PD Background Report (PL-SPP-2023-000040)

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• The County shall encourage the development and maintenance of communities meeting the needs of its residents in balance with the physical and social environment. • Provide for commercial developments that maximize convenience to users. • Provide commercial development that complements the overall pattern of transportation and land usage within the island's regions,communities,and neighborhoods. • Distribution of commercial areas shall be such as to best meet the demands of neighborhood, community and regional needs. (Policy) In summary, the project would be consistent with those goals and policies. It would not be removing any productive agricultural lands; it would be providing a service to the local communities and the visitor industry; and it would not adversely affect surrounding properties and communities. In terms of the visitor industry,the Applicant recently received approval of its proposed 900-unit timeshare project. The project is anticipated to bring additional visitors to this area that will stretch well beyond the current period of 2025. Further,the Applicant is in the process of constructing over 200 workforce housing within the resort. All told, the helicopter facility will enable its use in times of emergency not only for these residents but guests as well. Relative to the South Kohala Community Development Plan ("SKCDP"), Section 15.1 of the County General Plan called for the development and eventual County Council adoption of Community Development Plans ("CDP"). The General Plan states that the Community CDP "will translate the broad General Plan statements to specific actions as they apply to specific geographical areas. The General Plan also notes that should the CDP require a General Plan amendment, it could be considered concurrent with the adoption of the CDP. However, "If there is a direct conflict between the Community Development Plan and the General Plan, the General Plan shall be controlling. " Pursuant to the above,the SKCDP was developed and adopted by the County Council during the latter part of the year 2008 as Ordinance No. 2008 159. Relative to the Waikoloa Village Conceptual Plan of the SKCDP,the subject site is identified as an area where the existing A-5a zone should be retained. Such a designation applies to essentially all of the lands on the north and south side of Waikoloa Road between the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway and Waikoloa Village. The areas surrounding the subject site are still zoned A-5a, and there are no pending rezoning and/or land use applications for these areas. It is unlikely that any urban-type of uses would occur in this area within the next 10-years, given 6