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we’ll go ahead and call up the parties, both the applicant and intervenors. And then we’ll deal
<br />with going forward towards making a decision from there. All right. Jeff, could you start,
<br />please?
<br />DARROW: Sure. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I can direct the Commission’s
<br />attention to the location map, the area of this application is within the North Kohala District of
<br />Hawaii, more specifically we are looking at the Akoni Pule Highway running in an east-west
<br />direction. Just for reference, we have the Union Mill Road, and we also have the Union Market
<br />identified in pink, which is Commercial Zoning.The area of the application is identified in
<br />yellow, the yellow dot here, which as the Chairman had mentioned is approximately 0.8 mile
<br />makai of the Akoni Pule Highway. For reference as well, previously the Planning Department
<br />Commission approved Special Management Area Use Permit 417 and Special Permit 1117 for a
<br />16-room Hawaiian Permaculture Center, and that’s located just makai of this application.
<br />The applicant in this case, Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds, Inc., is requesting a Special
<br />Permit for a camping and retreat center on 6 acres of an approximate 36-acre parcel. Referring
<br />to the submitted plot plan from the applicants, proposed access would be from what was called
<br />the road near Union Market, which it’s come to my understanding now has been named Maluhia
<br />Road. And this would come down to Pratt Road, and then come across to the access road, which
<br />is now identified as Lokahi Road. Access will be from this Lokahi Road. And the camping
<br />facility identified, the 6-acre permit area identified in blue will consist of the following items:
<br />Proposed are 14 cabins – they are identified in black dots in these locations, also a tent camping
<br />area, 4 farm worker staff cabins; additionally there are other items such as a bath and pool house,
<br />plant nursery, a meeting pavilion, a snack shack, a prayer cabin, open pasture, organic vegetable
<br />gardens, as well as recreational area for rope course, climbing wall, etc.
<br />nd
<br />This is a continued hearing. Our first hearing was held on September 22, 2006, at the Hapuna
<br />Prince Beach Hotel. At that time the Planning Commission voted to grant standing to two
<br />intervenors identified as Jean Sunderland as well as Kamakani O Kohala Ohana, Inc. or also
<br />known as Kako`o. The Planning Commission also voted to outsource this contested case hearing
<br />to a hearings officer. Attorney, Sherry Broder, was selected as the hearings officer, and the
<br />th
<br />contested case was conducted on February 6, 2007. The Planning Commission has received the
<br />entire record for this application as well as the proposed Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law
<br />and Recommendations from the hearings officer, as well as from the both intervenors, the
<br />applicant and the Planning Department. The recommendation from the hearings officer is that
<br />the application be approved with listed conditions. Are there any questions?
<br />GRAHAM: Commissioners, any questions? Thank you, Jeff. All right, I
<br />believe we should proceed with public testimony. And I have six names here. Maybe I can call
<br />you up like three at a time. So could I have Toni Withington, Mike Marsoun and Michael Perry?
<br />Come forward at this time, and you may be seated there. Thank you all. First of all, I would like
<br />to swear you in. So could you please raise your right hands, and swear or affirm that you’ll tell
<br />the truth on this matter today before the Hawaii County Planning Commission?
<br />TESTIFIERS: I do.
<br />GRAHAM: Thank you. As far as the order, I’ll start on my right with Toni
<br />Withington. And then as you begin your testimony, just give your name and your address first,
<br />EXHIBIT B
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