HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0358.000 2012-2014 ./•�SY OF p '
+i,'. Walter K.M.Lau
We;
Managing Director
William P.Kenoi ;I•:R!� ,'�'•
Mayor -wirer"- _
Randall M.Kurohara
;.i M'► Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawai`i
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo,Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553
KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy.,Bldg.C • Kailua-Kona,Hawaii 96740
(808)323-4444 • Fax(808)323-4440
July 2, 2013
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J Yoshimoto, Council Chair
and Members of the County Council
County of Hawai`i "-,
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720 ?
Dear Chairman Yoshimoto and Members:
Planning Director Initiated
Amendment to Chapter 25, Article 4, Division 5 and Article 7, Division 2
of the Hawai`i County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as Amended)
Relating to Increase in Residential Density, Including Parking Requirements,
Within CDH, Downtown Hilo Commercial District
As required by Chapter 7, Sec. 6-7.5 (a), Hawai`i County Charter, transmitted herewith for the
County Council's consideration and action are the Windward Planning Commission's letter and
enclosures regarding the above-referenced matter.
Sincerely,
William P. Kenoi
Mayor
Enclosures
cc: Planning Department
< t1,0a
Comm. No. �g
Ref. To:� - L
17
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer, „
, Ref. Date UL 4 2f t
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County of Hawaii
WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
Aupuni Center • 101 Pauahi Street,Suite 3 • Hilo,Hawai`i 96720
Phone(808)961-8288 • Fax(808)961-8742
JUL 0 f 2913
J Yoshimoto, Council Chair
and Members of the County Council
County of Hawai`i
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, HI 96720
Dear Chairman Yoshimoto and Council Members:
Planning Director Initiated
Amendment to Chapter 25,Article 4,Division 5 and Article 7, Division 2
of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition,as Amended)
Relating to Increase in Residential Density, Including Parking Requirements,
Within CDH,Downtown Hilo Commercial District
The Windward Planning Commission, at its duly held public hearing on June 6, 2013, considered the
Planning Director's request for an amendment to Chapter 25 (Zoning Code)of the Hawai`i County Code
1983 (2005 Edition, as amended)relating to increase in residential density, including parking
requirements, within CDH,Downtown Hilo Commercial District.
The Commission voted to forward a favorable recommendation to the County Council on the request.
The draft bill is attached for your favorable consideration. We have also enclosed a copy of the Planning
Director's Background and Recommendation,the PowerPoint presentation, and a transcript of the hearing
for your information.
Sincerely,
ahede.44,
Wallace A. Ishibashi,Jr., Chairman
Windward Planning Commission
cc: William Brilhante, Esq.
Enclosures
IpdinitiatedCDHwpc
Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer
BRPDInitiatedDowntownHiloBill.doc-05/29/13
COUNTY OF HAWAII PLANNING DEPARTMENT
BACKGROUND AND RECOMMENDATION
INITIATOR- PLANNING DIRECTOR
AMENDING CHAPTER 25 (ZONING CODE),ARTICLE 4, DIVISION 5 AND
ARTICLE 7,DIVISION 2 OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005
EDITION,AS AMENDED),RELATING TO INCREASE RESIDENTIAL
DENSITY,INCLUDING PARKING REQUIREMENTS,WITHIN CDH,
DOWNTOWN HILO COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
The Planning Director has initiated an amendment to Chapter 25 (Zoning Code),
Article 4,Division 5 and Article 7, Division 2 of the Hawai`i County Code 1983 (2005
Edition, as amended), relating to increase in residential density, including parking
requirements,within the Downtown Hilo Commercial (CDH)zoning district.
BACKGROUND
1. May 18, 2012 -The County Council transmitted Bill No. 250 (Exhibit C)to the
Planning Commissions for the consideration of proposed amendments to the Zoning
Code within Article 7, Division 2 (Special District Regulations for the Downtown
Hilo Commercial zoning district).
In summary, Bill No. 250 attempts to amend the Zoning Code in order to accomplish
the following:
a. allow for a increase in the maximum residential density permitted within the CDH
zoning district from its current 1,000 square feet of land area per unit to a
proposed 500 square feet of land area per unit,potentially doubling the residential
density in Downtown Hilo Commercial zoning district.
b. provide a parking requirement in the CDH zoning district of one(1)parking stall
per residential unit for those double or multiple family residential projects that
achieve a maximum density of 500 square feet of land area per unit. Currently,
there is no parking requirement for any use within CDH zoning district bordered
bounded by Kino`ole and Ponahawai Streets and the Wailuku River.
2. August 2, 2012—The Windward Planning Commission, in concurrence with the
recommendation of the Planning Director and faced with a deadline by which to take
a favorable or unfavorable position on Bill No. 250, voted to issue an unfavorable
Attachment to: Conn. 358
-1- Bill 102
i
recommendation on Bill No. 250 due to the need to further revise other sections of the
Zoning Code in order to accomplish the intent of Bill No. 250, which is to increase
the permitted residential unit density within the CDH zoning district and to
implement a parking requirement for those projects achieving the proposed amended
maximum density of 500 square feet of land area per double or multiple family
residential unit.
ANALYSIS
Note that the CDH zoning district in Downtown Hilo (refer to Exhibit A) is
situated within an area designated for High Density Urban uses by the General Plan Land
Use Pattern Allocation Guide(LUPAG)map. A High Density Urban designation would
allow for a maximum residential unit density of 87 units per acre, or 500 square feet of
land area per unit, consistent with the proposed amendment.
In summary, the Planning Director's bill (Exhibit B) attempts to amend the
Zoning Code in order to accomplish the following:
a. allow for a increase in the maximum residential density permitted within the CDH
zoning district from its current 1,000 square feet of land area per unit to a proposed
500 square feet of land area per unit,potentially doubling the residential density in
Downtown Hilo Commercial zoning district.
b. provide a parking requirement in the CDH zoning district of one(1)parking stall per
residential unit for those double or multiple family residential projects that achieve a
maximum density greater than 1,000 square feet of land area per unit. Currently,
there is no parking requirement for any use within that particular CDH zoning district
bordered bounded by Kino`ole and Ponahawai Streets and the Wailuku River.
COMPARISON OF COUNCIL BILL NO.250 & PLANNING DIRECTOR BILL
The Council's earlier version(Bill No. 250) and the Planning Director's version
of proposed amendments to the density and parking requirements with the CDH zoning
district is identical when it comes to the effort to increase density to a maximum of 500
square feet of land area per unit from its current maximum density of 1,000 square feet of
land area per unit.
-2-
The difference between both bills is confined to when parking will be required.
The Council version(Bill No. 250)requires on-site parking at a ratio of one parking stall
per unit only when a project's overall unit density achieves 500 square feet of land area
per double or multiple family residential unit.
The Planning Director's version requires on-site parking when a project's overall
unit density exceeds 1,000 square feet of land area per double or multiple family
residential unit.
The Planning Director believes that her version of this CDH density and parking
bill best addresses the desire to increase double and multiple family residential unit
density in order to facilitate residential development within Downtown Hilo, while also
addressing the continuing need to provide on-site parking to accommodate residential
development that takes advantage of the increase permitted density beyond the 1,000
square feet of land area per residential unit as provided by the current Zoning Code,
should this amendment be approved.
CONSISTENCY WITH ENVISION DOWNTOWN HILO 2025 PLAN
EnVision Downtown Hilo 2025: A Community-Based Vision and Living Action
Plan(EDH 2025)is a grassroots visioning process that was originally adopted BY
Hawaii County Council Resolution 192 05 in November 2005. A five-year action plan
update was conducted and Resolution 352 10 was adopted by the Hawaii County Council
on November 4, 2010. The plan was updated to further clarify and incorporate new
strategies and actions that implement the community Vision and Action Plan. The EDH
2025 Plan covers the Downtown Hilo Commercial District(CDH) as deliniated by
development area limits of Hilo Bay, Ponahawai Street,Kapi`olani Street/Ka`iulani
Street, and Wailuku River. The CDH zoning district is a unique zoning designation that
serves as an opportune environment to encourage livability.
