2008-04-04 Planning Commission Minutes

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Mr. Darrow oriented the Commission and public of the subject and surrounding properties on the location map and site plan, summarized the request, and noted the Planning Director has recommended approval of the request. Commissioner Siracusa said she thought Vern Wood’s approved special permit request would have created a commercial node for the type of business the applicants are proposing. Mr. Darrow said there have been a number of special permits granted in the area; however, there have been numerous requests for time extensions. He emphasized that there have not been any areas within a 5-mile radius that have been rezoned to commercial and industrial in which the applicants could locate to. Commissioner Siracusa questioned whether the applicant has complied with Rule 17 on landscaping, noting many of the approved special permits, especially along the boundary of the Keaau-Pahoa Road, have not complied with this rule. Mr. Darrow said the applicant has just submitted plan approval and will work with the Planning Department to comply with this condition, noting Mr. Kobayashi’s project is a little different in that it is quite an area away from the highway and there is quite a bit of vegetation blocking them from the highway which would be identified as part of the landscaping, noting access will be from Ilima Street and not the highway. Mr. Darrow stated that Frances Chittenden, surrounding property owner, has clarified that although she sent in a petition for a contested case her intention was to just express her opposition to the request, noting the Commissioners have a copy of the Director’s response letter to her. The applicant, Robert Kobayashi, stated he has received and agreed with the Planning Director’s background and recommendation. In response to Commissioner Siracusa’s inquiry, Mr. Kobayashi said as he did everything himself, there was a lot of paperwork involved, and the Building Department told him there was no time limit for the permit, he did not realize he had these conditions he had to comply with. He said he expects completion of the project within a month and would like to continue operating for another five years. Mr. Darrow noted that since the applicant is now aware of the time conditions he is making great effort to comply with the conditions previously imposed. In response to Commissioner Rho’s inquiries, Mr. Kobayashi said he found out about the time conditions of the permit when he met with Mr. Darrow in January to ask for the five-year extension to operate his business; and from the time he received the special permit to the time he met with Mr. Darrow in January he did not receive any notification letter that the special permit conditions were not being complied with. He clarified that he just wanted to do an extension to the existing structure by putting in beams and posts on the open garage to store his backhoe; and when the permit was granted, material was hard to come by and he was having difficulty finding a licensed contractor. He reiterated that when he went to the Building Department and asked 5