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The other thing to bear in mind is that byhaving the, a commercial zone does not preclude any
<br />residential activity. The present residential zone allows only for basically two dwellings, you
<br />know, what you see on that property. By having the property rezoned to commercial,if there is a
<br />strong market demand for commercial, excuse me, residential activity then what you do is you
<br />create the potential for apartments, or condominiums, or whatever to be constructed on the
<br />property. So I dont think you necessarily foreclose a residential option, actually you enhance it,
<br />provided that, of course, there is a residential demand or that market demand for it.
<br />ALAMEDA:Commissioner Iwashita, any follow up?
<br />IWASHITA:On another area, one of the things thats of interest to me is that theres,
<br />there has been really relatively limited community kind of input on this development as
<br />compared to what Im told happened with the extension application for the Takase property
<br />which adjoins it, and there was quite a bit of input there, and other Commissioners have
<br />expressedconcerninothermattersaboutneedingtogetmorecommunityinput.AndIwould,
<br />you know, because in my view this is another one of these encroaching kind of applications in
<br />this houselot area along the, you know, this is on the opposite side of where weve had other
<br />applications. And I really would like to see a lot more community input, and I know the rules
<br />dont require the applicant to make such efforts to get community input. I dont know, any
<br />comments you have on how we can get, you know, maybe not in this particular application cause
<br />now were right up against the deadline, but I really see the communitys input, especially those
<br />in the houselot area, some active involvement in developers coming in and making these kind of
<br />applications, how we can get more input? Because its really interesting to me that there was
<br />interest in the extension of the Takase project when that came up and got quite a bit of opposition
<br />from what I understand and then in this one, you know, right next door basically nothing or very
<br />little.
<br />FUKE:Well, initially in terms of the, like the public participation process, of
<br />course, you know, this is one means; and there is a requirement that notices be sent out to
<br />surrounding property owners and, you know, thats a technical requirement. And in addition to
<br />that the Council recently adopted a provision that requires signs actually be physically posted,
<br />you know, on the respective properties for the zone change. So you do have that opportunity for
<br />the public to be informed of any pending projects within an area. In addition to that, I think that
<br />what, you know, based on the last public hearing on this matter, as a result of that process, you
<br />know, there were concerns raised about the potential visual and other related type of impact to
<br />some of the residences not adjoining the property along, you know, on both side of the property,
<br />but in the back, which is presently residential zoned. And so, as a result of that process, then,
<br />you know, you come up with conditions that try to address those kinds of concerns. I think there
<br />is a market distinction between this site versus like other sites that the Commission or the County
<br />may have considered for commercial or other type of zoning within the houselot area largely
<br />because this is, although technically part of the historical Waiakea House Lot area, fronts a major
<br />thoroughfare that leads into and out of the City of Hilo. You know, we all travel in that area, and
<br />maybe two or three times a day, and you can readily see that Kilauea Avenue is really like your
<br />commercial heart in that area.
<br />But nonetheless because of the concerns raised by some of the surrounding property owners on
<br />the, I guess what would be on the north, south-east side then, you know, we came up with, at the
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