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SIRACUSA:And to yourknowledge, I dont know if youve been inside either of those
<br />houses, would you say that they are habitable?
<br />FUKE: Oh, yes, both units are habitable, correct.
<br />SIRACUSA:Okay, thank you.
<br />FUKE:At the last Commission meeting it was kind of like my understanding that
<br />the concerns raised by members of the Commission who were not supportive of the favorable
<br />recommendation offered by the Planning Director, I think, focused on two things. One related
<br />around the need for more affordable housing and, secondly, relating to what, I guess, one of the
<br />Commissioners may have termed like creeping commercialism. And in response to what, what
<br />Id like to just kind of share with the Commission is that one of the guiding force, you know, for
<br />land use direction, of course, is the General Plan. And the General Plan is a dynamic document,
<br />andasaresultitrequiresconstantreviewonamandatorybasisaccordingtotheCharterevery
<br />ten years. You just had a General Plan Amendment, the revision was recently adopted this year.
<br />Prior to that revision and the current revision, the existing version, it had, the General Plan did
<br />designate and provided the commercial expansion for the City of Hilo to occur in this particular
<br />direction. And its pursuant to this direction that, you know, rezoning applications occur. If it
<br />just so happens that this is not the direction that the community wants, then I think that the
<br />responsible thing to do is to have the community, or individuals, or Council Members, or
<br />whomever, you know, petition and request to have the General Plan in that direction, redirected
<br />to another area.
<br />Having said that, you know, if you look at the existing situation and not so much what the zoning
<br />map shows, because if you look at the zoning map the zoning map would kind of like suggest
<br />that theres like a sea of yellow colored area which would suggest a lot residential. But if you
<br />travel along up and down the street like most of us do, you know, those of us here who live in
<br />Hilo, anyway, you will find that theres a lot of commercial activity, you know, abounding that
<br />area. Specifically, to the, adjoining this property you have this Lanikaula Professional Center
<br />thats soon to be occupied; and on the opposite side of the Lanikaula corner of course is a,
<br />although its residentially zoned, you have a medical office building, medical office/dental
<br />complex in that particular area. Across of that property is nothing but commercial uses. And so
<br />we believe that, you know, notwithstanding the color on the zoning map, that if you look at it
<br />from a practical standpoint you do have like a sea of commercial uses in this area; and this is
<br />pretty much the only pocket thats not utilized in a manner thats consistent with the adjoining
<br />properties.
<br />Relative to the affordable housing question, yes, you know, you do have those two vacant and
<br />possibly they may have been rented, Im not really sure at this point in time; but as about a
<br />month ago there were not rented, based on what the applicant shared with me. But if you notice
<br />that if you have the property rezoned to what is being requested, you create an opportunity for
<br />more residential uses, you know, unlike the present RS-10 zoning which would limit the number
<br />of units to what you have right now. The Planning Directors condition does provide for that
<br />accommodation, that is to say that if you do, if market conditions change such that the owner
<br />decides to convert this area into more residential units then, of course, that person would have to
<br />absorb the impact fee responsibilities. So I think the Directors condition does address the
<br />possibility for more units and, of course, if you have more units then the affordable housing
<br />3EXHIBIT A
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