PD Background Report BWA LLC (PL-SPP-2023-033)

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14. Agricultural activities will not be diminished, as the portion of the site proposed for the development is not in active agricultural use. As the proposed facility will occupy approximately 4,000 square feet of a 26.27-acre parcel, the proposed use will not remove significant lands from agricultural use and would not be contrary to the objectives of the State Land Use Law for the Agricultural District. The property is designated as Prime Agricultural Lands by the ALISH map. These are lands which have the soil quality, growing season, and moisture needed to produce sustained high yields of crops economically when treated and managed according to modern farming methods. The Land Study Bureau's Overall Master Productivity soil rating for the property is "C"or"Fair", and suited for use as a botanical garden. The proposed use will complement, and not interfere with uses permitted in the district, as a botanical garden is a permitted use within the Agricultural zoned district. 15. The proposed use is consistent with the goals,policies and standards of the General Plan. The General Plan LUPAG Map designation for the property is Intensive Agriculture, which includes sugar,orchard,diversified agriculture, and floriculture. Although a small portion of the property will be used for the proposed development, the majority of the 26.27-acre parcel will remain in its current state. The proposed request will continue to encourage agricultural activities or the utilization of lands in a manner consistent with the Intensive Agriculture designation by the General Plan LUPAG Map. Finally, the proposed request would complement and be consistent with the Land Use and Economic elements of the General Plan. 16. The granting of this request would promote the effectiveness and objectives of Chapter 205A,Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to the Coastal Zone Management Program. The project site is not located in the Special Management Area. The site is located mauka of Highway 19 and will not be impacted by coastal hazard and beach erosion. There is no record of a designated public access that traverses the property. According to the applicant,no valued cultural,historical or natural resources exist on the properties and there is no evidence of any traditional and customary Native Hawaiian rights being practiced on the site. Thus, it is not anticipated that the proposed request will have any adverse impact on cultural or historical resources in the area. The proposed project will not impact any recreational resources,scenic and open space or visual resources,coastal ecosystems and marine coastal resources. 17. The property consists of former sugar cane land that was intensively cultivated in sugar cane. According to the applicant,the flora on the property prior to purchase by World Garden consisted of sugar cane, invasive grasses and noxious weeds. The applicant has controlled weeds and grasses and planted approximately 500 botanical specimens of plants and trees on the property. The applicant plans to plant 30,000 botanical specimens. The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife has recommended that the applicant follow the weed risk assessment contained in their website. Common species of birds in the area include the Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos),Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Common Myna(Acridotheres tristis), House Finch(Carpodacus mexicanus), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Spotted Dove(Streptopella chinesis), Zebra Dove(Geopelia striata), and the Rock dove (Colunba livia). The I'o is very rarely seen soaring overhead in the area. -10-