2011-02-03 TPEARLSExhibitA - Laserfiche WebLink

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I want to talk a little bit about precedence in this process. I think there are nine special permits along that coast, along this stretch of road between Volcano and Mt. View, maybe a little farther down from Mt. View, that include a small group of businesses all that serve local uses -- Hirano Store, Akatsuka Orchids which is obviously a larger operation, I think there’s a small convenience store near there that I’m not familiar with. There are several fruit stands or wood sales, the De Luz operations. There’s an antique place, there are several churches. There is a glass blowing operation. A little farther down is the Hilo Coffee Mill which does similar kinds of activities and is part of, I think, what generated this concern initially. But they’re stretched out over a 13-mile zone. And, you know, the notion that in somehow this is a new strip, you know, the initiation of some kind of a strip development, as one of these letters mentions, is a little, an overstatement of that. They’ve really tried to follow all the rules; and I think they’ve been surprised by what they found. They have a vision of a small integrated Ag food processing operation business with a clear intent to serve the surrounding community and to enable others to process and move forward in their small businesses as well. They’re really not requesting a restaurant but they are wishing to have the opportunity to use their bread to make a sandwich or to sell sandwiches to other places to be resold. But it allows people the chance to -. But it gives them just an additional way to create a value ad for the product and producer. So the Police have said that they have no problem with the traffic issues, so that the coming and going from the road have not been identified as problematic. And from a neighbor’sperspective, aside from the one raised of noise which is, I think, you’ll hear probably from that neighbor in a little while, is absolutely a concern that they honor and respect. So I think what we’re asking the Planning Commission for is the consideration of this in context of some of the other decisions you’ve been making of late and to look at that as a small business opportunity that is not really out of step or out of filter to the rest of what is going on in Puna. And I appreciate the efforts that these folks have done. So with that, any questions? I’d be glad to answer. KERN: Any questions? Commissioner Domingo. DOMINGO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Prior to describing the process that you went through, in the very beginning I heard that there was some retail uses at that place. T. ROBESON: There was. DOMINGO: For how long? T.ROBESON: I’m not sure. I know that at least a year or more. DOMINGO: A year -. T. ROBESON: Yeah. MELROSE: You’re talking about the Kilauea Coffee activity? T. ROBESON: Right, where the coffee was sold. They sold coffee out of that retail -. DOMINGO: Would you be familiar if they were permitted to conduct that kind of a business at that site? 6 EXHIBIT A