The EDH 2025 Plan incorporates 6(six) focus areas: Creating Economic Vitality,
Preserving Our Environment, Strengthening and Sustaining Our Community, Enhancing
Education, Culture, and the Arts, Promoting Health and Safety, and Managing Growth.
These focus areas seek to promote and strengthen Downtown Hilo as a vibrant, walkable,
healthy, and livable community while ensuring that growth is managed to preserve its
natural features, cultural assets, its unique sense of place, and quaint historic character.
-3-
In addition to the focus areas, there are 36 strategies and 147 actions within the plan that
formulate the implementation process led by Lead Solution Partners or implementers.
The proposed amendment is consistent with the following in EDH 2025 Plan:
Focus Area 1: Creating Economic Vitality
Strategy 1.3 Promote residential and commercial mixed-use development in
Downtown;
Action 1.31 Develop and prmote new residential uses above existing
ground-level businesses.
Focus Area 6: Managing Growth
Strategy 6.2 Provide adequate parking in Downtown Hilo
Action 6.23 Develop Parking alternatives.
Other strategies and action within the EDH 2025 Plan that relate to livability also
look to address the need to develop community design guidelines (Action 6.43); identify
significant view corridors (Action 2.22) to review the existing building height limit of
120 feet(Action 2.23); to ensure that new development that seeks to maximize density
and height do not compromise the Downtown Hilo that we seek to preserve. These are
relevant issues that are separate from the Planning Director's proposed bill,but are
crucial to taking a holistic approach toward achieving livability. These actions should be
addressed in the near future to ensure that new development is consistent with the EDH
2025 Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
For the reasons detailed above, the Planning Director recommends that the
Windward Planning Commission issue a favorable recommendation to the County
Council regarding this proposed Planning Director-initiated bill to amend
Chapter 25 (Zoning Code),Article 4,Division 5 and Article 7,Division 2 of the
Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended), relating to increase in
residential density, including parking requirements, within the Downtown Hilo
Commercial (CDH) zoning district.
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Planning Dept.
Exhibit A
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COUNTY OF HAWAII '-=.4 •: STATE OF HAWAII
TF.a;. _.
BILL NO.
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 25, ARTICLE 4, DIVISION 5 AND
ARTICLE 7, DIVISION 2 OF THE HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION,AS
AMENDED), RELATING TO INCREASE RESIDENTIAL DENSITY, INCLUDING
PARKING REQUIREMENTS,WITHIN CDH,DOWNTOWN HILO COMMERCIAL
DISTRICT
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Chapter 25, Article 4, Division 5, Section 25-4-51 of the Hawai'i County
Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended) is amended by amending subsection(a)to read as
follows:
"(a) The number of parking spaces for each use shall be as follows:
(1) Agricultural tourism: one for each three hundred square feet of gross floor area used
principally for the agricultural tourism activity,but not fewer than three spaces,plus
bus parking if buses are allowed.
(2) Bed and breakfast establishments: one for each guest bedroom, in addition to one
for the dwelling unit.
(3) Bowling alleys: four for each alley.
(4) Commercial uses, including retail and office uses in RCX, CN, CG, CV, MCX,V,
RA, FA, A and IA districts: one for each three hundred square feet of gross floor
area.
(5) Day care centers: one for each ten care recipients of design capacity or one for
every two hundred square feet of gross floor area, whichever is greater.
(6) Dwellings,multiple-family: one and one quarter for each unit. In the CDH district ,
one for each unit on a property maintaining a unit density higher than one thousand
square feet of land area per rentable unit or dwelling unit.
(7) Dwellings, single-family and double-family or duplex: two for each dwelling unit.
In the CDH district,one for each unit on a property maintaining a unit density
higher than one thousand square feet of land area per rentable unit or dwelling unit.
(8) Funeral homes and mortuaries: one for each seventy-five square feet of gross floor
area.
(9) Golf courses: four for every hole.
(10) Hospitals: one for each bed.
(11) Hotels and lodges:
(A) For hotel guest units without a kitchen, one for every three units;
(B) For hotel guest units with a kitchen, one and one quarter for each unit.
(12) Industrial uses in ML, MG, MCX, RA, FA, A and IA districts: one for each four
hundred square feet of gross floor area.
Planning Dept.
Exhibit
(13) Laundromats, cleaners (coin operated): one for every four machines.
(14) Major outdoor amusement and recreation facilities: one for each two hundred
square feet of gross floor area within enclosed buildings,plus one for every three
persons that the outdoor facilities are designed to accommodate when used to the
maximum capacity.
(15) Meeting facilities, including churches: one for each seventy-five square feet of
gross floor area.
(16) Nursing homes, convalescent homes, rest homes and homes for the elderly: one for
every two beds.
(17) Parks: as determined by the director.
(18) Recreation facilities, outdoor or indoor, other than herein specified: one for each
two hundred square feet of gross floor area, plus three per court (racquetball, tennis
or similar activities).
(19) Rooming and lodging houses,religious, fraternal or social orders having sleeping
accommodations: one for each two beds.
(20) Schools (elementary and intermediate): one for each twenty students of design
capacity, plus one for each four hundred square feet of office floor space.
(21) Schools (high, language, vocational, business, technical and trade, college): one for
each ten students of design capacity,plus one for each four hundred square feet of
office floor space.
(22) Sports arenas, auditoriums, theaters, assembly halls: one for every four seats.
(23) Swimming pools (community): one for each forty square feet of pool area.
(24) Warehouse and bulk storage establishments where there is no trade or retail traffic:
one for each one thousand square feet of gross floor area.
SECTION 2. Chapter 25, Article 4, Division 5, Section 25-4-59.2 of the Hawai'i County
Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended)is amended to read as follows:
The off-street parking and loading requirements of this chapter shall not apply to the
following:
(a) Non-residential uses located within[T]that area in the City of Hilo,bounded by
Kinoole Street, Ponahawai Street, and an imaginary straight line extension of
Ponahawai Street into Hilo Bay and Wailuku River.
(b) Dwelling units with a maximum density of one thousand square feet of land area
per unit or less,within that area in the City of Hilo,bounded by Kinoole Street,
Ponahawai Street, an imaginary straight line extension of Ponahawai Street into
Hilo Bay and Wailuku River.
([h}c)That area immediately fronting either side of that portion of the Hawai`i Belt
Highway which runs from the real property designated as tax map key no: 7-9-7-66
to the real property designated as tax map key no: 7-9-9:22, in Kainaliu, North
Kona.
SECTION 3. Chapter 25, Article 7, Division 2, Section 25-7-22 of the Hawaii County
Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended) is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as
follows:
2
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"(a) The following uses shall be permitted in the CDH district:
(1) Adult day care homes.
(2) Amusement and recreation facilities, indoor.
(3) Art galleries.
(4) Automobile service stations or garages, excluding body and fenderworks, electric
tire rebuilding or battery rebuilding and provided that all work is conducted wholly
within a completely enclosed building.
(5) Bakeries.
(6) Bars, cocktail lounges and night clubs.
(7) Bed and breakfast establishments, as permitted under section 25-4-7.
(8) Boarding facilities,rooming, or lodging houses.
(9) Broadcasting stations or studios (radio and television).
(10)Business services.
(11)Car washing, provided that the facilities are not detrimental to the character of the
district.
(12)Commercial parking lots and garages.
