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DAVID Y. IGE <br />GOVERNOR <br />STATE OF HAWAII <br />DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <br />AIRPORTS DIVISION <br />400 RODGERS BOULEVARD, SUITE 700 <br />HONOLULU, HAWAII 96819-1880 <br />December 17, 2019 <br />Mr. Michael Yee, Director <br />Mr. Duane Kanuha, Deputy Director <br />COUNTY OF HAWAII PLANNING DEPARTMENT <br />Aupuni Center <br />101 Pauahi Street, Suite 3 <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Dear Mr. Kanuha, <br />JADE T. BUTAY <br />DIRECTOR <br />Deputy Dtreuers <br />LYNN A . ARAKI-REGAN <br />DEREK J. CHOW <br />ROSS M HIGASHI <br />EDWIN H. SNIFFER <br />IN REPLY REFER T01 <br />r <br />z <br />SUBJECT: REQUEST TO ALLOW ACCESSORY -USE UNDER COUNTY OF HAWAII <br />CODE CHAPTER 25 <br />The Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) is experiencing tremendous <br />growth. This growth has led to several new developments at the airport in recent years, <br />including a major terminal modernization project, a new Federal Inspection Services (FIS) <br />building, and other, private developments. One of the airport's biggest areas of need for private <br />development is a hotel/conference center. <br />KOA is zoned as MG (general industrial). Hotels are not specifically listed in the Hawaii <br />County Code for MG, except possibly as an accessory use to the airport as described in Chapter <br />25-5-152.e. There are numerous accessory uses for a hotel at the airport, including overnighting <br />flight crews, accommodating flight cancellations, day trip meeting spaces, travelers with very <br />early flights, and emergency passengers of all sorts. We respectfully request that the County of <br />Hawaii Planning Department allow a hotel at KOA under an accessory -use under Chapter 25. <br />Accommodations in West Hawai`i are concentrated in downtown Kailua-Kona (approximately 8 <br />miles south) and Waikoloa Resort (approximately 18 miles north). The goal of the KOA hotel is <br />not to compete directly against these hotels, but to support airport operations. The Kohala Coast <br />Resort Association supports a hotel on -airport, and their letter of support is attached. <br />A hotel/conference center is called for in the airport's current master plan. The hotel is justified <br />in chapter 5-23 of the master plan, stating "Many airports support hotels on-site in support of <br />flight crews and overnight stays for passengers traveling early the next day." FAA regulations <br />require rest periods for pilots between flights. The distance to an available hotel can affect flight <br />scheduling; the rest period will adjust to give time for uninterrupted sleep, accountin•_ for the <br />travel time. Planning Dept. SCANNED <br />Exhibit 1 FEB 04 2020 <br />; ,,1 Q U12 4 <br />