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Zendo Kern <br /> July 26, 2021 <br /> Page 4 <br /> in the community in support of County Police operations in South Kohala, North <br /> Kohala and Hamakua districts. The Legislature recognized that lands classified as <br /> Agricultural might not always be best suited for agricultural activities and that <br /> certain types of uses might not be strictly agricultural in nature, and provided a <br /> mechanism via the Special Permit process to allow certain unusual and reasonable <br /> uses within the Agricultural District. <br /> Further, the amendment request is consistent with the objectives and policies of <br /> HRS Chapter 205A and the guidelines contained in Rule 9 of the Planning <br /> Commission Rules of Practice and Procedures. The Project Area is located <br /> outside of the SMA area, will not be affected by coastal hazards and beach <br /> erosion, and will not negatively affect coast ecosystems, marine resources, public <br /> access to the shoreline or shoreline recreational resources. <br /> B. Does not adversely affect surrounding properties. The Applicant has operated the <br /> Facility since 2002 and no community related complaints have been lodged <br /> against its operations. Any fugitive dust and/or noise exposure and visual/view <br /> planes impacts, to and along Kauakea Street, Mamalahoa Highway and the Nani <br /> Waimea Subdivision, as a result of the Facility in hours/days of operation and <br /> special permit coverage area are mitigated as follows: (1) existing ironwood <br /> hedge landscaping buffer on the eastern Property boundary along Kauakea Street, <br /> (2) existing fencing that separates the existing Facility and farm dwelling, (3) <br /> existing 12 to 15 feet high grass berm and ironwood hedge along the Facility's <br /> western/Nani Waimea Subdivision boundary, and (4) existing 25 feet earthen <br /> berm along the southern Property boundary. <br /> C. Does not unreasonably burden public agencies. The granting of the amendment <br /> request will not unreasonably burden public agencies to provide roads and streets, <br /> sewers and water, drainage and school improvements, and police and fire <br /> protection, since these services are available to service the Facility. <br /> D. Unusual conditions, trends and needs have occurred since the district boundaries <br /> and regulations were established. There are many areas in the County of Hawaii <br /> where lands within the Agricultural District are not in active agricultural <br /> productivity, even though they are best suited for agricultural activity. Through <br /> the issuance of a Special Permit, a community may establish various <br /> "non-agricultural" services that may not be available or allowed by zoning for the <br /> rural and agricultural communities in which they are located. Further, there is no <br /> suitable developed industrial zoned lands for business in Waimea, and this <br /> limitation resulted in the Commission's granting of a 5-year extension in 2010 to <br /> allow the continued operation of the Facility until 2015. Since that time, the <br /> Commission in 2011 approved two special permits for automotive related <br /> industries within State Land use Agricultural District lands (within close <br /> proximity to the Facility): (1) Horizon Automotive and(2) Deluz J Automotive, <br /> and acknowledged and recognized the lack of available locations with appropriate <br /> zoning, the changing nature of the Waimea community, the desire for such <br />