(13)Community buildings, as permitted under section 25-4-11.
(14)Crop production.
(15)Display rooms for products sold elsewhere.
(16)Dwellings, double-family or duplex, with a maximum density of[ ] five
hundred square feet of land area per rentable unit or dwelling unit.
(17)Dwellings,multiple-family, with a maximum density of[one-thousand] five hundred
square feet of land area per rentable unit or dwelling unit.
(18)Dwellings, single-family.
(19)Family child care homes.
(20)Farmers markets. When the vending activity in a farmers market involves more than
just the sale of local fresh and/or raw produce,plant life, fish and local homegrown
and homemade products for more than two days a week, the director, at the time of
plan approval, shall restrict the hours of use, maintenance and operations and may
require improvements as determined appropriate to ensure its compatibility with the
existing character of the surrounding area.
(21)Financial institutions.
(22)Group living facilities.
(23)Home occupations, as permitted under section 25-4-13.
(24)Hospitals, sanitariums,old age, convalescent,nursing and rest homes and other
similar uses.
(25)Hotels and apartment hotels with a maximum density of five hundred square feet of
land area per rentable unit.
(26)Laundries other than those utilizing steam cleaning equipment,provided that the
facilities are not detrimental to the character of the district.
(27)Manufacturing,processing and packaging, light,provided that the activities are not
detrimental to the character of the district.
(28)Medical clinics.
(29)Meeting facilities.
(30)Model homes, as permitted under section 25-4-8.
(31)Modeling agencies.
(32)Museums and libraries.
3
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(33)Neighborhood parks,playgrounds, tennis courts, swimming pools, and similar
neighborhood recreational areas and uses.
(34)Offices.
(35)Personal services.
(36)Photography and artist studios.
(37)Public uses and structures, as permitted under section 25-4-11.
(38)Publishing plants for newspapers,books and magazines,printing shops,
cartographing and duplicating processes such as blueprinting or photostating.
(39)Repair establishments,minor.
(40)Restaurants.
(41)Retail establishments, provided that they are not detrimental to the character of the
district.
(42)Schools,business.
(43) Schools, photography, art, music, dance or other similar studios or academies.
(44)Schools, vocational.
(45)Telecommunication antennas, as permitted under section 25-4-12.
(46)Temporary real estate offices, as permitted under section 25-4-8.
(47)Theaters, auditoriums and indoor sports arenas.
(48) Utility substations, as permitted under section 25-4-11."
SECTION 4. Chapter 25, Article 7, Division 2, Section 25-7-27 of the Hawai`i County
Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended) is amended by adding new sections to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:
"Section 25-7-27. Other regulations.
(a) Plan approval is required for all new structures and additions to existing structures in the CDH
district,except for construction of one single-family dwelling and any accessory buildings per lot.
(b) The number of parking spaces required for double-family, duplex and multiple-family
residential dwellings having a density greater than one thousand square feet of land area
per rentable unit or dwelling unit within the CDH zoning district shall be one off-street
parking spaceper unit.
(c) Off-site parking may be provided to satisfy parking requirements of this section, as
approved by the director. Off-site parking means parking provided for residents of
double-family, duplex, or a multiple-family residential development that is neither on a
public street nor located on the same property as the residence,but is located within a
reasonable distance of the residence, as determined and approved by the director. Off-site
parking shall be made available for the exclusive use of the rentable units or dwelling
units it is meant to accommodate.
SECTION 5. Material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. Material to be added is
underscored. In re-printing this ordinance, the brackets, bracketed and stricken material, and
underscoring need not be included.
SECTION 6. Severability. If any provision of this ordinance or the application thereof
to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity does not affect other provisions or
4
applications of the ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or
application, and to this end, the provisions of this ordinance are to be severable.
SECTION 7. This ordinance shall take effect upon its approval
INTRODUCED BY:
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAI`I
, Hawai`i
Date of Introduction:
Date of 1st Reading:
Date of 2nd Reading:
Effective Date:
5
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Pete Hoffmann _ti,t yr o Phone No Hilo: (808)961-8027
Council Mem¢ex -;r,^ 7 �� �'''•�.,; Phone No Waimea: (808)887-2043
District 9-Np"rkhi`•dnd SoutJ Kehala ���" *,�, Fax No (808)887-2072
�t.1` : _ .,,,t,, : ,: E-Mai[:poffmann@co.hawaii.hi.us
r;.! .: ?'J
HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL
County of Hawai`i
Hawai`i County Building Holomua Center
25 Aupuni Street 64-1067 Mamalahoa Highway,Suite C-.
Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Waimea, Hawai'i 96743
TO: Bobbie Jean Leithead Todd, Director
Planning Department
FROM: , ete Hoffmann, Chair
Committee on Planning
Date: May 18, 2012
Subject: Referral of Bill No. 250 for Review and Recommendation by the Planning
Director and Planning Commission(s)
Attached please find Bill No. 250, relating to the Downtown Hilo Commercial District. This
matter was on the agenda for the May 16, 2012, meeting of the Hawaii County Council
Planning Committee, and has been referred to you for review and recommendation pursuant to
the section 6-7.2 of the Hawaii County Charter and section 25-2-43 of the Hawaii County
Code. Please forward to the appropriate Planning Commission, or both Commissions, as
provided per section 6-7.5 of the Charter.
Feel free to call me if you have any questions. If I am not available, please contact my Legislative
Assistant, David Hirt, at 887-2069.
Thank you.
PH/dh
aft
cc: Dominic Yagong, Chair—Hawai`i County Council
Council Services
Serving the Interests of the People of Our Island Planning Dept.
Hawaii County Is An Equal Opportunity Provider And Employer Exhibit G
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•
COUNTY OF HAWAII ; al !:•l STATE OF HAWAII
BILL NO. 250
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 25,ARTICLE 7,DIVISION 2 OF THE
HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION,AS AMENDED)TO INCREASE
RESIDENTIAL DENSITY,INCLUDING PARKING REQUIREMENTS,WITHIN CDH,
DOWNTOWN HILO COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Chapter 25, article 7,division 2, section 25-7-22 of the Hawaii County
Code 1983 (2005 Edition, as amended) is amended by amending subsection (a)to read as
follows:
"(a) The following uses shall be permitted in the CDH district:
(1) Adult day care homes.
(2) Amusement and recreation facilities, indoor.
(3) Art galleries.
(4) Automobile service stations or garages, excluding body and fenderworks, electric tire
rebuilding or battery rebuilding and provided that all work is conducted wholly within
a completely enclosed building.
(5) Bakeries.
(6) Bars, cocktail lounges and night clubs.
(7) Bed and breakfast establishments,as permitted under section 25-4-7.
(8) Boarding facilities, rooming, or lodging houses.
(9) Broadcasting stations or studios(radio and television).
(10) Business services.
(11) Car washing, provided that the facilities are not detrimental to the character of the
district.
(12) Commercial parking lots and garages.
(13) Community buildings, as permitted under section 25-4-11.
(14) Crop production.
(15) Display rooms for products sold elsewhere.
(16) Dwellings, double-family or duplex, with a maximum density of [ene-thousand] five
hundred square feet of land area per rentable unit or dwelling unit.
(17) Dwellings, multiple-family, with a maximum density of [ene-theme] five hundred
square feet of land area per rentable unit or dwelling unit.
(18) Dwellings, single-family.
(19) Family child care homes.
•
(20) Farmers markets. When the vending activity in a farmers market involves more than
just the sale of local fresh and/or raw produce, plant life, fish and local homegrown and
homemade products for more than two days a week, the director, at the time of plan
approval, shall restrict the hours of use, maintenance and operations and may require
improvements as determined appropriate to ensure its compatibility with the existing
character of the surrounding area.
(21) Financial institutions.
