2010-03-05 TPD CDH - Laserfiche WebLink

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WOODWARD: Thank you. Do we have any questions? Commissioner Domingo. DOMINGO: Thank you. Thank you for your comments. What’s your ideal height limit as you envision Hilo and its growth, and also with respect to some of the plans that you may have? STEVENS: Our plan, original plan for the ultimate building was a maximum of five floors, even if we had to go down to create an additional floor of parking. We wanted at least one floor, possibly two. DOMINGO: Okay. Thank you. WOODWARD: All right, any further questions? No? Okay, Ms. Inoue. INOUE: Hi. My name is Cindy Inoue; and my address is 2427 Kaiwiki Road, Hilo, Hawaii. I am a resident of Hilo and I’m also the current president of the Wainaku Kaiwiki Community Association. And I’m here to speak to you on the proposed amendment to Chapter 25. It is my belief that Hilo is a business area and allowed uses should remain consistent with normal and regular businesses. Instead of reducing the kind of businesses that are allowed, restrictions should be reduced. Instead of reducing the building height limit, it should be left alone. Increasing the allowable density is a good thing and should be supported as proposed. More businesses should be encouraged to use the Downtown space. Property owners should be encouraged to renovate and improve their buildings. Rules should be adopted to help business owners, not hurt them or refrain from their business activities. Thank you very much. WOODWARD: All right, thank you. Any questions for Ms. Inoue? Okay, thank you very much. You folks may be seated. Albert Nakaji and William Lowe, all right, if I could swear you in. If you’ll raise your right hand. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth today before the Windward Planning Commission? NAKAJI: I do. LOWE: I do. WOODWARD: Okay, Mr. Nakaji, if you’ll give us your name and address, and you may begin. NAKAJI: My name is Albert Nakaji. I reside at 27-309 Kaieie Road, at Papaikou. Chairman Woodward and Members, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the proposed amendments to Chapter 25 of the Hawaii County Code. Although I’m not a property owner of any parcel in Downtown Hilo, I speak about it because it is part of my heritage. You should have my written statement so I won’t read it. But I will touch on major points and maybe add a few more thoughts that, in reference to some of the earlier comments. The first point I’d like to make is contrary to the reference that was made in the proposed bill, Downtown Hilo was never a plantation style town, never, never in any sense of the word. It was and is a business hub with mixed uses. And although the Hilo businesses did support the sugar industries, it was totally different with regard to architecture, layout, and purpose. And while it 8 EXHIBIT C