REP PC 072 2016/08/16 (2014-2016) Amended

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING DATE: August 16, 2016 Re: Comm. No. 980/Res. No. 592-16 PLACE: Council Chambers Kona, Hawai`i TIME: 1:05 p.m. Council Chair and Members Hawai`i County Council Hilo, Hawai`i 96720 Your Committee on Planning, to which was referred Resolution No. 592-16, reports as follows: Resolution No. 592-16, introduced by Council Member Valerie Poindexter via Communication No. 980 dated July 28, 2016, establishes the Council's policy to enact a temporary postponement on rezoning applications in the area to be covered by the Hamakua Community Development Plan from Waipi`o to Kaiwiki. Such a postponement will be in effect until the Hamakua Community Development Plan is adopted by ordinance, or until June 30, 2017, whichever shall occur first. Ms. Poindexter referred to the importance, as stated in the General Plan, of preserving agricultural lands. She said that respect for people's voices requires providing for preservation of agricultural lands in the forthcoming CDP. Ms. Wille said she supports the resolution. She was an early supporter of the CDP process. Hawai`i County does not have incorporated villages and towns, and the CDP is one place to have a direct interface with the County. She said she supports this wholeheartedly and urges others to do so as a matter of respect for people, and to provide a united voice for the people in Hamakua. Ms. David reflected on the North Kohala CDP process, which required very detailed community participation. She said that what Ms. Poindexter is doing is the right thing. She voiced respect for the community's desires on what they want the community to look like as far as development is concerned. She said she respects CDPs and believes that once it is incorporated into the planning process, the county will be better able to make sound decisions because we will have the framework based on what the community's desires are. Mr. Onishi commented that passage of this resolution should result in a postponement of Bill No. 227, relating to agricultural tourism, which was also on Your Committee's agenda. Mr. Kanuha stated his support for this resolution and also that Ms. Poindexter knows her community well. Mr. Kanuha had a question about what the timeline of the CDP would be; and also what would happen with rezoning applications that are already in the queue. Ms. Poindexter stated that the response from steering committee members was a timeline was unknown. Director Kanuha answered Mr. Kanuha's question by saying that approval of this resolution precludes the actions of neither the planning commissions nor the processing of applications, although all parties involved would be aware of the Council's direction on this matter. Director Kanuha opined that PC Report No. 72