(22) Group living facilities.
(23) Home occupations, as permitted under section 25-4-13.
(24) Hospitals, sanitariums, old age, convalescent, nursing and rest homes and other similar
uses.
(25) Hotels and apartment hotels with a maximum density of five hundred square feet of
land area per rentable unit.
(26) Laundries other than those utilizing steam cleaning equipment, provided that the
facilities are not detrimental to the character of the district.
(27) Manufacturing, processing and packaging, light, provided that the activities are not
detrimental to the character of the district.
(28) Medical clinics.
(29) Meeting facilities.
(30) Model homes, as permitted under section 25-4-8.
(31) Modeling agencies.
(32) Museums and libraries.
(33) Neighborhood parks, playgrounds, tennis courts, swimming pools, and similar
neighborhood recreational areas and uses.
(34) Offices.
(35) Personal services.
(36) Photography and artist studios.
(37) Public uses and structures,as permitted under section 25-4-11.
(38) Publishing plants for newspapers, books and magazines, printing shops, cartographing
and duplicating processes such as blueprinting or photostating.
(39) Repair establishments,minor.
(40) Restaurants.
(41) Retail establishments, provided that they are not detrimental to the character of the
district.
(42) Schools, business.
(43) Schools,photography,art, music,dance or other similar studios or academies.
(44) Schools, vocational.
(45) Telecommunication antennas, as permitted under section 25-4-12.
(46) Temporary real estate offices, as permitted under section 25-4-8.
(47) Theaters, auditoriums and indoor sports arenas. •
(48) Utility substations, as permitted under section 25-4-11."
•
SECTION 2. Chapter 25, article 7,of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2005 Edition,as
amended) is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:
"Section 25-7- . Required number of parking spaces.
Lai The number of parking spaces required for double-family or duplex and multiple-family
residential dwellings having a maximum density of five hundred square feet of land area
per rentable unit or dwelling unit within the CDH shall be one off-street parking space
per unit.
0) Off-site parking may be provided to satisfy parking requirements of this section, as
approved by the director. Off-site parking means parking provided for residents of
double-family, duplex, or a multiple-family residential development that is neither on a
public street nor located on the same property as the residence, but is located within a
reasonable distance of the residence, as determined and approved by the director. Off-site
parking shall be unencumbered and made available for the exclusive use of the rentable
units or dwelling units."
SECTION 3. Material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. Material to be added is
underscored. In re-printing this ordinance, the brackets, bracketed and stricken material, and
underscoring need not be included.
SECTION 4. Severability. If any provision of this ordinance or the application thereof
to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity does not affect other provisions or
applications of the ordinance which can be given effect without the invalid provision or
application,and to this end,the provisions of this ordinance are to be severable.
SECTION 5. This ordinance shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
40,t-eze2
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAII
,Hawai`i
Date of Introduction:
Date of 1st Reading:
Date of 2nd Reading:
Effective Date: •
REFERENCE: Comm. 699
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WINDWARD PLANNING COMMISSION
COUNTY OF HAWAI`I
HEARING TRANSCRIPT
JUNE 6, 2013
A regularly advertised hearing on the PLANNING DIRECTOR INITIATED AMENDMENT
TO CHAPTER 25,ARTICLE 4, DIVISION 5 AND ARTICLE 7,DIVISION 2 OF THE
HAWAII COUNTY CODE 1983 (2005 EDITION,AS AMENDED), RELATING TO
INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL DENSITY,INCLUDING PARKING REQUIREMETNS,
WITHIN CDH,DOWNTOWN HILO COMMERCIAL DISTRICT was called to order at
11:56 a.m. in the County of Hawai`i, Aupuni Center Conference Room, 101 Pauahi Street, Hilo,
Hawai`i, with Chairman Wallace Ishibashi presiding.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Wallace Ishibashi, Ronald Gonzales, Charles Heaukulani,
Gregory Henkel, Myles Miyasato, Raylene Moses, and Stephen Ono
STAFF PRESENT: Duane Kanuha(Planning Director), Ivan Torigoe (Deputy Corporation
Counsel), Daryn Arai (Planning Program Manager), Maija Cottle(Staff Planner), Jeff Darrow
(Staff Planner), and Sharon Nomura(Secretary)
INITIATOR: PLANNING DIRECTOR
Amendment to Chapter 25, Article 4, Division 5 and Article 7, Division 2 of the Hawai`i County
Code 1983, (2005 Edition, as amended),relating to increase in residential density, including
parking requirements, within CDH, Downtown Hilo Commercial District.
ISHIBASHI: Agenda Item No. 3. It is the Planning Director's Amendment to Chapter 25,
Article 4, Division 5 and Article 7, Division 2. Daryn.
ARAI: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I may direct the Commissioners to the presentation
screen. First,history of the bill that's currently before you. Back in May of last year the County
Council transmitted to the Planning Commission Bill No. 250 to consider amendments to the
zoning that would, that they hope would accomplish the following:
Basically to allow for an increase in the maximum residential density permitted within the
Downtown Hilo Commercial District from its current 1,000 square feet of land area per unit, and
that's per residential unit,to a proposed 500 square feet of required land area per residential unit,
basically doubling the density,potential density of residential developments within Downtown
Hilo, within the Downtown Hilo Commercial Zoning District, I should say.
The second component of the request, back in May of last year, was to provide a parking
requirement of one stall per residential unit for those projects that achieve the maximum density
of 500 square feet of land area per unit. Currently there is no parking requirement within the
Downtown Hilo Commercial District for that particular area bordered by Kino'ole Street,
Ponahawai Street and the Wailuku River. And later on there's a map at the very end so I'll kind
of show you the areas that are affected.
1
In August of last year the Windward Planning Commission issued an unfavorable
recommendation on Bill 250 due to the need to further revise other sections of the Zoning Code
in order to accomplish the intent of Bill No. 250, which is to increase the unit density permitted
within Downtown Hilo and to implement a parking requirement within a certain portion of the
Downtown Hilo District.
Basically there were things that we needed to do. The bill needed to be amended and
reconstructed because there were certain other sections that were omitted within the original bill.
And as you may, if you ever looked at the Zoning Code, you touch one place and it affects many
different places throughout the Code. So we wanted to make sure the appropriate sections were
addressed.
So since the Commission's action late last year,there have been discussions with individuals
who are associated with the original Bill 250. After working through some of the amendments
and fine tuning some of the requirements, the Planning Director then offered to introduce the
current bill that's before you today that hopes to provide greater clarity on the requirements, as
well as address some of the structural issues that we brought up at last year's meeting.
The Director hopes that the bill that's before you today would allow for, again, an increase in the
residential density, exactly what the previous bill was seeking, which is to double it by requiring
up to 500 square feet of land area per unit. And the difference here is in the Item B at the bottom
of this slide where it does require a parking requirement similar to what was required in Bill 250
last year. The difference being that parking in Bill 250, parking in Downtown Hilo was only
required when a project achieves a maximum density of 500 square feet. So if someone comes
in and wants to do something that has a density of 600 square feet of per unit,parking is not
required. So someone could come in and, you know, do a project that doesn't maximize the 500
square feet allowed by law and no parking would be required.
In this current proposal before you we changed that by basically saying the current Code says the
current maximum density in Downtown Hilo is a 1,000 square feet of land area per unit, if you
wish to exceed the current 1,000 square feet per unit then parking on-site is automatically going
to be triggered. That's the distinction from last year. Last year parking would only be required
if you max out the density. If you came in just slightly under you don't have to do parking. So
this bill basically clarifies when parking would be triggered in Downtown Hilo.
