COM 0198.000 2018-2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Aaron S.Y. Chung, Council Chair and Members of the County Council County of Hawai`i Page 8 construction of approximately 100,000 square feet of the proposed medical office park and approximately 100,000 square feet of the commercial center to commence within five (5) years of the ordinance. Likewise, construction of the Ponahawai Street extension was to commence within the five (5) year period and be completed within ten(10) years. In 2015, the Planning Director approved an administrative time extension for Condition L, which extended the date to commence construction of the project and the Ponahawai Street extension to June 18, 2020, and extended completion of construction of the Ponahawai Street extension to June 18, 2025. Condition P required the provision of an 80-foot wide right-of-way and construction of the Ponahawai Street extension from Komohana Street to Mohouli Street within the WPD to County dedicable standards, complete with curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. The Extension has to be completed without any regard to the actual development(and hence, impact) of the project within the WPD but by an arbitrarily fixed period. The issue with these conditions is two-fold. Relative to Condition L, short of an unforeseen resurgent demand for 100,000 square feet of commercial space and 100,000 square feet of medical office/facility for a city like Hilo, it is difficult to anticipate a demand for an aggregate of 200,000 square feet of space in such a short period of time. As such, the applicant believes that instead of arbitrarily establishing a minimum square footage to commence and complete a project, it would be more appropriate to integrate the necessary infrastructure (road, water, wastewater) requirements with what is being actually developed through the Plan Approval process. In concept, this would be no different than reviewing a development on an existing zoned property. In those situations, infrastructural requirements relative to access, water, wastewater and so forth are addressed and implemented in conjunction with the Plan Approval and building permit processes, with all necessary infrastructure completed prior to issuance of an occupancy permit. Relatedly, Condition L requires improvements to the Ponahawai Street extension and its intersection even if a project within the WPD does not utilize the area required to be improved. In that case, the applicant would be subjected to making premature infrastructure improvements,which adds significantly to the upfront cost. This cost is further compounded by Condition P, which requires an 80-foot wide right-of-way, complete with curbs, gutters, and sidewalks, a standard that may be substantially in excess of the possible impacts of a project.