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IWASHITA: Follow-up?
<br />WATANABE: Yes.
<br />IWASHITA: So assuming a major SMA comes in in the future, right, I’m not clear in
<br />my mind how that Implementing Committee would work or be involved in the process when that
<br />comes to this body, or as it comes to this body, or does it? Would the Implementing Committee,
<br />everybody here can tell you my vision of the CDP is that it makes our work easier. In other
<br />words, right, I would like to see your input that the Implementing Committee would be able to
<br />say this SMA or zoning application, you know, complies or doesn’t comply, you know, this is
<br />our recommendation. Right? And the developer’s challenge to me should be really at the
<br />Implementing Committee level. Because I really think, you know, when Commissioner
<br />Woodward talks about participation, right, and public participation, and the public’s sense that
<br />when they show up, that it can be an effective input into the process and getting to the end, of,
<br />you know, having the vision, the preferred future, actually done. Right? To me, you know,
<br />having it done in Kona for Kona projects, that’s the way to do it. Right? And Puna, for Puna
<br />projects, and so forth. So I’m just trying to get a better sense of what you think, you know, and
<br />how the Implementing Committee would work for those kinds of major goals that ultimately
<br />come through us and go to Council.
<br />PISICCHIO: As Ken said the, well, Ken said originally the Steering Committee and the
<br />Governance working group wanted each, they felt that each CDP should have their own
<br />Planning Commission. So we’re talking about six Planning Commissions, and then like as
<br />mentioned then Councilman Pilago came up with suggestions for an East and West Hawaii. So
<br />we figured, you know, what are we going to do here, are we going to fight with him over this?
<br />And so the other thing that was going on at the Steering Committee meetings while we were
<br />trying to create a long-range document for pro-active planning is we actually started having
<br />developers show up at our meetings sign up to testify and try to sell the Steering Committee on
<br />giving some kind of an approval even at that forum on their proposals that were immediate, you
<br />know, that were going to be coming to you folks next. And as Ken said the Steering Committee
<br />realized that if that was the case, if we were looking at SMAs, you know, every month or
<br />whatever, the real work, the proactive long-time work, would never get done. And so that’s as
<br />written in here and also as written in the ordinance by Pete Hoffman, those committees will not
<br />be reviewing, you know, then same applications.
<br />But in Kona, in the Community Development Plan there is another entity called a Design Center.
<br />The Design Center is more intended to do what you’re suggesting where there could be a
<br />preapplication process for someone coming in for rezoning or subdivision approval or special
<br />permit, could come in and have a discussion with staff to try to get their application in
<br />conformance with a plan before it ends up, before they invest a bunch of money, in other words,
<br />and then come to you and find out it’s not in compliance with the Plan. So the Design Center
<br />would be the stage where it would fulfill what you’re suggesting. But the Implementation
<br />Committee as written in here and also Mr. Hoffman’s ordinance is not going to be reviewing
<br />current applications. They’re going to be more long-term keepers of the flame to make sure this
<br />plan doesn’t just sit on the shelf and that programs that are set up in this plan actually live and
<br />carry forward, and that capital improvement projects that are supposed to be funded in five years,
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