2022-05-19 Leeward Planning Commission Minutes

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PLANNING DIRECTOR'S REPORT Report on Special Management Area (SMA) determinations, minor permits and enforcement action issued by the Planning Director. At 11:30 a.m. Chairman Vitousek introduced this item. Ms. Jackson made a correction to the April 2022 SMA Assessment log that had been sent to the Commissioners. She said that the $573,000 value indicated for PL-SAA-2021-000034 was in error; the applicant had since reduced the number of photovoltaic ("PV")panels to be installed, which brought the value below the $500,000 trigger for an SMA Major Use Permit and resulted in the issuance of the SMA Minor Use Permit. She said that staff would send a corrected log to the Commission next month. Chairman Vitousek commented that it might be interesting to try finding a way to exclude renewable energy components from the overall development cost, if renewable energy was to be encouraged. Ms. Jackson said that this particular project was unique in that the application was for a carport structure with PV panels on top of that, whereas many hotels in West Hawaii are putting PV panels on their rooftops, so it would not have the same SMA development trigger. Chairman Vitousek acknowledged, and Ms. Jackson confirmed, that the applicant in question was reducing not only the number of PV panels but also the footprint of the carport structure. There were no questions from the Commissioners. AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING At 11:32 a.m. Chairman Vitousek introduced this item. Ms. Jackson provided the following updates on the pending requests: • Presentation on the purview of the Cultural Resources Commission is tentatively planned for August or September. • Staff are in the process of updating Planning Commission Rule 9, Special Management Area, and Planning Department Rule 11, Shoreline Setback, and hope to bring the matter before the joint Planning Commission around August or September. Staff will try to schedule the requested presentation on the permit extension process prior to that so that if the Commission wishes to make any change to rules related to time extensions, that can be considered at the joint Planning Commission meeting. There were no new requests from the Commissioners. ANNOUNCEMENTS The Leeward Planning Commission's next monthly meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 16, 2022 by interactive video conference via Zoom and at the West Hawaii Civic Center, Community Center, Building G conference room. At 11:33 a.m. Chairman Vitousek asked Ms. Jackson for an update. Ms. Jackson said that there were tentatively three items on the agenda, one of which was for two applications for a State Land Use Boundary Amendment and a Change of Zone for the same project. 3 Leeward Planning Commission May 19,2022,Meeting Minutes