2004-02-06 Planning Commission Minutes

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Scott Andrews, member of the Hilo Bay Watershed Advisory Group, expressed his concern of flooding and polluting Downtown Hilo, the soccer fields and Hilo Bay, quoting excerpts from various reports. He believed the criteria for establishing a project district have not been met. He said this was a very complex issue that will take years of study by various governmental agencies and should involve the whole community. He said before a bigger should clean up existing messes, noting this project may open up the County to law suits and fines. Emmeline de Pillis, teacher at the UH Hilo, implored the Commission to deny the request as the plan lacks the amenities the university students want as it is not within easy walking distance of the main campus. She said the plan has the hallmarks of a very large suburban slum as it lacks major employers within easy walking distance, there are no meaningful and long-terms barriers to inappropriate tenants or architectural eyesore, the size of the lots are small and the density high, and there would be an erosion of commercial and residential rates because of the oversupply of available units. Henry Horton said he would like planning done for 100 years from now and not just for the current. He said agreed with the previous speakers speaking out against the project, noting his concerns of flooding and not addressing the needs of the University in general. Claudia Rohr spoke against the project because of her concerns on flooding, submitting into the record a portion of the Mohouli Street Extension Drainage Study. She also noted her concerns regarding the increased traffic in the area. In response to Commissioner GrahamÓs inquiry, Mr. Yuen said engineering work will come later but he believes DPW and Planning will address concerns raised by Mr. Yamashiro responded to the comments from testifiers. He pointed out the project is within one mile of the University Library and between that and the project site there is the University Tech Park area, Pacific Basin Agriculture Research Center, and a considerable concentration of businesses that could be serviced by both residents living in the area and the commercial core. He said although student population is one thing, they were also looking at the other market segments, such as people of his age who were getting ready to retire that may want to down size and move from a house to a town house or smaller facility and, also, for the first-time buyers, such as starting teachers, policemen, etc. who now live in the Puna district and have to travel a considerable distance into Hilo. He pointed out that they found the population is growing and there is no major shopping on this side of town. Mr. Yamashiro stated they feel the project will (1) live up to the General Plan and (2) it will provide needed services to a growing community within the Hilo District and help address the present shortage in housing that is being experienced throughout the area. RECESSEDThe Chair called a short recess at 10:40 a.m. RECONVENEDThe meeting reconvened at 10:45 a.m. 3