Communication Number 2019-14 Waikoloa 2nd Access Rd Report

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Waikoloa Subcommittee's Second Access Road Report 2. Introduction The large majority of Waikoloa Village is connected to the rest of Hawaii island by a single road (except for Paniolo Greens, Weilani, and Jack Hall housing.) Paniolo Avenuenue intersects with Waikoloa Road, about 6 miles mauka of the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway intersection and about 7 miles makai of the Mamalahoa Highway. Commuters and students from Waikoloa Village travel in and out of the Village on Paniolo Avenue every day, joining with tourists, trucks, military convoys, and other traffic traveling up and down Waikoloa Road. The single -channel access to Waikoloa Village has long been identified as an issue that needs to be addressed sooner or later. A Second Access Road was the Number 1 priority in the SKCDP for Waikoloa Village in 2008. This was reiterated at the Waikoloa Community meeting in May, 2015 when asked by the County to give feedback on the General Plan revisions. (See Appendix A on May, 2015 Community Meeting.) The process used at this meeting replicated the strategy used to gather community input for the original SKCDP. Data on the the community's feedback was consolidated and submitted to the County Planning Department by resident John Mueller, then Chairman of the South Kohala Community Development Plan's Action Committee. A 2005 study by consultant Sam O. Hirota, Inc. investigated possible routes for additional roads into and out of Waikoloa Village, which was submitted to the County in 2006. (See Appendix B for map.) This was not definitive, merely a starting point; however, land owners, developers' commitments, and stakeholders have changed considerably over the past dozen years. As of 2019, no real progress has been made. An understanding of community concerns about adequate infrastructure now and in the future must start with data identified by state demographers that West Hawaii, South Kohala, and Waikoloa are as most like to experience consistent, substantial growth for the foreseeable future. In late 2008, the State planned to pilot an impact fee to address the problem of development properties being built without concurrency, specifically for public school capacity. (See Appendix E for a DOE explanation of the proposed pilot, their rationale, and map ofpilot area.) Such impact fees are standard in many areas of the United States. As West Hawaii was identified as the highest potential growth area in the state, a proposal was made to have a pilot project in North Kona and South Kohala. Public hearings were held, and many developers attended, speaking out in opposition, with one testimony given in favor of the fee from a public -school administrator. Mayor Kenoi agreed with the developers, stating that Hawaii Island would be "unfairly penalized" is such a fee were imposed, and the pilot project was tabled. None -the -less, the analysis by the state demographers remains valid about the probability of significant growth in West Hawaii. June 18, 2019 Page 2 017