2003-09-11 TCLIFT - Laserfiche WebLink

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KUBOTA:Mauka side. I see. Okay. Thank you. FUJIKAWA:Is there any other questions from the Commissioners? Okay, if not, letÓs have Janice. Go ahead with your testimony. PALMA-GLENNIE:Aloha, Commission Members. Before I start what I wrote out, unfortunately, our Board members of the Sierra Club missed the notice of the st August 1 meeting, didnÓt realize this was a continuation till too late. And though the application is complicated due to the default industrial zoning of the property, our group most likely would have asked for Contested Case against the project. But, however, the convoluted Contested Case application process precluded this possibility. I just had to mention that. Aloha, again. It has come to our attention that the owners of the above property is asking to upzone as well as receive a Special Management Area Permit for his OÒoma 2nd property. Though the property is now classified by the County as ÐIndustrial,Ñ it is only by default that this designation exists, as you know. That is due to a land swap approximately 12 years ago. This parcel was part of the NELHA where an Industrial zoning was meant to allow for the aquaculture facilities planned for that property. This zoning does not reflect any past or future intentions of the County or the owner of the property for what would be developed at OÒoma 2 Except by a TMK separation which occurred due to a land swap, OÒoma 2nd is part of the rightly zoned Conservation land on its makai side. Though we feel that this land belongs in other than an Industrial zoning, we feel that Project District zoning, as delineated by the plan before you, is an inappropriate change for this propertyÓs rezoning at this time. As you know, the Mayor, along the several community leaders, ha to secure a public access and a public park at adjacent Kohanaiki. This entire area -- from Kaloko-Honokohau, Kohanaiki to OÒoma -- has been a focus of community activism, protection and aloha which has been meant to secure this land, and its most passive use, environmental and cultural integrity, for the public and future generations. This area comprises most of what is left of undeveloped and unplanned coastal lands in West Hawaii. It has been used continually -- and with greater frequency as public resources diminished -- for recreation, subsistence, cultural rejuvenation, and open space. CliftoÓs, the owner and seller of this property, is asking for this change of zone for speculation purposes only. The Applicant has admitted, himself, will never materialize, nor should it. With the extreme lag and County, it behooves all of us -- including land speculators -- to take more than a cursory look at such a nebulous plan before allowing for hundreds of residences, hotel rooms, and commercial venues to be built, especially on precious, finite coastal land. By law, HRS 205A, the County is required to protect viewplanes towards the ocean (i.e., will a future developer build this land up as what happened at LoweÓs or 49 Black Sands Beach at Waikoloa? Even with the 40-foot limit height on buildings, it can be much higher. Will 14