. • Encourage the development and maintenance of communities meeting the needs of its residents in balance with the physical and social environment. • The development of commercial facilities should be designed to fit into the locale with minimal intrusion while providing the desired services. Appropriate infrastructure and design concerns shall be incorporated into the review of such developments. The subject property is located in close proximity to the University in an area of Hilo that is primarily single- family residential in character but is interspersed with convenience- type commercial uses and multiple - family residential uses. The proposed change of zone would complement the existing residential and commercial land uses that already exist in this area and will provide for an orderly development of an area adequately served by necessary services such as water, utilities, sewers and transportation systems. Based on the above findings, the request will conform to the Zoning Code and General Plan. It should also be noted that one of the goals of the General Plan is to provide affordable housing to Hawai`i residents. According to the Office of Housing and Community Development (Exhibit 8), the affordable housing requirements of the County Code would generally apply to this change of zone request since residential units or lots can be developed in the RCX zoning district. However, the applicant's request for RCX - 20 zoning would only allow up to two (2) residential units to be developed on the subject property which is below the threshold (five or more residential units or lots) for requiring developers to provide affordable housing. Therefore, the standard affordable housing condition of approval has not been included in the draft bill for this change of zone request.