The area you see here with Hilo Bay off to your right and Wailuku River here off to the top left,
Downtown Hilo zoning district is the area in crosshatched red. And it extends basically from
Kamehameha Avenue, along the Wailuku Drive, all the way up to the general location of
Kapiolani Street, and then back down Ponahawai Street. The area outlined in red, which is
makai of Kinoole Street, is that section of Downtown Hilo Zoning District where there is a
current parking exception where no parking is required for any use within Downtown Hilo. And
as you drive through Downtown Hilo it's quite obvious. The lots are extremely small, the
buildings are built right up to the front property. There's really no opportunity for on-site
parking.
2
So what this bill will do is that it will increase the residential,potentially doubling the residential
density within Downtown Hilo within the cross-hatched area; but it would require that if you
wish to increase the density beyond 1,000 square feet per unit within this red outlined section
makai of Kinoole Street, whereas parking is not required now, the proposed bill would trigger
on-site parking at a ratio of one parking stall per residential unit.
So with that,hopefully I was clear enough. I do stand ready to answer any questions if you have
them.
ISHIBASHI: Okay. Any questions from the Commissioners of staff?
ONO: I'm-.
ISHIBASHI: Commissioner Ono.
ONO: Yes, I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind, Daryn. What's the infrastructure
like in terms of let's say there is an increase in density population? The sewage line around that
area,how old is it,No.1? Can it accommodate the possibility of increase in population? I kind
of, the other, the second question for me is that area is comfortable to walk through? With that
increase in population, what clientele are we looking at for tenants with a 500-square foot unit
development? Is it going to be family, is it going to be single? I, I -. How are you going to
attract people to that area if it's, for me,with a small unit like a 500-square foot development?
ARAI: The purpose of this Code amendment is not to drive a particular style of development.
What we're simply trying to do is provide greater opportunities for residential development. For
example,right now in Downtown Hilo, one would argue that the residential, if a residential
project were to occur in Downtown Hilo with no required on-site parking, the assumption is that
he would attract only those individuals who don't mind walking or bicycling everywhere, or
don't have any cars to begin with. That is a specific target market. And it's really up to that
individual landowner to decide what market they want to hit. In this particular area, we
understand that in order to make certain things work, sometimes you have to provide these types
of greater opportunities,via enhanced increase in density.
As you know there are some difficulties in Downtown Hilo. I'm not so sure about sewage.
There is, there are sewage lines throughout Downtown Hilo,but I do not know off-hand about
capacity. I understand there are some drainage issues. Because Downtown Hilo sits so low the
water table is just a few feet under the surface. So I understand taking care of on-site drainage
has always been a problem. You cannot dig a drywell because once you dig it the water is right
there. But those are things that every applicant or developer will have to face anyway. All this
really is doing is simply providing an enhanced opportunity to increase density beyond the
1,000-square foot limit that currently exists now.
ONO: In reading the report, I guess my concern has been, it seems to be piecemeal. We're
going to be dealing with the population density, but we're not, for me, we're not looking at what
is it that the overall plan is for that area. And I guess if we're looking at developing only, giving
permission to develop the population growth and not consider the total picture like for-. As I
drive through that area traffic is a problem at times. You increase the population, you're going
3
to have problems with traffic. To me you're going to have problems with the traffic. The
walking consideration for that area to walk through today is, well, it's kind of scary sometimes.
ARAI: I think I understand.
ONO: Okay. So my comment is if you increase the population, you increase the traffic. By
providing parking,what are you doing to the entire area, the commercial area, the commercial
aspect of that area?
ARAI: Well, I can promise you this—you know, our attempt is not to trash Downtown Hilo.
So obviously we want to make sure that it is managed as best as can, as best as we possibly can.
Keep in mind though Downtown Hilo is within an area designated for high density urban uses by
the General Plan. That is where we really want to concentrate the densities and the uses.
Secondarily, secondly, I'm sorry, that the Downtown Hilo, I'm sorry, there is already a plan for
Downtown Hilo. It's called EnVision 2020. It does try to implement certain design philosophies
and uses, accommodations for enhancement, maybe pedestrian type facilities. So it does provide
some direction. And if you are interested I believe a copy of that plan was given to you in your
packet. But if not, oh, maybe we had put it on a CD for you. But if you're interested I can make
sure that all of you have copies of the EnVision 2020 Plan for Downtown Hilo.
There's basically a brief summary within the recommendation report that we gave you where it
kind of describes what some of the philosophies for Downtown Hilo have been developed for
that area. But at the same token the existing Zoning Code as a matter of point does allow a
maximum height of 120 feet for the City of Hilo. I mean that's all the City of Hilo. Hard to
imagine we would have buildings that high,but that is what the Code allows. And I believe that
height limit was benchmarked against Bay Shore Towers,which is that tower complex right after
Wailuku River. And I know there have been some concerns expressed about maximizing
density, at the same time still allowing the height to go to 120 feet.
But as you can see from the Code amendment we do,it proposes on-site parking. Whereas
parking is not allowed now. I mean it's not required now. So I think that's the measuring force.
If you want to go up 120 feet and maximize your unit density, then you have to provide on-site
parking. And I think there's, those are the restricting,the limitations that would, I would think
would limit the types of development and how high it goes in Downtown Hilo.
ISHIBASHI: Go ahead, Commissioner Henkel.
HENKEL: All right. Personally I feel that,you know,by maximizing residential density in an
urban area it actually, you know, discourages urban blight. The people that live there,residents,
it's like having a neighborhood watch force where they take more pride in their neighborhood
and keep an eye on things, and, you know, more so than possibly the people that commute in and
out of the area and clog the roads every day. I do have some concerns about it though. It's right
smack in the middle of a tsunami zone. And I'm wondering about the, you know, having more
residents in a tsunami area might have an impact.
ARAI: As far as the flood, I mean, there is what they call like velocity flood designation which
is the V Zoned District. And unfortunately I don't have a map, or maybe I do. I don't know if it
4
shows up very well. But I'm not-. The V Zoned District I think comes up at least to Kilauea
Avenue. They will have to build to those floodway standards. It's a requirement of the
Department of Public Works. They have to implement it; and it's a requirement. Their
standards have to match or at least conform to the standards defined by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency(FEMA). And that's how the County gets funds to do some of their
drainage systems and floodway improvements. So, you know, there's a requirement that has to
be met anyway.
Now I understand your concern about putting a larger structure right smack in Downtown Hilo,
but that's where hopefully the floodway requirements will kick in,because you have to elevate
it. That is why you see the Nihon Restaurant sitting on stilts. I can't imagine how high that is
but that was because of the floodway requirements. Because the Code will ensure that we do not
put habitable structures in harms way, especially when you have a base flood elevation that has
already been determined. So hopefully there are existing checks and balances already in place
that will address those concerns; and we believe they do.
ONO: I have a question from me. You know, when the bill was proposed they had envisioned
some, for me, a colorful relaxing environment, shrubs,parks, walkways, that kind of a thing.
How much of a commitment is the, does this bill impose upon the County so that some of these
development, community development, not density development but community development,
like parks, soccer fields, how much of a commitment does this, would the County have to have in
terms of saying this is what our plan is and this is what we're going to be committing to this
proposal? I read something from Donald Ikeda, his whole thing about what he wanted to see the
area look like in the bill. But it doesn't, I didn't see or I didn't read where there's a commitment
in terms of money. And I guess my ignorance or my naivete shows here. What is the obligation
of the County to -?
