2011-02-03 TPEARLSExhibitA - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

KERN: Yes, Maija. COTTLE: I think all of the seven or eight special permits that were approved along the Highway in this area, the one big difference between them and this request is they were all approved prior to the adoption of the Puna CDP. DOMINGO: That -. Mr. Chairman? KERN: Yes. DOMINGO: You know, that is my primary concern. Had there not been any formal action taken by the community and the County Council with regards to adopting a development plan for the district, you know, I’d certainly find that this use as described is appropriate, an appropriate one. I can find my way in saying yes. But now that we have, especially this Commission, we pledged to uphold the community development plan, we made recommendations to the Council for its adoption. And that’s where I’m between these issues in trying to find how such a use like this can be justified in an area which is contrary to what the community development plan says. But, you know, let’s go on with the hearing and see what happens, and we’ll take it from there. MELROSE: Let me just kind of respond briefly to that. KERN: Yes, please. MELROSE: I mean I think, one is I’m, you know, there has been kind of a continual effort since the adoption of the Puna CDP to, I don’t know what the word is, correct it, improve it, enhance it, fill it in, do something that would make it a more representative plan or address some of the issues that weren’t done when we first adopted it. So I understand its standing and I also understand that it’s a document in motion. And I also, you know, know that this Commission has really wrestled with this with another circumstance -- in Hawaiian Paradise Park recently a small, you know, convenience store well outside of the designation area. But I think you made a good judgment based on what it is you saw that circumstance to provide you. And that’s what the Commission’s role is, is to take a look and understand what is the practical side of this, as opposed to the strict application of the plan. So, I mean, that’s the discretion that the Commission is, you know, granted. So I think there are multiple examples of that struggle having been wrestled with you before; and this is just another one of those opportunities. So -. DOMINGO: Mr. Chairman? KERN: Yes, Commissioner Domingo. DOMINGO: Is there anyone here this morning who had endorsed, anyone here who is a bonafide representative from the community, any member of the action committee, or anyone who sits with authority to make some kind of remarks with regards to support or to deny this recommendation? Would you know of anyone who is here who’d be able to do that today? Because I’d like to know. You know, they’re the ones, those individuals to which I refer to are the ones who are key in formulating the plan. MELROSE: I don’t know. We didn’t bring that -. KERN: Yeah, I’m not sure how that protocol works. Maybe we could ask staff as to how that works. 8 EXHIBIT A