2004-01-16 Western United Life - Laserfiche WebLink

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SPRINGER:Since we know that we won't necessarily have the site specific plans or recommendations that might bring you greater comfort, would just having more time for public discussion, maybe even incorporating what recommendations the Director may come up with at this time, would that help assuage some of your concern? MCCALL:It certainly would. I would think so. I'd say given, I mean it is clear to, I think, there are a number of parties who really only -. But there are a number of members of the public who really did not really hear a whole lot about this until they read it in the Tribune-Herald. I think it -, granted, that brings in all manners of things into this, but I think this is a large and a -, a large step for the tiny town of Hilo. Maybe it's time for Hilo to grow up, but I think it is, I think it would be good to allow the public a little more time to digest this, and if more public testimony is needed and more meetings with the public, I think that would be, that would certainly allay some of my fears. SPRINGER:We've certainly had some exposure recently, both at Kohanaiki in Kona ` and the Pepeekeo development that's before us now where we've seen some benefit to more structured dialogue in the community, and particularly in the Kohanaiki case, a really rather surprising amount of community support for something that initially had not received it. So I think we've all had some recent experience with the benefits of structured dialogue in the community. I don't know if that's the case here. Could you maybe discuss that with us? YAMASHIRO:I guess the hard part is that the plans are up to zone by density. It's a mixed use project which will maybe have some of the residential and commercial together, and that's why it can't -, you know, that was the idea behind the project district concept. We can - , could take more, but does that mean that we'll go out and beat the drums and haul in a busload of people and, you know, that kind of thing? I think the Staff has done a fairly thorough job of going about the pluses and minuses. The list of conditions are extensive, and I think address most of the concerns that were raised by the public, and I don't know if -, what -, we can always take more testimony, but what do we -, where are we going to go, you know? At some point in time a decision has to be made and maybe getting it to the County Council sooner rather than later and having the action body take as much time as they can would be the most appropriate in this situation, allowing, you know, the Planning Commission can always add more comment to the input as they see fit. FUJIKAWA:Go ahead, Springer. SPRINGER:Have there any -, are there any individuals or community groups that you're working with in particular or is it a general public meeting being called and so everyone is welcome? YAMASHIRO:We've had statutory meetings with the neighbors. We've also made ` presentations to various groups like the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board. We've ` also made presentations to the University of Hawaii Chancellor and her staff and other groups 28