2008-03-06 THILOFARMERS MARKET - Laserfiche WebLink

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application is identified with a blue outline. It’s on the northwest corner of Mamo Street and Kalanianaole Avenue intersection. HAYASHI: Kamehameha. DARROW: Oh, I’m sorry, thank you, Kamehameha Avenue. The applicant is requesting a 3-story building. Most of us are familiar with this particular location. Since 1987 it has been the operation of a farmers market. I’m not sure how long the present owner has owned the property, but previously it was owned by a person named by Richard Rankin who had come in for multiple SMA Minor Permits to establish this particular use. We’ve all seen that they’ve been operating for a period of time under temporary tents. The County has made efforts to meet with the different owners in this particular location to ask them to look at the long-range vision for this area and their improvements. Mr. DeLa Cruz, the applicant’s representative or the owner of the Hilo Farmers Market, has been working with the County over a long period of time, and also has been working with the Mayor on this particular issue. The ground floor of this building will continue to operate as the Farmers Market. The applicant is proposing to add on a second story which will have restrooms for customers and vendors, as well as food service and some retail space. At this time it is unknown whether or not the food service would be a restaurant style or just like a food mart type of place with numerous vendors. The third floor will consist of offices and overnight accommodations or residential units. At this time we do have some proposed layouts. The second floor of the proposed building will include, again, the area where there will be a restaurant or food service type activity, as well as restrooms for customers and vendors of the Farmers Market. The third floor on this particular proposed layout, they’re showing a 10-unit hostel layout which is part of the proposal. It could be hostel overnight accommodations or it could be actual residential units. This is the proposed elevations of the building.This is from Mamo Street, just giving you an idea of the design and character of the proposed structure. These are from Punahoa Street, as well as from Kamehameha Avenue. The Exhibit 2 within your application is a letter from the Mayor showing his support and also mentioning that he will be having the County work on improvements to the sidewalks and the roads in this particular area.Another area that we want to bring to your attention is that in 2005 the Envision Downtown Hilo 2025 Plan was adopted by resolution by the Hawaii County Council. Within that plan, one of the elements was to establish a permanent farmers market within Downtown Hilo. So this application is definitely consistent with not only the Envision Downtown Hilo Plan but also the General Plan, which is also calling for a farmers market in this particular area. The Planning Director is recommending that the Planning Commission approve the Special Management Area Use Permit. I want to bring to your attention that we do have Ron Thiel from the Traffic Division with us, but unfortunately he has to leave within 10 minutes. He did send us some comments and they are incorporated within the recommendation regarding possible improvements to the intersection. They’re proposing a stoplight to this particular area. They’re proposing on market days which are considered Wednesdays and Saturdays to do a trial basis of closing the road from Punahoa Street to Kamehameha Avenue just in this particular area, and to do this as a test basis to see if it helps the situation as far as safety and pedestrian access, as well EXHIBIT B 2