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

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PUBLIC UTILITIES AND SERVICES 23. Access and Parking: Access to the project site is presently taken from Old Mamalahoa Highway, a 14-foot wide paved single-lane County road, via Leopolino Road, a 21-foot wide,paved, single-lane roadway, and Highway 19, or the Hawaii Belt Road, a State- owned highway. There is a packed gravel parking area on the site adjacent to the existing visitor's shop. After construction of the proposed visitor center, access is proposed directly off Leopolino Road onto a 30-foot wide paved driveway designated as "Palm Avenue", a former cane haul road lined with 50 palms approximately 40 feet tall. Visitors will exit the site by looping mauka within the site onto the Old Mamalahoa Highway. By letter dated April 10, 2023, the State Department of Transportation (DOT) states that while they have no objections to the applicant's request for a 5-year time extension, prior analysis on visitor counts and required conditions were based on a 2005 TIAR that may no longer be applicable to current traffic conditions. DOT recommends that a new TIAR be submitted and reviewed by the county prior to issuance of building permits, to include an evaluation of intersection improvements such as ingress/egress to and from Highway 19 and acceleration/deceleration lanes at Leopolino Road and Hawaii Belt Road. DOT further states that should there be traffic impacts attributed to the project, the applicant is required to provide mitigated traffic improvements at no cost to the state. 24. Water: According to the applicant, water is available from a catchment system and stored in two 30,000-gallon metal tanks. Currently, bottled water is provided to patrons and staff, along with filtered catchment water for potable use. The applicant states that once the visitor center is constructed, the applicant will either continue to use the filtered water catchment system or an existing well to supply potable water needs. The Department of Water Supply has previously stated that County water is not available to the site. The Department of Health, Clean Water Branch, notes that the project shall comply with Hawaii Administrative Rules, Chapters 11-53, 11-54 and 11-55. 25. Wastewater: According to the applicant, a septic system will be constructed, meeting State Department of Health and County requirements. 26. Essential Utilities/Services: All utilities are available to the site. Police and fire facilities are available in Laupahoehoe, approximately 10 miles away. 5