2005-05-12 TWORLD - Laserfiche WebLink

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Hakalau, and Hakalau village located to the southeast. Besides the Hawaii Belt Highway, I just wanted to let the Commissioners know that there is the old Mamalahoa Highway situated on the mauka side abutting the subject property. Leopolino Road which accesses off of the Hawaii Belt Highway is situated in this orientation. And if I may go to the overall site map, excuse me, the site map submitted by the applicant, again, this would be the Hawaii Belt Highway going towards Hamakua, and this would be in the Hilo direction. Leopolino Road provides access to the subject property. Currently, the access would be from Leopolino Road to the Old Mamalahoa Highway; and there is an existing shack at this location where people would check in before entering the existing gardens. The applicant intends to construct a two-story 7,000 square foot visitors center at this particular location, with an area set aside for 55 parking stalls. Once the visitors center is constructed, then access to the property would be from the Hawaii Belt Highway to Leopolino Road, and coming through Palm Avenue which would be 30 feet wide; and this used to be an old cane haul road. . The current daily visitor count is approximately 80 visitors. In the short-term they expect to have150visitors,andlong-termwouldbeapproximately1200visitorsperday.Theyanticipate at that time to have five tour buses coming on site with a capacity of 50 visitors each. So you can expect from the tour busses approximately 250 visitors per day. The Planning Director had recommended approval of this particular application when the th application was first submitted back on June 4 to the Planning Commission, June 4, 2004 which was the first public hearing. However the public hearing was not actually held since he applicant nd had requested a continuance. The subsequent meeting was July 2, that was a public hearing. At that time there was public testimony. And we did hear from the applicant as well as some of the surrounding property owners; and some of the property owners are situated at this particular location which is makai of the Hawaii Belt Highway. There are some lots along this section of the highway. The Planning Commission at that time on July 2, 2004 deferred action on the application. They requested that the applicants submit a TIAR before proceeding with the final decision. The applicant then submitted its traffic impact analysis report on January 30, 2005, at which time the TIARwassubmittedtoboththeDepartmentofTransportationaswellastheDepartmentof Public Works. The County Department of Public Works did submit its response on the TIAR andbasicallystatedthatbecausetheaccessfromLeopolinoRoadwouldbefromtheState Highway, that they would defer comments to the State Department of Transportation. Unfortunately,tothisdate,wehavenotreceivedanycommentsfromtheStateDepartmentof th Transportation regarding the TIAR. On April 12 , we did sent another letter to the applicants representative asking that they look at traffic safety issues as part of the TIAR and, basically, th these would be thesightdistance issues as well as the turning movement. On May 10, I believe,theapplicantdidsubmittheirsightdistancestudy,whichallofyouhaveacopyof. Today, we did receive a letter from two individuals. One is from Brent Gallagher stating their oppositiontothisparticularrequest.WealsoreceivedaletterfromJeffandWendyHaunwho also requested the Commission deny this particular request; and they will be presenting their testimonytoyou.Mr.andMrs.Haunhavebeenactivelyparticipatinginthehearingsprevious to this. 2EXHIBIT C