ARAI: I don't see that this bill would,will replace any obligation upon any County agency or
any State agency for that matter. It's simply providing an opportunity for landowners in the area
to be able to consider a higher density residential development than what is permitted now. My
understanding is that there is a gentleman in the audience who resides in this area or, I guess,has
property in this area and is contemplating a residential type of development. And maybe he can
better explain to you the pitfalls and hurdles that he faces when dealing with existing regulation
that kind of confines you to a certain type of development;but yet in order to make the numbers
work he needs more. And this is really just giving him an opportunity, or people like them an
opportunity to consider more. Now granted the Downtown, the EnVision Downtown Hilo Plan
is multi-faceted. It talks about public access and transportation facilities and the buildings not
going higher than 3 feet (sic),multiple considerations. But it provides guidelines. So we, this is
not where it stops. The County has, there's continuing actions by the County to implement other
components of the plan. This is just, this does not contradict the plan, and it's just a small
fraction of what we need to do in order to fully implement EnVision 2020.
ISHIBASHI: You mentioned that current Code is 120 feet, I mean 120 -.
ARAI: That's correct.
5
ISHIBASHI: It's the current code in place. So the hindrance was the parking. So now we
would be able to build 120 feet with parking?
ARAI: No, that is for the individual property owners to engineer and determine. It really, it just
provides an opportunity. Because, you know, when you really think about the Zoning Code, it's
really one size fits all. Right? In this particular instance we're simply, we heard the call that
they want higher density for residential units in the Downtown Hilo area. That was the call. So
the bill before you today is like this is what we heard people wanted, this is, you know -. And
it's for you and ultimately the County Council to decide if it's a good thing.
We feel that this is in line with the County General Plan and does not compromise existing
vision plans that we have for that area, which is why the Planning Director, at that time Leithead
Todd, was willing to introduce it on behalf of the Council.
ISHIBASHI: Any further questions at this time?
GONZALES: Mr. Chairman, I have a question.
ISHIBASHI: Go ahead.
GONZALES: Daryn, in going through these letters (Attachments A, B, C &D), the one from
the Police Department where they referred to these crime prevention through environmental
design, CPTED principals, is that something that the County, I mean, is that something that will
be considered, or is required, or-?
ARAI: Not at this level. What we're asking for is an amendment to the Zoning Code which is
just purely a land use, you know, residential/commercial. What I think the Police Department is
getting at is really more down to specific design considerations that largely architects would need
to consider. If I interpret his, the memo correctly, it's sort of like if you build an apartment
building,make sure the apai tanent's stairwells are open so people walking on the street can see
so you don't have bad people hiding in the stairwells to attack people, or if you have a parking
garage on the first level, make sure it's super well lit and can be viewed from the street instead of
providing all these nooks and crannies that lead to, you know,nefarious types of activities. So I
think that's what it is,it's more of a design consideration; and I think it's more applicable to like,
people like an architect or engineer.
GONZALES: Okay. Very good. And, again, we're not passing anything, we're just giving a
recommendation to the County Council, correct?
ARAI: Yes, sir.
GONZALES: Thank you.
ARAI: You're welcome.
ISHIBASHI: Thank you. We have three testifiers. If we could have Garth Yamanaka-.
6
PUBLIC: He left.
ISHIBASHI: Vince, Vincent, Jeff Melrose. If you could come up.
TAI: You called Vincent?
ISHIBASHI: Yeah, Vincent Tai.
ARAI: Mr. Tai,please come up.
ISHIBASHI: If you could raise your right hand,please. Do you swear and affirm to tell the
truth before the Windward Planning Commission over this matter?
TESTIFIERS: I do.
ISHIBASHI: Okay,thank you so much. Go ahead.
MELROSE: My name is Jeff Melrose. I live at 1405 Waianuenue Avenue. I'm the current
president of the Downtown Improvement Association. I've been involved with that organization
consistently now for 8 but over the last 20,probably 12 of those years. You know, and I'm a
land use planner by profession. And much of my academic career is really looking at small
towns across the state and trying to understand what rural towns and rural spaces are and what
makes them succeed and doesn't.
And one of the things that we, the Downtown Improvement Association,have been aware of for
a while is that if you look around towns across the country, one of the key things in the
renovation or restoration of old towns is to build back a residential presence in town. A lot of
times people have moved out to the suburbs, they've moved out of town, and you end up with
kind of a Section 8 housing circumstance and the upstairs of these buildings. But you don't have
a real vested long-term resident who would come down, go to shopping, go back home, keep
their eyes on the street. So the opportunity to build new residential units in Downtown is a key
part of the overall restoration and revitalization of Downtown, if we can do it. Right? This is
one of those"ifs". Downtown is a tricky place to build. And you'll know that by how little new
building there has been going on there. The last new building to go into Downtown was the
Savio building up on Kinoole Street; and I think that's probably 18 plus years ago. So, you
know, it's not like there's a big flood of activity.
There are numbers of levels of restraint on Downtown that exists both with the inundation zone
which played, runs kind of like an odd pattern along the front street of Kamehameha Avenue and
back a couple of blocks, not blocks, lots, but doesn't get up to Kilauea except just right at, no it
does not get up to Kilauea Avenue. So we've been aware of this for some time. And, I think,
just to clarify, the current Zoning Code says one unit per 1,000 square feet of land area, one unit
per 1,000 square feet of land area. So you have a 10,000-square foot lot you can put 10 units. It
doesn't say 1,000-square foot units.
And what we're asking for is one unit per 500, which means if you have a 10,000-square foot lot
you can do 20 units. So how big the units are, they could be 1,000 square feet, they could be any
7
number of sizes. But what's going to keep them, what's going to cap the development of that is
the economics of building. So it isn't like we're setting up minimum sized lots. We're setting
up only the amount of units you can build. And because for the most part downtown is a fairly
small lot, it's already chopped up into small lots, it's, you know, there's not a lot of density.
You asked about infrastructure; and that's a good question. I think Downtown has all of the
infrastructure. Our hope is that before, that our, that we move forward to try and build
something rather than to say don't do anything until all this is redone, cause there's simply not an
economic driver to do that. And any new project is going to have to come in and look at its
specific circumstance, its specific water. There's adequate water there, there's adequate sewage
there. Drainage is an issue in certain portions of town,but not in all portions of town. So this is
simply an entitlement for Downtown. You know,my hope is that somehow it will affect things
like the Hilo Hotel building, which is right now kind of a blighted corner. But it would allow
more opportunity for somebody, the owner of that building to actually come in and invest and
build some residential units overlooking Kalakaua Park with a nice residential/restaurant kind of
an environment around the outside. So I think that kind of use is key to the future of Downtown.
We've been fortunate the last couple of years, and I'll let Vincent Tai talk more about this. But
Vincent is an architect who owns the 76 Station above Spencers. And when he entered the
conversation looking at his property,he's been developing in San Francisco and other places, he
gave us a much clearer understanding of what the economics of it are. I can say, yeah,we should
have more,but how much more, how and why. And so he actually has somebody who's
working on a real project that has been a very helpful thing in terms of clicking us into motion.
But we weren't advocating for this specifically for Vincent. We're advocating this as something
that's good for Downtown. And that if we can find any developer who's willing to do this kind
of work,that's what it takes. It takes real people trying to do real things. And it's not easy in a
place like Downtown,but I do think that building the residential capacity for Downtown is
essential to its long-term revitalization. And so that's our position. We've been trying to do this
for a couple of years. We've gone through a couple of runs through you folks and the
Commission, I mean to the Council. And they're really just drafting issues. They haven't been
in any sense a change of what we were trying to accomplish. So, and with that if you have any
questions I'd be glad to answer them. Otherwise I'll just turn it over to Vincent.
ISHIBASHI: Any questions? Go ahead then.
TAI: Okay,thank you. My name is Vincent Tai. I'm an architect and I just happened to own
the property on the corner of Keawe and Haili, the gas station there. First of all I think we have
to make it very clear because there's always been some misunderstanding what, 100, 1,000
square feet versus 500 square feet. Like it was only like, if I understood correctly, you thought
500 square feet per unit. That is not the case. We're talking about land area. We're talking
about density. We're not talking about the size of the unit. Okay? So I think Jeff made it clear.
