2006-01-06 TOSHIRO - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

say for the record, that the community development plan process should be implemented island- wide immediately. And I understand the Director and the Department basically dont have the resources to do that at this time. But until thats done, we will continue on this road of spot development and not having any kind of cohesive plan. Multiple references have been made to our zoning ordinance and the land use planning guides, you know; and those are just that, guides. And, actually, if you just start thinking about all the development that could occur under those zoning laws and so forth, if we made all of those changes, I dont see a good picture for this islands future. So the community development plan process, getting all the neighbors involved -- and I know lots of people are tired by this process, but hopefully the community development plan process will be more engaging and empowering for the people to determine, you know, whether or not this kind of development should occur in their neighborhood -- that is, to me, a lot better process than what were doing here today. So,Mr.Fukemadethecommentthatthisisanareaintransition,wereagrowingcommunity; and I think thats all rather obvious. The only question is how were going to handle it. And in this particular instance I think that its better to hold off on this application, not allow it to go through, to have the community development plan process worked on, get it done in a couple of years like they did for Downtown Hilo, and then well have a comprehensive plan that hopefully most of the people in the community, and especially in this neighborhood for this project, will be able to agree on what the houselot is going to look like, what the area around the University is going to look like, you know, as they have done with Downtown Hilo in the Envision Plan which took about two years to do. I dont think our economy is going to suffer for us going down that road. Thank you. ALAMEDA:Thank you, Commissioner Iwashita. Commissioner Graham. GRAHAM:I want to respectfully disagree with Commissioner Iwashita on one point, that being the spot development. I think spot development has been an issue in this County for a long time, and Im sort of proud of this Commission in general where I think this Commission has not been willing to do spot developments. And I think just recently a Puna application for a large commercial venture where it wasnt planned was turned down by this Commission in my absence. I too was worried that this might be spot development. But at the first meeting we had on this hearing not only do we have the Takase property on one side not in residential use but I was informed that the property immediately adjacent on the other side through special permit is being used as an office facility, I believe. So, to me, because this conforms with the General Plan, because the properties across the street and the properties on both sides are not being used residentially, to turn this property into other than residential use is not spot development at all. Its really conforming with what adjoins. And I feel that the applicant by agreeing to reduce whatever footprint and size this project has to being no more than what a residential property would have has really addressed the issue of unduly intruding on the adjacent properties which will remain residential. So, to me, I can support this application on those bases. And I just, with my question to Mr. Darrow about the General Plan because there is such an interest in residential in this area and there is such a value to the residential we have, I dont feel like I would want to extend the nonresidential uses father 13EXHIBIT A