03-07-20222 COMMENTS FROM STATE DLNR-DOFAW (PL-REZ-2021-000013)

Home

SUZANNE D.CASE DAVID Y.IGE 4 6 .... A BOARD OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES GOVERNOR OF HAWAII �".(P p�9 S J J`, COMMISSION ON WATERRESOURCE MANAGEMENT ya ROBERT K.MASUDA ��ANO�� :-ho � ✓ FIRST DEPUTY Q�y CO� t M.KALEO MANUEL DEPUTY DDUCTOR-WATER f j too`oI— AQUATIC RESOURCES BOATING AND OCEAN RECREATION BUREAU OF CONVEYANCES STATE OF HAWAII COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HAWAt� CONSERVATION AND COASTAL LANDS DE„A„ MEN "F LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION ANGINEERNG ENFORCEMENT r x lv V lv lv lv RESOURCES ENGINEERING DIVISION OF FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE `DSTO"I P"EsER WILDLIFE 1151 PUNCHBOWL STREET,ROOM 325 IG+BOOLAWE ISLAND RESERVE COMMISSION LAND HONOLULU,HAWAII 96813 STAFF PARES March 4, 2022 MEMORANDUM Log no. 3488 TO: RUSSELL Y. TSUJI, Land Administrator Land Division FROM: DAVID G. SMITH, Administrator Division of Forestry and Wildlife SUBJECT: Division of Forestry and Wildlife Comments on a Change of Zone Application Requesting Rezoning from Agricultural to Single-Family Residential, South Kohala, Hawaii The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW)has received your request for comments regarding a Change of Zone Application (PL-REZ-2021- 000013) for a property located at 65-1310 Lihipali Road in Waimea Homesteads, South Kohala, on the Island of Hawaii, TMK: (3) 6-5-007:045. The proposed project consists of rezoning a 33,738-square foot parcel of land from Agricultural-l-acre (A-la) to Single-Family Residential- 15 (RS-15)with the intent to subdivide the land into two(2)TMK lots consisting of roughly 18,237 square feet and 15,501 square feet, with each containing one existing single-family residence. The requested change of zone does not propose any further development of the property or change to the land use. The State listed Hawaiian Hoary Bat or `Ope`ape`a (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) could potentially occur in the vicinity of the project area and may roost in nearby trees. Any required site clearing should be timed to avoid disturbance to bats during their birthing and pup rearing season (June 1 through September 15). During this period woody plants greater than 15 feet (4.6 meters) tall should not be disturbed, removed, or trimmed. Barbed wire should also be avoided for any construction because bats can become ensnared and killed by such fencing during flight. The project area falls within or is encompassed by the historic range of the State listed Blackburn's Sphinx Moth (BSM; Manduca blackburni). Larvae of BSM feed on many nonnative hostplants that include tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauca) which grows in disturbed soil. We recommend contacting our Hawaii Branch DOFAW office at (808) 974-4221 for further information about where BSM may be present and whether a vegetation survey should be conducted to determine the presence of plants preferred by BSM. DOFAW recommends removing plants less than one meter in height or during the dry time of the year to avoid harm to B SM. If you intend to either remove tree tobacco over one meter in height or to disturb the ground around or within several