Right? So we're talking about density. Okay? Now people will say, well, you're doubling the
density, that's awful. But we have to first think about doubling, what was the baseline.
Doubling of what? All right, two times zero is zero. Two times one is two. The point is we're
starting from the very, very light density. The 1000-square foot per, of land area per unit is very
light. I'm talking about by most standards now. Okay? You can say we have our own Hilo
standards. I'm talking about on the average big town, small town. I'm talking about in an urban
8
setting. Most urban cities,big or small,400 square feet per unit on the land area,maybe 600,
those are really considered medium, okay, or moderate, not high density at all. So when we're
talking about 500 square feet per land you can build one unit, it's really on the low side of
medium by most standards. So first I think we have to look at that. Okay? Two times double,
two times what,No. 1? No. 2, and what is a reasonable density for a so-called an urban setting?
Okay. So I hope this is clear because I, I feel,people asked me, you know, wow, you know
you're trying to double it-? Okay? You know, you know double betting, anything is no good.
Okay?
What Jeff was saying for the last 10, 15 years maybe, it has been a trend for Downtown
development, or what they call in-field housing, trying to encourage and trying to be more
flexible in the planning, to encourage more residential development in urban areas. I think
Mr. Ono asked a good question, you know, "What about the rest?" Now the way I'm
understanding, I understand it,the Hilo 2025, the EnVision, you know they have high ends on
just about everything,but indeed you do need to bring back residents, to encourage other kinds
of development. I do think that we need at least a medium-sized grocery store/supermarket in
town so people don't have to go all the way out, you know. But how do you encourage someone
with, to run a commercial enterprise that benefits residents and not just tourists? You need
people to live there. You need to revitalize the place so that after 6 o'clock there would still be
people there. So, now this trend has been going on for quite some time. But this movement has
really been intensified since the recession, 2008. People were losing their homes, you know, so
they have to find places to live. And they found out that the developers, the builders, they built
smaller units. It's cheaper. Right? Make it more affordable.
And then the demographics -. People like me, okay, at our age, most often than not we become
empty nesters,kids going away, all the pre-, recession, greenfield houses. Okay? It's just too
big to handle any more and you want to move closer to a place that you can walk. In fact walk at
30 (phonetic)becomes a catchword nowadays.
MELROSE: You want to make it short.
TAI: Okay. Okay, I was going to make it short then. And then, so like I said, you know, the
demographics. Okay, so the old folks don't want to move into town. And then the younger kids,
you know, started working, they don't want to live in the suburbs. Now there was one person
who wrote the letter to the Editor about bringing traffic. Okay? But actually you have to look at
the much broader scope. The reason of Downtown development is to reduce urban sprawl, is to
reduce traffic overall,not just in the Downtown. Okay? Now I don't know how much time do I
have,but I can go on for a little bit longer.
ISHIBASHI: Just a little more.
TAI: Okay.
MELROSE: Let them ask you questions.
TAI: All right. Okay. All right. Just one more thing. Okay, in terms of economics, and I'm not
speaking just on behalf of my own project here. In order now today,particularly in Hilo where
9
rental and selling prices are relatively low compared to other cities -. But the construction cost
here is no less than Honolulu, I suppose, okay, or even more in some cases. So you have to
make the economics work. Okay? In order to do that, if you only allow very light density
you're forced to build bigger units, which is not possible here because it costs more. So making
the density such that at least you let the developer work the numbers out is really essential. And
for that, I think it's for the same reason there haven't been many new developments, as far as I
know for residential projects maybe in the last 20 years, 25 years.
One more thing just on the height limit, okay. Because I'm an architect I just deal with the
physical design. Even with a density of 500 square feet per unit, there's no way you have
enough building area to go up to even 60 feet. I can guarantee that. Plus now you have your
parking requirement. One you put in the parking you take up a lot of spaces. You know, the 120
feet I know it will never be reached, you know. So I wouldn't worry about that. In fact, I came
up with a scheme it's no more than five stories. You know, this is based on,based on the 500
square feet,based on even the first two floors for commercial. And no matter how I pack it, it's
only five stories. Okay? So I wouldn't worry about the height limit for now. Besides this is
really not part of the issue here. Maybe I should stop here now and I can answer some questions.
ISHIBASH I: Thank you. Any questions for Mr. -.
ONO: Mr. Chair?
ISHIBASHI: Go ahead, Commissioner Ono.
ONO: I'm not very good at math. But can you clarify for me, you were talking about 500
square feet per land area. But if you were to multiply that by the number of floors that's, let's
say it's three units, that 15, 3, 500-square foot land area times the height of the building or the
number of floors per building-. Let's assume here that -.
TAI: Nothing to do with the number of floors.
ONO: Oh.
TAI: Absolutely nothing to do with it. It's the land area. Like Jeff was saying, let's say you
have 20,000 square feet of land,under the current Code every 1,000 square feet of land area you
can build one unit. Okay? So that means you can build 20 units, you know, 20,000 square feet
of land.
ONO: Oh, so you don't have to worry about the height?
TAI: Height limit has nothing to do with it.
ONO: I see.
TAI: Height limit is something more to do with the design, the planning. But my point is even
with 500 square feet, which is double the density now, you can hardly reach even 50 feet.
10
ONO: Well, I guess my previous question to the staff was that with the increase in density-. I
was more concerned about the use of water lines as the pressure-. And so I was wondering if
the increase in population density would have a negative impact on whatever infrastructure we
have in place today.
TAI: Oh, I don't have the answer to that. But I was reading, in fact,just before I came, there
was an article on the AIA, Architect, a magazine for architects. It was not just this city, in most
cities when we try to build, you know, more in town they were saying exactly what some were
saying, you don't, you don't wait until you've improve everything. Okay? You do it little by
little. Because, if not,people won't do it. You know, so I have no idea what the capacity is
going to be like and how, what, the work needed. But this is something that the Planning
Department or people in the Department can work this out. I'm sure, I mean can people can go
to the moon nowadays, you know. So I wouldn't think that is a big issue-. Of course cost, you
know, is a factor,but I'm just not familiar with that.
MELROSE: I can answer just a touch of that. And that is we did talk to the Department of
Water Supply because that issue came up in our deliberations. And that they, basically the
Department of Water Supply said they have plenty of pressure and water in that area . If you
multiplied it and you took all of those, all the lots in Downtown and you multiplied it all by this,
leave it all residential units, maybe you'd have a shortage. But at this point in time that's not the
case. So the issue is to move into that and use what's available. So it is, there is plenty of water
in this circumstance from a supply/demand/storage perspective to do what we're doing. And,
you know, 80 years from now when they've, you know, when we have a different setting maybe
somebody needs to do more.
TAI: And I want to -.
MELROSE: I need to go, I have a meeting with the Mayor, so -.
TAI: If you look at the CDH boundary line, 25 percent of that is in the SMA zone. It's in the
SMA zone, you can't do anything with it. And the remaining, if you look at it, a lot of these
areas, land,belong to institutions or cities or to counties. You can't do anything, like parks, you,
churches. And then as you read, dig into, look into each individuals lots, like Daryn was saying,
it's small lots with a building on it. So that means the cost of buying or assembling would be
very expensive to build here. If you look at the entire CDH or the gas station site that I own and
the reason, the McDonald project built, I don't think you can find other one or two more sites
that you can build. What I'm saying, if you double it it doesn't mean that it would still get built,
you know. It's very restricted in Downtown here. You don't have a lot of opportunities there,to
be honest.
ISHIBASHI: Any further questions? Okay, seeing none, motion is in order for a
recommendation to the County Council.
GONZALES: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to put a motion on the floor that we give a favorable
recommendation to the County Council to amend Chapter 25, Article 4, Division 5, and
Article 7, Division 2 of the Hawai`i County Code, as amended.
11
ISHIBASHI: Okay,motion has been made by Commissioner Gonzales. Seconded by
Commissioner-?
HENKEL: Second.
ISHIBASHI: Henkel. Open for discussion. Commissioners?
GONZALES: Again, I just want to clarify with Daryn. But I understood we're just making a
recommendation to the County Council. This is still up to them to decide?
ARAI: Yes.
GONZALES: Thank you.
ISHIBASHI: Take the vote.
ARAI: Okay, ready for the vote. Commissioner Gonzales?
GONZALES: Aye.
ARAI: Commissioner Henkel?
HENKEL: Aye.
ARAI: Commissioner Heaukulani?
HEAUKULANI: Aye.
ARAI: Commissioner Miyasato?
MIYASATO: Aye.
ARAI: Commissioner Moses?
MOSES: Aye.
ARAI: Commissioner Ono?
ONO: Aye.
ARAI: Mr. Chairman?
ISHIBASHI: Aye.
ARAI: Mr. Chairman, motion carries with seven aye votes.
12
ISHIBASHI: Okay,thank you.
The discussion ended at 12:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
\fir,,-,�� -.
Sharon M. Nomura, Secretary
Windward Planning Commission
13
William P.Kenoi _ ""a' 'y�. 4 . `�Harry S.Kubojiri
Mayor ,i«,4V
�
Ma Police Chief
.. ..
a- 03
or ,t
Paul K.Ferreira
Deputy Police Chief
County of Hawai
POLICE DEPARTMENT
349 Kapi'olani Street • Hilo,Hawaii 96720-3998
(808)935-3311 • Fax(808)961-2389
May 22, 2013
TO : BJ LET AD TO , ANNING DIRECTOR
FROM : HEN Y . TZAR S, J . ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF
ARE I PERATION
SUBJECT : PLANNING DIRECTOR INITIATED
AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 25 RELATING TO INCREASED DENSITY,
INCLUDING PARKING REQUIREMENTS, WITHIN CDH, DOWNTOWN
HILO COMMERCIAL DISTRICT
Staff, upon reviewing the provided documents, has concerns in regards to the increase
in density which may be caused by the construction of buildings and parking lots.
Downtown Hilo should have parking lot and building design standards. These standards
will help prevent crime if they correspond with CPTED (Crime Prevention through
Environmental Design) principles. Failure to have these standards can result in design
flaws that create crime.
Staff does not recommend the proposed changes in the County Code without building
and parking lot standards that comply with CPTED principles.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
If you have any questions, please contact Captain Robert Wagner, South Hilo Patrol
Commander, at 961-2214.
RW:Ili
130324
085399
"Hawai'i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer" ATTACHMENT A
'LA:: . . t tart
wiItpa P.Ksno! � 611116"•lit°11"ks
*ter MAW
. ` /. , Ralvalcitaiktetiso
-,W OW
Countp of 3abiai`i
HAWAII FIRE DEPARTMENT
25 Aortal Street•Suer 2111•Hilo,HnnIN 9rf3S
$N)132-29N•Fe:(SN)132.292a
May 23,2013
TO: BJ LEITHEAD-TODD PLANNING DIRECTOR
FROM: DARREN J.ROSARIO,FIRE CHIEF
SUBJECT: PLANNING DIRECTOR INITIATED
Amendment to Chapter 25 Relating to Increased Density,Including
Parking Requirements,Within CDH,Downtown Hilo Commercial District
In regards to the above-mentioned change of zone application,the following shall be in
accordance:
Section 25-7-27.Other regulations.
(a) Plan approval is required for all new structures and additions to existing structures in the
CDH district,except for construction of one single-family dwelling and any accessory
buildings per lot.
(1) The maintenance of all fire and life safety systems such as fire/smoke alarms and exit
egresses shall be the responsibility of the property owner or their legal representative.
This provision shall apply,but not be limited to,all new and existing occupancies
with sleeping quarters such as bed and breakfasts,residential dwellings,hotels,
motels,and nursing homes.
NOTE: (Not meant to be included to the above language)Recommend to include DPW Building
Division in this review and comment process
(2&.
DARREN J.ROSARIO
Fire Chief
RP/nac
085401
Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer. ATTACHMENT B
YAMANAKA ENTERPRISES, INC.
r �.�t. •�1
May 15,2013
7'7 17 is;1 2: 19
B1 Leithead Todd
Planning Director,County of Hawaii
East Hawai'i Office
101 Pauahi Street,Suite 3
Hilo,HI 96720
Aloha Planning Director Leithead Todd,
I am writing in support of the proposed amendments to Chapter 25 Relating to Increased Density,
Including Parking Requirements,Within CDH,Downtown Hilo Commercial District.
The EnVision Downtown Hilo 2025 Action Plan has had the Crowdsourced Placemaking Website up for
some time now and we are just not seeing the type of projects that support one of the most important
focus areas which is Creating Economic Vitality. For this vision to be achieved I believe that a lot more
people need to be living in the Downtown Hilo area.
One of the main issues for property owners considering renovating housing units is the lack of housing
data which is needed to determine feasibility and risk. This change in density doesn't solve the issue
however it gives the owners another tool which helps them to measure these factors. The more tools
we continue to add the greater are chances of achieving this vision.
Sincerely,
Garth amanaka
President
G&H Appraisals Inc.
Vice-President
Yamanaka Enterprises Inc.
085269
ATTACHMENT C
THE HILO IRON WORKS BUILDING 1266 Kamehameha Avenue Hilo,Hawaii 96720 Telephone:(808)935-9766 FAX(808)969-1783
'oehnen Ltd
SINCE 1929
may.-23;20 l'3' i i l 02
Windward Planning Commission
County of Hawaii Planning Department
101 Pauahi Street, Suite No. 3
Hilo,Hawaii 96720
•
Re: Planning Director Initiated Amendment to Chapter 5 Relating to Increased Density,
Including Parking Requirements,Within CDH,Downtown Hilo Commercial District.
Ladies&Gentlemen:
Our corporation is a long-time property owner within the CDH. While we have no plans to
institute residential housing on our property,the regulations that govern creation of such are of
interest and concern to us.
The undersigned is one of the original founders of the Downtown Improvement Association.
I have had association with the CDH district all my life, since our family business has been
located within it during that entire time. At one time the district encompassed almost all the
commercial activity that took place in Hilo,but tsunamis, urban sprawl,and a host of financial
factors have now relegated it largely to ancillary boutique uses. The decline in relative
commercial importance can be said to have been initiated with the destructive 1946 Tsunami;
ever since then there has been continuing effort to re-constitute and revitalize the Downtown
area. While it will assuredly never attain its original stature,it is an important historical and
cultural part of our community and deserves all the help it can get. Good planning recognizes
that part of that help is encouraging downtown residential uses.
Because of the hodge-podge of relatively small property parcels it is infeasible for large-scale
residential development to ever take place. Increased density is the only way increased
residential use can ever make economic sense for a property owner;even with it the potential is
very limited. But, it's a common sense start. The proposed amendments are simple,
understandable,and will assist in encouraging the desired residential development,small as it
may be. As an individual and on behalf of our corporate entity,Uwe therefore heartily endorse
this effort and encourage the Commissioners to give the proposed bill their approval.
Sincerely,
FRED J. KOEHNEN, President.
TELEPHONE (808) 961-4725 5 4 3 9
P.O. Box 986 • H ILO, HAWAII 96721 -0986 ATTACHMENT D
76 KAMEHAMEHA AVENUE • H ILO, HAWAII 96720